Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes {keto, paleo}

For a warm comfort food breakfast, healthy pumpkin pancakes are the perfect way to start a fall day.

Nothing means fall to me more than pumpkin.

And nothing means breakfast to me more than pancakes.

So my perfect fall breakfast?

PUMPKIN PANCAKES!

Is Pumpkin Healthy?

While pumpkin isn’t necessarily a super food, that doesn’t mean it isn’t healthy!

Pumpkin actually has a pretty good reputation on the block for being healthy.

The benefits associated with pumpkin range from helping with weight loss to sharpening your vision.

I can’t say for certain that I can see any better after eating these pancakes, but I know that they make my stomach happy!

So are Pumpkin Pancakes Healthy?

I’m happy to report that for this recipe, the answer to this is YES!

Some pancake recipes are packed with sugar, but there is no added sugar in these pancakes!

Besides containing healthy pumpkin, these pancakes contain coconut flour, protein, and cinnamon, which all have additional health benefits!

What Toppings Go Well On Pumpkin Pancakes?

Honestly, these pancakes are so good in my opinion that they don’t even need a topping. I usually eat mine plain.

However, if you like something on your pancakes, my go to these days is butter. Yup, just straight butter! And preferably butter that has softened on the counter and is spreadable on top of the pancakes.

My all time favorite pancake topping since I was a little girl is homemade applesauce. And yes, pumpkin pancakes and applesauce do go together. It’s a fabulous mashup of the two best fall flavors together.

If you are more a classic syrup person, try a recipe like this one for sugar free maple syrup.

How Long Do Pumpkin Pancakes Last?

Let the pancakes cool all the way on a wire rack or on a plate before storing.

There are two good ways to store these pancakes and it all depends on how soon you plan on eating them.

Let me start by saying there is no judging here if you have no pancakes left to store because you ate them all in one sitting – I get it.

It’s hard not to devour them hot and fresh off the stove.

However, if you have some left and you plan to eat them within 5 days, these will be best stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you are like me though, I tend to make large batches of EVERYTHING in hopes that there will be leftovers to freeze. Pancakes are no exception.

Pancakes freeze extremely well and are VERY easy to reheat.

I literally pull them straight out of the freezer and warm them in the toaster oven or in a pan on the stove with some butter. Nom!

Healthy Pumpkin Pancake Recipe {keto, paleo}

Difficulty Level: Easy 

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or freshly roasted – see roasting directions in this post)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (whey, egg, or plant based would all work)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• Butter or coconut oil for the pan

Variation: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes

• Swap out the vanilla protein powder with chocolate protein powder
• While cooking, sprinkle on sugar-free chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, and the vanilla. Mix until combined.
2. While the mixer is mixing on low, add the coconut flour, protein powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves.
3. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to let the coconut flour absorb some of the moisture. The batter should be thick but pour-able.
   • If your batter is too thick, add a couple tablespoons of coconut milk at a time, stirring to check consistency.
   • If your batter is runny, add another tablespoon of coconut flour, mix and wait 5 minutes to see if the batter is thicker.
4. Melt butter or coconut oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Turn the pan to make sure the entire bottom of the pan is covered.
5. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to drop batter into the pan. Use the bottom of the measuring cup to spread the batter out so it’s about a 1/2 inch thick.
6. Let the pancakes cook on medium-low heat for about two minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.
7. Flip the pancakes and heat another minute or two until cooked all the way through.
8. Add more butter or coconut oil to the pan in between batches. If it becomes really browned, pour out and start with fresh butter or coconut oil. Use the browned butter or coconut oil on top of the pancakes.
9. Serve immediately while hot with butter.