Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
As the leaves begin to change color, these vegan pumpkin pancakes should be at the top of your breakfast recipes list! They’re tender, fluffy, and full of aromatic spices. With just 10 ingredients and less than 30 minutes of prep work, they’re a morning game changer.
🧡 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect for fall: Nothing screams autumn more than pumpkin! These vegan pumpkin pancakes bring the perfect amount of warmth to your breakfast table.
- Fluffy & moist: The addition of pumpkin doesn’t just add flavor — it ensures every pancake is soft, moist, and super fluffy!
- Customizable: If you’re in the mood to experiment, you can easily add in vegan chocolate chips, nuts, or even a dash of your favorite vegan protein powder.
- Quick & easy: We understand that mornings can be hectic. That’s why you’ll appreciate how uncomplicated and quick this recipe is. No fuss, just a tasty vegan breakfast in under 30 minutes!
- Freezer-friendly: Make a double or triple batch and freeze the leftovers for no-fuss breakfasts throughout the week!
If you love vegan pumpkin pancakes, you should really check out our vegan sweet potato pancakes, vegan oatmeal, and vegan French toast.
🎃 Spiced vegan pumpkin pancakes
As soon as the weather starts to cool off, we’re all about that pumpkin spice life (who’s with us?)! With a similar flavor and texture to our vegan sweet potato pancakes, these vegan pumpkin pancakes are a spiced twist on a traditional breakfast favorite.
Taking inspiration from our traditional vegan buttermilk pancakes, we’ve infused this recipe with the aromatic flavors of fall to provide a warm, sweet burst of flavors in each bite.
The pumpkin adds a natural sweetness and a perfectly moist, tender texture. Plus, preparation is a breeze! Just whisk together the ingredients until smooth, pour on a hot griddle, and watch them rise to fluffy perfection.
They’re perfect for Sunday brunch or a mid-week treat, and they’re always a hit during the holiday season. Nothing beats a high stack of warm pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup on a crisp morning, right?!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the pancake batter, giving it structure. You can substitute this with whole wheat flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour blends (our favorites are King Arthur Baking and Bob’s Red Mill).
- Leavening agents: Both baking powder and soda help the pancakes rise and become fluffy. Make sure to use both as the baking soda reacts with the vegan buttermilk.
- Salt: Brings out the flavors of the other ingredients, preventing flat-tasting pancakes. Use fine-grain salt for the most even distribution of flavors.
- Spices: Use pumpkin pie spice and an extra boost of cinnamon for the best results. You can use store-bought pumpkin spice, but we prefer to make our own.
- Vegan buttermilk: Adds moisture to the batter and reacts with baking soda to help the pancakes rise. Soy milk is our top choice for vegan buttermilk, but oat, pea, or sesame milk are the next best options.
- Oil: To add a touch of moisture and richness. Use grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, or canola oil. For an oil-free recipe, omit the oil and use extra pumpkin purée.
- Brown sugar: For a hint of sweetness and a deep, caramel-like flavor. For a refined sugar-free version, use an equivalent amount of coconut sugar for a similar effect.
- Pumpkin purée: Provides the characteristic pumpkin flavor and natural sweetness. Make sure to use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which includes milk, spices, and other add-ins.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the other ingredients, adding a sweet aroma. Use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan pumpkin pancakes
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, leavening agents, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until well combined. For a lump-free and lighter pancake batter, you can also sift the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
Combine the vegan buttermilk, oil, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract in another mixing bowl. Tip: Make your vegan buttermilk before doing anything else so it has time to curdle before mixing it with the rest of the wet ingredients. Whether you choose soy or oat milk, ensure it’s at room temperature for the best consistency.
Step 3: Combine the batter
Make a well in the dry ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients into the center. Stir the batter with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Gentle folding is key here! Overmixing can result in dense pancakes.
Step 4: Cook your cakes
Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Melt a bit of butter and ladle ⅓-cup pancakes into the skillet. Wait for bubbles to form on the surface before flipping. This ensures that you’ll get a beautiful golden brown on each side.
Repeat with the remaining batter, then serve your vegan pumpkin pancakes while warm with your favorite toppings. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this vegan pumpkin pancakes recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🍦 What to serve with vegan pumpkin pancakes
For an extravagant breakfast or brunch, serve these vegan sweet pumpkin pancakes with toppings like these:
- Vegan butter
- Toasted pecans
- Vegan whipped cream
- Fresh berries
- Blueberry compote
- Strawberry compote
- Chocolate sauce
- Nut or seed butter
- Maple syrup
- Coconut yogurt
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Vegan pumpkin pancakes are great for meal prep since they keep in the fridge or freezer incredibly well! Just follow these simple steps:
- Fridge: Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It’s best to add parchment paper between each pancake to avoid sticking.
- Freezer: For longer storage, stack the pancakes with parchment paper in between and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll last for up to 3 months this way.
- Reheating: Thaw frozen pancakes in the fridge overnight. You can warm them in a microwave or on a skillet over medium-low until heated through. This is our favorite way to achieve a similar flavor and texture as making them fresh.
- Prep ahead: If you’re planning a breakfast or brunch with family, you can fully make the pancake recipe, and then reheat it. Since there are leavening agents involved, it’s best not to leave uncooked batter in the fridge overnight.
♻️ Variations
- Chocolate chips: Add vegan chocolate chips and/or cocoa powder for a rich, chocolate-infused recipe.
- Fruit: Mix in fresh or frozen fruit like blueberries, raspberries, or bananas.
- Nuts: Incorporate a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for a crunch.
- Spices: Experiment with different ratios of spices like cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, or cloves for a more pronounced flavor in your vegan pumpkin pancakes.
- Protein-packed: Incorporate vegan protein powder for an extra boost. Just don’t forget to add a little more liquid.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Use fresh leavening agents: When it comes to leavening agents, use new or properly stored baking powder and baking soda.
- Rest the batter: Allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes as the pan heats up. This helps in achieving tender and fluffy pancakes.
- Non-stick pan: A griddle pan or a wide, non-stick skillet with a heavy bottom means less oil and perfectly golden pancakes.
- Heat management: Keep your pan over medium heat or griddle at 375F to prevent burning the exterior while the inside remains uncooked.
- Test pancake: Cook a small test pancake first to check your batter’s consistency.
- Uniform size: Use a ladle or measuring cup for evenly sized pancakes. We like to use a third cup to keep them consistent.
- Don’t flip too early: Wait for bubbles to form on the surface of the pancakes before flipping for a perfect cook on both sides.
- Flip once: To prevent hockey puck pancakes, you only want to flip them once.
- Keep warm: If you’re serving a large batch, place the cooked pancakes on a wire rack over a baking pan, and keep them in the oven set to 200F.
💬 FAQ
Overmixing the batter can develop gluten and make your vegan pumpkin pancakes dense. The best way to avoid this is to mix until just combined.
If your pancakes are burning quickly, the heat might be too high. Cook them on medium (or 375F on a griddle) for a consistently golden finish.
Factors like altitude or flour type can affect the batter consistency. Adjust the mixture by adding a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is thick but still pourable.
The best time to flip your vegan pumpkin pancakes is when you see bubbles forming on the tops and the edges look set. You can carefully lift the edge of a pancake with your spatula to check the bottom if you’re unsure.
🍴 More breakfast recipes
If you loved these vegan pumpkin pancakes, you’ll have to try some other sweet vegan breakfast recipes like these:
- High-Protein Overnight Oats: A healthy, hearty, and energizing breakfast.
- Strawberry Overnight Oats: Loaded with rich, creamy, and juicy flavors.
- Vegan Baked Oatmeal: A fiber-rich and filling breakfast infused with berries.
- Vegan Granola: A budget-friendly recipe you can make with pantry staples.
Fluffy Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Skillet
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine-grain salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ¾ cups vegan buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (we use Libby’s)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For serving
- Vegan butter
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the vegan buttermilk, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients into the center. Gently stir the batter with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Melt a bit of butter and ladle ⅓-cup pancakes into the skillet.
- Cook for 3 minutes, or until bubbles start to form in the batter on top and the pancakes are golden underneath. Flip and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes until golden.
- Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve your vegan pumpkin pancakes while warm with more vegan butter, toasted pumpkin seeds, and maple syrup. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Use fresh leavening agents: When it comes to leavening agents, use new or properly stored baking powder and baking soda.
- Rest the batter: Allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes as the pan heats up. This helps in achieving tender and fluffy pancakes.
- Non-stick pan: A griddle pan or a wide, non-stick skillet with a heavy bottom means less oil and perfectly golden pancakes.
- Heat management: Keep your pan over medium heat or griddle at 375F to prevent burning the exterior while the inside remains uncooked.
- Test pancake: Cook a small test pancake first to check your batter’s consistency.
- Uniform size: Use a ladle or measuring cup for evenly sized pancakes. We like to use a third cup to keep them consistent.
- Don’t flip too early: Wait for bubbles to form on the surface of the pancakes before flipping for a perfect cook on both sides.
- Flip once: To prevent hockey puck pancakes, you only want to flip them once.
- Keep warm: If you’re serving a large batch, place the cooked pancakes on a wire rack over a baking pan, and keep them in the oven set to 200F.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.