From the roundup: 22 Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin Recipes for Fall Baking
These pumpkin cream cheese pancakes are the kind of Saturday breakfast that actually happens on a Saturday, not just in a magazine. The batter comes together in about 10 minutes, and the cream cheese goes straight in with the pumpkin puree so there are no extra steps or fancy technique involved. You get a thick, custardy stack with real pumpkin flavor in every bite.
The whole recipe is on the table in 30 minutes, and most of that is standing at the stove flipping in batches. If you have four people to feed, one batch is plenty. If you have more, the batter doubles without any fuss. Warm the maple syrup while the last pancakes cook and you are done.
How this recipe started for us
A few falls ago I had half a can of pumpkin puree left over from making muffins and a block of cream cheese that needed to be used up. I had seen cream cheese go into waffle batter before, so I figured it was worth trying in pancakes. The first batch came out so much thicker and more custardy than a regular pumpkin pancake that I wrote the recipe down on a sticky note before I forgot what I had done.
My youngest will only eat them with extra syrup pooled around the edges, not drizzled on top. We have had this argument every single time.
Why you will love this
- The cream cheese blends directly into the wet ingredients, so the texture is custardy all the way through without any filling or layering.
- Pumpkin pie spice handles all the seasoning in one scoop, which keeps the ingredient list short.
- At 30 minutes start to finish, this is realistic for a weekend morning without an early alarm.
- Leftovers reheat well in a dry skillet, so they are worth making the full batch even for a smaller group.
- The batter doubles cleanly if you are feeding more than four people.
Tips for success
- Beat the cream cheese on its own for a full minute before adding anything else. If it is not completely smooth at that stage, you will get flecks of cream cheese in the finished pancakes instead of a uniform batter.
- Keep the heat at medium, not medium-high. These pancakes are thicker than a standard recipe, and a hot skillet will brown the outside before the center has time to cook through.
- Wait for bubbles to form across the whole surface and for the edges to look set before you flip. Flipping too early is the most common reason the center comes out gummy.
- Do not press the pancakes down with the spatula after flipping. It squeezes out the air and flattens everything you were trying to preserve.
Common questions
- Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree? No. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, and it will throw off both the flavor and the texture of the batter.
- Why is my batter so thick? The cream cheese makes it thicker than a standard pancake batter. That is correct. Do not add extra milk to thin it out or the pancakes will spread flat.
- Can I make these without a hand mixer? Yes, but the cream cheese needs to be very soft and at true room temperature. Mash it well with a fork before adding the pumpkin, then whisk hard to get it smooth.
- Do these work as freezer pancakes? Yes. Cool them completely, stack with parchment between each one, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster or a 325 degree oven for about 8 minutes.
Substitutions
For a gluten-free version, a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend works in place of all-purpose flour. Neufchatel cheese can stand in for full-fat cream cheese if that is what you have, though the batter will be slightly less rich. Any 2% or whole-fat plant-based milk works fine here, though the pancakes may spread a little thinner than with dairy milk. Coconut sugar can replace granulated sugar in equal measure.
If maple syrup is not your thing or you are out, a drizzle of honey or a simple brown sugar syrup made with butter and a splash of water both work well with the pumpkin spice flavor.
Make-ahead and storage
To get a head start on the morning, whisk the dry ingredients together the night before and keep them covered on the counter. Combine the cream cheese, pumpkin, eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter in a jar or bowl, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, stir the two together and cook as directed. The batter does not keep well once mixed, so do not combine everything the night before.
Leftover pancakes keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container with parchment between the layers. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 1 minute per side, which keeps the edges from going soggy. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months and reheat straight from frozen in the toaster or in a 325 degree oven for 8 minutes.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pancakes with Maple Drizzle
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute until smooth and lump-free. Add the pumpkin puree and beat again until fully combined, about 30 seconds more.
- Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter to the cream cheese mixture and whisk until everything is evenly blended. The batter will look a little loose at this point, and that is fine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stop as soon as the dry streaks disappear. A few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix or the pancakes will turn out tough.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a small pat of butter. Let it melt and swirl to coat. Use a ladle or 1/3-cup measure to pour the batter onto the skillet, leaving about 2 inches between each pancake. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set and no longer shiny, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flip each pancake once and cook the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the pancake feels firm when you gently press the center. Do not press them down with the spatula. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the skillet as needed.
- Warm the maple syrup in a small saucepan over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or microwave it for 20 seconds. Serve the pancakes immediately with the warm syrup drizzled over the top.
Notes
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