Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix

Pumpkin Pancakes with pancake mix are super thick and fluffy and packed with fall flavors of pumpkin and pumpkin spice for a warm and cozy breakfast any time of year.

This delicious pumpkin pancakes recipe starts with an easy pancake mix that gets all dolled up with maple syrup, pumpkin, and pumpkin spice. 

You can make these pumpkin pancakes with Bisquick, Heart Smart Bisquick, or complete pancake mix -- the "just add water" kind.

To make them extra fluffy, I added a little extra baking powder, whipped the egg whites, and let the batter rest for a few minutes before dropping the batter onto a buttered cast iron skillet. 

These pumpkin pancakes will become your new favorite pancake recipe the whole family will love for holidays, lazy fall weekends, and any time of year.

For more fall breakfast recipes, check out my Crock Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Muffins, and Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

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How to Make Fluffy Pancakes from a Box Mix

You don’t have to make homemade pancakes to get fluffy pancakes. Here are a few tricks to making big, thick pancakes from a mix:

• Add baking powder. The additional bit of leavening lifts up the batter.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Mix until the ingredients are just combined and there are still some lumps. 
• Separate the egg. Mix the yolk into the batter. Beat the egg white until soft peaks form and fold them into the batter.
• Let the batter rest. Letting the pancake batter mixture rest gives the liquid time to hydrate the flour and the leavening agents time to evenly distribute through the batter. 

Ingredients

See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

Pancake mix. You can make this easy recipe for pumpkin pancakes with box mix using Bisquick, Heart Smart Bisquick, or "just add water" pancake mix.

Baking powder. A little baking powder helps fluff up these pumpkin pancakes. 

Pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have this spice blend, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves. Make your own jar of pumpkin spice with my recipe here.

Egg. Separating the egg makes the most of both parts of the egg. The egg yolk adds richness to the batter and the whipped egg white adds fluffiness. 

Pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin keeps these pancakes nice and moist. Be careful that you don't grab a can of pumpkin pie filling by accident.

Real maple syrup. A little natural maple syrup adds sweetness and rich flavor. 

Step-by-step Instructions

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the pancake mix, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice together.

Push the dry ingredients to the sides of the bowl to make a well in the center for the wet ingredients.

Step 2

Separate the egg yolk and egg white and drop the yolk into the well. 

If you're not sure how to separate an egg, see instructions below.

In a small bowl, whip the egg white with a whisk or mixer until light and fluffy and soft peaks form. 

Step 3

Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and milk to the well in the dry ingredients. 

Whisk the wet ingredients together, then incorporate them into the dry ingredients until just combined. There should still be lumps. 

Step 4

Use a spatula to fold the beaten egg white into the pancake batter until just combined. This recipe makes a fairly thick batter.

Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes. 

Step 5

Heat a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat.

I prefer a cast iron skillet for making pancakes because I like how it browns the pancakes evenly. You can also use a griddle or nonstick skillet.

The pan is ready when a sprinkle of water dances around the pan. 

Step 6

Lightly coat the skillet with butter by smearing it on with folded paper towel or brushing it on with a pastry brush.

Use a measuring cup to drop about ⅓ cup of pumpkin pancake batter onto the hot skillet. 

Step 7

Cook until the edges are slightly dry and bubbles just start to form and pop on the surface.

Because the batter is thick, look for small bubbles that form and pop close to the edges after around 3-4 minutes. I usually lift up an edge with a spatula and peek to make sure they’re brown before flipping.

Flip and cook the second side for another 1-2 minutes or until cooked through.

Because these are very thick and fluffy pancakes, you want to make sure the center is completely cooked. You can poke a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, the pancake is done.

If the pancakes are too brown before all the tell-tale signs that they’re ready to flip, turn down the heat. 

Add a thin layer of butter to the skillet between batches.  

This recipe makes six to seven 5-inch fluffy pumpkin pancakes. 

How to Freeze Leftover Pancakes

These pancakes freeze beautifully. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely, then stack them in a zip top bag in between layers of paper towels or parchment paper. Thaw frozen pancakes on a plate, uncovered, in the microwave for a minute or two until hot. 

Expert Tips

• Don’t overmix the batter; it should be a little lumpy. 
• Use a cast iron skillet, if you have one. It browns the pancakes much more evenly than a nonstick skillet. 
• Be careful not to overheat the skillet. If the pancakes are turning brown before they’re ready to flip, turn the heat down. 
• This pancake batter is thick. To know when it's time to flip, watch for dry edges and a few small bubbles that form and pop around the edges.
• To ensure the center of these thick and fluffy pancakes are done, poke the center with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the pancake is done.

What to serve with Pumpkin Pancakes

This easy pumpkin pancake recipe from pancake mix is extremely flavorful and needs very little to enhance the flavors. So a little butter and maple syrup are all you really need. But where’s the fun in that? Try one or both of these yummy toppers to make the best pumpkin pancakes ever.

 Pumpkin Maple Syrup

Top your fluffy stacks of pumpkin pancakes with even more fall flavors with this delicious pumpkin maple syrup. It’s an easy recipe made from pure maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and a little pumpkin pie spice.

Get the full recipe and instructions here. 

Caramelized Banana Topping for Pancakes

For an extra special treat, serve your pumpkin pancakes with bananas caramelized in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and toasted pecans.

It only takes a few minutes to turn ordinary pancakes into a pancake-house-worthy breakfast. 

Here's what to do.

• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar together over medium heat in a skillet.
• Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and stir it all together.
• When the mixture is bubbly, add 2 sliced bananas and stir them around in the sauce for a minute or two, until the sauce is thickened and the bananas are evenly coated.
• Remove the bananas from the heat. Spoon the bananas over the pancakes and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

How to Separate an Egg

Separating the egg yolk and the egg white is really easy to do -- and all you need are your hands.

Before you start, have the two bowls ready for the yolk and the whites, and wash your hands.

Here are the two easiest ways to separate an egg:

1. With the shells. This is how I separate eggs. Carefully crack the egg open and keep the yolk contained in one of the shells, letting the white run off and into the bowl. Holding one half of the egg shell in each hand, pass the egg yolk from shell to shell, letting the egg white slip down and into the bowl.
2. With your hands. Crack the egg open and pour the contents into one of your hands with your fingers slightly separated. Hold onto the yolk and let the whites slip between your fingers into the bowl.

You can also use an egg separator, which is a spiral-shaped kitchen gadget that mimics method #2.

What can I do with leftover canned pumpkin? 

There are plenty of delicious things you can do with leftover pumpkin puree. 

• Make smoothies and milkshakes
• Add it to your morning oatmeal
• Make Pumpkin Bread Pudding
• Bake a pan of Pumpkin Magic Cookie Bars
• Whip up a batch of Pumpkin Gingerbread Truffles
• Stir it into a box cake mix for Pumpkin Angel Food Cake
• Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week
• Freeze it for up to one year

How to Make Pancake Mix Better

Pancake mix is a handy starting point for making delicious pancakes at home. Make your own breakfast creations by adding a few extra ingredients to a basic pancake mix.

1. Milk or buttermilk. Try swapping out the water called for on the box with milk or buttermilk, if you have it. It will give your pancakes a richer flavor. 

2. Baking powder. A little more baking powder will give your pancakes an instant boost. 

3. Spices and extracts. A great way to boost the flavor of pancakes is to stir in some of your favorite flavors — cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, vanilla extract, and almond extract are all delicious options. If you use almond extract, go easy — a little goes a very long way. 

4. An extra egg. Go ahead and add an egg even if the box mix doesn’t call for one. And if it does call for an egg, add another one. It adds more rich flavor and makes it taste a little more like homemade. 

5. Stir-ins. Stir a handful of chocolate chips, pecans, dried cranberries, or sliced bananas into the pancake batter.

FAQs

Recipe Essentials

Cast iron skillets are great for making pancakes, cornbread, steaks, casseroles, desserts and so much more. They’re inexpensive and last a lifetime. 

A large spatula makes easy work of flipping pancakes like a pro. I have this spatula, but a round spatula like this would also work great.

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