I made Easy Pumpkin Pancakes and my son declared them the best pancakes ever, so keep scrolling if you want your regular pancakes to feel embarrassed.

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I love these Easy Pumpkin Pancakes because they flip fall into a stack I want for breakfast. My kid declared them the best pancakes he’s ever had, and I agree, messy fork and syrup drips and all.

They sing of cinnamon and brown sugar without being sappy, and the way pumpkin puree makes the batter tender is stupidly satisfying. I use a simple pancake mix and canned pumpkin puree so it’s fast but still tastes made with intent.

Thanksgiving Pancakes energy, but weekday quick. I’m obsessed with that tender crumb, sticky maple, and toasted pecan bites.

I crave them daily.

Ingredients

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Pancake mix: the easy base that gives you fluffy, reliable pancakes every time.
Pumpkin puree: adds creamy pumpkin taste and moisture, not sugary pie filling.
Milk: thins the batter so it cooks right, use dairy or plant milk.
Egg: holds everything together and gives a little protein boost.
Brown sugar: brings warm sweetness and a hint of molasses depth.
Cinnamon: classic warmth, makes it feel like fall in a bite.
Pumpkin pie spice: mixes spices so you don’t have to think too hard.
Vanilla: smooths flavors and makes the batter smell amazing.
Melted butter: adds richness and helps crisp the edges nicely.
Salt: wakes up the sweetness and balances the whole pancake.
Chopped pecans: plus crunchy texture and toasty nut flavor, totally optional.
Chopped walnuts: basically like pecans but earthier, great for crunch.
Butter and maple syrup: classic finish, indulgent and perfectly messy.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups pancake mix (any standard mix, buttermilk style works great)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

3/4 cup milk (dairy or non dairy, add a splash more if batter seems thick)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Optional: butter and maple syrup for serving

How to Make this

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1. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups pancake mix, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt so the dry stuff is evenly combined.

2. In another bowl stir 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil until smooth. If the batter looks really thick add a splash more milk; you want it pourable but not runny.

3. Pour the wet into the dry and fold gently with a spatula until mostly combined. Do not overmix, a few small lumps are fine and keep the pancakes tender.

4. If using nuts fold in 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts now, or sprinkle them on top after you ladle batter on the griddle.

5. Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with butter or oil. Test by flicking a drop of water, it should dance and sizzle.

6. Ladle about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake onto the hot surface, leaving space between them. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Flip carefully and cook the second side until golden and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Avoid pressing down on the pancakes, that makes them dense.

8. Keep finished pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200 F oven while you finish the batch so everyone eats hot pancakes.

9. Serve with butter and real maple syrup, extra chopped nuts, or a dollop of whipped cream if you want to be fancy. These are great with leftover pumpkin spice latte too.

10. Leftovers refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze separated by parchment for up to a month; reheat in a toaster or oven to keep them fluffy.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients, and another small bowl for the wet stuff
2. Whisk (or fork) to blend the dry mix so it’s even, and to smooth the wet mix
3. Rubber spatula for folding batter gently, scraping bowls, and spreading nuts if you want
4. Measuring cups and spoons (2 cup, 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoon, teaspoon) so it’s not guesswork
5. Ladle or 1/4 cup measuring cup to portion pancakes evenly onto the griddle
6. Griddle or large nonstick skillet, plus a brush or paper towel to oil it lightly
7. Baking sheet and parchment to keep finished pancakes warm in the oven (200 F)
8. Tongs or thin spatula for flipping, plus oven mitts or kitchen towel for safety

FAQ

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree? A: No, don't use pumpkin pie filling, it's sweetened and spiced already and will throw off the flavor and texture. Use plain canned pumpkin puree.

My batter looks too thick, what do I do? A: Add a splash more milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it pours slowly. Thick batter makes dense pancakes, so thin it out a bit if needed.

Can I make these vegan or dairy free? A: Yep. Use non dairy milk and swap the egg for a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) and use oil instead of butter. They wont be exactly the same but still tasty.

How do I keep pancakes warm while I finish the batch? A: Put them on a baking sheet in a single layer in a 200 F oven until ready to serve. That keeps them warm without drying them out.

Can I add mix ins like nuts or chocolate chips? A: Sure, fold in up to 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or chocolate chips. Too much will make the pancakes fall apart, so keep it light.

Will these freeze well? A: Yes. Cool completely, stack with parchment between them, freeze in a zip bag. Reheat in a toaster or oven until hot. They lose a little fluff but still good for quick breakfasts.

Easy Pumpkin Pancakes (w/pancake Mix) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Easy Pumpkin Pancakes (with pancake mix)

These pancakes are cozy, quick, and a little bit messy in the best way. They come together fast because we use store-bought pancake mix, but the pumpkin and spices make them feel homemade. I like to top mine with butter, syrup, and a few toasted nuts for crunch. They’re great for a lazy weekend morning or when you want fall flavors without a lot of fuss.

Ingredients

2 cups pancake mix (any standard mix, buttermilk style works great)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup milk (dairy or non dairy, add a splash more if batter seems thick)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Optional: butter and maple syrup for serving

Method
1. In a big bowl whisk together the pancake mix, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and salt.
2. In another bowl stir the pumpkin, milk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter until mostly smooth. If the pumpkin is thick it’ll take a little elbow grease.
3. Add the wet mix to the dry mix and gently fold until combined. Don’t overmix. A few lumps are okay. If it looks too thick add a splash more milk. If it’s too thin add a little extra pancake mix.
4. Fold in the nuts if using.
5. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. Lightly grease with butter or oil. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot surface. Cook until bubbles form on top and edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
6. Keep pancakes warm on a plate in a low oven while you finish the rest. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and extra nuts if you want.

Quick tips
– If your canned pumpkin is super watery drain it a little or use a hair less milk.
– To get even cooking make sure the skillet isn’t too hot. If pancakes brown too fast turn the heat down.
– These are easy to freeze. Cool completely, then stack with parchment between and freeze. Reheat in the toaster oven or microwave.

Substitutions

Milk: use almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk in the same amount if you want dairy free.
Egg: replace with 1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup mashed banana for each egg if you need egg free; texture will be a bit denser.
Brown sugar: swap with maple syrup or honey, use about 1 1/2 tablespoons if you use liquid sweetener and reduce the milk a little.
Butter/oil: use melted coconut oil or avocado oil instead of butter for a neutral or slightly tropical flavor.

Enjoy these warm with syrup and a big mug of coffee or tea. They feel fancy but are stupid easy to make.

Pro Tips

1. Let the batter rest 5 to 10 minutes before cooking so the flour hydrates and the pancakes stay tender. It might look thicker after resting, add a little milk if you need to loosen it, but don’t overdo it or they get flat.

2. Use medium heat not high. If your pan is too hot they brown on the outside and stay raw inside. If theyre taking too long to brown, lower the heat a notch and be patient.

3. Fold the wet into the dry only until you see a few small lumps. Overmixing makes them tough. If you want extra fluff, separate the egg, whisk the white to soft peaks and gently fold it in last.

4. Keep finished pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a low oven while you finish the batch so everyone eats hot ones. If you freeze leftovers, separate with parchment so they dont stick and reheat in a toaster oven for best texture.

Easy Pumpkin Pancakes (w/pancake Mix) Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I made Easy Pumpkin Pancakes and my son declared them the best pancakes ever, so keep scrolling if you want your regular pancakes to feel embarrassed.

Servings

servings

Calories

179

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients, and another small bowl for the wet stuff
2. Whisk (or fork) to blend the dry mix so it’s even, and to smooth the wet mix
3. Rubber spatula for folding batter gently, scraping bowls, and spreading nuts if you want
4. Measuring cups and spoons (2 cup, 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoon, teaspoon) so it’s not guesswork
5. Ladle or 1/4 cup measuring cup to portion pancakes evenly onto the griddle
6. Griddle or large nonstick skillet, plus a brush or paper towel to oil it lightly
7. Baking sheet and parchment to keep finished pancakes warm in the oven (200 F)
8. Tongs or thin spatula for flipping, plus oven mitts or kitchen towel for safety

Ingredients

2 cups pancake mix (any standard mix, buttermilk style works great)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup milk (dairy or non dairy, add a splash more if batter seems thick)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Optional: butter and maple syrup for serving

Directions

In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups pancake mix, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt so the dry stuff is evenly combined.
In another bowl stir 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil until smooth. If the batter looks really thick add a splash more milk; you want it pourable but not runny.
Pour the wet into the dry and fold gently with a spatula until mostly combined. Do not overmix, a few small lumps are fine and keep the pancakes tender.
If using nuts fold in 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts now, or sprinkle them on top after you ladle batter on the griddle.
Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with butter or oil. Test by flicking a drop of water, it should dance and sizzle.
Ladle about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake onto the hot surface, leaving space between them. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip carefully and cook the second side until golden and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Avoid pressing down on the pancakes, that makes them dense.
Keep finished pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200 F oven while you finish the batch so everyone eats hot pancakes.
Serve with butter and real maple syrup, extra chopped nuts, or a dollop of whipped cream if you want to be fancy. These are great with leftover pumpkin spice latte too.
Leftovers refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze separated by parchment for up to a month; reheat in a toaster or oven to keep them fluffy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.