Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need to make these pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes:

• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the pancake batter and gives the pancakes structure.
• Baking Powder/Baking Soda: The leavening agents that help the pumpkin pancakes rise and bake up soft and fluffy.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds warm fall spices that pair perfectly with the pumpkin and cinnamon swirl.
• Pumpkin Puree: Adds pumpkin flavor, moisture, and a beautiful fall color. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
• Melted Butter: Adds richness and moisture to both the pancake batter and cinnamon swirl.
• Eggs: Help bind the batter together and give the pancakes structure.
• Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smooth, spreadable pancake batter.
• Maple Syrup: Naturally sweetens the pancakes and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor and enhances the sweetness.
• Brown Sugar: Sweetens the cinnamon swirl and gives these pancakes that classic cinnamon roll flavor.
• Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm cinnamon flavor to the buttery swirl.
• Cream Cheese/Powdered Sugar: Used to make the optional creamy glaze.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Ingredient Substitutions & Additions

• Pumpkin Puree: You can swap the pumpkin puree with an equal amount of smooth sweet potato puree. If the sweet potato puree is thicker than pumpkin puree, you may need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra milk to thin the batter slightly.
• All-Purpose Flour: Swap with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
• Milk: Swap with any plant-based milk, such as almond, oat, or soy milk.
• Butter: Replace with melted coconut oil or a neutral oil like avocado oil.
• Egg: Use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg) or a store-bought egg replacer like Just Egg. Keep in mind that the texture may be slightly different with an egg substitute.
• Maple Syrup: You can swap it with honey (for children over 1 year old), though the flavor will be a little different. You can also swap it with equal parts granulated sugar and add an extra tablespoon of milk to account for the missing moisture.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use ground cinnamon with a small pinch each of nutmeg and ginger.

Step-by-Step Instructions

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.

STEP 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour for the cinnamon swirl mixture. Set aside to thicken slightly while you prepare the pancake batter (Images 1 & 2).

STEP 3: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (Image 3).

STEP 4: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, and pumpkin puree until smooth (Image 4). Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and whisk until fully combined (Images 5 & 6).

STEP 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (Images 7 & 8). Do not overmix, a few small lumps are fine.

STEP 6: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer (Image 9). Transfer the cinnamon swirl mixture to a piping bag or small zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe swirls all over the top of the pumpkin pancake batter (Image 10).

STEP 7: Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden (Image 11). For the optional glaze, whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth. Spread or drizzle the glaze over the warm pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes (Image 12), then slice into squares and serve.