These vegan chocolate pumpkin pancakes are soft, fluffy and rich with cocoa, with real pumpkin baked right into the batter. They're made with just a handful of simple ingredients, and they happen to be gluten-free and oil-free too, which makes them an easy fall breakfast everyone can enjoy.
Pumpkin and chocolate are a surprisingly perfect match. The pumpkin keeps the pancakes tender and moist without any eggs or oil, while the cacao gives them a deep, brownie-like flavor that's still breakfast-appropriate. Stack them high, top them with banana and a drizzle of nut butter, and you've got a weekend brunch that feels like a treat.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pumpkin. The recipe starts with fresh pumpkin that's roasted and mashed, which gives the sweetest flavor. To save time, swap in canned pumpkin puree instead: use 1½ cups of puree in place of the 3 cups of cubed fresh pumpkin. Butternut squash or sweet potato puree also work.
- Gluten-free self-rising flour. Self-rising flour already contains baking powder and salt, so it keeps the ingredient list short. If you only have gluten-free all-purpose flour, add 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt per cup. Regular self-rising flour works too if you don't need the pancakes to be gluten-free.
- Cacao powder. Raw cacao powder gives these pancakes their rich chocolate color and flavor. Unsweetened cocoa powder is an easy one-to-one swap.
- Maple syrup. Pure maple syrup sweetens the batter just enough. Agave or date syrup can be used instead.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Optional, but a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice brings out the pumpkin and adds cozy warmth. Cinnamon on its own works too.
- Almond milk. Any unsweetened plant-based milk works. Oat milk and soy milk make slightly richer pancakes.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Pancakes
Start by roasting cubed pumpkin at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes, until it's completely tender. Mash it with a fork or blend it in a food processor until smooth. (If you're using canned pumpkin, skip straight to the batter.)
Add the pumpkin puree to a mixing bowl with the flour, cacao powder, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and plant-based milk, and whisk until you have a thick, smooth batter with no dry pockets of flour.
Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan and gently spread it into a round. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the edges look set and slightly crisp, then flip carefully with a thin pancake spatula and cook for another minute or so. Serve right away with your favorite toppings.
Helpful Tips
Keep the heat at medium. Cocoa-based batters brown quickly, and because these pancakes are so dark, it's hard to see when they're starting to burn. Medium heat gives the center time to cook through before the outside overcooks.
Make the pancakes small. Two tablespoons of batter per pancake is the sweet spot. This batter is thick and tender without eggs to bind it, so small pancakes are much easier to flip than big ones.
Be patient before flipping. Wait until the edges look dry and set and the pancake slides a little when you nudge the pan. Flipping too early is the most common reason gluten-free pancakes break apart.
Test the first pancake. Every stove and pan behaves differently, so cook one test pancake and cut it open to check that the middle is cooked. Adjust the heat or cooking time for the rest of the batch.
Adjust the batter if needed. Fresh pumpkin can be wetter or drier depending on the variety. If the batter is too thick to spread, whisk in a splash more milk. If it's runny, add a tablespoon of flour.
Variations
- Chocolate chip. Fold a handful of dairy-free chocolate chips into the batter, or sprinkle a few onto each pancake right after it goes into the pan.
- Mocha. Whisk a teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the batter for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Extra spiced. Add a little extra cinnamon, ginger and a pinch of nutmeg for full pumpkin spice flavor.
- Protein boost. Replace ¼ cup of the flour with your favorite chocolate or vanilla vegan protein powder, adding a splash more milk if the batter gets too thick.
- Waffles. Love the flavor combo? Try our vegan pumpkin waffles for a crispier, cinnamon-spiced version.
- Not gluten-free. Use regular self-rising flour, or whole wheat pastry flour with baking powder, for a heartier stack.
Serving Ideas
Our favorite way to serve these pancakes is with sliced banana, fresh blueberries and a drizzle of peanut butter or almond butter, plus a little extra maple syrup. Coconut yogurt, toasted pecans, pumpkin seeds or a dusting of powdered sugar are all delicious too.
For a bigger fall brunch spread, pair them with a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, a bowl of fresh fruit and plenty of hot coffee. Kids especially love them because they taste like dessert, even though they're sweetened only with maple syrup.
Storing & Freezing
Let any leftover pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a toaster, a dry skillet over medium-low heat, or the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
To freeze, lay the cooled pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag with parchment between the layers. They'll keep for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in the toaster or a low oven until warmed through, which makes them a great make-ahead weekday breakfast.
More Vegan Pancake Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Vegan Gluten-Free Pancakes (made with almond flour!)
- Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes
- Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
- The Best Vegan Pancake Recipes
Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Pancakes
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Non-stick frying pan or griddle
- Food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups pumpkin peeled and cubed (or 1½ cups canned pumpkin puree, see notes)
- 1 cup gluten-free self-rising flour
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice optional
- 1 cup almond milk or other unsweetened plant-based milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (Skip the roasting steps if using canned pumpkin.)
- Spread the cubed pumpkin on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until completely tender.
- Mash the roasted pumpkin with a fork or blend it in a food processor until smooth. You should have about 1½ cups of puree.
- Add the pumpkin puree to a mixing bowl with the flour, cacao powder, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice (if using) and almond milk. Whisk until thick, smooth and fully combined.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan and gently spread it into a round.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, until the edges look set and slightly crisp, then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve right away with sliced banana, blueberries, a drizzle of nut butter and extra maple syrup.
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