Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
What better way to celebrate a fall morning than by mixing up a batch of Buttermilk Pumpkin Spice Pancakes? These from-scratch pumpkin pancakes come together with easy pantry ingredients and some extra spices and pumpkin puree to really make them shine! Learn how to make the best homemade pancakes, too. Makes 4 servings.
Love pumpkin flavor at breakfast? Don’t miss Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Nutella Swirl and Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips!
The photos and recipe for these Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes were originally published on October 7, 2011. The photographs, the recipe and the text of this blog post were updated in October 2020.
Hey y’all. I’m Michelle. I blog over here, and I also have an addiction to pancakes. And it’s fall, so pumpkin is ubiquitous.
So the obvious thing to do was to combine the two.
I also have an addiction to coffee. So I combined coffee and pumpkin with a recipe for pumpkin spice syrup on my own blog today, too.
Why I love this recipe:
I love buttermilk pancakes. And this recipe is an adaptation from the classic in The Joy of Baking.
And as far as I’m concerned, pancakes ought to be buttermilk.
The tang and thickness that you get from using buttermilk in pancakes takes them from “oh, yeah. I like pancakes” to “mmmmm, pancakes.”
The combination of of buttermilk with pumpkin puree and spices just sets these pancakes over the top.
Other breakfast items that pair beautifully with Buttermilk Pumpkin Spice Pancakes: Vegan Breakfast Apple Crisp / Twice-Glazed Pumpkin Scones / Sage Browned Butter Homemade Home Fries / Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
Looking for breakfast, but don’t know where to begin? My Breakfast Recipe Index is a great place for inspiration!
What you’ll need to make this recipe:
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- Two large mixing bowls
- A liquid measuring cup
- A pancake griddle or a large skillet
- Stainless steel spatula for flipping on the griddle (please do not use metal if you’re using a nonstick skillet for cooking your pancakes)
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter—I like to use unsalted in baking recipes so I can control how much salt we add to the batter.
- All-purpose flour—we always have unbleached at our house, but the regular kind works perfectly, too!
- Granulated sugar—also known as white sugar, this gives our pancakes a little bit of sweetness.
- Pumpkin pie spice—we’re making our own by combining cinnamon, ginger and allspice. You could also use the same total amount of a store-bought pumpkin pie spice if you like it!
- Leaveners—we are using a combination of baking powder and baking soda to give make these pancakes light and fluffy.
- Kosher salt—I used a medium-grain salt. If you only have finer salt, consider using a little less so your batter does not become too salty.
- Buttermilk—this is going to give a distinctive tang to the pumpkin pancake recipe. There is no substitute, though you can make your own buttermilk at home in a pinch.
- Pumpkin puree—read your can. We don’t want to use pumpkin pie filling, which is spiced and already sweetened because we are spicing this and sweetening it ourselves.
- Eggs—these provide some structure to the batter, as well as help the pancakes rise.
- Vanilla extract—just a splash adds lovely undertones and flavor.
- Maple syrup or possibly whipped cream, fresh fruit, chocolate chips, toasted pecans and/or your favorite toppings
How to make Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Melt the butter in either a pan or a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Let it cool as the other ingredients are mixed. If it’s too hot, it could cook the eggs.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together until combined. This will ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed inside the pancakes.
Combine the wet ingredients (melted butter, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla extract) in another bowl. Stir with a spatula until well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently stir together.
Do not overmix! Your pancakes will be less fluffy if the batter is overworked.
Once the batter has been mixed, let it rest for a few minutes. It will be thick, and that’s OK!
As it rests, preheat your griddle or frying pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Brush with extra butter or oil.
Scoop the pancake batter onto the griddle with a 1/3 cup scoop. Sprinkle nuts on top of the batter, if desired.
When edges are firm, flip the pancakes and cook through before removing and serving with pure maple syrup and extra walnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can simple add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to your regular cow’s milk to make a faux buttermilk. Let it sit out for 5 or so minutes, and you’ll notice the milk will begin to curdle.
This will give you a buttermilk tang without you needing to run out to the store to purchase buttermilk.
Of course! Use simple math to make that happen in the recipe below. 🙂
It’s rare for us to have leftover pancakes, BUT if we do, we keep them in a food-safe storage container in the refrigerator for a few days.
Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Pancakes
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the pancakes won’t be as fluffy.
- When do you know how to flip? When big ‘ol bubbles start to form in the batter. Lift up the edge a little bit with a spatula to confirm the color on the other side before committing… because when you flip them, you won’t flip them again. (Yep. We only need to flip our pancakes once.)
- Once you’ve flipped your pancakes, don’t press down on them! This will deflate them. Obviously, we want them to puff up and be as light and airy as possible.
- Leftover pancakes? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.
More pancake recipes to try:
Buttermilk Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (plus more for the pan)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- A handful of pecans for serving
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Instructions
- Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan first. Let it cool while you mix everything else.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Whisk until combined.
- In another mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir with a spatula until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into your dry ingredients, gently folding them together and being careful not to overmix. (If you overmix, your batter won’t rise as well.) The batter will be thick.
- Let the pancake batter rest for 5 minutes. Preheat a frying pan or a griddle over medium heat. You’ll know it’s warm enough when you can drop a sprinkle of water on it, and it sizzles immediately.
- Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or your measuring spoon!), scoop the pancake batter onto the preheated griddle.
- When edges are firm and bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancake, flip and cook through.
- Repeat the process until you’ve made all 26 of your pancakes.
- Serve warm with pecans or walnuts and maple syrup!
Notes
Quick Tips and Tricks for the BEST Pancakes
- Don’t overmix your batter! This means you want to mix the batter until it has just combined. Lumps are OK. If you whisk/mix until it’s completely smooth, the pancakes won’t become as fluffy.
- Only flip the pancakes once.
- When you’ve flipped your pancakes, don’t press down on them! This will deflate them.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Michelle, I simple cannot wait to give these pancakes a shot! And I’m thinking that I might make them on Sunday for our house guests. (We’ve got lots of friends/family coming in town for this weekend’s LSU game, so we have a packed house!)
Thanks, again, for sharing your recipe!
I hope your guests like them! They’re a big hit over here!
We all LOVED them, and these will definitely be made in the future because they were delightful! Not too sweet and mouthwatering with maple syrup!