Fluffy Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (Printable Version)

Light, airy pancakes with pumpkin and warm spices create a cozy autumn breakfast.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cloves)

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus additional for cooking)
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
04 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter.
05 - Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto skillet. Cook 2–3 minutes until bubbles appear on surface and edges set.
06 - Flip pancakes and cook an additional 1–2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
07 - Serve warm with maple syrup, whipped cream, or toasted pecans as desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They're genuinely fluffy without the heavy feeling that comes with pumpkin added to regular pancakes.
  • The spice blend is balanced enough that you taste autumn without it tasting like a candle.
  • They come together faster than you'd think, so even a sleepy morning becomes manageable.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the most common reason these turn out dense instead of fluffy; stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened and stop.
  • The batter rest isn't optional if you want that genuinely fluffy texture—it's the difference between good pancakes and ones that actually live up to the recipe.
  • Medium heat is important because too high and the outside browns before the inside cooks, leaving you with a pancake that's crispy on the outside and gummy in the middle.
03 -
  • The key to fluffiness is respecting the batter: don't overmix, let it rest, and keep the heat at medium so they cook through without burning.
  • Brown sugar isn't just sweetness—it adds moisture and molasses flavor that makes the pumpkin feel less one-dimensional.
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