Delicious 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.
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Thick, Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix
Ready to pumpkin spice up your fall breakfasts? In this easy pumpkin pancake recipe, I'm sharing all my secrets to turn an easy pancake mix into restaurant-quality fluffy pumpkin pancakes your family will beg you to make every weekend.
All you need is your favorite pancake mix and a few basic ingredients, and in no time, you'll have deliciously perfect pumpkin pancakes that are thick, soft, and loaded with warm pumpkin flavor.
These fluffy pancakes are absolutely scrumptious with a simple pat of butter and drizzle of maple syrup, or you can make them extra special with my easy recipe for Pumpkin Syrup and caramelized banana topping.
Round out your fall breakfast or holiday brunch with Easy Cheesy Sausage Egg Bake, Egg & Sausage Biscuit Muffins, Crock Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, and fresh fruit.
You’re going to love these
- Big fluffy flavorful pumpkin pancakes packed with real pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavor
- Easy pumpkin pancakes that stir together in minutes with simple ingredients
- Great freezer-friendly breakfast recipe for busy mornings -- so make a double batch!
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 pancake mix, Heart Smart Bisquick, or "just add water" complete pancake mix.
Baking powder. A little baking powder helps fluff up these pumpkin pancakes.
Pumpkin pie spice. Pumpkin spice transforms pancake mix into pumpkin pie pancakes! 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. You can also use fresh pumpkin puree.
Real maple syrup. A little natural maple syrup adds sweetness and rich flavor.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: In a large 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. See FAQs below for how to separate an egg.
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: Fold the beaten egg white into the pancake batter with a spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 5: Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Lightly coat the skillet with butter.
Drop ⅓ cup of pumpkin pancake batter onto the hot skillet. Cook until the edges of the pancakes are slightly dry, and small bubbles just start to form and pop on the surface, 3-4 minutes.
Step 6: Flip and cook the second side for 1-2 minutes or until cooked through.
Add a thin layer of butter to the skillet between batches.
This recipe makes six to seven 5-inch fluffy pumpkin pancakes.
What to serve with Pumpkin Pancakes
These delicious pancakes need 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 spice 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, cinnamon, and toasted pecans.
- 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.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter; it should be a little lumpy.
- A cast iron skillet or nonstick pan work best for making pancakes.
- Be careful not to overheat the skillet. If the pancakes turn 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 check for doneness, poke the center of a pancake with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the pancake is done.
FAQs
I found that by pouring pancake batter from a round measuring cup, the pancakes came out perfectly round every time. When I poured the batter from an oval-shaped ladle, my pancakes came out oval-shaped. Go figure.
Yes! Let the pancakes cool in a single layer on a wire rack, then place them in a ziptop freezer bag separated with paper towels or parchment paper.
Thaw frozen pancakes on a plate, uncovered, in the microwave for a minute or two until hot.
The easiest way to reheat frozen pancakes is to warm them in the microwave on high for 60-90 seconds or until warm and heated through.
Here are the two easiest ways to separate an egg:
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.
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.
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 Easy Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week
• Freeze it for up to one year
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
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Thick & Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups pancake mix works with regular or Heart Smart Bisquick or "just add water" pancake mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 egg separated
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- 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, making a well in the center.
- Separate the egg, letting the whites fall into a separate small bowl. Place the yolk in the well in the dry ingredients. Beat the egg white until light and fluffy and soft peaks form.
- Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and milk to the well in the dry ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients together in the center of the bowl, then whisk them into the dry ingredients until just combined. There will still be lumps, and that's okay.
- With a spatula, fold the beaten egg white into the pancake batter until just incorporated. Let the pancake batter rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium-low to medium heat until a sprinkle of water sizzles on the surface.
- With a folded paper towel or pastry brush, coat the pan with a thin layer of butter. Repeat this step between batches. Drop about ⅓ cup of batter onto the pan. When the edges are dry and small bubbles start to form and pop at the surface, it's time to flip, usually after 3-4 minutes.Cook the second side for another 1-2 minutes.
I just made this pumpkin pancake recipe and it was as you stated in your recipe. I had tried to make pumpkin pancakes using a different recipe and it came out really heavy. These were light and fluffy due to the extra baking powder and whipping the egg white. I appreciate you posting this recipe.
Thank you, Sharleen, for letting me know how your pancakes turned out! I'm so glad you enjoyed them :). Cara
Hi,
What is the benefit of whipping the egg white. I just threw the whole egg in and it turned out great. Sorry, I’m just a regular guy, not a baker.
Hi, David, that's a great question! Whipping the egg white and gently folding it into the batter is what makes them super thick and fluffy. But like you found out, they'll still taste great if you don't whip the egg white. Hope that helps! Glad you enjoyed the pancakes :). Cara
Made these tonight for dinner (brinner). Turned out great! Husband said they were restaurant quality. Kids loved them. Even my youngest loved them even though she hates pretty much anything with pumpkin spice flavor.
Thank you!
Hi, Kelly, we too love a good brinner (great word, btw!) and I'm so glad you all enjoyed the pumpkin pancakes! It means so much that you came back here to share your family's feedback for others. Thanks you, Cara :).