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If you’re looking for a delicious fall breakfast, look no further than these Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes topped with cinnamon honey butter. This pancake recipe is made with pumpkin puree and sourdough discard and is full of spiced flavor, featuring a mix of pumpkin pie seasoning and ground cinnamon. The pancakes are soft, full of flavor, and taste amazing topped with homemade cinnamon honey butter and maple syrup.
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“These were a huge at my brunch! The butter really is a great addition!” -Kim
Fall baking is my absolute favorite! From sourdough pumpkin muffins to caramel apple sourdough focaccia to sourdough pumpkin cinnamon roll focaccia, there are so many delicious treats to make. These pumpkin spice pancakes are no exception. They are so yummy and are approved by the whole family. But if you aren’t a pumpkin fan, be sure to check out my fluffy sourdough pancakes or sourdough gingerbread pancakes.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Quick & Easy– Just like my Sourdough Waffles, these sourdough pumpkin pancakes come together in under 30 minutes making for an easy and delicious breakfast.
- Warm Fall Flavors– Filled with pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie seasoning for a cozy fall breakfast.
- Make-Ahead Friendly– These pancakes store and reheat well, so you can enjoy them all week long.
- Light & Fluffy Texture– These pancakes turn out so soft and fluffy every time!
- Family Favorite– Kid-approved and perfect for weekend brunch or holiday mornings.
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour: You can substitute some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour if preferred.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Critical for achieving fluffy, well-risen pancakes.
- Sourdough Discard– You can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge or active starter; either one will work. If you have a lot of discard to use up, check out my other sourdough discard recipes.
- Oil: I use olive oil, but you can use vegetable, canola, or coconut oil.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use a premade blend or make your own with ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Ground Cinnamon: Complements the pumpkin puree perfectly. It is used in the pancakes and the honey butter.
- Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I buy pumpkin puree, but you can also make your own.
- Butter: The base for the cinnamon honey butter. I prefer salted butter, but you can use unsalted and add a pinch of salt.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Mix-in Ideas for Pancakes
This is your time to get creative! These pumpkin pancakes are delicious on their own and even better topped with honey butter and maple syrup. However, if you want to switch it up, they would be delicious with chocolate chips or nuts. You could also swap the honey butter for cream cheese or cream cheese frosting.
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes
Step 1: Stir the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: egg, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, sourdough discard, and oil.
Step 3: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. It’s okay if it’s lumpy.
Step 4: Preheat a cast iron skillet, frying pan, or griddle to medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray or add oil or melted butter to the pan.
Scoop 1/3 cup of batter onto the heated griddle. Sprinkle mix-ins on top if desired. Wait a couple of minutes until the sides of the pancake begin to brown and the top has a few bubbles.
Step 5: Flip the pancake over and continue to cook on the second side for a few extra minutes or until the pancake is golden brown.
Make the cinnamon honey butter by mixing together softened butter, powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon until smooth.
Serve pancakes warm with butter and syrup.
Recipe Tips
- To achieve fluffy pancakes, do not cook them on high heat. High heat will cause the pancakes to brown too quickly on the outside while remaining gummy and undercooked on the inside. It’s better to cook at medium heat so the inside of the pancake has adequate time to rise and cook while the outside lightly browns.
- Don’t flip the pancakes before they are ready. You only want to flip the pancake once. Too many flips will cause the pancake to deflate and lose the desired fluffy texture. Wait for the pancake edges to begin browning and the top of the batter to develop a few bubbles before flipping. Then let it cook for another two to three minutes on the other side.
- When making the batter, do not over-mix. Only mix the batter until the ingredients are combined to keep the pancakes from becoming tough. It’s okay if the batter is lumpy.
Storage Instructions
Pancakes will stay fresh for about a week in the fridge in an airtight container or bag. To reheat, you can microwave them or add them back to a warm pan or griddle to reheat.
Sourdough discard pancakes freeze beautifully, making them perfect for quick breakfasts later on. To freeze, place the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 1 hour. Once firm, transfer them to a large freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
Another option is to stack the pancakes with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each before sealing them in a freezer-safe bag.
Then, to reheat them in the microwave, place your desired amount of pancakes on a plate and heat them in 30-second increments until they are warmed all the way through. Typically, it will take a minute or less for even a large stack. You can also use your toaster oven if you prefer.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! You can make the batter ahead of time; just leave out the baking soda and baking powder. Store the batter in the fridge overnight, and then mix them in just before cooking the next day.
Yes, you can use coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk as dairy-free alternatives. For the butter you can use a plant-based butter instead to make the recipe dairy-free.
Yes, either active starter or discard will work in this Sourdough Pumpkin Pancake recipe.
Flat or dense sourdough pancakes usually come down to a couple of common mistakes:
Overmixing the batter: Stirring too much develops the gluten, which leads to tough, rubbery pancakes that don’t rise. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined. It is normal for the batter to have lumps.
Flipping more than once: Pancakes should only be flipped a single time. Flipping back and forth causes them to deflate and lose their fluffy texture.
Your heat is too high. Stick with medium to medium low heat for fluffy, fully cooked pancakes.
More sourdough fall recipes
Soft Sourdough Bread Recipes
Sourdough Garlic Bread (Ready in 20 minutes!)
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Scones
Fall Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread with a Vanilla Glaze
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Sourdough Sticky Buns
Tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes
- 280 grams all purpose flour, 2 cups
- 75 grams brown sugar, ⅓ cup
- 14 grams baking powder, 1 Tablespoon
- 3 grams baking soda, ½ teaspoon
- 5 grams salt, 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
- 1 large egg, 50 grams
- 245 grams pumpkin puree, 1 cup
- 30 grams olive oil or vegetable oil, 2 Tablespoons
- 360 grams whole milk, 1 ½ cup
- 120 grams sourdough discard, ½ cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon Honey Butter Filling
- 113 grams butter, salted, ½ cup
- 15 grams honey, 1 Tablespoon
- 30 grams powdered sugar, ¼ cup
- 2 grams cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Stir the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.280 grams all purpose flour, 75 grams brown sugar, 14 grams baking powder, 3 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt, 2 grams pumpkin pie spice, 2 grams ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: egg, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, sourdough discard, and oil.1 large egg, 360 grams whole milk, 245 grams pumpkin puree, 4 grams vanilla extract, 120 grams sourdough discard, 30 grams olive oil or vegetable oil
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. It’s okay if it’s lumpy.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet, frying pan, or griddle to medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray or add oil or melted butter to the pan.
- Scoop ⅓ cup of batter onto the heated griddle. Sprinkle mix-ins on top if desired. Wait a couple of minutes until the sides of the pancake begin to brown and the top has a few bubbles. Flip the pancake over and continue to cook on the second side for an additional 3 minutes or until the pancake is golden brown.
- Make the cinnamon honey butter by mixing together softened butter, powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon.113 grams butter, salted, 15 grams honey, 30 grams powdered sugar, 2 grams cinnamon
- Serve with butter and syrup.
Notes
- To achieve fluffy pancakes, do not cook them on high heat. High heat will cause the pancakes to brown too quickly on the outside while remaining gummy and under cooked on the inside. It's better to cook at medium heat so the inside of the pancake has adequate time to rise and cook while the outside lightly browns.
- Don’t flip the pancakes before they are ready. You only want to flip the pancake once. Too many flips will cause the pancake to deflate and lose the desired fluffy texture. Wait for the pancake edges to begin browning and the top of the batter to develop a few bubbles before flipping. Then let it cook for another two to three minutes on the other side.
- When making the batter, do not over-mix. Only mix the batter until the ingredients are combined to keep the pancakes from becoming tough. It's okay if the batter is lumpy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sooo delicious! Definitely a staple in our house now. I’ve been making these since September and everyone loves them
Thank you for sharing ! <3
I’m so glad you like them! Thank you so much for sharing!
I made this recipe the other day for my picky child (he doesn’t eat any vegetables). I had canned pumpkin from my own garden and used that puréed. He absolutely loved the pancakes and he couldn’t tell that it had pumpkin in it. Win win for me, to use both my sourdough discard and my canned pumpkin.
That’s awesome! So glad it was enjoyed by all 🙂
These are excellent and fluffy pancakes! This is a fantastic recipe! I often replace half the flour with whole wheat flour and substitute the sugar with honey, and it still works perfectly.
I did try making blueberry pancakes based on this recipe. I used applesauce instead of pumpkin, increased the vanilla, and cut out the pumpkin pie spice. While they still turned out great, I could taste the leavening agents because there wasn’t as much flavor to mask it. So keep that in mind if you try to change the flavor.
Thanks so much for the tips, Kendra!
The best pumpkin pancakes I have made! Love that they actually have a good amount of pumpkin, not just the spices. Flavorful and nice texture. I substituted a bit of AP for whole wheat and still light and soft.
Thanks Megan! So glad you liked them.
These are a new fall staple! So delicious and the cinnamon honey butter takes it to the next level.
Thanks Allison! So glad you liked the recipe.
Love your recipes! Can this be turned into a waffle recipe?
Yeah I totally think you could make these into waffles instead!
Thank you!
These pancakes are wonderful! I added more pumpkin pie spice (6 grams) to up the flavor.
Thanks Carol! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
I am just wondering if you could mix it all up the night before and cook in the morning? Would the recipe suffer at all?
Yes! Mix it all except the baking powder and soda and place in the fridge overnight. Right before baking add the baking powder and soda.
Loved this recipe it was so easy and delicious! I used whole wheat pastry flour and applesauce instead of oil and reduced the brown sugar, soooo yummy and fluffy!
These were a huge at my brunch! The butter really is a great addition!
I made these this morning for my boys and I, WOW!! I used King Arthur 1:1 gluten free flour. And they were so yummy!! My oldest ate almost 3!