These vegan pumpkin pancakes are light and fluffy with real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. They are whole food plant-based, made with whole wheat flour and no refined sugar!
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Is there anything better than light and fluffy pumpkin pancakes on a lazy morning? These vegan pumpkin pancakes are thick and fluffy!
Pancakes are my indulgent breakfast of choice, and when fall arrives, I’m ready to enjoy ALL the vegan pumpkin recipes!
Today, I set out to create a vegan pumpkin pancake recipe that has a thick batter with a fluffy texture. It’s whole-food plant-based too!
These pancakes are not only healthy, high in fiber, low in calories, and refined sugar-free, but they are also perfectly fluffy with an intense pumpkin flavor!
💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Whole food plant-based compliant
- No refined flour
- Refined sugar-free
- No oil
- Great light and fluffy texture!
- Intense pumpkin flavor
- High in fiber
- Low in calories
- Full of fall flavor
- Includes 4 grams of protein per serving
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: Using whole wheat four adds fiber. Unlike all-purpose flour, it has not been processed which strips the nutrients from the grain.
Baking Powder: In order to get those light and fluffy pancakes to rise we need baking powder.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: A combination of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves, these spices give a fragrant flavor to the batter.
Pumpkin Puree: This adds that wonderful flavor of autumn. Use canned or roast your own and puree. Reserve the leftovers for another recipe, like this vegan pumpkin bread!
Almond Milk: I used unsweetened to keep this recipe refined sugar-free. You can use any other plant milk, such as soy milk or oat milk, as long as it is unsweetened.
Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla extract helps to meld the sweet flavors together.
Maple Syrup (optional): Maple syrup is a natural unrefined sugar. Use organic if possible and drizzle on top of your serving. You could also add an optional tablespoon to the batter for a touch of natural sweetness.
Chopped Nuts (optional): For added crunch and texture sprinkle some chopped nuts on top of your serving!
📖 Variations and Substitutions
Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
Other Types of Flour: If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour, or use white whole wheat flour.
Change the Spices: Instead of pumpkin pie spice, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves instead of pumpkin pie spice for the same flavor.
No Pumpkin Puree: Try mashed sweet potatoes or squash instead of the pumpkin puree.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt) in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Combine almond milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract separately. Whisk together until combined, then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until combined. Don’t overmix. Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
- While the batter is resting, preheat your skillet to medium heat. Alternatively, you can use an electric griddle. Use a non-stick skillet to avoid adding oil or vegan butter to the pan. Using a non-stick skillet, you will have no problem flipping the pancakes without oil. When the skillet is hot, add batter, about ¼ cup.
- Wait for the batter to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Then flip and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes.
💭 Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. If the batter is lumpy, that is fine.
- Allow the batter to rest. This helps to create light and fluffy pancakes.
- Make sure the griddle is hot before adding the batter. Add a drop of water. If it sizzles and disintegrates, then the griddle is hot and ready!
- Don’t mess with the pancakes once you have added the batter. Be patient, and wait for them to bubble before flipping.
❓Recipe FAQS
You may want to consider using an electric griddle (if you have one) rather than a pan on the stove. The key to fluffy pancakes is even heat. An electric griddle is more reliable in distributing heat evenly.
It is essential you allow the batter to rest. This helps the wet ingredients soak into the flour which gives the batter a lighter texture.
You can even make your batter the night before which means you don’t have to have hungry people waiting for breakfast in the morning.
For best results, I recommend using ¼ cup of batter. Measure it out using a measuring cup. This will ensure that each scoop of batter is even. Then I use the back of the measuring cup to smooth out the batter on the griddle and make even circles.
Yes! You want a thick batter! Boxed pancake batter is rather thin, and it makes it easy to pour onto the griddle. However, a thick batter, while not as easy to pour onto the griddle, will create fluffy vegan pancakes.
You do not have to use oil or vegan butter if you are using a nonstick pan. However, if you are not using a nonstick pan, you will need some type of oil to keep the pancakes from sticking. I recommend using coconut oil cooking spray.
🤫 The Secret to Fluffy Pancakes
Some of the tricks for fluffy pancakes include using buttermilk or separating the egg yolk and the whites of the eggs. These tips are not good for vegans! Here are 5 Tips for Making the Fluffiest Pancakes by Say Yes. However, that doesn’t mean you still can’t achieve fluffiness.
- Don’t overmix your batter.
- Allow your batter to rest. Some chefs recommend allowing your batter to rest a full 30 minutes. If you have hungry kids, give it a minimum of 15 minutes.
- Wait for the bubbles before flipping.
- Only flip your pancakes once. No back-and-forth flipping!
I have been impatient with my pancakes in the past. Not giving enough rest time for the batter, moving them around in the pan, and flipping them back and forth before the bubbles have fully formed.
The result was dense pancakes. These tricks will help you get light and fluffy vegan pumpkin pancakes every single time without folding in egg whites or using buttermilk. Just be patient with resting the batter and flipping the pancakes.
🍽 How to Serve
Maple Syrup: This is a must in our house. Use organic pure maple syrup if possible.
Chopped Nuts: For added texture, stir in chopped pecans and walnuts or sprinkle them over the top!
Chocolate Chips: Use dairy-free chocolate chips. Stir in about ¼ cup.
Pumpkin Dip: Make this easy vegan pumpkin dip with only four ingredients. It’s a great spread to put on top of your pancakes and adds even more flavor!
❄️ How to Store and Keep
Store: I doubt you will have leftover pancakes, but if you do, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve again reheat in the microwave.
Keep: These will be good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: You can make these and freeze them for later. Wrap in saran wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag. They will be good for 2-3 months. When ready to serve thaw in the refrigerator, and then reheat.
😋 More healthy vegan pumpkin recipes!
🎥 Video
⚖️ Serving Size
This recipe makes 8 medium-sized pancakes. I serve two pancakes to each person which means there are 4 servings altogether. If you like more than 2 pancakes per person then double the recipe!
Please comment below if you found this article helpful or have any additional questions. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other dairy free milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together almond milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients. Fold together until combined. Don't over mix. Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
- While batter is resting, preheat your skillet to medium heat. Use a non-stick skillet to avoid the need to add oil or vegan butter to the pan. If you use a non-stick skillet you will have no problem flipping the pancakes without oil. However, if you prefer to use something, I recommend using a coconut oil cooking spray. When skillet is hot, add batter, about ¼ cup.
- Wait for batter to bubble about 3-4 minutes, then flip, and cook the other side an additional 2-3 minutes. Serve with maple syrup! Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. If the batter is a bit lumpy, that is fine.
- Allow the batter to rest. This helps to create light and fluffy pancakes.
- Make sure the griddle is hot before adding the batter. Add a drop of water. If it sizzles and disintegrates, the griddle is hot and ready!
- Don’t mess with pancakes once you have added the batter. Be patient, and wait for them to bubble before flipping.
- Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Nutritional information is an estimate. It does not calculate added maple syrup of chopped nuts.
Rika
These are amazing pancakes! My husband really enjoys the vegan alternative to pancake! Yum!
Katie
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this with the family.
Jill
That’s a terrific looking stack of pancakes. Gotta try them!
Andrea Metlika
These look so light and fluffy. Love pumpkin and pumpkin spice.