Hello Fall. I finally made it to my favorite season. But living in Arizona, means boots and sweaters are NOT in our near future. We still live in t-shirts and shorts, we still BBQ and go swimming… but any day under 100 degrees is a relief.

The flavors of the holidays are what makes this time of year feel cozy for me. I have to make at least a few pumpkin spice treats each year. It doesn’t matter whether it’s breakfast, a drink, or a dessert. The possibilities are endless and making something myself tastes so much better than anything I have bought pre-made at the grocery store.

Here is one of our family favorites. Buttermilk Pumpkin Spice Pancakes. They are easy, they are fluffy, and they scratch the itch for sweater weather flavors perfectly. Top them off with plenty of butter, real maple syrup and some crispy bacon on the side.

We’re not talking healthy here, this is pure comfort food for breakfast. Or breakfast for dinner if that’s your thing. Anytime of day or year, homemade pancakes are always the “healthier” option, right? At least that’s what I try to tell myself…

I hope you give these a try and fall in love with them as much as my family has. Enjoy!

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What You’ll Need:

Buttermilk– Use the real stuff. If you don’t know what I mean then you are on the right path. They sell powdered buttermilk. Powdered is ok for baking some recipes, but for this one you need the acidity of the real thing to react with the baking powder and baking soda to make these extra fluffy. If you want luxurious and fluffy pancakes, grab a bottle of buttermilk.

Pumpkin Puree– Make sure you are getting 100% pumpkin puree. The brand doesn’t matter as long as it is not pie filling. Pie filling has added ingredients that we don’t need. It may interfere with your end result.

Butter– Any brand will do, but I don’t recommend margarine. Real butter has the perfect fat to water ratio that adds flavor and richness.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda– Using both of these leavening agents with the buttermilk turn these pancakes into sky-high perfection.

Brown Sugar & White Sugar– Using both still allows for a good rise while adding a deeper flavor than just using white sugar. If you only have one or the other, you can still make these but it will change the texture a little bit.

Pumpkin Pie Spice– If you have a jar of this on hand, it makes these a little quicker in the morning. You can also use just cinnamon if that is all you have.

Griddle Pan– I use an electric griddle. It allows me to make more that one at a time and control the temperature to achieve that perfect, fluffy pancake. If you don’t have one, any non-stick skillet or pan that is large enough to fit at least one pancake will do.

Ice Cream Scoop– This gives me the perfect measurement and shape for my pancakes. If you don’t have one, just use a 1/4 measuring cup. You can also free form them by just pouring it, do whatever works for you. Just keep it at about 1/4 cup so they don’t take too long to cook through.

Tips & Tricks

• Bring your refrigerated ingredients to room temperature. I set them out on the counter as soon as I get up in the morning, letting it get the chill off while I make coffee and check a few things off of my list. Removing the eggs from the shell and placing them in a bowl will speed up the “warming” time for the eggs. Same with the buttermilk, measure it out before setting it on the counter.
• Have your maple syrup, butter and plates ready to go for serving before you get started. No one likes a cold pancake no matter how fluffy it is. Real maple syrup should always be stored in the fridge. Because it is a natural product, it can go bad left at room temperature for long term storage. I also set this out with the rest of my ingredients so it melts in with the butter nicely when serving.
• Start pre-heating your griddle pan as soon as you get started mixing your ingredients. Don’t use the non-stick spray until you are ready to cook. The temperature may also need to be adjusted as you are cooking. I know if I use my gas stove that the pan keeps getting hotter and towards the end my pancakes get “crispier”.
• If you are cooking a large batch for meal prep or a crowd, I recommend prepping your area. Use a paper towel lined plate or casserole dish to place the cooked pancakes. Cover them with a clean dish towel to keep them warm if they are being served right away.
• Storage– You can keep these in a container or in a zipper bag in the fridge for a day or two. Re-heat several on a parchment lined cookie sheet, covered with foil for 10-15 minutes at 325 F (165 C). If you need to store these beyond 2 days, they will need to be frozen to maintain freshness. You can freeze by letting them cool completely on a cooling rack. Place some wax paper/freezer paper in between them in a freezer bag. I take out what I need the night before to thaw in the fridge. Pop them in the toaster to reheat in the morning. If you are daring, you can even make a double batch just for the freezer to make breakfast time easier for the rest of pumpkin spice season.

Looking for more breakfast ideas?

Bakery Style Vanilla Bean Scones

Overnight Breakfast Strata

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake

Easy Buttermilk Buckwheat Pancakes

Peach Cobbler Granola

Glazed French Toast Brunch Bake

If you try these pancakes or any of my other recipes tag me on Instagram @joymakersandco, I’d love to see what you make!