Old-Fashioned Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
These whole wheat pumpkin pancakes are pillowy soft and packed with old fashioned flavor. Great-great grandma milled her own whole wheat flour because all purpose flour wasn’t even a thing. It’s hard to make a whole wheat pancake fluffy but this recipe is as good as it gets!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with 100% whole wheat flour.
- A great way to use pumpkin in the fall!
- Full of warm fall spices and flavors.
Why are these 100% Whole Wheat?
There are many good reasons to be eating whole grains! Whole wheat flour contains the germ for added fiber and the endosperm which contains added fats. This slows down glucose absorption so blood sugar levels are less likely to spike and crash.
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Unfortunately, all purpose flour is not great for human health. This is because it causes a very similar reaction in our bodies as any type of sugar. Honestly, that’s part of the reason why people love all purpose flour so much.
If you’re new to using whole wheat flour, the texture and flavor isn’t the same as all purpose but it’s good in its own way. You’ll develop a taste for it over time.
By the way, I’m not a purist and do like to occasionally mix in some all purpose flour in bread and desserts. The key is moderation in all things.
Obviously, pancakes with butter and syrup aren’t the healthiest thing out there. But the whole grains help a little bit 🙂
Key Ingredients and Substitution Options
Pumpkin Puree- We make our own homemade pumpkin puree but you can use canned pumpkin puree from the store. If you have pumpkin powder or freeze dried pumpkin powder you can use that too by rehydrating before using. Best results for rehydration are achieved with ¼ cup pumpkin powder and 1 cup of hot water, let it sit for 30 minutes before using.
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Milk– You can use any type of milk in this recipe. However, cow’s milk, almond, oat, and soy milk are the most subtle in flavor. If you add coconut milk, the pancakes will take on a strong coconut flavor so avoid using it if possible.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour– I like to use a soft white wheat berry and grind it into flour. Soft white wheat is the type of wheat used for pastry flour. It has less gluten and a more tender texture and flavor. You can use regular old whole wheat bread flour but the pancakes will be more dense and tough. Here’s where I get my wheat berries or whole wheat pastry flour.
Butter Butter is the most flavorful, but of course if you’re dairy free, you can substitute any neutral oil or lard for butter.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1 Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl. Stir.
STEP 2 In a separate medium bowl, add eggs and whisk them for 30 seconds. Then add pumpkin puree, milk, and melted butter. Stir until everything is well mixed.
STEP 3 Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix. Some lumps are ok!
STEP 4 Preheat a griddle to 325ºF. Add any fat like oil, lard, or butter to the pan. Pour batter on the griddle to your desired size pancake. Cook for about 4 minutes per side. And serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Tips for Cooking
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir until just combined. A few lumps in the mix are ok.
- Pre-heat the pan. A griddle is ideal for pancakes, but if you don’t have one a skillet is a good alternative. The key is to wait until the pan is hot enough to cook the pancakes. On a griddle about 325ºF is ideal.
- Wait long enough before flipping. Once you see holes start to form on the top of the pancakes, they are ready to flip.
FAQ’s
Yes, if you have too many they can be put in a container or bag and frozen for a later date. To reheat, thaw the container in the refrigerator overnight. Then place on a greased, preheated to 325ºF griddle until the pancake is slightly crispy on the outside and warm all the way through the center.
Keep in mind that reheated pancakes are never quite as good as the original. They tend to dry out slightly. If you’re looking for a quick ready-made version, I have a bulk pumpkin pancake mix recipe. It’s for making the mix in advance and then when you’re ready to cook, just add water and oil.
Of course! If that’s your preference go for it. Because of the different nature of all purpose flour, chances are you’ll need a little less milk in the batter. Start by adding 1 ½ cups of milk. This should be enough but if it’s too thick slowly add up to a ¼ cup more (a tablespoon at a time) until it’s the right consistency.
Other Breakfast recipes
- Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets
- Granola
- Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins
- Cranberry Lemon Muffins
If you made these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (280g) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar tightly packed
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoons nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (57g) butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 3/4 cup milk or dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, add eggs and whisk them for 30 seconds. Then add pumpkin puree, milk, and melted butter. Stir until everything is well mixed.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix. Some lumps are ok!
- Preheat a griddle to 325ºF. Add any fat like oil, lard, or butter to the pan. Pour batter on the griddle to your desired size pancake. Cook for about 4 minutes per side. If you want to add optional chocolate chips (I put 5 or 6 chips in a 4 inch pancake) Put them on about 1-2 minutes after pouring the batter onto the griddle.
- Serve hot, with butter and maple syrup. Other topping ideas are in the notes!
Notes
- Add chocolate chips to each pancake as they cook for a special treat!
- Want to make the recipe a little faster and easier? Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. The pumpkin pie spice will taste a little bit different but is still delicious.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing makes a dense pancake!
- If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute regular whole wheat flour. The pancakes will be a little less fluffy though.
- Other yummy toppings that go well with this are chopped pecans, walnuts, cranberries, apples, pears, or bananas.
