These Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes are a perfect breakfast for the fall! They have all the flavors of pumpkin spice and the pancake batter comes together easily in the blender. And the best part is that they freeze well. Make an extra batch and enjoy them all pumpkin season long!
As a dietitian, I love sharing easy recipes that taste amazing and are also rich in nutrients. These pumpkin oatmeal pancakes are a great way to add fiber and vitamins to breakfast without sacrificing taste or flavor! I hope these become a favorite fall breakfast for you! 😊
This recipe was inspired by my Easy Protein Pancakes and pairs well with Air Fryer Apples on top. Serve them with Red Pepper & Spinach Egg Bites or a Egg Bake with Cottage Cheese for a balanced breakfast. If you're looking for more pumpkin recipes, try my Pumpkin Protein Balls or a creamy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.
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What You'll Love About This Recipe
- Freeze Well for Meal Prep - you can freeze and reheat these pumpkin pancakes to enjoy for the whole fall season!
- Easy - blend everything in your blender and the pancake batter is ready to toss on the skillet or griddle.
- Nutrient-Rich - These oatmeal pumpkin pancakes contain several important nutrients including fiber for a healthy gut, protein, vitamins A, C, and K, antioxidants, and potassium.
- Flavorful - the combination of pumpkin with notes of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg will leave your taste buds jumping for joy!
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
These Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient measurements.
Dry Ingredients
- Rolled Oats - you can use either rolled oats or quick oats for these flourless pumpkin pancakes. I'm a big fan of Bob's Red Mill brand. Oats contain a nutrient called beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that helps decrease cholesterol levels. Oats also contain several vitamins and minerals including manganese, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and thiamin. If you want, you can substitute with all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oat flour, or almond flour. You will likely need to add more milk if using flour in place of oatmeal.
- Baking Powder - a leavening agent for fluffy pumpkin pancakes! Don't skip this ingredient.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend- a combination of warm spices give these delicious pancakes their pumpkin flavor. The blend includes ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. You can add Allspice for extra flavor. To make this recipe even easier, use store bought pumpkin pie spice!
- Salt - a little salt enhances the sweetness of the spices and pumpkin puree.
Wet Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree - canned pumpkin puree is the secret ingredient that adds nutrition and texture to these pancakes! Be sure to look for real pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling which contains added sugars and salt. If you have some extra time, you can even make your own homemade pumpkin puree. Check out how to make it here.
- Eggs - eggs help to bind the pancakes together and add protein and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. For best results, use room temperature eggs.
- Milk - I use unsweetened almond milk (vanilla) for these pumpkin oatmeal pancakes and like Califia Farms brand. But use the milk of your choice. Dairy milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or cashew milk are all good options.
- Vanilla Extract - vanilla extract adds a smooth and rich flavor.
- Pure Maple Syrup -all you need is a small amount of pure maple syrup to add some sweetness.
How to Make Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes
Below are the instructions for how to make this easy recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful!
Step 1 - Add the oatmeal to a high-speed blender. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth, pushing down the sides as needed. Let the batter rest for 1-2 minutes.
Step 2 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle on medium-low heat. Grease your pan with cooking spray or melted butter. Add about ¼ cup of the batter at a time to the skillet, smoothing out the batter with the bottom of your measuring cup. Let the pancakes heat until little bubbles begin to appear on the top and the edges start to look dry. Flip the pancakes and let them cook for another 2-4 minutes until golden brown. Wipe skillet. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Step 3 - Add your favorite pancake toppings!
Hint: if the batter is too thick, add more milk or a drizzle of olive oil.
Dietitian Tip
Pumpkin is a nutrient-rich ingredient to add to recipes! Just ½ cup of pumpkin puree contains 100% of your daily vitamin A needs and 3 grams of fiber which is 10% of your daily fiber needs. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is important for immune health, vision, and growth & development! Dietary fiber is vital for a healthy gut and also helps support hormone health and keeps you full longer.
Variations
One of the best things about these healthy pumpkin pancakes is there are so many ways to customize them to your taste. Below are some examples of optional mix-ins, but feel free to get creative!
- High Protein - if you are looking for a higher protein option, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder or half a cup of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt to this healthy pumpkin pancake recipe.
- Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes - to make these pumpkin pancakes vegan, use an egg substitute. Some options are bananas, applesauce, flaxseed mill, or chia seeds.
- Gluten-free Pumpkin Pancakes - these are gluten-free as written. Just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats! I use Bob's Red Mill brand.
- Sweeter - if you want to make these pumpkin oat pancakes a little sweeter, add half a mashed banana, coconut sugar, or brown sugar to the pancake batter.
How to Serve Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes
Honestly, I often eat these all on their own without any toppings! But below are some suggestions for serving!
- With a drizzle of nut butter - top them with almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter!
- Top with fruit - air fryer apples go great on these delicious pumpkin pancakes. And apples are in season at the same time as pumpkins!
- Classic - serve these pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup and a pat of butter or whipped cream!
Storage for Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
- Refrigerator - store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer - store in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or on a griddle on the stovetop.
Expert Tips
Here are some of my best tips for making these Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes!
- If the batter is too thin, let it sit for a couple of minutes. As the baking powder activates and does its magic, the batter will thicken.
- If the batter is too thick, add a bit of extra milk or a drizzle of olive oil to thin it out.
- Use a nonstick griddle or skillet and add butter or a little cooking spray.
- Use a measuring cup to make pancakes that are equal in size. Smooth them out with the bottom of the measuring cup if needed.
- Don't go above medium heat because the pancakes will burn. Slow and steady is the way to make fluffier pancakes!
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these are a nutrient-rich option! Pumpkin and oatmeal provide dietary fiber for a healthy gut and to keep you full longer. Pumpkin also contains vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants which are important for brain health and overall health!
As long as you use gluten-free oats, these are gluten-free! 🙂 Oats are naturally gluten free, but can be made in facilities that produce gluten-containing products which means there is a risk of cross contamination. Check the "may contain" statement under the ingredient list to make sure "gluten" is not on the list.
While I haven't made these in the food processor, I do think it would work! I suggest to process the oatmeal first and then add the remaining ingredients.
If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can stir the ingredients in a bowl instead. If you go this route, whisk together the dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients. The pancakes will be a bit more textured since you won't be blending the oats.
You can! I have tried making these both ways! While they are more moist when made on the griddle, they still taste great when made in the oven on a sheet pan. To make these pancakes in the oven, spray a sheet pan with a generous amount of olive oil spray (don't miss this step). Scoop about ¼ cup of batter and spread into 3-4 inch pancakes. Cook at 350℉ (177°C) for 20-25 minutes until done.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes:
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some nutrition education posts from a dietitian:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram….I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Fluffy Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes (Healthy, GF Recipe)
Equipment
- griddle or skillet
- 1 set measuring spoons
- 1 set dry measuring cups
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cup rolled oats or quick oats (120g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder (8g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2.5g)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (1g)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (0.5g)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (0.5g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (240g)
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice (120ml)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (30ml)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (10ml)
Instructions
- Add the oatmeal to a high-speed blender. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth, pushing down the sides as needed. Let the batter rest for 1-2 minutes.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle on medium-low heat. Grease your pan with cooking spray or melted butter (yes, even though it's nonstick!). Add about ¼ cup of the batter at a time to the skillet. If you want, smooth out the batter a bit with the bottom of your measuring cup.
- Let the pancakes heat until little bubbles begin to appear on the top and the edges start to look dry. Once the first side is done cooking, flip the pancakes and let them cook for another 2-4 minutes until golden brown. Wipe skillet. Repeat with the remaining batter. The mix will make 8-10 pancakes total.
- Hint: if the batter is too thick, add more milk or a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- If the batter seems a bit too thin, let it sit for a couple of minutes. As the baking powder activates and does its magic, the batter will thicken.
- If the batter is too thick, add a bit of extra milk to thin it out.
- Use a nonstick griddle or skillet and add butter or a little cooking spray.Use a measuring cup to make pancakes that are equal in size.
- Smooth them out with the bottom of the measuring cup if needed.
- Don't go above medium heat because the pancakes will burn. Slow and steady is the way to make fluffier pancakes!
- Refrigerator - store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer - store in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or on a griddle on the stovetop.
Sharon
My favorite pancakes. So healthy and so yummy!
Mallory
Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review!! <3 I'm so happy you love the pancakes as much as I do!