We eat a fair amount of pancakes in our house, and this healthy recipe quickly became one of our favorites. They're full of pure pumpkin, warm flavorful spices, ribbons of real maple syrup, and heart-healthy oats. The best part? They're low in sugar and kids love them.
The Batter
The batter comes together very quickly in a blender and requires just 9 simple ingredients. I use my Vitamix, but any high-powered blender should work. The blender does all the work, and it only takes a minute or two for the oats to break down. Your batter will be very thick, and you'll probably need to scoop it out with a spoon. I use the back of the spoon to spread the batter on the pan and shape the pancakes. If you need to thin it out, you can add a splash or two more of the dairy-free milk to the batter and pulse it a few more times.
The Dairy-Free Milk
Oat milk is my favorite choice to make these nut-free and school safe, but you can use your favorite dairy-free milk. I've tested these successfully with almond milk as well and didn't notice any difference in flavor or texture.
Toppings
If you aren't avoiding nuts, these pancakes are delicious with some chopped walnuts or pecans. You can stir a handful in to the batter, or toss a few on top. Pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, bananas, a drizzle of my butterscotch sauce, or a sprinkle more of pumpkin spice are also delicious ways to top these. My preferred toppings are a dollop of vegan butter, warmed pure maple syrup, and a handful of walnuts.
Storing
These will keep in your refrigerator for 3 or 4 days, making them perfect for make-ahead cooking. I cook up a batch of these on Sunday to have them on hand during the busy week. They'll reheat in your microwave in about 30-60 seconds on high heat.
You can also freeze these if you'd like. I freeze mine in individual serving sizes (usually 3 pancakes) in an airtight freezer safe dish. When you're ready to eat them, just put them on a microwave safe dish and reheat them until they're warm (about a minute, depending on your microwave).
Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes (dairy, gluten, nut free)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup unsweetened oat milk or milk of choice
- 1 ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups quick oats
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tsp pumpkin spice
- ½ tsp salt
- oil or dairy-free butter for cooking
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into your blender in the order listed. Blend on high for about 1 minute until the batter is smooth. It should be thick, and you'll need to scoop it out with a spoon.
- Heat your dairy-free butter or oil in a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Add a scoopful of batter to your pan and spread it out using the back of a spoon. I like to use ¼ - ⅓ cup batter per pancake. Cook the pancakes for about 3 minutes per side, until they're lightly browned on the bottom and puffy. Reduce the heat if the pan gets too hot, or your pancakes start cooking too quickly. A pan that's too hot will result in pancakes overcooked on the outside and raw on the inside.
- Serve warm. See notes above for topping options. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Rhonda says
Hello, have you got an alternative to the oats (also needs to be gluten free) that won't effect the taste of these? Thanks
Lyndsay Homme says
I'm sorry, I haven't tested these without the oats.