Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

Name: Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled off; 2½ teaspoons (10 g) baking powder, fresh (less than 6 months old); 2 teaspoons (5 g) pumpkin pie spice; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; ¾ cup (170 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling); 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the griddle, plus more for serving; pure maple syrup, warmed, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, fluffy griddle pancakes flavored with real pumpkin puree, brown sugar and warm pumpkin pie spice. They brown evenly, stay moist inside, and are ready in about 35 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 12 pancakes (about 4-inch/10 cm each), serving 4

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pancakes
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled off
2½ teaspoons (10 g) baking powder, fresh (less than 6 months old)
2 teaspoons (5 g) pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
1¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
¾ cup (170 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
For cooking and serving
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the griddle, plus more for serving
pure maple syrup, warmed, to taste (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large griddle or 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Thin, wide spatula for flipping
¼-cup (60 ml) measuring cup or ladle
Baking sheet with wire rack (for keeping pancakes warm)
Instant-read thermometer (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced and will throw off the batter.
Let the milk and eggs sit out for about 15 minutes so the melted butter doesn't clump when you mix them together.
Melt the butter and let it cool slightly so it won't scramble the eggs.
Pumpkin batter is thicker than regular pancake batter. Plan to spread each pancake lightly with the back of the ladle or a spoon.

1
Warm the ovenOven 200°F / 95°C
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 200°F (93°C).
- Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and place it on the rack so finished pancakes can stay warm without steaming.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 200°F (93°C)
Tip: A wire rack keeps the bottoms from going soggy, which happens if you stack them on a flat pan.
2
Whisk the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and brown sugar for about 30 seconds.
- Press any brown sugar lumps against the side of the bowl with your fingers to break them up.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly tan with no visible sugar lumps or streaks of spice
3
Whisk the wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, pumpkin puree and eggs until completely smooth with no streaks of orange puree.
- Whisk in the vanilla, then slowly whisk in the cooled melted butter until combined.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform in color, with no puree clumps or pooled butter
Tip: If the butter is hot, it can cook the eggs. It should feel barely warm.
4
Combine gently
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Fold with a rubber spatula about 12 to 15 strokes, just until no dry flour remains.
- The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy; a few small lumps are fine.
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Ready when: No dry flour streaks; batter is thick, scoopable and slightly lumpy
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough and flat.
5
Rest the batter
- Let the batter sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- This gives the flour time to hydrate and the baking powder time to start working, so the pancakes turn out thicker and more tender.
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Ready when: Small bubbles appear on the surface of the batter
6
Heat the griddle
- Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add about ½ teaspoon of the griddle butter and spread it into a thin film with a folded paper towel.
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Ready when: A drop of water flicked on the surface sizzles and skitters before evaporating (about 350°F/175°C)
Tip: Use medium, not medium-high. The sugar and pumpkin brown fast and the centers need time to cook through.
7
Cook the first side
- Scoop ¼ cup (60 ml) batter per pancake onto the griddle, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them (about 4 at a time).
- Spread each lightly into a 4-inch (10 cm) round with the back of the measuring cup.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges look dry and set, bubbles on top pop and leave holes that stay open, and the underside is deep golden brown
Tip: Don't flip early. If the batter runs back into the holes, wait another 30 seconds.
8
Flip and finish
- Slide a wide spatula under each pancake and flip in one confident motion.
- Cook for 1½ to 2 minutes more, without pressing down, until the second side is golden brown.
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Ready when: Pancake springs back when gently pressed in the center; an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Pressing the pancake with the spatula squeezes out air and makes it dense.
9
Keep warm and repeatOven 200°F / 95°C
- Move the finished pancakes in a single layer to the rack in the oven.
- Wipe the griddle, add another ½ teaspoon of butter, and repeat with the remaining batter for 3 batches total (12 pancakes).
- Lower the heat slightly if the pancakes brown in under 2 minutes.
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Ready when: All batter used and each pancake evenly golden brown on both sides
Tip: Stir the batter gently once before each batch if it has deflated or thickened. Add 1 tablespoon of milk if it's too stiff to spread.
10
Serve
- Stack 3 pancakes on each of 4 plates.
- Top with a pat of butter and drizzle with warm maple syrup, if using.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Butter melts into the hot pancakes

Good to know

Tips

Measure the pumpkin puree accurately. Too much makes the pancakes gummy in the middle, and too little loses the pumpkin flavor and color.
Keep the heat at medium and adjust as you go. The first batch often cooks differently from the others as the griddle gets hot.
Add a handful of chopped toasted pecans or mini chocolate chips to the batter for extra crunch or sweetness.
Don't stack the pancakes on a plate while you cook the rest. Use the wire rack so the steam can escape and the edges stay slightly crisp.

Make ahead

"Whisk the dry ingredients together and store them in a covered container for up to 1 week. Mix the wet ingredients and refrigerate them for up to 12 hours, then combine and rest the batter right before cooking. Cooked pancakes can be frozen and reheated (see Storage)."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool completely, then store in an airtight container with parchment between the pancakes for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat: toast refrigerated or frozen pancakes in a toaster or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes until hot in the center and slightly crisp on the edges."

Substitutions

pumpkin pie spice → 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves. Makes about 2 teaspoons, which equals the pumpkin pie spice in the recipe.
whole milk → unsweetened oat or soy milk. Works as a 1:1 swap for a dairy-free version. Use oil in place of the butter as well.
light brown sugar → 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Reduce the milk by 1 tablespoon to keep the batter's thickness the same.
all-purpose flour → half whole wheat flour (95 g) and half all-purpose flour (95 g). Gives a nuttier flavor and slightly denser texture. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if the batter seems very thick.