These pumpkin chocolate chunk pancakes are a breakfast lover's dream - they have a soft & fluffy texture, golden brown edges, the best pumpkin flavor, and pockets of melty chocolate chunks. These pancakes are great for an easy weekend breakfast or lavish brunch spread.
This post is sponsored by Navitas Organics. All opinions are my own - thank you for supporting the brands that make Sturbridge Bakery possible!
These pumpkin chocolate chunk pancakes are perfect for a cozy, crisp autumn morning, a lavish brunch spread, or your Christmas breakfast table! They come together so quick and are incredibly flavorful from the pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, and of course, the melty chocolate.
I made these pumpkin chocolate chunk pancakes with Organic Semi-Sweet Cacao Wafers from Navitas Organics! They are perfect in these pancakes - they melt beautifully and are sweetened with coconut sugar, adding flavor and chocolatey goodness to each and every bite!
For more fall-inspired breakfast recipes, try these: salted caramel brioche donuts, mocha cinnamon rolls, and cinnamon swirl banana bread.
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Why you will love these pumpkin chocolate chunk pancakes
- Fall flavors. These pancakes are the perfect cozy fall breakfast! They are made with pumpkin pie spice & canned pumpkin puree, so it's packed with flavor! And, of course, we can't forget the melty chocolate.
- Fluffy texture. Pancakes should be fluffy, moist, tender, and basically melt in your mouth with each & every bite!
- Easy weekend breakfast. With only a few simple steps, you can be diving into these pancakes in no time! No mixer is required, so all you need is a bowl or two and a whisk!
Ingredient notes
- Whole milk with vinegar: the combination of milk & vinegar curdles to create a buttermilk, which adds tenderness and moisture to the pancakes.
- All purpose flour: the main dry ingredient, providing structure & stability to the pancakes.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the batter, complementing the earthy pumpkin and semi-sweet chocolate flavors.
- Leavener: baking powder & baking soda are used to make light & fluffy pancakes.
- Pumpkin pie spice & pumpkin puree: the signature blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves, along with the pumpkin puree, gives the pancakes that classic pumpkin pie taste. You can use a store-bought pumpkin spice mix, or see the recipe notes for a homemade option!
- Melted butter: butter contributes to the richness and moisture of the pancakes.
- Vanilla extract: good quality, pure vanilla extract should be used to add that sweet, fragrant vanilla flavor to each bite.
- Egg: binds the ingredients together and adds structure.
- Chocolate: Navitas Organics Semi-Sweet Cacao Wafers are used in this recipe for melty puddles of chocolate. They are TOO good.
Steps
- Preparation. Preheat oven to 300F & line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will be to keep the finished pancakes warm while you cook the rest of the batter.
- Make buttermilk. Add vinegar to whole milk - let it sit to curdle.
- Chop chocolate. Coarsely chop the cacao wafers (or chocolate) and set them aside for later.
- Whisk dry ingredients. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- Whisk wet ingredients. Combine the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, melted butter, vanilla extract, and egg and whisk to combine.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk to combine. Fold in the chopped cacao wafers. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes while you heat your pan.
- Cook. Heat a non-stick pan, griddle, etc., and grease it lightly. Ladle or spoon on the pancake batter, cooking for 1-2 minutes on one side before flipping and cooking for another minute or so. Keep finished pancakes warm in the oven.
- Serve. Top with your favorite toppings like syrup, nuts, or fruit, and enjoy!
Pancake making tips
- Consistent heat. Maintaining a consistent, low-medium heat on your griddle or pan is ideal for evenly cooking the pancakes without burning.
- Proper greasing. Use a non-stick pan or griddle, and if you're unsure about its non-stickiness, lightly grease it with vegetable oil. Wipe up any excess with a paper towel to avoid oily pancakes.
- Batter consistency. The batter should be thick but pourable. If your batter is too thick, gently fold in a little bit of milk until it reaches desired consistency.
- Batter rest. Allow the pancake batter to rest for 5-10 minutes before cooking. This resting period gives the leaveners a head start, leading to fluffier pancakes.
- Ladle uniformly. Use a cookie scoop, measuring cup, or ladle to portion the batter and keep the pancake sizes consistent. This will ensure they cook evenly.
- Watch for bubbles. When cooking the first side, wait until you see bubbles forming on the surface of the pancakes. The edges should also look set. These are two signals that it's time to flip!
- Gentle flipping. When you flip the pancakes, do so gently to prevent splattering and flattening. When I flip, I get the pancake on my spatula, then use a twist of the wrist to flip as opposed to using my fingers and hands, if that makes sense. When I think about using my wrist as opposed to my hands, it leads to a more controlled flip.
Baking in grams
I rely on gram measurements when testing recipes because they offer the highest level of accuracy (and less cleanup!). Unlike volume measurements, which can vary, grams provide a reliable and consistent standard. I carefully test all of my recipes using this kitchen scale, therefore I cannot guarantee the outcome when using volume measurements. However, volume measurements are available in the recipe card.
Other fall-inspired recipes to try
Have you tried this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out! Leave a star rating & review below and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram so I can see photos & videos of your yummy bakes! Want to save this recipe for later? Tap the heart button on the right side of your screen!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (420 grams) whole milk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 ¼ cups (281 grams) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (240 grams) pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) Navitas Organics Semi-Sweet Cacao Wafers coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will be to keep your finished pancakes warm while you cook the rest of your batter.
- In a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes - the milk will start to thicken and slightly curdle. This will be your buttermilk.
- Coarsely chop your chocolate and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, butter, vanilla extract, and egg until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until a batter forms. A few small lumps in the batter are okay.
- Add the chopped chocolate and fold together until evenly incorporated throughout the batter. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes - this step is critical for the fluffiest pancakes!
- Heat up your non-stick pan or griddle to low-medium heat. If your pan is truly non-stick, you don’t need to grease it with anything. But if you want to just to be safe, use vegetable oil and wipe up any excess oil with a paper towel.
- Use a cookie/ice cream scoop or ladle to spoon the batter onto your pan (I usually do about ¼ cup per pancake), cooking only a few at a time as to not overcrowd the pan. Let the pancakes cook for 1-2 minutes on one side until the edges are completely set and there are bubbles on the surface.
- Carefully flip your pancakes and cook for an additional minute or so. Place the pancakes on the prepared baking sheet and into the oven to stay warm.
- Repeat this with the remaining batter, adjusting the heat if necessary.
- Top the finished pancakes with maple syrup, chopped nuts, whipped cream, fruit, etc., and dig in!
Notes
- You can use either a store-bought pumpkin spice mix or make your own. Here are the measurements I normally use when I am making mine:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Tried this recipe? Make sure to rate and review and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram!
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