Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes are the ideal autumn breakfast: warm with pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and bright lemon notes. These fragrant pancakes include mini chocolate chips for a kid-friendly twist.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
When the weather turns crisp I always crave pumpkin and pumpkin spice. These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes bring both flavors together in an easy, satisfying breakfast that’s soft, flavorful and family-approved.
Over the years I’ve made many pumpkin treats, so this pancake version was a natural next step. I wanted a breakfast that felt a little lighter, so the flour blend uses ground oats, brown rice flour and tapioca starch. The batter is sweetened with maple syrup and studded with mini chocolate chips for a fun touch the kids love.
I don’t usually make pancakes on busy school mornings, but on a day off I finally tested this recipe. The pancakes turned out tender and nicely flavored with pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and a hint of lemon. I added yogurt and a bit of lemon juice to activate the baking soda, which helps create a lighter texture and encourages a pleasant golden-brown crust.
These pancakes are tender rather than pillowy, but very satisfying. The first batch I made without lemon juice; after learning how acid interacts with baking soda, I tried adding lemon juice with yogurt and found the pancakes were slightly fluffier and browned more attractively. They also developed a pleasant, slightly crisp exterior.
My family enjoyed these pancakes without any extra syrup—they were sweet and flavorful on their own—but feel free to serve with additional maple syrup, yogurt or fruit. If you prefer an even airier pancake, you can experiment with the balance of baking powder, baking soda and acid, but this version was a hit at our table.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats ground fine in a food processor
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup low-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- coconut oil, for cooking
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together ground oats, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and olive oil. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until blended. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Let the batter rest 15–20 minutes so the flours absorb the liquids.
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Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat and melt a little coconut oil. Use a 1/4-cup measure to portion the batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the bottoms are golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until browned. Serve warm.