Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix

Want to make the best easy pumpkin pancakes? We got you covered! All you need is your favorite pancake mix, pumpkin puree, milk, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. It is so quick and easy you can even make it on busy mornings. 

I love all things pumpkin! There is no such thing as pumpkin season in our house because we eat pumpkin dishes, especially desserts, all year long. Our local grocery store also carries pumpkin chocolate chip cookies year round in the bakery and we sometimes buy them on Friday nights for dessert. Yep, we buy dessert every Friday night to celebrate making it through another long work week. 

Why you’ll love these fluffy pumpkin pancakes

• These are fluffy and delicious pancakes! 
• It is such an easy recipe that only requires 5 ingredients, and two of those are spices. 
• It’s a cozy breakfast the whole family is going to love. 
• While these definitely have the flavors of fall they can be enjoyed for a quick breakfast, brunch, or even breakfast for dinner, all year long. 

Ingredients

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Ingredient Notes

Five simple ingredients are all you need to make delicious pumpkin pancakes. 

Pancake Mix – use your favorite, I usually buy the store brand. 

Pumpkin Puree – we use Libby’s pumpkin for this recipe, I have not used homemade pumpkin puree so I don’t know if it would work or not. From what I have read on the internet it might be too wet. 

Milk – I like whole milk for this, we use it instead of water to get nice and fluffy pancakes. 

Cinnamon – gives our pancakes warm flavor. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice – common spices in this mixture are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. I have seen recipes that call for mace too. We just use the store brand because it is more affordable than the name brand or making our own. Pioneer Woman has a recipe for pumpkin pie spice that has some pretty good reviews if you want make your own.

How to make this pumpkin pancake recipe

1. Mix pancake mix, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl until well combined.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the milk and pumpkin puree with a whisk.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pancake batter will be lumpy, do not over mix. 
4. Let batter rest for 5-10 minutes. 
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot, spray with cooking spray and then add 1/2 cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges of the pancakes begin to dry out, usually about 2-4 minutes, flip and cook the other side until golden brown. 

Recipe notes

We use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to portion out our pancake batter to get medium pancakes, about 5″ to 6″ across, this yields 9 pancakes. Using a 1/4 measuring cup will result in about 18 silver dollar sized pancakes. 

Store cooked pancakes on a baking sheet or plate in a 200° oven while you finish making the remaining pancakes. 

Tips

• The skillet or griddle is hot enough when a drop of water skittles across the surface and makes a sizzling noise.
• Allowing the batter to rest for about 5-10 minutes hydrates the flour and gives the leavening agent time to distribute resulting in tender and fluffy pancakes.

Variations & Additions

Cooking method variation – we use an electric griddle set to 350° and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to make our pancakes. You can use a large non stick or cast iron skillet. You can use cooking spray or a little butter on the nonstick skillet and butter works best in the cast iron skillet. 

Pancake mix variations – use the type you like. Buttermilk, original, light & fluffy, and protein enriched will all work. I have not tried this recipe with gluten free pancake mix but I think it would work to add the pumpkin puree and spices to your favorite store bought or homemade gluten free pancake batter.

Add a little bit of vanilla extract, maybe 1/2 – 1 teaspoon.

Recipe additions – any of the below mix-ins can be added to the pancake batter before you cook the pancakes. 

• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Chocolate chips – white, milk, semisweet or dark will all work great. 
• Butterscotch chips
• Cinnamon Chips
• Caramel Chips
• Cream cheese chips
• Bananas
• Apples – either shredded or pre-cooked chunks

Taste of Home has a great article about the different kinds of baking chips and I have seen many of them in my local grocery store. 

Topping ideas for the best pumpkin pancakes 

Use your favorite pancake syrup or one of the suggestions below. 

• Pure Maple Syrup
• Marshmallow Syrup – add 2 tablespoons boiling water and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla to marshmallow fluff. 
• 2-Ingredient Butter Pecan Syrup – add 1/2 teaspoon pecan flavoring to a couple of cups of butter flavored pancake syrup. 

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave. 

More pumpkin recipes you might like

Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup

WW Pumpkin Fluff

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Pumpkin Spice Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Pie Cake