Pumpkin Pancakes with Cranberry Maple Syrup
Nov 19, 2012, Updated Aug 08, 2021
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Fat and fluffy pumpkin pancakes are the best fall breakfast! This quick and easy pumpkin pancakes recipe is your favorite pancake mix jazzed up with pumpkin and spice, topped with homemade cranberry maple syrup.
For more easy holiday breakfast ideas, try this baked French toast or this easy overnight breakfast strata. And if you love these pumpkin pancakes, make pumpkin French toast, next!
These pumpkin pancakes are one of my favorite easy breakfasts to make during the holidays! All I have to do is reach for a box of Bisquick and a handful of seasonal ingredients, and these fluffy, pumpkin-spiced pancakes are on the table in about 30 minutes.
Why I Love This Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe
- It’s super quick. Bisquick, to be exact. Don’t get me wrong, I love classic pancakes from scratch. But on a big holiday, when most things are already being made from scratch, fast, semi-homemade pancakes are the best. With pumpkin! And cranberries! Yum.
- Festive. I love all things pumpkin, and these pancakes have just enough flavor and a touch of spice that they’re totally holiday-worthy. My pantry is stocked with canned pumpkin this time of year, too, so there’s plenty to go around.
- Homemade cranberry maple syrup. Since this pumpkin pancakes recipe keeps it easy, I splurge a little on the toppings. I love making a quick homemade cranberry-infused maple syrup with real cranberries. Even better, I’ll make it when I have leftover cranberry sauce in the fridge!
What You’ll Need
These pumpkin pancakes start with pancake mix, and the rest of the ingredients are pretty much holiday pantry staples. Check out my notes here, and scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list with the full amounts.
- Pancake Mix – You’ll need 1 ½ cups of your favorite pancake mix for the base of this easy batter.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – Measure out 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to give these pancakes that holiday taste. You can also use apple pie spice or cinnamon.
- Sugar – I recommend adding 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, packed. You can omit this if needed, or replace it with raw sugar or maple syrup.
- Pumpkin Purée – Make sure you use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling!
- Oil – A little canola oil or melted butter conditions the batter.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
This pumpkin pancakes recipe is seriously a breeze. I always get my kids involved so we can make memories and pancakes at the same time. For extra festivity when they were younger, we’d pour the batter into molds shaped like pumpkins or wreaths!
- Make the batter. Start by combining the pancake mix with pie spice and brown sugar. Separately, whisk together the pumpkin purée and wet ingredients, and then stir this into the dry ingredients.
- Cook the pancakes. Now, add the batter to a hot griddle or frying pan, ¼ cup at a time. Cook until the pancakes look set at the edges, and small bubbles burst on the surface. This means they’re ready to flip!
- Flip and repeat. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until browned. Repeat until you’ve used up all the batter. I like to keep the finished pancakes wrapped in a clean dishcloth to stay warm.
Easy Cranberry Maple Syrup
I make a quick and easy cranberry-infused maple syrup to serve over these pumpkin pancakes. The flavors are perfect for fall and winter! Of course, the pancakes are delicious with regular syrup, too. But if you’d like to give this cranberry maple syrup a try, here’s how to make it:
- Make the cranberry sauce. If you have cranberry sauce in the fridge already, you can skip this step! Otherwise, simmer about a half-cup of fresh cranberries with sugar and water for about 10 minutes. Let it cool afterward.
- Combine. Add the cooled cranberry sauce to a blender with a generous glug (or two) of maple syrup. Give that a whirl.
- Serve. Pour the finished syrup over the warm pancakes when serving, and dig in!
Tips for Success
- Get the right consistency. If you need to, add more water, a little at a time, to thin the batter to the right consistency. Pancake batter should be thin enough that it spreads on its own in the pan, but you don’t want it runny or soupy.
- Don’t overmix. When it comes to wheat-based pancake mix, overmixing can lead to tough, un-fluffy results. Keep a light hand and know that a few lumps are okay.
- Don’t use butter on the griddle. While it might seem like a great idea to cook your pancakes in butter on a griddle, the heat and cooking time can cause the butter to scorch. Grease your griddle or skillet with a little high-heat cooking oil instead.
- Bubbles are good. You’ll know it’s time to flip the cakes when small bubbles and holes start to appear throughout the surface.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Pancakes
A tall stack of pumpkin pancakes pairs perfectly with just about any breakfast food. We love these sweet, spiced pancakes with savory sides, like a slice of bacon frittata or breakfast quiche. They’re also the best holiday brunch dish washed down with a Christmas mimosa!
How to Store and Reheat Pancakes
- Refrigerate. Store the cooled pumpkin pancakes and stack them with parchment paper between layers before stashing them in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Leftover pancakes last in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- To reheat, warm the pancakes on a preheated griddle or skillet until they’re heated through. You can also reheat them at 350ºF in a toaster oven (or conventional oven).
- Freeze. These pumpkin pancakes freeze great, and there’s no need to thaw before reheating. Just cool them, stack them, and pack them as you would for the fridge, but place them into freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month and reheat from frozen.
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Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Pancakes
- 1 1/2 cups pancake mix
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup water
For the Syrup
- 1 1/2 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Make the pancake batter. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the pancake mix, pie spice, and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, canola oil, vanilla, and water. Add the pumpkin mixture to the pancake mixture and mix until well incorporated. If needed, add more water to obtain the right consistency.
- Preheat the pan. If you're using an electric griddle, heat it to 375ºF. If using a pan, preheat over medium heat and lightly grease with cooking spray or butter.
- Cook. Pour about a 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle or pan. Let the pancakes cook until the edges start to look dry and bubbles form in the middle.
- Flip and repeat. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and continue to cook for another minute or two. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
For the Cranberry Maple Syrup
- Make the cranberry sauce. Place the cranberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Blend. Add the cranberry sauce to a blender with the maple syrup; blend until incorporated.
- Serve! Pour the cranberry syrup over the pancakes and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
you’re right. there’s no breakfast on my menu. I figured we’ll have oatmeal like on a regular week morning but I might attempt to make pancakes since you got me craving some
These pancakes look PERFECT!
Perfect for Thanksgiving morning! Pancakes are our favorite breakfast food – this will be a must make this week 🙂
What a creative breakfast! Cranberries and pumpkin scream Thanksgiving! Beautiful, beautiful pancake stack! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Gorgeous pancakes, I love the cranberry maple syrup!
Such a delicious looking stack of pancakes!
Those are the prettiest pancakes and that first shot is wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving.
This cranberry syrup is genius. So pretty!
so pretty– what a lovely breakfast!
Fabulous and easy! This sauce sounds perfect to me. Have a great Thanksgiving Kate!
Thank you, Kristy! Have a fantastic holiday! ♥