Filled with warm spices, super fluffy and perfectly moist — these easy Gingerbread Pancakes are the ideal holiday breakfast!
Where did December go? Between running Christmas errands and spending time in the kitchen with a dusting of icing sugar in the air, suddenly Santa’s visit is only days away. I still have a long list of recipes I wanted to test, presents to wrap, and a few last grocery runs to make.
If you write holiday cards, please share your organization tips — I could use them.
If your season feels hectic (or even if it’s pleasantly calm), set aside a morning to relax and enjoy these gingerbread pancakes. Turn off your phone, pour a large mug of coffee, and savor fluffy, spice-forward, moist pancakes drenched in maple syrup.
These pancakes capture everything you love about warm gingerbread cake: aromatic spices, a rich molasses undertone, and a comforting moistness. Because they’re pancakes, they’re also light, fluffy, and ready in minutes — perfectly acceptable for breakfast or brunch.
What makes these Gingerbread Pancakes so delicious?
The gingerbread profile comes from a blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, balanced with brown sugar for caramel notes and molasses for that classic depth. Light or dark molasses works well; avoid blackstrap, which can be bitter and overpowering.
Use 2–3 tablespoons of molasses depending on how intense you want the flavor — about 2 tablespoons for children or a subtler taste, up to 3 for a richer gingerbread character. If you prefer, a slightly larger amount will deepen the molasses and caramel notes.
For the fluffiest pancakes, this recipe uses buttermilk. It reacts with the baking agents to create a tender, airy crumb. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and filling to the 1-cup mark with milk; let it sit for five minutes to slightly sour before using. The recipe calls for 3/4 to 1 cup of buttermilk depending on your desired batter thickness; use 3/4 cup for thicker, taller pancakes and 1 cup for thinner, more tender pancakes.
To ensure light pancakes, bring the milk, egg, and melted butter to room temperature so they combine easily. When folding wet ingredients into the dry, use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and mix only until mostly combined — a few small lumps of flour are fine. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes pancakes dense rather than fluffy.
These gingerbread pancakes are ideal for family breakfasts during holiday visits, a quiet morning by the fire, or to fuel last-minute shopping and wrapping. Warm gingerbread in pancake form — simply Christmas bliss.
Gingerbread Pancakes
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Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned & levelled
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons molasses, not blackstrap
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3/4 – 1 cup buttermilk*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- oil or non-stick cooking spray for greasing
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: melted butter, molasses, egg, buttermilk (3/4–1 cup depending on desired thickness), and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mostly combined; a few small streaks of flour are fine.
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Preheat an electric griddle to 350°F (175°C) or heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with oil or non-stick spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle. Cook the first side for about 3 minutes, until small bubbles form on the surface. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining batter.
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Serve warm with maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
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