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.
As it happened, my boys had friends over that day. There were, admittedly, some hard-to-please palates 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 welcome 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. Several friends joined the fun and did their own independent testing. I never knew pancakes could be so much work…or so much fun! Special thanks to Carol, Erin, Laura, Evie, and Kate for going above and beyond in this “job.”
The many ingredient options are noted in the recipe card below, but the fun did not stop there...
My kids and I have long enjoyed turning leftover pancakes into a granola-crusted “toast” (more on that below)—and that clever twist got me wondering how else we might enjoy eating our pancakes.
Enter Girls on the Run.
A project with Girls on the Run (a fabulous nonprofit program that blends running with life-skills lessons to build confidence and teamwork in young girls) put this question into full swing.
Ahead of a planned day of cooking together in my kitchen, testing resumed. With the help of my niece, several neighborhood kids, and some big kids at heart, we tried out my ideas: a pancake pizza, 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. A traditional whoopie pie filling, your favorite frosting, or even whipped cream could be used as the filling, but the two-ingredient frosting I first used 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’d like a filling of strawberries and whipped cream. I like his thinking and might add bananas.
As for that pancake “toast” I mentioned… When my kids were in school, they loved when I made it for a quick breakfast. I’d spread peanut butter (or sometimes Nutella) 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.
Clearly, this is one flexible recipe, which begs the question… how would you make and serve this recipe?
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. 💛
Baked Pumpkin Pancakes (Grain-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120g) 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling; see notes)
- ½ cup (128g) almond butter (preferably a smooth variety, like Justin's; see notes)
- 1 tablespoon (20g) pure maple syrup (may use honey)
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (may sub cinnamon, with or without a pinch or two of nutmeg and ginger)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Options for topping and serving: chocolate chips, maple syrup
Instructions
- Before you start: Read the recipe notes for some helpful tips, ingredients swaps, and serving ideas. Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If your almond butter is cold, allow it to soften at room temperature, or warm just enough to soften—but not melt—in the microwave.
- Mix the batter: In a medium-size bowl, lightly beat the eggs. (I use my quart-size Pyrex measuring cup, which makes it easy to pour the batter later.) Stir in the pumpkin and the remaining ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth. (Sometimes, I add a pinch or two of salt and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract for an extra pop of flavor, but that's optional.)
- Make the pancakes: Pour by ¼-cupfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. (See notes for ice cream scoop details.) If necessary, spread out the batter with a knife; the pancakes will not spread much while baking. At this point, chocolate lovers can dot a few chocolate chips over the surface of the pancakes.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the pancakes are just cooked through and fluffy. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for longer storage. Reheat, just until warm so as not to dry out, in a toaster oven or microwave (start with a quick 10 seconds when using the microwave).
Notes
- The nut butter: I’ve made these pancakes with almond, cashew, and peanut butter. They all work well, the flavor is just slightly different. For a lighter, fluffier pancake, a smooth, no-stir variety is preferred. Natural nut butters work, however the texture will be denser.
- No pumpkin? Applesauce and overripe mashed banana work beautifully in place of the pumpkin and allow you to mix these pancakes up over time. Tip: The single serve applesauce cups are the perfect size, and 1 very large banana will be about a ½ cup when mashed.
- The spices: My original recipe called for ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. To streamline the process and play up the pumpkin flavor, I started making the pancakes with ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Feel free to use all cinnamon, a little of each, or whatever combination you like. For more pronounced flavor, you could increase the total amount of these spices to 1 teaspoon.
- How to portion consistently-sized, mess-free pancakes: I like to use an ice cream scoop. A large scoop, when leveled, will hold a scant ¼ cup of batter for a yield of 8 pancakes. For smaller pancakes, I like a 2-tablespoon scoop for a yield of about 16. You can even vary the size of the pancakes on the same baking sheet. If they are all a similar thickness, the cooking time will be the same.
- Make a pancake “pizza”: Grease a 9-inch cake pan (and line with a round of parchment paper on the bottom for easy removal) and bake for approximately 12 minutes or until just cooked through in the center.
- One more thing: If using almond butter and you’d like to enhance that flavor, you could add a little almond extract. In this case, I’d start with ¼-½ teaspoon.
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