Baked Pumpkin Pancakes (Grain- & Gluten-Free)

Ann Fulton

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5 from 1 vote

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Simple (but perhaps unexpected!) ingredients come together with ease for these protein- and fiber-rich pancakes that bake to perfection in 10 short minutes!

Pumpkin and almonds hold a special affinity for one another. Generally speaking, combining these two ingredients has the potential for greatness. Yet the concept of combining them to create a nutritious and delicious pancake—with no flour or oil and baked in the oven, no less—had the potential for epic failure!

I remember well the first time I made this recipe. The batter tasted delicious. That was a good start. The aroma while cooking perked everyone up. The finished product looked light and fluffy.

Happily, the taste was terrific too. The unusual combination of ingredients truly worked to create tasty, protein- and fiber-rich pancakes—a quick and easy meal that held off hunger for hours—with the added bonus of a much-loved fall flavor.

The first time I baked this unique recipe, my boys had friends over. There were, admittedly, some picky eaters in the group and the combination of ingredients was, at that point, something of a kitchen experiment. This crowd would be tough taste testers—the best kind. I always want honest opinions and, if I please a picky eater, all the better!

Guess what? Eyes lit up and yums were uttered. They wanted more. These pancakes quickly turned into a favorite in our family, and over time, I’ve found the recipe is quite flexible too.

Here’s where things get really exciting!

What started as a question as to whether mashed banana or applesauce would work as well as pumpkin in this recipe led to testing many more ingredient swaps. For example, would peanut butter work in place of the almond butter or would the flavor be overpowering? Is there a difference between traditional creamy, no-stir nut butters and natural style varieties, which are grainier and need to be stirred? In the midst of this testing, I also retested various spice combinations and the amount of leavening used. Friends and readers did their own independent testing. After all, these recipes have to be equal parts foolproof and delicious!

The many ingredient options are noted in the recipe card below, but the fun did not stop there...

I’ve mentioned before how my kids and I have long enjoyed reinventing leftover pancakes: Warm them in the toaster or very briefly in the microwave, spread with peanut butter or Nutella, and then press the nut butter side into a shallow plate covered with granola so the granola coats the pancake. Banana slices on top are a tasty add. We eat them like toast, and the combination is crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet, and completely satisfying.

This clever twist on the usual syrup topping begged the question: How else might we enjoy eating our pancakes? A project with Girls on the Run (a fabulous non-profit program that blends running with life-skills lessons to build confidence and teamwork in young girls) put this question into full swing.

Testing resumed in advance of a day of cooking in my kitchen with girls from the Lancaster Girls on the Run (GOTR). With the help of my niece, several neighborhood kids, and some big kids at heart, we tested my ideas: a pizza pancake, pancake whoopie pies, pancake tacos, pancake rolls, and fruit faces. Once I started thinking about all the fun ways to eat a pancake, I had trouble turning my brain off. I’m not sure who was having the most fun with this little project. 😂

The pizza, which can be free-formed on a parchment-lined baking sheet but works especially well in a 9-inch round cake pan, was a clear winner. It’s fun for kids to make and decorate (alone or as a fun project with friends), slice, and eat.

Whoopie pies scored high marks too. Any frosting or whipped cream could be used as the filling, but the two-ingredient frosting mentioned in this Pumpkin Bran Muffin recipe was a hit around here. The maple syrup used to sweeten it complements the pancakes beautifully.

One friend channeled her childhood McGriddle memories and made an egg and bacon sandwich on a maple syrup pancake. She said that while she wouldn’t eat it frequently, the sweet and savory combo had some merit. One of her sons said he would like a filling of strawberries and whipped cream. I like his thinking and might add bananas.

Clearly, this is one flexible recipe, which begs the question… how would you make and serve this recipe?

Simple (but perhaps unexpected!) ingredients come together with ease for these protein- and fiber-rich pancakes that bake to perfection in 10 short minutes! — My niece, Evie, recently helped me retest this recipe, with options I had never tried, like peanut butter, which offers greater convenience and affordability compared to almond butter. While we both love peanut butter, we feared the flavor would be overwhelming—but we were both pleasantly surprised! We also ran natural nut butters against their creamy, no-stir counterparts and found the latter produced a lighter, fluffier pancake. Next up: applesauce and overripe banana in place of the pumpkin!

I should mention, however, that when my kids were in school, they loved it when I made “pancake toast.” For a quick breakfast, I’d spread peanut butter (or sometimes a chocolate hazelnut spread) on the pancakes, then press them into a shallow bowl filled with granola so they were well coated—this way, the granola would also stick much better than if I had simply sprinkled it on. I’d often top them with sliced bananas, and the boys would each eat two pancakes, just like toast, for a satisfying start to their day.

I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛

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