Gingerbread Pancakes

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Experience the warmth of homemade Gingerbread Pancakes with this family-friendly recipe. Packed with rich molasses and warm spices, these fluffy breakfast treats bring holiday flavors to your table year-round. Find expert tips, storage solutions, and creative topping ideas for the perfect cozy breakfast your whole family will love!

A stack of golden-brown gingerbread pancakes on a white plate, with a blurred background of wooden kitchen utensils in a holder. The pancakes have a fluffy texture and a slightly crisp edge.


 

Infused with warm spices and rich molasses, these fluffy delights bring festive flavors to your breakfast table any day of the year. The perfect balance of sweetness and spice makes this recipe a must-try

The deep, complex flavors of molasses and cloves blend beautifully to create a breakfast that feels like a warm hug on a plate. The batter mixes up quickly with pantry staples, and the payoff is a stack of fluffy, spiced pancakes that will have your family gathering around the table with genuine excitement!

A stack of golden-brown pancakes on a plate is being partially lifted by a black fork. Some pancakes have been cut and syrup is drizzled over them. Cinnamon sticks and kitchen utensils are visible in the blurred background.

Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe

  • Versatile Year-Round Appeal: Though these pancakes channel holiday flavors, they’re delightful any time of year. They’re perfect for bringing warmth to winter weekends, celebrating fall’s arrival, or creating an unexpected treat during summer months.
  • Meal Prep Friendly: These pancakes refrigerate beautifully for up to 5 days, making them perfect for busy weekday mornings. Make a batch on Sunday and enjoy stress-free breakfasts all week.
  • Customizable Sweetness: The recipe balances the rich molasses with just enough sugar, allowing you to adjust toppings to suit each family member’s preference for sweetness.
  • Foolproof Formula: Even if you’re not a pancake expert, the clear visual cues (like bubbles appearing on the surface) make it nearly impossible to mess up this recipe, giving you confidence in the kitchen.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Salted butter
  • Egg
  • Vanilla extract
  • Whole milk
  • Molasses
  • Baking powder
  • All-purpose flour
  • Ground cloves
  • Granulated sugar

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Top-down view of nine ingredients in separate bowls on a white surface. Ingredients include a large egg, granulated sugar, vanilla, baking powder, cloves, all-purpose flour, molasses, melted butter, and whole milk, each labeled accordingly.

How to Make Gingerbread Pancakes

A glass bowl on a marble countertop contains wet ingredients for baking, including cracked eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and melted butter. The mixture is not yet stirred, displaying distinct colors and textures.
A glass bowl containing a mixture of wet and dry ingredients, including flour, sugar, and spices, on a white marble countertop. The ingredients appear ready to be mixed together.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, vanilla, milk, and molasses until homogenous.

Step 2: Add the baking powder, flour, cloves, and granulated sugar. Whisk until just combined. Make sure there are no pockets of dry four in the pancake batter.

A single pancake cooking in a black cast iron skillet, viewed from above on a white marble surface. The pancake is golden brown with a textured, bubbly surface.
A stack of pancakes drizzled with syrup on a white plate, surrounded by cinnamon sticks. The background includes a blurred white kitchen setting with cooking utensils and containers.

Step 3: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add little bit of butter or nonstick cooking spray to the pan and then add about ¼ cup of pancake batter. Cook for about 1 ½ minutes per side, or until cooked all the way through.

Step 4: Repeat with the remaining pancake batter, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

What if I don’t have molasses?

While molasses provides the signature gingerbread flavor, you can substitute dark brown sugar mixed with a tablespoon of maple syrup in a pinch. The flavor profile will be different but still delicious.

Can I make these pancakes ahead of time?

These pancakes store beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months. To reheat, simply pop 1-2 pancakes in the microwave for about 30 seconds (longer if frozen), or warm them in a toaster oven for a slightly crisper exterior.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes! Simply substitute your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of milk if the batter seems too thick.

A stack of pancakes is topped with syrup being poured from a white jug. The pancakes are golden-brown and fluffy, sitting on a white plate with a blurred kitchen background.

Expert Tips

  • Monitor Heat Carefully: The molasses in these pancakes can cause them to brown more quickly than traditional pancakes. Medium heat works best to ensure they cook through without burning.
  • Rest Your Batter: For the fluffiest texture, let your batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking. This allows the baking powder to activate fully and the flour to hydrate properly.
  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your egg and milk to come to room temperature before mixing for the smoothest batter and most even cooking.
  • Perfect Pancake Size: A ¼ cup measure isn’t just perfect for portioning; it creates the ideal pancake thickness for these spiced treats. Too thin and they’ll be crispy rather than fluffy; too thick and the centers may remain underdone.
Top view of a plate with stacked cinnamon pancakes drizzled with syrup. Nearby are cinnamon sticks, a bowl of cinnamon powder, a fork and knife, a white cup, and a beige napkin, all on a white marble surface.

More Delicious Pancake Recipes

A stack of golden-brown gingerbread pancakes on a white plate, with a blurred background of wooden kitchen utensils in a holder. The pancakes have a fluffy texture and a slightly crisp edge.
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Gingerbread Pancakes

Experience the warmth of homemade Gingerbread Pancakes with this family-friendly recipe. Packed with rich molasses and warm spices, these fluffy breakfast treats bring holiday flavors to your table year-round. Find expert tips, storage solutions, and creative topping ideas for the perfect cozy breakfast your whole family will love!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
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Instructions 

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, vanilla, milk, and molasses until homogenous.
  • Add the baking powder, flour, cloves, and granulated sugar. Whisk until just combined. Make sure there are no pockets of dry four in the pancake batter.
  • Heat a pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add little bit of butter or nonstick cooking spray to the pan and then add about ¼ cup of pancake batter. Cook your pancake for about 1 ½ minutes per side, or until cooked all the way through.
  • Repeat with the remaining pancake batter and serve.

Notes

  • You’ll know it is time to flip your pancake when the top of the pancake is filled with bubbles that have popped.
  • You can replace the salted butter with unsalted butter and ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Whipped cream and/ or maple syrup go great with this pancakes! The lighter sweetness pairs great with the rich sweetness of the molasses and warm spice of the cloves.
  • Spray your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray before measuring the molasses – it will slide right out without sticking and save you from a sticky cleanup.

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 451mg, Potassium: 769mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 868IU, Calcium: 300mg, Iron: 4mg
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