Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes are so light and fluffy and can be dressed up for Halloween using chocolate chips. The perfect fall breakfast!

pumpkin pancakes on a white plate with syrup and a glass of apple cider

This post was originally published on October 31, 2011. It has been updated with new photos and added commentary in October 2020.

Happy Halloween! Just a last minute recipe with an idea that turns ordinary pancakes into a festive treat. I have wanted to try pumpkin pancakes for a while now, and I started thinking about how to make them more Halloween-oriented – why not use chocolate chips to make them into jack-o-lanterns? My mom used to make pancakes in Mickey Mouse shapes and used chocolate chips for the face, so this concept is virtually the same.  

In my opinion, pancakes should be light and fluffy, but too often the pancakes I order in restaurants are heavy and dense. Like the pumpkin waffles, this recipe uses the technique of whipping up egg whites to fold into the batter; I think this creates a super fluffy pancake. We really loved these pancakes, although they could use more pumpkin spice flavor. Next time I’ll probably double the pumpkin pie spice (UPDATE: Doubling the spices works well and I have adjusted the recipe in the recipe card!)

pumpkin pancakes on a white plate with a fork

Have a spooktacular day!

Recipe Details

pumpkin pancakes ingredients

The first step is to whisk the dry ingredients together. Then, in a separate bowl, prepare the wet ingredients.

pumpkin pancakes dry ingredients and wet ingredients

These mixtures are then combined with a spatula.

batter in a bowl with a small silicone spatula

The secret to making these pancakes super fluffy is to whip the egg whites and fold them into the batter.

egg whites whipped in a bowl
bowls of whipped egg whites and pancake batter
pancake batter

The whipped egg whites must be carefully folded in as not to deflate them.

pancake batter in a bowl

The batter is ready to be scooped onto a griddle and cooked. This recipe makes approximately 6 medium pancakes, so you may need to scale up depending on how many you need.

pumpkin pancakes on a white plate

These are the photos of the Halloween Pancakes from the post originally published on October 31, 2009.

Halloween Pumpkin Pancakes on a white plate
Halloween Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin pancakes on a plate

Some deviled eggs my mom made with black olive spiders on top! 🙂

Halloween Deviled Eggs

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes

Use a gluten free measure for measure flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour, in place of all purpose flour.

Pumpkin Pancakes PIN

Looking for More Fall Breakfast Ideas?

Check out these other fall breakfast recipes:
Pumpkin Waffles
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Pumpkin Latte
Allspice Crumb Muffins
Pumpkin Scones
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Breakfast Chicken Sausage Patties
Baked Oatmeal
Ultimate Steel Cut Oatmeal
Monkey Bread Muffins

pumpkin pancakes on a white plate

Pumpkin Pancakes

Meghan
Fluffy and light Pumpkin Pancakes that can be dressed up for Halloween with chocolate chips!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 6 medium pancakes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs (separated)
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin puree, egg yolks, melted butter, and vanilla extract together, whisking to blend until smooth.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing with a spatula until just combined.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until thick and stiff.
  • Gently fold the egg whites into the pancake batter until fully incorporated.
  • Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over medium heat.
  • Lightly spray the pan with cooking spray or use butter or butter substitute (we like Brummel & Brown). Pour batter onto pan in 1/4-cup increments (I like scooping it with a 1/4 cup measuring cup and using the bottom of the cup to smooth out the thick batter).
  • Cook each pancake until lightly browned on each side, about 1 minute per side. Air bubbles will start to reach the surface of the pancake and escape, indicating that it may be time to flip.
  • Transfer each cooked pancake to a warm plate (or one in the microwave to prevent cooling) and repeat with the remaining batter.
  • Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.

Notes

Source: Adapted from The Curvy Carrot, originally from Bon Appetit via Epicurious
You’re Gonna Bake It After All
bakeitafterall.com
Keyword breakfast, fall, gluten free, pancakes, pumpkin


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