Go Back
Spiced Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Spiced Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

These pancakes are tender and fluffy with pumpkin puree and warming spices folded into the batter and a buttery cinnamon-sugar swirl in the center of each cake. Ready in about 30 minutes, they make a cozy autumn breakfast or weekend brunch, best served warm with maple syrup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:30 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Keyword: cinnamon swirl, fall, pancakes, pumpkin

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • small bowl
  • whisk
  • blender (optional)
  • large skillet or griddle
  • plastic sandwich bag
  • spatula

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk plus more as needed
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter at room temperature
  • 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs, 3 tablespoons melted salted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth; if the pumpkin puree is thick and not mixing well, blend the wet ingredients in a blender.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir the batter until just combined; if the batter feels thick, add more butter 2 tablespoons at a time. It’s OK if there are lumps. Cover the batter and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Make the cinnamon swirl by mixing the 6 tablespoons room-temperature salted butter, 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a bowl; transfer the mixture to a plastic sandwich bag and snip a small corner off to use as a piping bag.
  5. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease it with butter. Pour about 1/4 cup pancake batter onto the center of the hot pan, then pipe a swirl of the cinnamon butter into the pancake, pushing slightly so the swirl incorporates into the batter and stays near the center. When bubbles appear on the surface, gently flip the pancake and cook the other side about 1 minute or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter.
  6. Top warm pancakes with additional butter and maple syrup to serve.

Notes

Letting the batter rest 10 minutes yields more tender pancakes. If the batter is too thick after mixing, add more butter 2 tablespoons at a time as instructed. Keep the cinnamon swirl close to the pancake center to prevent the filling from melting off the edges.