Made with whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans, these Pumpkin Pancakes are soft, fluffy, and filled with fall flavor. A quick and easy breakfast and the leftovers freeze well too.
The Best Pumpkin Pancakes
I’m not a big breakfast person. Usually, a green smoothie, a simple hard-boiled egg, yogurt or some overnight oats in a jar is all I need to keep me fueled until lunch. But on Sundays, we wake up a little later and have more time to make a more extravagant breakfast. My kids love pancakes, so I often treat them.
Now that pumpkin season is here, I’ve been making these flapjacks – my girls think they are the best pumpkin pancakes. They are so good that no one even knows I use whole wheat flour instead of white flour.
These fluffy whole wheat pumpkin pancakes are perfect for pumpkin lovers! You can omit the pecans if you’re not a fan of nuts. If you don’t like pumpkin try these Whole Wheat Pancakes instead.
For more pumpkin recipes, this Pumpkin Butter is a must! Great on everything from Pumpkin Butter Crepes to yogurt or toast. And if you feel like baking, you must try this Pumpkin Banana Bread and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. For breakfast, I’m a huge fan of Pumpkin Overnight Oats and this Pumpkin Smoothie.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pancake Recipe
- Full of fall flavor. With pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, these pumpkin pecan pancakes are filled with warm fall flavor in every bite.
- Quick and easy. The batter comes together in just a few seconds and the cook time is just a few minutes per pancake, making these perfect for both weekends and weekdays.
- Freeze well. I highly recommend making some extra pumpkin pecan pancakes so you can freeze them for later! You can easily reheat straight from the freezer.
What You’ll Need
This pumpkin pancake recipe requires just a handful of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.
- Whole wheat flour – You can use any whole wheat flour, I prefer white whole wheat. All-purpose flour works too.
- Baking powder – Helps the pancakes rice.
- Salt
- Spices – Pumpkin pie spice plus a bit of cinnamon give these pancakes the warm flavor.
- Buttermilk – Low fat buttermilk adds a slight tang to the pancakes and helps to create super soft, fluffy pancakes.
- Egg whites – Gives the pancakes some struction.
- Canned pumpkin – Be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple syrup – Add flavor to the batter.
- Canola oil – You can also use coconut oil.
- Chopped pecans – Add texture to these pumpkin pecan pancakes.
- Cooking spray – Prevents the pancakes from sticking.
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
These easy pumpkin pancakes are done in just a few steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions.
- Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg whites, pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients in until no dry spots remain. Fold in the pecans.
- Cook. Heat a skillet over medium-low and spray with oil. Pour a quarter-cup of batter into the pan and flip when the pancakes start to bubble. Cook for another few minutes then remove from heat. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Tips for Success
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your pecan pancakes.
- Avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing the batter can lead to dry pancakes, so be sure to stir just until the ingredients are combined.
- Make sure the pan is preheated. Before adding the batter, be sure that the pan has preheated so the batter begins to cook immediately. You can test it by dripping a small amount of batter onto the pan first.
- When do you flip the pancakes? The top should be bubbling on these pumpkin spice pancakes and the bottom should easily release from the pan with a spatula. If you have to force it, they are not ready yet.
- Make the batter in advance. You can make the pancake batter the day before to save time the morning you cook the pancakes.
Pumpkin Pancake Variations
These are many different ways to customize this pancake recipe. Here are a few ideas.
- Nuts: If you don’t have pecans, swap them for another nut, like walnuts. You can also omit them if you prefer.
- Chocolate: Add some chocolate chips for those chocolate lovers.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, powdered buttermilk works fine too.
- Dairy Free: Swap the milk for your dairy free milk of choice
- Gluten-free Pancakes: Substitute the flour for equal parts gluten-free flour.
Serving Suggestions
Top your pumpkin spice pancakes with some warm maple syrup and/or butter as desired. You can enjoy them as a meal on their own or add a few sides.
I like to go for savory, high-protein sides like these scrambled eggs, some bacon, or turkey sausage.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Pumpkin pancakes can be stored covered with plastic or in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freezer. Once they’ve cooled completely, you can also wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat. You can reheat your pumpkin pancakes in the microwave, about 30-60 seconds if they’ve been in the fridge and 90 seconds from frozen.
More Healthy Pancake Recipes:
- Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Red Velvet Pancakes
- Banana Pancake Cereal
- Banana Nut Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, I prefer white whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp canola oil, or coconut oil
- 3 tbsp chopped pecans
- cooking spray
- warmed maple syrup, optional for topping
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) in a bowl.
- Combine buttermilk, egg whites, canned pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth.
- Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots then fold in pecans. Don’t over-mix.
- Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat. Spray oil to lightly coat and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter.
- When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, about 2 minutes then flip the pancakes and cook an additional 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.
- To serve, top with warmed maple syrup.
These are really good!
I made the following adjustments based on what I had and they worked well. Sharing so it may help others wondering.
1 whole egg instead of 3 egg whites
DIY Buttermilk using 2 tsp lemon juice and unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Still turned out delicious!!
Absolute delicious! Definitely will make these pumpkin pancakes again. We had breakfast for dinner.
Made these last night and the only change I did was sub almond milk for the buttermilk. They turned out absolutely fabulous. The pancakes were so tasty and nice and fluffy. A++++ recipe using pumpkin puree.
Can hardly wait to try!
Delicious! So easy to make and enjoyed for a Fall brunch. Will definitely make these again.
I tried to make these with coconut flour and the mixture was very dry. The batter was like cookie dough. Any suggestions?
I used two egss instead and the pancakes would not cook, they were mushy and flat. Was it the eggs?
Yes it likely was. 2 eggs is not equivalent to 3 Tb egg weights so your liquid volume is thrown off. A better substitution would be 1 whole egg.
It’s also bad form to give a recipe 1 star when your poor outcome was due to a modification you made to the original recipe.
can someone please tell me why my pancakes turn out flat, not fluffy.
Is your baking powder expired?
I made these the other day and they were amazing. Perfect for fall, i love pumpkin. Healthy spin on pancakes without sacrificing any flavour. They came out nice and thick too, fail proof recipe! Only thing I did different was use walnuts as I had no pecans at home. Turned out great!
I used oat milk instead of buttermilk and added chopped walnuts. It came out amazing. Thank you!
So good!! I was heavy handed on the pumpkin spice and it worked. Taste like pumpkin bread!!
My friend cooked this for me once after Halloween because I don’t eat sweets too much. But I have my own version now, I just add lion’s mane mushroom powder from https://naturesrise.com
delicious seasonal breakfast
These are very good and give you that pumpkin fix without any guilt. My only question was the recipe called for 2 tablespoons of maple syrup but only used 1 tablespoon in the recipe. Was the remaining 1 tablespoon for the drizzle? Otherwise great!
Sorry use the full 2 tbsp
Would this work with almond flour? Or oat flour?
I have not tested it this way.
Can you leave out the egg whites by any chance? I have a kiddo with an egg allergy and I’m not sure where the quantity ends up in the final recipe.
I was browsing through older recipes and, as it’s now fall, these caught my eye – I’d LOVE to make these into waffles as I’ve got one of those single size waffle makers. What changes would need to be made for that to work, do you think?
I may just use a little less liquid!
These are the best pumpkin pancakes I have ever eaten/made. I make per recipe. They are super pumpkin-y which is what I want it to taste like. Make these!
Loved this wonderful fall recipe. The pancakes were delish. Thanks for creating tasty recipes that don’t break the bank in calories.
These are delicious! Made per the recipe.
AMAZING! The puree makes them so moist… nothing dry about this recipe! I did not have pecans but instead threw in some chocolate chips, which of course my toddler loved. A great fall breakfast to pair with your coffee!
Can this recipe be used in the pan sheet method? I’m thinking “yes,” but don’t know.
I’m not sure, I haven’t tried it yet. Let me know if you do!
👍👍. Made this morning, were delicious!! I’m going to add a bit more pumpkin pie spice to amp up the flavor next time, otherwise very good.
Hi,
How long will these last in the refrigerator?
Could you use GF flour for this? If yes same amount?
Yes, a good all purpose GF mix would work, same amount.
Just had a craving for pumpkin pancakes for dinner. Made these and they were great. Next time I will use a few tablespoons of splenda in the mix. I like a sweeter pancake, as I do not use syrup. I used one egg instead of three whites.
Just made these this morning, and I like a little sweeter pancake too. Next time I’ll try a bit of Splenda, but I also think it needs more pumpkin pie spice flavor.
Absolutely wonderful! Doubled the recipe and used half whole wheat flour and half spelt flour. Thanks!
I was going to make GF pumpkin muffins today but I think I'll wait until tomorrow and make GF pumpkin pancakes instead! Your's look delicious! Hope mine can look similar!
Thanks so much for the recipe! I was so desperate to eat these pancakes that I substituted the buttermilk for almond milk( I know that's not a good substitution), tha pea cans for walnuts, and used regular wheat flour. I know i definatly changed the taste of the original recipe , but it was still so delicious!
Gina do you know how to convert this recipe for waffles? Thanks!
Perfect pancakes! These were the best I've ever tasted! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Love hearing that!
Can you please provide instructions on how to convert the batter for waffles? Thanks!
These look so good…can't wait to try them.
These look delicious! My son is allergic to eggs and I'm always unsure if I can replace egg whites with my usual fruit substitutes (banana, applesauce, pumpkin). Do you know if they would turn out good if I increased the pumpkin to 1 cup and left out the egg whites?
Can we use almond milk by itself or do we add some acidity to that as well?
These are so good. I usually make enough for my whole work week. I eat them with some banana slices and turkey sausage. I don't add the maple syrup. I just add 2 tbsp. brown sugar instead. Yummy!!
Any update for where that extra tbsp. of maple syrup goes? These pancakes are on my menu for this week and I want to make sure I do them right! 🙂
I think it goes in the pancake batter. I use brown sugar instead.
I put them in the batter, then serve it with extra on the side for topping.
These look yummy and I have more pumpkin purée to use from last night when I made your Pumpkin Banana bread (which is almost gone between my husband and I!) not surprised. I want to omit the pecans from this recipe.
How many points from the new point system do I take away? Plus I think the point system is different here in Canada. The Pumpkin Banana Bread was 4 points instead of 3.
It says in the recipe that the syrup mixes into the wet ingredients. Hope that helps!
Like others, I too am wondering where that extra tbsp of maple syrup goes. I have these on my dinner menu for this week and just wanted to check before I make them. Thanks!
My 10 and 13 year old nephews loved these! Thanks!
Just made these, yum! I added some mini chocolate chips to some of the pancakes while cooking for my picky child, and she gobbled them up. Such a nice change from "regular" pancakes. Thanks Gina, you are awesome 🙂
We just had these for dinner! They were great! They will be making a regular appearance in our house. Thanks for all your great recipes.
These were fabulous! We had them for dinner the other night YUM!
Yumm. My grocery store didn't have pumpkin pie spice! I'm on a mission to find some. It's October, it shouldn't everyone have pumpkin pie spice?!
Looks delish! Making pumpkin pancakes is on my fall to do list so this is most definitely happening. Thanks for the recipe!
We are dairy free due to my 6 month old's intolerance. Is almond milk ok?
Was wondering if you knew how to convert your pancake recipes to waffle recipes. Just bought a new waffle iron and would love to make these as waffles.
My son has an egg allergy and some of the things you can replace it with is 1/3 cup applesauce or 1/3 pumpkin puree or 1/4 cup veg oil or 1/2 cup pureed banana for one egg. What would you recommend for this recipe? Thanks, I am a huge fan of your recipes!!!
Chia Seeds work great as an egg substitute. This site has excellent instructions on how to do so.
http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-make-egg-substitute-chia-seeds/
Can you use whole wheat flour that isn't white?
Yes but it will change the taste.
I, too, am a bit confused as to how much maple syrup goes where, and when.
A whole lot, all over the pancakes, before you eat them
I put the 2 Tbsp in the batter; it worked out fine.
Can we use almond milk or skim milk if we don't have buttermilk on hand? It's the only ingredient I'm missing!
Skim milk works with the vinegar. Here are buttermilk subs: http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodequivalents/a/buttermilkequiv.htm
Gorgeous! I could definitely use this for breakfast right now!
These look amazing! And I love that they are a bit lighter than traditional pancakes. I LOVE pancakes, and adding pumpkin to the mix makes them so much better!!
Oh these are SO going to be on the menu for breakfast this weekend!
Thanks Gina!!!! Love your recipes!!!!
I am loving anything pumpkin this season, and those pancakes sound like the perfect Sunday breakfast!
I just wanted to tell you that we had your skinny swedish meatballs and your potato parsnip mash (sans the rosemary) for supper tonight. My husband and my picky 11-yr old son both approved! Actually my son ate more than I have seen him eat in a long time! I will be making both of these recipes again real soon. Thanks for the great recipes!
I've got breakfast for dinner on the menu this week and i will DEFINITELY be making these!
These look absolutely gorgeous, Gina! Totally want to try them! 🙂
Breakfast for dinner…can't wait! I will triple the recipe and freeze leftovers for easy breakfasts and for school lunches. Thanks so much for providing ideas for every single meal I make!
Can I use sugar free syrup
I'm in the process of making these right now! I'm a little confused, however, by the recipe calling for 2 Tbsp maple syrup but then only one in the actual recipe??
I was thinking the same thing..surely, it was not reserved for the heated topping..lol
I, too have the issue of no buttermilk, but I do have Almond Milk and Skim Milk.. are either workable?
I'd like to make these right now! I do NOT have buttermilk, only have fat-free milk. Can I use the fat free milk?
Put 1 TBSP of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then add your milk to the 1 cup line and let set for 5 minutes. That's a good substitute for using regular buttermilk.
Since I rarely use it, I just never buy buttermilk. I always use the vinegar or lemon juice trick and it works perfectly!
You could try buying the powdered buttermilk and just keeping it in the freezer that's what I do. I'm not sure if buttermilk freezes but you can always try that in ice cube trays.
I love the powdered buttermilk!
Buttermilk freezes really well! You just need to thaw and whisk it a bit before using.
This looks absolutely delicious !
XX Luba
Cozy sweater and animal print boots in my casual look today on
http://www.well-living-blog.com
Oh my goodness these are the best pancakes I have ever made! Saw this recipe first thing this morning, and had leftover pumpkin from making your pumpkin sherbet last night with my granddaughter also delish! My granddaughter really loved both, and good for her too! Thank you for providing us with the best recipes!