It's never been easier to make Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix! Let me show you how easy it is to make the best pancakes for Fall by turning your favorite pancake mix into delicious pumpkin spice pancakes that your whole family will love!
I don't know about you, but pancakes never get old! I especially love mini banana pancakes in the Spring and whole wheat blueberry pancakes in the Summer. And as for protein pancakes, they are for any season, lol!
Now that we are entering the Fall season... you know, the time of year with all things pumpkin, it's time to start making pumpkin pancakes! I'll show you how to make them the easy way!
Whether you are looking to transform homemade pancakes or pancakes from a box mix into delicious pumpkin pancakes, this recipe is for you! I've been using this strategy of turning a regular pancake recipe into a pumpkin pancake recipe for over 10 years, thanks to a bed and breakfast who used to have this recipe posted on their website.
Of course, the pancakes will only be as easy to make as the pancake mix you use. But, trust me, the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices give them the most delicious pumpkin flavor. I can't wait for you to try it!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe All you do is add pumpkin puree and a few pumpkin pie spices to your favorite pancake mix recipe. The easiest would probably be to use a complete pancake mix that asks you to only add water. I prefer to use a mix that asks you to mix in milk and egg to make the batter if I'm not using a homemade pancake recipe as the base. Either way, you add the same amount of pumpkin puree and spices to the recipe.
- Simple Ingredients This is the best part! All you need to add to your favorite pumpkin recipe using a mix is pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Add these to your favorite pancake mix and you're set to make these delicious pancakes!
- Kid-Approved My kids love these pancakes, especially when I serve them with homemade cinnamon syrup or whipped cream. They also enjoy pumpkin pancakes served with sliced pear. Sliced pears add even more delicious Fall flavor... and fiber.🍂
- Meal Prep Double or triple batch your favorite pancake recipe when you find yourself making pumpkin pancakes on the weekend. Meal prepping like this is a great way to make sure you'll have breakfast set for busy weekday mornings.
Dietitian Tip
As a dietitian, I understand that not everyone has the time or money to make pumpkin pancakes from scratch. This is why I wanted to provide you with an easy way to turn any pancake mix into pumpkin pancakes.
And I figure by adding pumpkin puree to a recipe, you're adding fiber, potassium, and vitamin A (along with a variety of other vitamins). What's not to like about that? 😉
What's the Difference Between Storebought Pancake Mix and Homemade Pancake Mix?
I made a few variations of this recipe this morning, so I thought it would be helpful to show you how different they look. I followed the two different recipes as written and added the same amount of pumpkin puree and spices to each of them.
When you make pancakes from scratch, you have more control of the ingredients, including the type and amount of flour, salt, and sugar you use. You have much less control over the ingredients when using pancake mix (aside from what you add to it).
Referencing the picture above: the darker pancakes to the left were made using my whole wheat pancake recipe as the base (I left out the blueberries, of course). The lighter pancakes to the right were made using the Stonewall Kitchen pancake mix and the recipe on the can.
As you can see, the whole wheat pancakes turned out darker, thicker, and fluffier, likely because of the whole wheat flour and buttermilk. The pancakes using the mix were lighter and thinner, likely because the Stonewall Kitchen mix is made with "enriched wheat flour" which is essentially all-purpose flour.
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients I highlight below are what you will add to whatever pancake mix recipe you choose to use. I used the Stonewall Kitchen pancake mix in the image above as an example. The recipe on the can of pancake mix pictured calls for milk and egg, so that it why you see it in the picture with an asterisk (*).
- Canned Pumpkin Puree Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Spices Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cloves.
How to Make This Easy Pumpkin Pancake Recipe with Pancake Mix
Here is an overview of the steps for making these easy pumpkin pancakes. For the complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Add all wet ingredients that the recipe on your pancake mix container calls for to a large mixing bowl, including pumpkin puree. (For instance, if you are using a complete pancake mix, it may only call for water. In this case whisk the water and pumpkin puree together). The first photo above shows what it looks like when milk, egg, melted butter, and pumpkin puree are whisked together.
- Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves when adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well, but not until it's smooth. The batter should be lumpy.
- Pour about one-quarter of a cup of pancake batter per pancake onto a greased hot griddle or large skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom edges look cooked and are light golden brown in color.
- Use a spatula to flip each pancake over and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, or until pancakes are cooked through.
Helpful Tips
- Don't overmix the pancake batter. The batter should still have lumps in it.
- Cook pancakes using medium heat so the center cooks through without burning the top or bottom of the pancakes.
- Depending on your skillet, grease it first using a nonstick cooking spray or butter. I like to use a little butter or avocado oil that comes in a spray can.
- You add the same amount of pumpkin puree and spices to the recipe, whether you use a complete pancake mix where you only add water or a pancake mix that asks you to add eggs and milk.
- Save time by using two skillets at the same time to cook pancakes. See the image above for what it looks like when I make pancakes. Using two skillets cuts the time in half.
- To make fluffy pumpkin pancakes, you'll have to start with a pancake mix for fluffy pancakes. If your recipe calls for milk, use buttermilk instead to make them fluffier. Also, in my experience, pancakes tend to be fluffier if I let the pancake batter sit (to activate the baking soda or baking powder) for about 5 minutes before I add batter to the hot pan.
Questions You May Have
First, let pancakes cool completely before storing.
Once pancakes are completely cooled, place them in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container before storing them in a refrigerator or freezer.
I prefer to reheat pancakes in my air fryer toaster oven on low heat. You can also use a microwave to reheat pancakes. If using a microwave, I suggest microwaving in 30 second increments to keep them from overheating (they can turn rubbery).
This really depends on your taste preference. My personal favorites include sliced pear, peanut butter or toasted pecans, and pure maple syrup.
One of my kids likes to top pancakes with whipped cream, while another prefers that to add a few chocolate chips while the pancakes are still warm.
More Easy Pumpkin Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix
Equipment
- 2 square griddle pan or large skillet. If you use one pan, the cooking time will be longer.
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup canned pumpkin puree do not use pumpkin pie filling
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Your Pancake Mix +the ingredients that one recipe from your pancake recipe calls for
- 1 cup pancake mix Stonewall Kitchen (for example)
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tableespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Add all of the wet ingredients, including pumpkin puree, into a medium or large mixing bowl. Whisk well.
- Add all of the dry ingredients, including the spices, to the wet ingredients. Mix just until all of the dry ingredients are combined. The batter should have lumps.
- Heat a greased griddle pan or skillet on medium high heat. Let the batter sit without stirring it as the pan heats up.
- Pour about one-quarter cup of pancake batter per pancake on a hot griddle or large skillet. Leave about one to two inches between pancakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles stop forming on the top and the bottom edges are light golden brown.
- Flip the pancakes over and continue cooking for another two to three minutes, or until both sides are golden brown and the insides are cooked through.
- Top with your favorite toppings. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overmix the pancake batter. The batter should still have lumps in it.
- Cook pancakes using medium heat so the center cooks through without burning the top or bottom of the pancakes.
- Depending on your skillet, grease it first using a nonstick cooking spray or butter. I like to use a little butter or avocado oil that comes in a spray can.
- Add the same amount of pumpkin puree and spices to the recipe, whether you use a complete pancake mix where you only add water or a pancake mix that asks you to add eggs and milk.
- Save time by using two skillets at the same time to cook pancakes. See the image in the post for what it looks like when I make pancakes. Using two skillets cuts the cooking time in half.
- To make fluffy pumpkin pancakes, you'll have to start with a pancake mix for fluffy pancakes. If your recipe calls for milk, use buttermilk instead to make them fluffier. Also, in my experience, pancakes tend to be fluffier if I let the pancake batter sit (to activate the baking soda or baking powder) for about 5 minutes before I add batter to the hot pan.
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