Fluffy 5-Mins Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes (Gluten-Free)

Short on time and effort? Then these fluffy, restaurant-worthy pancakes made with pumpkin and oatmeal are your recipe for success! With 5-minutes prep and a quick turn on the griddle, you’ll be dishing up a stack of pumpkin oat pancakes effortlessly. Even though they are flourless and gluten-free, they cook up tender, thick, and fluffy because of an easy trick – resting the batter before cooking hydrates and softens the oats.

Flourless Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

Autumn is in the air, which means pumpkin spice everything, from breakfast to drinks. Recently I was craving gluten-free pumpkin pancakes, but wanted to make them easier, without flour, and deceptively GF, since my whole family would be enjoying.

Using rolled oats for the base, instead of wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend, makes exceptionally fluffy blender pancakes. It’s been proven with the success of these flourless pancakes with banana, shared almost 200,000 times on Pinterest, and repeatedly earning comments such as, “My pickiest eater devoured them and they didn’t realize they were gluten-free!”

To make pumpkin oat pancakes recipe with the same great results I turned to proven successful components. Canned pumpkin and milk comprise most of the moisture, but there needs to be an optimal ratio of oats to avoid a dense, gummy texture.

Since flourless pumpkin pancakes do not contain gluten, eggs act as a binding agent, while a boosted baking powder amount helps with leavening as they cook. For an extra fluffy texture, I relied on a trick used in many of my gluten-free oat recipes, letting the batter rest.

Oatmeal readily soaks up moisture, it just needs to be given a little time to work its magic. Since pumpkin puree also contains a lot of liquid, allowing a few extra minutes takes these pumpkin oatmeal pancakes to next-level breakfast status.

The entire recipe makes about 10-12 pancakes, which serves 3-4 people depending on appetites and if other breakfast sides will be served alongside it. However, it’s easy to make a double batch of pumpkin pancakes, which also has the added bonus of using an entire can of pumpkin so none goes to waste!

If that is too much for you to enjoy now, pumpkin pancakes with oatmeal can also be frozen for future grab-and-go breakfasts. Sit down to a tall stack, smothered with warm maple syrup, sliced bananas, or chopped nuts and swoon over the rich aroma of warming spices!

Ingredient Notes

If you have canned pumpkin on hand, or even some leftover, the remaining ingredients are kitchen staples so these can be made any time!

• Oatmeal – Use old fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats. For gluten-free pumpkin pancakes be sure to use certified gluten-free oats that have not been cross-contaminated during processing.
• Canned pumpkin – Be sure to use pumpkin puree, rather than pumpkin pie filling, which will not work for this recipe. Since this recipe doesn’t use the full can, either freeze the rest for later use, make a double batch, or use the remaining in these oat flour pumpkin muffins, also a blender recipe! 
• Eggs – Acts as a binder for the ingredients since the pancakes are flourless. I have not tested the recipe with flax eggs or any egg-free substitute. If you do, please leave me a comment in the recipe card!
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – If you don’t have this on hand it’s still possible to get that spiced pumpkin flavor without it. Replace the pumpkin pie spice with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ginger, and 1/8 tsp ground cloves.
• Sweetener – For best results use light brown sugar or coconut sugar. When testing the recipe with honey or pure maple syrup, I found the extra liquid leads to a slightly denser texture. Alternatively, leave the sugar out or replace with a sugar-free alternative.
• Baking powder -Adding slightly more baking powder increases the lift.
• Milk – For a dairy-free recipe, use your preferred dairy-free alternative, such as almond milk.

how to make Pumpkin Oatmeal pancakes

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Begin by placing all the ingredients in a blender. I suggest layering the dry ingredients on the bottom and the wet ingredients on top.
2. Puree the pumpkin pancake batter for about 1 minute, or until the oats are very finely ground. Stop once or twice to scrap down the dry ingredients.
3. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to allow time for the oatmeal to hydrate and soak up the moisture. The oats will soften and homogeneously blend with other ingredients for a thick, fluffy texture.
4. Preheat the griddle over medium heat. For best results, grease the griddle with some butter or melted coconut oil once it is hot.
5. After resting, the batter will be thicker. Either pour it from the blender or use an ice cream trigger scoop to evenly disperse the mixture. Spread the batter out slightly with the back of a silicone spoon and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once the lifted pancake is slightly golden underneath, flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Doubling the Recipe

I have a larger family so I usually double the recipe. Also, a double recipe will use almost a whole can of pumpkin puree, instead of saving or freezing the remaining.

A single recipe serves about 3 people generously, or 4 if enjoying a lighter breakfast or serving with more sides, such as fruit, breakfast meats, or potatoes. If you decide to make a double recipe, the remaining pancakes also freeze wonderfully!

Add-ins and Toppings

Even though pumpkin oat pancakes are made without flour, they still cook up tall and fluffy, making mix-ins a great option! Either stir add-ins in the batter or sprinkle on top as the first side is cooking.

Top with gluten-free pancake syrup, maple syrup, banana slices or homemade blueberry syrup. If enjoying these as a grab-and-go breakfast, or you would like to add more protein, spread the tops with peanut butter, Nutella, or almond butter.

Other mix-in ideas include,

• Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips (read label for gluten-free pancakes)
• Berries (fresh or frozen), such as blueberries or raspberries
• Chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts
• Coconut
• Pepitas
• Cocoa nibs

Storage, Freezing, and reheating

Store flourless pumpkin pancakes in the refrigerator or freezer for a quick grab and go breakfast. Before wrapping or storing make sure they have cooled completely.

Wrap 2-3 cooled pancakes together in plastic wrap and transfer to a large ziplock bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen up to 3 months.

Reheat gently in the microwave at 50% power until thawed or slightly warmed. Finish heating at full power until hot and serve with desired toppings.

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