Fluffy Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (Printer-friendly)

Light, airy pancakes with pumpkin and warm spices ideal for cozy autumn mornings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
06 - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cloves)

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus more for cooking)
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
04 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter.
05 - Pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the skillet. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges appear set, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
07 - Serve the pancakes warm with maple syrup, whipped cream, or toasted pecans as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're genuinely fluffy, not the dense, pumpkin-heavy kind that sit in your stomach like a stone.
  • The spice balance feels warm without being overpowering, so it tastes like fall without tasting like a candle.
  • Ready in under 30 minutes from cold kitchen to warm plate.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the batter—it's the difference between fluffy and dense. Lumps are your friends.
  • If your pancakes are spreading thin instead of staying tall, your baking powder or baking soda is probably old; replace them if they've been open for more than 6 months.
  • Let the skillet get hot enough that water sizzles, but not so hot that butter burns immediately—medium heat is genuinely the right choice here.
03 -
  • If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, mix your own from 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp cloves—homemade blend actually tastes fresher and brighter.
  • Use a ¼-cup measure or small ice cream scoop to portion the batter; it keeps the pancakes uniform and prevents the frustration of oversized ones that won't cook through.
Go back