These pumpkin pancakes are thick, fluffy, and flavorful! For extra convenience during the holidays, make this recipe using a box of pancake mix, jazzed up with real pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice. The finishing touch is a drizzle of sweet-tart homemade cranberry syrup!
For another holiday breakfast, see my easy cinnamon roll casserole. And if you love these pumpkin pancakes, try pumpkin French toast and pumpkin cinnamon rolls next!
My pantry is stocked with pumpkin purée this time of year, so there’s plenty on hand for pumpkin bars and pumpkin recipes. One of my favorite ways to use up a spare can is pumpkin pancakes!
All I need to do is reach for a box of Bisquick, and these fluffy, flavorful pumpkin pancakes are ready to be drenched in syrup in 30 minutes. Speaking of syrup, I include my recipe for fresh homemade cranberry syrup, which makes the perfect topping!
Here’s Why I Know You’ll Love These Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
- It’s super quick. Bisquick, to be exact. Don’t get me wrong, I love making traditional pancakes from scratch. But on a big holiday, when most things are already being made from scratch, fast, semi-homemade pancakes are the perfect breakfast treat.
- Cozy pumpkin flavors. I love all things pumpkin, and these pancakes have just enough flavor and a touch of spice that they’re totally holiday-worthy.
- Fresh cranberry syrup topping. I always splurge a little on my pancake toppings. I love making a quick cranberry-infused maple syrup with real cranberries. Even better, I’ll make it when I have leftover cranberry sauce in the fridge!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a look at the important ingredients you’ll need to make these semi-homemade pumpkin pancakes. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list with the full amounts.
- Pancake Mix – You’ll need 1½ cups of your favorite pancake mix for the base of this easy batter. I use Bisquick.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – You can also use apple pie spice, or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. If you don’t have all of these spices, you can substitute cinnamon instead.
- Sugar – I like to add a little brown sugar for sweetness. You can omit this if you’d like, or replace it with raw sugar or maple syrup.
- Pumpkin Purée – Make sure you use canned 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Oil – A little canola oil or melted butter conditions the batter and helps the pancakes crisp in the skillet.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
For the Topping
- Cranberries – You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar or brown sugar both work well. You’ll simmer the cranberries in sugar and water to break them down a bit before blending.
- Maple Syrup – Make sure to use real maple syrup, and not artificial pancake syrup. Honey makes a good substitute if you need one.
Tips for Perfect Pancakes
- Get the right consistency. If you need to, add more water, a little at a time, to thin the batter to the right consistency. Pancake batter should be thin enough that it spreads on its own in the pan, but you don’t want it runny or soupy.
- Don’t overmix. When it comes to flour-based pancake mix, overmixing can lead to tough, deflated pancakes. Keep a light hand and know that a few lumps are okay.
- Don’t use butter on the griddle. While it might seem like a great idea to cook your pancakes in butter on a griddle, the heat and cooking time can cause the butter to scorch. Grease your griddle or skillet with a little high-heat cooking oil instead.
- Bubbles are good. You’ll know it’s time to flip the cakes when small bubbles and holes start to appear throughout the surface.
- Easy add-ins. Feel free to add chocolate chips or chopped nuts, like pecans, to your pancake batter to make these pancakes your own.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Pancakes
A tall stack of pumpkin pancakes pairs perfectly with just about any breakfast food. We love these sweet, spiced pancakes with savory sides, like a slice of bacon frittata or breakfast quiche. They’re also the best holiday brunch dish, washed down with a Christmas mimosa!
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Make the pancake batter. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the pancake mix, pie spice, and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, canola oil, vanilla, and water. Add the pumpkin mixture to the pancake mixture and mix until well incorporated. If needed, add more water to obtain the right consistency.
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Preheat the pan. If you’re using an electric griddle, heat it to 375ºF. If using a pan, preheat over medium heat and lightly grease with cooking spray or butter.
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Cook. For each pancake, pour about a 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle or pan. Let the pancakes cook until the edges start to look dry and bubbles form in the middle.
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Flip and repeat. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and continue to cook for another minute or more. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
For the Cranberry Maple Syrup
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Make the cranberry sauce. Meanwhile, place the cranberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10 minutes, or until tender. Let cool for 15 minutes.
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Blend. Add the cranberry sauce to a blender with the maple syrup; blend until incorporated.
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Serve! Pour the cranberry syrup over the pancakes and serve.
Serving: 2pancakes | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 4912IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pancakes
Sunday mornings are always the best time to make pancakes and memories. I loved getting the kids involved, and when they were younger, we’d pour the batter into pancake moulds shaped like pumpkins and Christmas wreaths!
- Make the batter. Start by combining the pancake mix with pie spice and brown sugar. Separately, whisk together the pumpkin purée and wet ingredients, and then stir this into the dry ingredients.
- Cook the pancakes. Now, add the batter to a hot griddle or frying pan, ¼ cup at a time. Cook until the pancakes look set at the edges, and small bubbles burst on the surface. This means they’re ready to flip!
- Flip and repeat. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until browned. Repeat until you’ve used up all the batter. I like to keep the finished pancakes wrapped in a clean dishcloth to stay warm.
Easy Cranberry Syrup
Of course, these pumpkin pancakes taste delicious drenched in regular syrup. But when I have leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I love turning it into sweet, tangy cranberry and maple-infused pancake topping. Or, you can make a quick sauce with fresh cranberries instead. It’s very easy to do:
- Make the cranberry sauce. If you have cranberry sauce in the fridge already, you can skip this step! Otherwise, simmer about a half-cup of fresh cranberries with sugar and water for about 10 minutes. Let it cool afterward.
- Combine. Add the cooled cranberry sauce to a blender with a generous glug (or two) of maple syrup. Give that a whirl.
- Serve. Pour the finished syrup over the warm pancakes when serving, and dig in!
How to Store and Reheat Pancakes
- Refrigerate. Store the cooled pumpkin pancakes and stack them with parchment paper between layers before stashing them in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Leftover pancakes last in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- To reheat, warm the pancakes on a preheated griddle or skillet until they’re heated through. You can also reheat them at 350ºF in a toaster oven (or conventional oven).
- Freeze. These pumpkin pancakes freeze great, and there’s no need to thaw before reheating. Just cool them, stack them, and pack them as you would for the fridge, but place them into freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month and reheat from frozen.
