These pumpkin spice pancakes are ultra soft, fluffy, and have a caramelized pumpkin spice cinnamon roll swirl! And a cream cheese glaze, reminiscent of cinnamon rolls. They’re so easy to make too, and are packed full of pumpkin and spice flavor. The pumpkin spice swirl is so easy to make and transforms the pancakes by adding so much flavor and crispiness to the edges. These pancakes will transform your breakfast routine in the fall!
Enjoy them with a pumpkin spice chai latte for the ultimate pumpkin spice breakfast or brunch!
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🥞 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Texture: The softest, fluffiest pumpkin spice pancakes EVER with a gooey, caramelized cinnamon roll swirl!
- Glaze: The pancakes are topped with the creamiest, tangy cream cheese glaze.
- Pumpkin: Packed with pumpkin flavor in the batter and swirl.
- Cinnamon roll: A swirl of spiced cinnamon roll filling is piped on top of the pancake. It gets crispy, caramelized, and gooey as it cooks! And adds soooo much pumpkin spice flavor.
If you love pumpkin spice breakfast and brunch items, you’ll love these pumpkin biscotti to have with your morning coffee.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
- Pumpkin puree: Real pumpkin puree will give you lots of pumpkin flavor! I use canned pumpkin for the most consistent texture and flavor. Make sure your pumpkin puree has the consistency of thick hummus. If it's too wet, squeeze out some moisture with a cheesecloth or pat dry with a paper towel.
- Pumpkin pie spice: A spice blend that is typically used in pumpkin pie to complement the pumpkin. You can make your own pumpkin spice or substitute it with cinnamon if you can’t find any of the ingredients.
- Cream cheese: Typically, I recommend using full fat brick style cream cheese. Since the cream cheese glaze is more of a runny, drippy glaze you can use any type of cream cheese you prefer.
- Buttermilk: This will create the fluffiest pancake. Store bought buttermilk or kefir works best. If you can’t find either, you can make your own buttermilk by combining just short of 1 cup of room temperature milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
If you love fluffy, moist pancakes, you're going to love these easy lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes!
👩🍳 How to make pumpkin spice pancakes
Pancake batter step by step
Step 1: Combine eggs, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine. Add pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, buttermilk, milk, and vanilla extract into the egg mixture. Whisk well to combine.
Step 2: Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into the same bowl. Fold the batter with a whisk to make a thick pancake batter. It should be pretty thick like this!
If it’s too thick, add more milk two tablespoons at a time until you get a thick pourable consistency. Don't add too much. Let the batter rest at room temperature while you work on the swirl and cream cheese glaze.
Pumpkin spice swirl step by step
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine together brown sugar, butter, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice. Stir together to combine into a smooth, thick paste.
For easier mixing, make sure the butter is very soft, but not melted!
Step 2: Transfer the spice mixture into a large zippered bag or piping bag. Snip the end off to make a hole for piping. Set aside for later.
Cream cheese glaze step by step
Step 1: Mash cream cheese and powdered sugar with a spatula in a large bowl together until combined. Add vanilla and stir.
Step 2: Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until it’s a glaze-like consistency. It should run off the spatula. Set aside while you cook the pancakes.
Cooking pancakes step by step
Step 1: Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Grease the pan with a pat of butter or cooking spray. Scoop batter into the pan, and gently nudge the batter into a round pancake shape.
Step 2: Pipe a swirl of the pumpkin spice filling into the middle of the pancake. Make sure the swirl stays within ½ inch of the edge or else it will leak out and burn in the pan.
Cook until you see bubbles rising to the top of the pancake, about 1-2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the pancake over and cook for about 20-30 seconds, or until the bottom is crispy and the pancake is cooked through.
Step 3: Remove the cooked pancake from the pan and set aside on a plate. Carefully hold a piece of paper towel with a pair of tongs and wipe the hot pan to remove any burnt bits. Repeat the steps to cook off the rest of the batter.
Step 4: To serve, pile a stack of pumpkin pancakes onto a plate and drizzle the cream cheese glaze over like maple syrup. These are best enjoyed hot, warm, or at room temperature! Reheat any leftovers before serving.
✔️ Expert pancake tips
- Don’t overmix the pancake batter after flour is added. Overmixing will create a dense, tough pancake. Stop mixing as soon as you stop seeing dry bits of flour.
- Rest the pancake batter for softer, fluffier pancakes. In this recipe, you’re going to make the cinnamon swirl mixture and the cream cheese glaze after making the batter to give it some extra time.
- Use a non-stick pan or surface. The pumpkin spice swirl tends to turn your pan into a sticky, burnt mess if it’s not a non-stick surface!
- Cook on medium-low heat: To ensure the pancakes completely cook through without burning, I like to keep the heat on medium-low or low. This might depend on your stovetop.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
The pancake batter, glaze, and pumpkin spice swirl can be made the night before for fresh pancakes early in the morning. Soften the swirl mixture slightly so that it’s easier to pipe.
The cooked pancakes keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, sealed in an airtight bag or container. Freeze them in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 months.
🌀 Adding a spiced swirl is the best way to have pancakes
The spiced mixture is so quick and easy to mix up! Inspired by the viral cinnamon roll pancakes, it’s essentially a cinnamon roll filling. But instead of cinnamon we’re using pumpkin spice in this recipe.
You pipe it right onto the pancake while it cooks. When you flip the pancake, the spice and sugar mixture melt and create a crunchy, caramelized side to the pancake. It’s so buttery and delicious!
Try it once, you won’t want your pancakes any other way after.
⏲ Why you should be resting pancake batter
Resting pancake batter relaxes gluten and hydrates the flour, ensuring a fluffy, soft pancake texture.
I like to start off with making the pancake batter before I move onto mixing up the swirl mixture and the glaze. This gives the pancake batter enough time to rest and hydrate.
You can leave it out at room temperature for up to half an hour or refrigerate for longer. If you want to make ahead the batter, you can rest it overnight, covered in the fridge. That way there's minimal prep in the morning!
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. I’d add two tablespoons of melted butter if you won’t be adding the swirl because the batter itself doesn’t contain any butter.
The pumpkin spice swirl likes to stick because it’s all sugar and butter. I highly recommend using a nonstick pan or griddle. You can try using a well seasoned cast iron pan but I wasn’t successful with that.
Try to keep the outer ½ inch of pancake free from the swirl mixture. This prevents it from leaking out too much and creating a sticky mess.
Yes you can, it won’t be quite the same but it will taste delicious! Pumpkin spice is primarily cinnamon anyways.
Yes you can use this recipe to make any sized pancakes you like!
Yes you can! Spread the batter into a parchment paper lined baking sheet and pipe the pumpkin spice filling on top. Bake in an oven preheated to 355°F (180°C) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached.
🍂 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes with Pumpkin Spice Swirl
Equipment
- non stick pan or griddle
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Pumpkin Spice Swirl
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened almost melted
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
Cream Cheese glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Pancake Batter
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, and salt. Whisk well to combine. Into the same bowl, add pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, buttermilk, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, 1 cup buttermilk, ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into the same bowl. Fold with a whisk to combine into a pancake batter. It will be a little on the thicker side. If it’s too thick, add more milk two tablespoons at a time until you get a thick pourable consistency. Let the batter rest at room temperature while you work on the swirl and cream cheese glaze.2 cups all purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Pumpkin Spice Swirl
- In a large bowl, combine together brown sugar, butter, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice. Stir together to combine into a smooth, thick paste. Have the butter very softened, or even slightly melted for easier mixing.1 cup brown sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
- Transfer the spice mixture into a large zippered bag or piping bag. Snip the end off to make a hole for piping. Set aside for later.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Mash cream cheese and powdered sugar with a spatula in a large bowl together until combined. Add vanilla and stir.4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until it’s a glaze-like consistency. Set aside while you cook the pancakes.3-4 tablespoons milk
Cooking Pancakes
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Grease the pan with a pat of butter or cooking spray. Scoop batter into the pan, and gently nudge the batter into a round pancake shape.
- Pipe a swirl of the pumpkin spice filling into the middle of the pancake. Make sure the swirl stays within ½ inch of the edge or else it will leak out and burn in the pan.
- Cook until you see bubbles rising to the top of the pancake, about 1-2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the pancake over and cook for about 20-30 seconds, or until the bottom is crispy and the pancake is cooked through.
- Remove the cooked pancake from the pan and set aside on a plate. Carefully hold a piece of paper towel with a pair of tongs and wipe the hot pan to remove any burnt bits. Repeat the steps to cook off the rest of the batter.
- To serve, pile a stack of pancakes onto a plate and drizzle the cream cheese glaze over like maple syrup. These are best enjoyed warm or at room temperature!
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