American
Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin puree turns a simple pancake batter orange and lightly spiced. The cakes cook through on the skillet so the centers are set, not raw.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 16 min
- Total
- 28 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling, keeps the sugar and spice under your control.
- A mix of baking powder and baking soda lifts a batter that is heavier because of the puree.
- The first side is ready to flip when the bubbles stay open and the edges look set.
- The second side finishes the center so there is no wet batter in the middle.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a bowl.
- 2
In another bowl, whisk the milk, pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- 3
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir just until the flour is mixed in. A few lumps are fine. Do not eat the raw batter. Let it rest 5 minutes.
- 4
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium. Add a little of the skillet butter and swirl it.
- 5
Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook until the surface has bubbles that stay open and the edges look set, about 2 minutes.
- 6
Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until the centers are cooked through and no wet batter shows when you peek.
- 7
Repeat with the remaining batter and butter. You should get about 8 pancakes.
- 8
Serve warm with maple syrup.
Pro tips
- If the first pancake is pale, raise the heat a notch. If it scorches before the center sets, lower it.
- Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced. Do not use it in place of puree without cutting the sugar and spice.
- Resting the batter lets the flour hydrate so the cakes are less gummy.
Easy substitutions
- milk
- unsweetened oat milk
- pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon plus 1/4 tsp ginger
- maple syrup
- warm honey
Storage and reheating
Storage
Cool leftover pancakes and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month with parchment between them.
Reheating
Warm in a toaster or a 325°F oven for 6 minutes. A skillet over medium-low also works. Microwave 20 seconds if you do not mind a softer cake.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 281
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
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Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
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