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Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes with Pecans

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Made with whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans, these Pumpkin Pancakes are soft, fluffy, and filled with fall flavor. A quick and easy breakfast and the leftovers freeze well too.

Overhead view of a tall stack of pumpkin pancakes


The Best Pumpkin Pancakes

I’m not a big breakfast person. Usually, a green smoothie, a simple hard-boiled egg, yogurt or some overnight oats in a jar is all I need to keep me fueled until lunch. But on Sundays, we wake up a little later and have more time to make a more extravagant breakfast. My kids love pancakes, so I often treat them.

Now that pumpkin season is here, I’ve been making these flapjacks – my girls think they are the best pumpkin pancakes. They are so good that no one even knows I use whole wheat flour instead of white flour.

These fluffy whole wheat pumpkin pancakes are perfect for pumpkin lovers! You can omit the pecans if you’re not a fan of nuts. If you don’t like pumpkin try these Whole Wheat Pancakes instead.

For more pumpkin recipes, this Pumpkin Butter is a must! Great on everything from Pumpkin Butter Crepes to yogurt or toast. And if you feel like baking, you must try this Pumpkin Banana Bread and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. For breakfast, I’m a huge fan of Pumpkin Overnight Oats and this Pumpkin Smoothie.

Syrup being poured over a stack of pumpkin pecan pancakes

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

  • Full of fall flavor. With pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, these pumpkin pecan pancakes are filled with warm fall flavor in every bite.
  • Quick and easy. The batter comes together in just a few seconds and the cook time is just a few minutes per pancake, making these perfect for both weekends and weekdays.
  • Freeze well. I highly recommend making some extra pumpkin pecan pancakes so you can freeze them for later! You can easily reheat straight from the freezer.

What You’ll Need

This pumpkin pancake recipe requires just a handful of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

  • Whole wheat flour – You can use any whole wheat flour, I prefer white whole wheat. All-purpose flour works too.
  • Baking powder – Helps the pancakes rice.
  • Salt
  • Spices – Pumpkin pie spice plus a bit of cinnamon give these pancakes the warm flavor.
  • Buttermilk – Low fat buttermilk adds a slight tang to the pancakes and helps to create super soft, fluffy pancakes.
  • Egg whites – Gives the pancakes some struction.
  • Canned pumpkin – Be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Maple syrup – Add flavor to the batter.
  • Canola oil – You can also use coconut oil.
  • Chopped pecans – Add texture to these pumpkin pecan pancakes.
  • Cooking spray – Prevents the pancakes from sticking.

How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes

These easy pumpkin pancakes are done in just a few steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions.

  • Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg whites, pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients in until no dry spots remain. Fold in the pecans.
  • Cook. Heat a skillet over medium-low and spray with oil. Pour a quarter-cup of batter into the pan and flip when the pancakes start to bubble. Cook for another few minutes then remove from heat. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Tips for Success

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your pecan pancakes.

  • Avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing the batter can lead to dry pancakes, so be sure to stir just until the ingredients are combined.
  • Make sure the pan is preheated. Before adding the batter, be sure that the pan has preheated so the batter begins to cook immediately. You can test it by dripping a small amount of batter onto the pan first.
  • When do you flip the pancakes? The top should be bubbling on these pumpkin spice pancakes and the bottom should easily release from the pan with a spatula. If you have to force it, they are not ready yet.
  • Make the batter in advance. You can make the pancake batter the day before to save time the morning you cook the pancakes.
A stack of Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes with syrup

Pumpkin Pancake Variations

These are many different ways to customize this pancake recipe. Here are a few ideas.

  • Nuts: If you don’t have pecans, swap them for another nut, like walnuts. You can also omit them if you prefer.
  • Chocolate: Add some chocolate chips for those chocolate lovers.
  • Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, powdered buttermilk works fine too.
  • Dairy Free: Swap the milk for your dairy free milk of choice
  • Gluten-free Pancakes: Substitute the flour for equal parts gluten-free flour.

Serving Suggestions

Top your pumpkin spice pancakes with some warm maple syrup and/or butter as desired. You can enjoy them as a meal on their own or add a few sides.

I like to go for savory, high-protein sides like these scrambled eggs, some bacon, or turkey sausage.

Proper Storage

  • Fridge. Pumpkin pancakes can be stored covered with plastic or in an airtight container for up to three days.
  • Freezer. Once they’ve cooled completely, you can also wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat. You can reheat your pumpkin pancakes in the microwave, about 30-60 seconds if they’ve been in the fridge and 90 seconds from frozen.

More Healthy Pancake Recipes:

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Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

4.77 from 17 votes
7
Cals:234
Protein:10
Carbs:31
Fat:8
Made with whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans, these Pumpkin Pancakes are soft, fluffy, and filled with fall flavor. A quick and easy breakfast and the leftovers freeze well too.
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 pancakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour, I prefer white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup low fat buttermilk
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp canola oil, or coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp chopped pecans
  • cooking spray
  • warmed maple syrup, optional for topping

Instructions

  • Mix all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) in a bowl.
  • Combine buttermilk, egg whites, canned pumpkin, maple syrup, oil and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth.
  • Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots then fold in pecans. Don’t over-mix.
  • Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat. Spray oil to lightly coat and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter.
  • When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, about 2 minutes then flip the pancakes and cook an additional 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.
  • To serve, top with warmed maple syrup.

Last Step:

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Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2 pancakes, Calories: 234 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 497 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 11 g

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88 comments on “Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes with Pecans”

  1. These are really good!

    I made the following adjustments based on what I had and they worked well. Sharing so it may help others wondering.

    1 whole egg instead of 3 egg whites
    DIY Buttermilk using 2 tsp lemon juice and unsweetened vanilla almond milk

    Still turned out delicious!!

  2. Avatar photo
    Lynda Dalessio

    Absolute delicious! Definitely will make these pumpkin pancakes again. We had breakfast for dinner.

  3. Made these last night and the only change I did was sub almond milk for the buttermilk. They turned out absolutely fabulous. The pancakes were so tasty and nice and fluffy. A++++ recipe using pumpkin puree.

  4. I tried to make these with coconut flour and the mixture was very dry. The batter was like cookie dough. Any suggestions?

    1. Yes it likely was. 2 eggs is not equivalent to 3 Tb egg weights so your liquid volume is thrown off. A better substitution would be 1 whole egg.
      It’s also bad form to give a recipe 1 star when your poor outcome was due to a modification you made to the original recipe.

  5. I made these the other day and they were amazing. Perfect for fall, i love pumpkin. Healthy spin on pancakes without sacrificing any flavour. They came out nice and thick too, fail proof recipe! Only thing I did different was use walnuts as I had no pecans at home. Turned out great!

  6. My friend cooked this for me once after Halloween because I don’t eat sweets too much. But I have my own version now, I just add lion’s mane mushroom powder from https://naturesrise.com

  7. These are very good and give you that pumpkin fix without any guilt. My only question was the recipe called for 2 tablespoons of maple syrup but only used 1 tablespoon in the recipe. Was the remaining 1 tablespoon for the drizzle? Otherwise great!

  8. Can you leave out the egg whites by any chance? I have a kiddo with an egg allergy and I’m not sure where the quantity ends up in the final recipe.

  9. I was browsing through older recipes and, as it’s now fall, these caught my eye – I’d LOVE to make these into waffles as I’ve got one of those single size waffle makers. What changes would need to be made for that to work, do you think?

  10. These are the best pumpkin pancakes I have ever eaten/made.  I make per recipe. They are super pumpkin-y which is what I want it to taste like.  Make these!

  11. Avatar photo
    Mary Connolly

    Loved this wonderful fall recipe. The pancakes were delish. Thanks for creating tasty recipes that don’t break the bank in calories. 

  12. AMAZING! The puree makes them so moist… nothing dry about this recipe! I did not have pecans but instead threw in some chocolate chips, which of course my toddler loved. A great fall breakfast to pair with your coffee!

  13. Avatar photo
    Christine LoMacchio

    Can this recipe be used in the pan sheet method? I’m thinking “yes,” but don’t know.

  14. Avatar photo
    Kathy Urbanek

    👍👍. Made this morning, were delicious!!  I’m going to add a bit more pumpkin pie spice to amp up the flavor next time, otherwise very good.

  15. Just had a craving for pumpkin pancakes for dinner. Made these and they were great. Next time I will use a few tablespoons of splenda in the mix. I like a sweeter pancake, as I do not use syrup. I used one egg instead of three whites.

    1. Just made these this morning, and I like a little sweeter pancake too. Next time I’ll try a bit of Splenda, but I also think it needs more pumpkin pie spice flavor. 

  16. I was going to make GF pumpkin muffins today but I think I'll wait until tomorrow and make GF pumpkin pancakes instead! Your's look delicious! Hope mine can look similar!

  17. Avatar photo
    Jennifer Lopez

    Thanks so much for the recipe! I was so desperate to eat these pancakes that I substituted the buttermilk for almond milk( I know that's not a good substitution), tha pea cans for walnuts, and used regular wheat flour. I know i definatly changed the taste of the original recipe , but it was still so delicious!

  18. Avatar photo
    Carmella Mattie

    Perfect pancakes! These were the best I've ever tasted! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

  19. These look delicious! My son is allergic to eggs and I'm always unsure if I can replace egg whites with my usual fruit substitutes (banana, applesauce, pumpkin). Do you know if they would turn out good if I increased the pumpkin to 1 cup and left out the egg whites?

  20. These are so good. I usually make enough for my whole work week. I eat them with some banana slices and turkey sausage. I don't add the maple syrup. I just add 2 tbsp. brown sugar instead. Yummy!!

  21. Any update for where that extra tbsp. of maple syrup goes? These pancakes are on my menu for this week and I want to make sure I do them right! 🙂

  22. These look yummy and I have more pumpkin purée to use from last night when I made your Pumpkin Banana bread (which is almost gone between my husband and I!) not surprised. I want to omit the pecans from this recipe.

    How many points from the new point system do I take away? Plus I think the point system is different here in Canada. The Pumpkin Banana Bread was 4 points instead of 3.

  23. Like others, I too am wondering where that extra tbsp of maple syrup goes. I have these on my dinner menu for this week and just wanted to check before I make them. Thanks!

  24. Just made these, yum! I added some mini chocolate chips to some of the pancakes while cooking for my picky child, and she gobbled them up. Such a nice change from "regular" pancakes. Thanks Gina, you are awesome 🙂

  25. Avatar photo
    One of Nettie's Girls

    We just had these for dinner! They were great! They will be making a regular appearance in our house. Thanks for all your great recipes.

  26. Avatar photo
    Stefanie O'Connell

    Yumm. My grocery store didn't have pumpkin pie spice! I'm on a mission to find some. It's October, it shouldn't everyone have pumpkin pie spice?!

  27. Looks delish! Making pumpkin pancakes is on my fall to do list so this is most definitely happening. Thanks for the recipe!

  28. Was wondering if you knew how to convert your pancake recipes to waffle recipes. Just bought a new waffle iron and would love to make these as waffles.

  29. My son has an egg allergy and some of the things you can replace it with is 1/3 cup applesauce or 1/3 pumpkin puree or 1/4 cup veg oil or 1/2 cup pureed banana for one egg. What would you recommend for this recipe? Thanks, I am a huge fan of your recipes!!!

    1. Avatar photo
      Tonia Childers

      Chia Seeds work great as an egg substitute. This site has excellent instructions on how to do so.
      http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-make-egg-substitute-chia-seeds/

  30. Can we use almond milk or skim milk if we don't have buttermilk on hand? It's the only ingredient I'm missing!

    1. Skim milk works with the vinegar. Here are buttermilk subs: http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodequivalents/a/buttermilkequiv.htm

  31. Avatar photo
    Cate @ Chez CateyLou

    These look amazing! And I love that they are a bit lighter than traditional pancakes. I LOVE pancakes, and adding pumpkin to the mix makes them so much better!!

  32. Oh these are SO going to be on the menu for breakfast this weekend!
    Thanks Gina!!!! Love your recipes!!!!

  33. I just wanted to tell you that we had your skinny swedish meatballs and your potato parsnip mash (sans the rosemary) for supper tonight. My husband and my picky 11-yr old son both approved! Actually my son ate more than I have seen him eat in a long time! I will be making both of these recipes again real soon. Thanks for the great recipes!

  34. Avatar photo
    Lily @ Life, Love, and Cupcakes

    I've got breakfast for dinner on the menu this week and i will DEFINITELY be making these!

  35. Breakfast for dinner…can't wait! I will triple the recipe and freeze leftovers for easy breakfasts and for school lunches. Thanks so much for providing ideas for every single meal I make!

  36. I'm in the process of making these right now! I'm a little confused, however, by the recipe calling for 2 Tbsp maple syrup but then only one in the actual recipe??

  37. I, too have the issue of no buttermilk, but I do have Almond Milk and Skim Milk.. are either workable?

  38. I'd like to make these right now! I do NOT have buttermilk, only have fat-free milk. Can I use the fat free milk?

    1. Put 1 TBSP of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then add your milk to the 1 cup line and let set for 5 minutes. That's a good substitute for using regular buttermilk.

    2. Since I rarely use it, I just never buy buttermilk. I always use the vinegar or lemon juice trick and it works perfectly!

    3. Avatar photo
      Decloma Morrisey

      You could try buying the powdered buttermilk and just keeping it in the freezer that's what I do. I'm not sure if buttermilk freezes but you can always try that in ice cube trays.

  39. Avatar photo
    Luba Dimitrova

    This looks absolutely delicious !

    XX Luba

    Cozy sweater and animal print boots in my casual look today on
    http://www.well-living-blog.com

  40. Oh my goodness these are the best pancakes I have ever made! Saw this recipe first thing this morning, and had leftover pumpkin from making your pumpkin sherbet last night with my granddaughter also delish! My granddaughter really loved both, and good for her too! Thank you for providing us with the best recipes!