Easy Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe

ByLisa November 14, 2023April 4, 2024

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This Easy Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe makes fluffy and delicious pancakes filled with warm spices and sweet molasses. It’s our new favorite holiday breakfast and one that the whole family will love!

A stack of pancakes with whipped cream and reindeer decorations.

Gingerbread Pancake Recipe

What better way to start a holiday morning than with gingerbread pancakes? These light, fluffy, and perfectly spiced pancakes are always a huge hit in our house. After all, who could resist a tall stack of golden brown pancakes filled with warm spices and glistening with sweet maple syrup?

Made completely from scratch with just a few simple ingredients, this is a great recipe whether you’re planning a cozy breakfast at home or hosting a special brunch. Though they’re a holiday favorite, you’ll get requests to make these gingerbread pancakes all year around.

For other amazing pancake recipes, you should also these Sugar Cookie Pancakes and these Fluffy Honey Pancakes.

Pancakes on a plate with cinnamon sticks and whipped cream.

Why We Love This Recipe

Made from scratch: This easy recipe is made using just a few basic ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Gingerbread flavor: These pancakes are made with the same warm spices you find in a homemade gingerbread cookie. Yum!
Perfect holiday breakfast: Though they’re delicious any time of the year, this is an excellent recipe for a Christmas morning breakfast.

Ingredients

Flour
Baking powder
Ground ginger
Cinnamon
Ground cloves
Light brown sugar
Eggs
Whole milk
Canola oil
Molasses

For the full recipe, see the recipe card below.

How to Make These Gingerbread Pancakes

Step 1. Drizzle canola oil on a large griddle or skillet over medium-low heat while you make the pancake batter.

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and brown sugar until well combined.

A bowl of flour and other ingredients on a marble table.

Step 3. Add milk, oil and eggs to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Tip: Just mix enough that the wet ingredients and dry ingredients are combined. Don’t overmix or it could affect the gluten and cause your pancakes to be more chewy than fluffy.

A blue bowl with ingredients for gingerbread pancakes

Step 4. Add the molasses and gently mix until batter is smooth and free from any large lumps. Small lumps are totally fine, and actually encouraged because it makes the pancakes fluffier.

A blue bowl with gingerbread pancake batter in it.

Step 5. Pour ⅓ cup scoops of batter onto the preheated griddle or skillet and cook for about 2 minutes or until small bubbles form around the edges.

Step 6. Flip and cook your pancakes for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, and done in the center.

Tip: To keep the pancakes warm while you make the next batch, place them on sheet pan in an oven heated to 200F. This will keep them warm without drying them out.

A stack of pancakes being topped with whipped cream.

Step 7. Serve warm with maple syrup and whipped cream.

A stack of pancakes with whipped cream and cinnamon sticks.

Variations of Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes

Flour: You can also make gingerbread pancakes with whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flours. Keep in mind, when used in equal parts, the pancakes will have a slightly denser texture.

Spices: The spices in these pancakes make them tastes like delicious gingerbread cookies. We used individual spices, but feel free to use a premade gingerbread spice blend instead.

Milk: If you’d rather use a non-dairy milk, you can make this recipe with oat milk or almond milk instead.

Toppings: We served the pancakes with maple syrup, but there are other ways to top them. Sliced bananas, nuts or chocolate chips make great toppings. A drizzle of honey or caramel sauce taste amazing with the flavor of molasses and spices in these pancakes too.

Syrup: Because these pancakes are made with molasses and sugar, they’re sweet enough that you may want skip the syrup and just drizzle them with a little melted butter.

A plate of pancakes with whipped cream and cinnamon sticks.

FAQs

How do I store leftover pancakes?

This is a great recipe to make on the weekend and serve throughout the week. Store the pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge. To prevent them from sticking together, place a piece of parchment paper between each one. You can keep pancakes for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze pancakes?

You sure can! To freeze pancakes, add a sheet of parchment between each one and put them in a freezer bag. Squeeze out the excess air and place them in the freezer for up to a couple of months, then reheat them in them microwave when ready to serve.

Why do I always end up with flat pancakes?

These pancakes should be light and fluffy. If yours are flat, check the expiration date on the baking powder. Also make sure you’re not overmixing the batter, which can also cause them to be flat.

Can I use blackstrap molasses?

You really do not want to try this recipe with blackstrap molasses because the flavor is so intense. For best results, I recommend you use light molasses in this recipe.

Can I use this recipe in my waffle iron?

These pancakes are delicious as waffles too. You’ll want to add just a little less milk to make a slightly thicker batter. Make sure to spritz the waffle iron with cooking spray so they don’t stick.