A November Morning Kind of Breakfast
There is a point every fall, usually the first weekend of November, when the canned pumpkin I bought “just in case” starts to feel like a responsibility. One can goes into pie, one into bread, and there’s always a half cup left sitting in the fridge in a container I keep moving around. These pancakes were born from that half cup, and now I buy the pumpkin on purpose.
They come out tall and golden, with edges that crisp just slightly in the butter, and the spice level is assertive enough that you actually taste it — not a whisper of cinnamon, but a real warming blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The maple butter is a two-minute job: soft butter whipped with maple syrup and a pinch of salt. It melts into the stack and does what plain syrup can’t quite do on its own.
If pumpkin is your thing this time of year, you might also like my pumpkin bread pudding with caramel, which handles the dessert end of the same craving. And on mornings when the griddle is already out, a batch of blueberry lemon scones makes a nice partner for a big brunch spread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real pumpkin flavor. A full cup of puree goes into a modest batch of batter, so these taste like pumpkin, not like regular pancakes with orange food coloring.
- Tall and fluffy. The batter is thick on purpose, and a short rest plus a gentle hand with the whisk keeps the crumb tender.
- The maple butter. Five minutes of whipping turns butter and syrup into something that tastes like it came from a diner that cares.
- Weekend-easy, weekday-possible. The batter comes together in one bowl, and leftovers reheat well enough that a Tuesday stack is a realistic thing.
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, plus 2 tablespoons more if needed
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for the griddle
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the maple butter
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt
Instructions
- Make the maple butter first. Beat the soft butter with a fork or hand mixer until smooth and pale, about 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and salt and beat until it looks whipped and slightly glossy. Set aside at room temperature; it should be soft and spreadable, not melted.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until evenly combined and no streaks of spice remain.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture will be thick and deeply orange.
- Combine, gently. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour pockets remain, about 12 to 15 strokes. Small lumps are fine and expected. Overmixing is the main way pancakes go tough, so stop early rather than late.
- Rest the batter. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you heat the pan. The flour hydrates and the leaveners get a head start, which is where the height comes from. The batter should be thick enough to mound on a spoon; if it looks stiff like cookie dough, fold in the extra 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Heat the griddle. Set a large skillet or griddle over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. It’s ready when a few drops of water skitter across the surface. Brush with a thin layer of butter.
- Cook the first side. Scoop a scant 1/3 cup of batter per pancake, leaving room to spread. Cook until the edges look set and matte and bubbles appear on the surface and begin to hold their shape, 2 to 3 minutes. The underside should be a deep golden brown.
- Flip once. Slide a thin spatula underneath in one confident motion and flip. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the second side is golden and the center springs back when pressed lightly. Resist pressing down with the spatula; that squeezes out the air you worked for.
- Keep them warm. Move finished pancakes to a plate in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish the batch, brushing the griddle with more butter as needed. The recipe makes about 10 pancakes.
- Serve. Stack three per plate, add a generous spoonful of maple butter on top, and bring extra to the table. A handful of toasted pecans over the top is very welcome here.
Tips for Success
Check your pumpkin. The can should say “100% pure pumpkin.” Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced and will throw off both the sugar and the spice balance. If you use homemade roasted pumpkin puree, drain it in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes first; fresh puree holds more water than canned.
Mind the heat. Pumpkin batter browns faster than plain batter because of the natural sugars. If your first pancake is dark before the bubbles set, drop the heat a notch and give the pan a minute to settle. A pale, sad pancake usually means the pan wasn’t hot enough at the start; a scorched one means it was too hot. Adjust once and the rest of the batch follows.
Room-temperature eggs matter a little. Cold eggs can seize the melted butter into flecks. If you forget to set them out, put them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5 minutes.
Don’t skip the rest. Ten minutes sounds fussy for pancakes, but it is the difference between good and great here. The batter will thicken slightly, and that’s what you want.
Variations
- Chocolate chip: Fold 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter after resting. Kids lose their minds over this version.
- Pecan crunch: Add 1/3 cup of finely chopped toasted pecans to the batter, and sprinkle a few more on each pancake before flipping.
- Brown butter: Brown the 3 tablespoons of butter for the batter until nutty and amber, and cool it slightly before whisking it in. It deepens everything.
- Dairy-free: Swap the milk for oat milk and the butter for an equal amount of melted coconut oil, and use coconut oil or a dairy-free spread for the griddle. Make the topping with just warm maple syrup and a pinch of salt.
- Spice it your way: This is balanced for most palates. If you like a ginger-forward bite, raise the ginger to 1 1/2 teaspoons and cut the cloves.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a toaster on a medium setting or in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 5 minutes; the microwave works but softens the edges.
Freezing is where these really shine. Cool the pancakes completely, freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, then stack with small squares of parchment between them in a freezer bag. They keep for up to 2 months and go straight from freezer to toaster.
The maple butter keeps for a week in the fridge. Let it sit out for 20 minutes to soften before serving, or microwave it in 5-second bursts until just spreadable.
Make the dry mix ahead. Whisk the dry ingredients and store them in a jar. On a slow morning, breakfast is suddenly a 10-minute job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree?
I don’t recommend it. The filling is sweetened and spiced already, so the pancakes come out too sweet with a muddled spice flavor. If it’s all you have, leave the sugar out of the batter, halve the spices, and expect a softer result.
Why did my pancakes come out flat?
The usual suspects: old baking powder (test it in hot water; it should fizz vigorously), an overmixed batter, or skipping the rest. Also check that your baking soda is fresh — it loses strength after about six months open.
Can I make the batter the night before?
Better not. The leaveners start working on contact with liquid and will be spent by morning, giving you flat pancakes. Instead, prep the dry mix and the maple butter the night before and whisk the batter fresh.
What do I do with the rest of the can of pumpkin?
Freeze it flat in a zip-top bag in 1/2-cup portions. It thaws fast and works in smoothies, oatmeal, and your next batch of pancakes.
Recipe Card
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes, plus 10 minutes resting
Yield: About 10 pancakes (4 servings)
Ingredients (summary): Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, butter, vanilla; maple butter of soft butter, maple syrup, and flaky salt.
Instructions (summary): Whip maple butter. Whisk dry ingredients; whisk wet ingredients; fold together just until combined and rest 10 minutes. Cook scant 1/3-cup portions on a buttered griddle over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once. Serve warm with maple butter.
