You’ll love this whole wheat pumpkin pancake recipe. The pancakes are made light and fluffy with whipped egg whites and have plenty of fall flavors from pumpkin, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
My family loves pancakes. To honor the fall baking season, I love to whip up light and fluffy pumpkin pancakes on Saturday mornings. This recipe, which I adapted from Taste of Home, features whole wheat pastry flour and whipped egg whites for a tender and airy breakfast treat.
Update: Pumpkin spice season is here again, so we’ve updated our pancake recipe with new photos, tips and tricks so your family can enjoy these flapjacks all season long. Enjoy!
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
Aside from the expected flavor enhancers of pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, there are few key ingredients that make this pancake recipe different––and better––than most.
First, this pumpkin pancake recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour. Pastry flour is ground into a finer powder than regular whole wheat flour. This means that the batter rises more easily and results in a lighter, fluffier whole wheat pancake. Pastry flour is often used to make light and fluffy cakes and pastries, so it’s the perfect addition to pancake batter.
Secondly, our pumpkin pancake recipe is lightened with whipped egg whites. When you fold the soft peak egg whites into the batter, it stays light and fluffy. Then, when you cook the pancakes on a hot griddle, they rise beautifully. To whip the egg whites, use an electric hand-held or stand mixer for best results.
Thanks to these two key ingredients, these are the lightest, ariest and fluffiest pumpkin pancakes you’ll make.
Ingredient Swaps
You can usually find whole wheat pastry flour at your local grocery store. I usually buy Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, but you can often find it in the bulk section as well. However, you can also substitute half regular whole wheat flour and half all-purpose if you can’t find it.
The brown sugar adds a delicious caramel flavor to complement the pumpkin in these pancakes, but you can substitute it with granulated sugar in a pinch.
You can also make your own pumpkin pie spice at home. The following recipe makes 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (enough for 1 batch of pancakes):
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Serving Pumpkin Pancakes
Just like any plate of flapjacks, you can serve this seasonal breakfast with any of your favorite sweet toppings. Maple syrup and butter are classic additions. However, you can also amp-up the fall flavor theme with a dollop of whipped cream, a crumble of chopped pecans, and a dusting of cinnamon, or some apple pie filling if you’re going all-out.
Whatever you do, be sure to serve your pancakes hot off the grill.
More Breakfast Recipes Perfect for Fall
The weather is getting cooler, which means your breakfasts should be getting warmer. Here are some of our favorite meals to start autumn mornings:
- Apple Pecan Banana Mini Muffins are just sweet enough and easy to take on the go during busy back-to-school mornings.
- Cinnamon Roll Liege Waffles (Belgian Sugar Waffles) are rich, buttery, and fit for a breakfast celebration.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Pancake Recipes
- Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats from Pressure Cooking Today is a healthier breakfast recipe that keeps all of the warming fall flavors of these pumpkin pancakes.
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal from Two Peas & Their Pod is an easy make-ahead breakfast casserole packed with oats, nuts, and a cream cheese glaze.
Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg whites
- 2 cups 1% milk
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle to medium heat (350°F if you have an electric griddle.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- In a second mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, and oil and whisk to combine the wet ingredients. Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Fold in the beaten egg whites.
- Spray the griddle with cooking spray. Pour the batter by ¼ cupfuls onto the hot griddle. Flip the pancakes when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Serve hot.
Debby
These pancakes are light and fluffy with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. My family loves them! Thank you.
Jude
I always have some homemade whole wheat pancake mix in the pantry… This makes so much sense to me. thanks for the great idea 🙂
Jenny
How fun Barbara! I love these great looking pancakes! Congrats on your award!
Jacque
Oh, what a neat idea! I’ll bet my sons would love these.
Freya
Great use of pumpkin when you’ve got leftovers at Hallowe’en! And a delicious treat at Thanksgiving too!!
Tami
Your pumpkin pancakes are so cute! I bet that they would go over big here at my house.
Congrats on your adorable new award! Are there really people out there who don’t like chocolate? I’m definitely one who DOES!
The Blonde Duck
I love pumpkin pancakes. I should make some tommorow night….Yum!
Lisa magicsprinkles
We’re pancake people too. Maybe a little maple butter on top? mmmm
Sara
Pumpkin pancakes sound great! A while back I made Bobby Flay’s pumpkin french toast, which was good, but the pumpkin batter didn’t adhere that well to the bread, too think.
Pam
I can’t wait to make these pancakes. I love pumpkin!
Maria
I love pumpkin pancakes. I made some with cinnamon syrup..they were awesome!! Adding apples sounds good too!!
Cathy
Oh these look wonderful! I can’t get enough pumpkin this time of year! Congrats on your award!
Meg
Congrats on the award!!!
Pumpkin pancakes are the best part of Fall!
Aggie
I just tried pumpkin pancakes for the first time this weekend too! Your recipe sounds great, I like what you said about adding apples to it next time! Congrats on the award!
Jenny
Mmm. I love anything pumpkin, especially pancakes. Really cute!
Veronica
Your pancakes sound great…I love pumpkin flavored foods. Thank you so much for the award!! I really appreciate it!
Megan
A perfect weekend breakfast! I’ll start anyday with a little pumpkin.
HoneyB
How about Pumpkin pancakes with an apple cinnamon topping! 🙂
Stephanie
I love how you shaped it like a pumpkin – very cute and it looks so tasty!
Lorraine E
Oooh they look great! I have some leftover pumpkin and I might make these with it. Thanks for the recipe 🙂