The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
I started separating the eggs on this recipe almost by accident. and I haven’t gone back since. Pumpkin batter is heavy on its own — the puree weighs everything down — and if you just dump whole eggs in with the rest of the wet ingredients, you get pancakes that eat more like a dense spice cake than something you’d want stacked three high with syrup running down the sides.
These are not those pancakes. Whipping the whites separately and folding them in at the end is the one non-negotiable step here, and it’s worth the extra bowl.
Why This Works
Pumpkin puree is mostly water and fiber, no fat or air to speak of, so a pumpkin batter starts out denser than a plain buttermilk one before you’ve even turned on the griddle. Whipped egg whites are the fix — folded in gently at the end, they trap air pockets that survive the flip and give you lift the batter can’t generate on its own.
Order matters too. If you whisk the dry ingredients into the wet before folding in the whites, you’re fine — but fold the whites in too early, before the dry ingredients are incorporated, and you’ll deflate them stirring around lumps of flour. Wet, then dry, then whites, in that order, every time.
The batter should still have a few lumps when you’re done stirring the wet ingredients. Overmixed pumpkin batter turns gummy once it hits the griddle — the gluten in the flour tightens up and you lose the tender crumb you’re going for.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
- Preheat your griddle or frying pan.
- Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until soft peaks form.
- While the whites are mixing, combine the dry ingredients — flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt — in a separate bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Combine the wet ingredients — milk, pumpkin puree, egg yolks, melted butter, vanilla — minus the egg whites. Stir until mostly combined. Don’t overwork it. A few lumps are fine, expected even.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk to combine.
- Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. Gentle folds, not stirs — you’re trying to keep the air in.
- Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the greased griddle. Make sure the surface is actually hot before you start, or the first pancake or two will stick and tear when you try to flip them.
- Flip when bubbles form across the surface of the batter.
- Serve warm with syrup.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Yield: About 12 pancakes
Tips
- Don’t skip separating the eggs.
- Grease the griddle between batches, not just at the start — pumpkin batter has more sugar in it than a plain pancake batter, and it scorches onto a dry pan faster than you’d expect.
- Wait for the bubbles. Flipping early tears the pancake because the underside hasn’t set enough to hold together yet.
Variations
Swap the cloves for allspice if that’s what’s in your cabinet — the flavor shift is small. I wouldn’t bother swapping the canned pumpkin for fresh roasted puree here, though; homemade pumpkin puree holds more water, and it throws off the batter consistency enough that you’ll need to adjust the flour to compensate. Canned is the better call for this one.
Make-Ahead
The batter doesn’t hold. Once the egg whites are folded in, the air they’re carrying starts collapsing within the hour, and by the next morning you’ll get flat, dense pancakes instead of what you’re going for. Mix the dry ingredients ahead if you want a head start, but do the eggs and the final assembly the morning you’re cooking.
Cooked pancakes freeze fine — lay them flat on a sheet pan until solid, then bag them. Reheat in a toaster, not the microwave, or they turn soft instead of staying tender.
FAQ
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Technically yes, but I’d skip it for this recipe. Fresh puree runs wetter than canned, and pumpkin pancake batter is already sitting right on the edge of too heavy — the extra moisture pushes it over.
Why are my pumpkin pancakes dense?
Usually one of two things: the egg whites weren’t whipped to soft peaks before folding, or the batter got overmixed once the dry ingredients went in. Both knock the air out that’s supposed to be holding the pancake up.
Can I make these dairy-free?
Swap the milk for a plant-based version and it works fine — the puree carries most of the moisture anyway, so the milk swap doesn’t change the texture much.
Do I need a stand mixer for the egg whites?
No — a hand mixer works, it just takes longer to hit soft peaks. A whisk by hand is possible too, but you’re looking at several minutes of arm work for the same result.
Closing Thoughts
Leftover batter — if you somehow have any — makes a decent pumpkin waffle if you’ve got the iron out already, though you’ll want to thin it slightly with an extra splash of milk first. These also hold up well next to something savory on the plate, like breakfast sausage, if you want the meal to lean less sweet overall.
Pumpkin Pancakes
These light and fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes are packed with pumpkin puree and warm fall spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Soft, flavorful, and perfect for an easy autumn breakfast, they are especially delicious served warm with a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Batter
- Preheat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the cooking surface if needed.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin puree, egg yolks, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir until mostly combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and whisk gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing the batter.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the pancake batter until incorporated, being careful not to deflate them.
Cook the Pancakes
- Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot, greased griddle for each pancake.
- Cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges start to look set.
- Flip the pancakes and continue cooking until the second side is golden brown and the centers are cooked through.
- Serve the pumpkin pancakes warm with maple syrup drizzled over the top.
Notes
Do not overmix: A few small lumps in the batter are perfectly fine. Overmixing can make the pancakes dense instead of light and fluffy.
Egg whites: Beating the egg whites separately and gently folding them into the batter helps create a soft and fluffy texture.
Griddle temperature: Make sure the griddle or frying pan is properly preheated before adding the batter to prevent sticking and encourage even browning.
Pumpkin: Use pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Serving: Serve warm with maple syrup.
Original recipe author: Julie Evink.
