These pumpkin pancakes are tender, lightly spiced, and perfect for cozy fall mornings. This article gives you a detailed, step‑by‑step recipe using your ingredient list, plus extra tips to help you get fluffy, golden pancakes every time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp regular sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
Optional for serving: maple syrup, butter, whipped cream, chopped nuts, or a dusting of cinnamon.
Step 1: Prepare your pan or griddle
Before mixing the batter, set a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat so it has time to preheat evenly. A properly heated surface helps the pancakes rise quickly and brown evenly without spreading too much. When ready to cook, lightly grease the surface with nonstick spray, a thin brush of vegetable oil, or a little melted butter to prevent sticking and give a light golden crust.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Use a whisk or fork to combine everything thoroughly, making sure the baking soda and spices are distributed evenly through the flour so there are no pockets of leavening or spice in the batter. If you like, you can sift these ingredients together for an even lighter texture, but a good whisking is usually enough for soft pancakes.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add the regular sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, and water. Crack the egg into a small separate dish first to make sure there are no bits of shell, then add it to the bowl with the other wet ingredients. Whisk everything together until the mixture looks smooth and uniform, breaking up any small lumps of pumpkin puree or brown sugar so the sweetness and pumpkin flavor are evenly distributed.
Step 4: Bring the batter together
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Gently whisk or stir with a spatula until the flour mixture is just incorporated and no visible streaks of dry flour remain; the batter should be thick but pourable and a little lumpy, which is ideal for tender pancakes. If the batter seems too thick to pour, add a splash of water, a teaspoon at a time, until it slowly falls from a spoon; avoid overmixing because that can make the pancakes tough instead of soft.
Step 5: Portion and cook the pancakes
Once the griddle or pan is hot and lightly greased, use a ¼‑cup measuring cup to scoop the batter and pour it onto the surface, forming neat round pancakes. Gently spread each portion into a circle if needed, leaving a little space between pancakes so they have room to puff and expand. Cook the first side for a couple of minutes, until small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look slightly set and matte rather than shiny.
When the bottoms are golden, flip each pancake with a spatula and cook the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the center feels springy when lightly pressed and the underside is a rich golden brown. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and keep them warm (you can loosely cover them with a clean kitchen towel), then continue cooking the remaining batter in batches, greasing the pan lightly between batches when needed.
Step 6: Serve warm
Stack the warm pumpkin pancakes on plates and drizzle generously with maple syrup so it seeps into the soft, spiced centers. Add a pat of butter that melts over the top, or finish with whipped cream, chopped nuts, or an extra sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice for a café‑style presentation. Serve immediately while they are warm and fluffy, when the texture is soft and the pumpkin spice aroma is at its best.
Extra tips for perfect pumpkin pancakes
Using evaporated milk instead of regular milk gives these pancakes a slightly richer flavor and creamier texture without making the batter too thin; if you ever want to swap in regular milk, use about ¾ cup and omit the added water. The brown sugar adds a gentle caramel note that pairs beautifully with pumpkin and warm spices, while the white sugar keeps the sweetness bright and balanced.
Pumpkin puree adds both flavor and moisture, so the batter will naturally be thicker than classic pancake batter; this is normal and helps keep the pancakes soft and slightly chewy rather than dry. Just make sure you are using plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices and would throw off the balance of the recipe.
Heat control matters: if the pan is too hot, the outside will brown too quickly while the center stays undercooked; if it is too low, the pancakes will spread, become dense, and may dry out before they brown. Medium heat usually works best, but you can adjust slightly up or down after the first test pancake to match your stove or griddle.
When mixing the batter, stop as soon as the flour disappears into the wet ingredients, even if the batter looks slightly lumpy. Overworking the batter can develop gluten in the flour, making the pancakes tougher and less fluffy, whereas a few small lumps will disappear as the batter rests for a minute or two before cooking.
For serving, these pancakes pair especially well with maple syrup because the maple flavor echoes the warm spices and pumpkin, but you can also add a little vanilla or cinnamon to your syrup for a custom touch. If making them ahead for a crowd, keep cooked pancakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a low oven so they stay warm without getting soggy on the bottom, and then serve them stacked high for an impressive fall breakfast.
Essential Equipment Guide
- Griddle or non-stick skillet .
- Non-stick cooking spray or pastry brush for melted butter .
- Large bowl for dry ingredients .
- Medium bowl for wet ingredients .
- Whisk for mixing wet ingredients .
- ¼ cup measuring cup for portioning batter .
Nutritional Information
Approximate values per serving (based on 3-4 servings total, using listed ingredients).
Pairings
- Drizzle with warm maple syrup .
- Sprinkle toasted nuts like pecans or walnuts .
- Serve alongside fresh fruit such as sliced apples or berries.
- Pair with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai for cozy mornings.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips to the batter for a sweet twist.
- Swap evaporated milk for regular milk or buttermilk for lighter texture.
- Incorporate vanilla extract into wet ingredients for extra flavor.
- Use gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose for dietary needs.
Recipe Timing
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Easy Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe for Cozy Mornings
These pumpkin pancakes are tender, lightly spiced, and perfect for cozy fall mornings. This article gives you a detailed, step‑by‑step recipe using your ingredient list, plus extra tips to help you get fluffy, golden pancakes every time.
- Total Time: 25 Mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp regular sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
Instructions
Before mixing the batter, set a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat so it has time to preheat evenly. A properly heated surface helps the pancakes rise quickly and brown evenly without spreading too much. When ready to cook, lightly grease the surface with nonstick spray, a thin brush of vegetable oil, or a little melted butter to prevent sticking and give a light golden crust.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Use a whisk or fork to combine everything thoroughly, making sure the baking soda and spices are distributed evenly through the flour so there are no pockets of leavening or spice in the batter. If you like, you can sift these ingredients together for an even lighter texture, but a good whisking is usually enough for soft pancakes.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add the regular sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, and water. Crack the egg into a small separate dish first to make sure there are no bits of shell, then add it to the bowl with the other wet ingredients. Whisk everything together until the mixture looks smooth and uniform, breaking up any small lumps of pumpkin puree or brown sugar so the sweetness and pumpkin flavor are evenly distributed.
Step 4: Bring the batter together
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Gently whisk or stir with a spatula until the flour mixture is just incorporated and no visible streaks of dry flour remain; the batter should be thick but pourable and a little lumpy, which is ideal for tender pancakes. If the batter seems too thick to pour, add a splash of water, a teaspoon at a time, until it slowly falls from a spoon; avoid overmixing because that can make the pancakes tough instead of soft.
Step 5: Portion and cook the pancakes
Once the griddle or pan is hot and lightly greased, use a ¼‑cup measuring cup to scoop the batter and pour it onto the surface, forming neat round pancakes. Gently spread each portion into a circle if needed, leaving a little space between pancakes so they have room to puff and expand. Cook the first side for a couple of minutes, until small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look slightly set and matte rather than shiny.
When the bottoms are golden, flip each pancake with a spatula and cook the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the center feels springy when lightly pressed and the underside is a rich golden brown. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and keep them warm (you can loosely cover them with a clean kitchen towel), then continue cooking the remaining batter in batches, greasing the pan lightly between batches when needed.
Step 6: Serve warm
Stack the warm pumpkin pancakes on plates and drizzle generously with maple syrup so it seeps into the soft, spiced centers. Add a pat of butter that melts over the top, or finish with whipped cream, chopped nuts, or an extra sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice for a café‑style presentation. Serve immediately while they are warm and fluffy, when the texture is soft and the pumpkin spice aroma is at its best.
- Prep Time: 10 Mins
- Cook Time: 15 Mins
