Every fall, the pumpkin wave hits hard. It’s in our lattes, our quick breads, our dog treats, and approximately half the products at Trader Joe’s. You can resist for a bit, but eventually, you’ll give in. And when you do, I’d argue there’s no better vehicle for pumpkin than a tall stack of fluffy pancakes.

The trouble is, pumpkin doesn’t naturally make good pancakes. It’s dense and moist, two things that sound lovely until you realize they work directly against the tender, airy texture that defines a great pancake. Many pumpkin pancake recipes end up tasting like spiced mush cakes—heavy, undercooked, and more about the idea of fall than the pleasure of eating breakfast. So my challenge when developing this recipe was incorporating that warm, fall flavor without losing the signature lift of a good, fluffy pancake.

How to Amplify Pumpkin Flavor in Pancakes (Without Sacrificing Texture)

This recipe starts with the same bones as my easy, fluffy pancakes—a dependable base built for height, tenderness, and that classic diner-style bounce. From there, the challenge was figuring out how to weave in real, robust pumpkin flavor without weighing everything down.

I started with canned pumpkin purée for ease, accessibility, and practicality. No one wants to be carving open a squash before they’ve had coffee just to get breakfast on the table. It’s also worth noting that most “pumpkin” purée is actually made from a variety of butternut squash, which is sweeter than most pumpkin varieties—a fact that works in our favor here. That natural sweetness and silkier texture give the pancakes great flavor and a softer crumb.

Because pumpkin purée is high in water, dumping it straight into a batter can weigh the pancakes down.To counter that, I simmered the purée on the stovetop first with sugar, a touch of salt, and classic fall spices—cinnamon and nutmeg—until it thickened, darkened slightly, and turned glossy. This short cooking step intensifies the pumpkin flavor while cooking off excess moisture, leaving a concentrated base that blends beautifully into the batter.

I also reduced the milk slightly compared to my traditional pancake recipe, since the pumpkin purée brings its own liquid to the mix. The result is a batter that’s rich and aromatic but still structured enough to rise tall on the griddle.

The Basic Rules of the Fluffy Pancake Playbook

From there, I followed the same principles that make my fluffy pancakes so reliable—principles that form the foundation of any good short stack, pumpkin or otherwise. Even though this batter has extra heft from the pumpkin purée, it still behaves best when you treat it gently.

Let the batter rest before cooking. Ten to 15 minutes might not sound like much, but it makes a world of difference in the batter’s texture, which then makes a huge difference in the quality and loft of the pancakes. The flour has time to hydrate fully, the baking powder begins its first lift, and the thick pumpkin mixture loosens just enough for easier scooping. You’ll know it’s ready when the batter looks slightly puffed and spoonable rather than runny. That short pause is the difference between dense, flat cakes and pancakes that rise tall and stay soft.

Cook three at a time for better control. Overcrowding the skillet when making pancakes is one of those small mistakes that can have a dire outcome. Too many pancakes can lower the pan’s temperature and make it harder to flip cleanly. Three 4-inch wide pancakes nestled into a 12-inch skillet give you just enough breathing room for even heat and easy maneuvering to fit the spatula under each one. 

Keep the temperature at a steady medium-low. Pumpkin’s natural sugars brown faster than plain batter, so lower heat ensures golden tops and fully cooked centers instead of scorched outsides with raw middles.

Adding the Pecans and Finishing Touches

I love the crunch and toasty flavor of chopped pecans sprinkled over each pancake just before the flip. Mixing them into the batter sends them sinking to the bottom, but adding them to the raw tops keeps the distribution even. Of course, if you’re nut-averse, you can skip them—the pancakes will still be delicious.

Once you get into the rhythm—scoop, sprinkle with pecans, flip, repeat—the result is pancakes that are plush and golden, with edges just crisp enough to contrast the soft interior. From there, you’re only a pat of butter and a pour of maple syrup away from fall breakfast perfection. These pancakes are everything we wish all pumpkin-spice things could be—simple, cozy, and genuinely worth making, no novelty packaging required.

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• 2 cups all-purpose flour (9 ounces; 255 g)

• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 (15 ounces; 425 g) can unsweetened pumpkin purée

• 1/4 cup sugar (1.75 ounces; 50 g)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil, or melted butter, plus extra for greasing the skillet

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk, room temperature

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, and baking powder together until combined; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine pumpkin purée, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and glossy and reduced to about 1 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; whisk in oil, milk, and vanilla until combined. Let mixture cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in eggs until well combined and mixture is homogeneous.

3. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture and stir gently until just combined (batter should remain lumpy with a few streaks of flour). Let batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

4. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned cast iron or carbon steel skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-low heat until shimmering, 5 minutes. Using paper towels, carefully wipe out excess oil, leaving thin film on bottom and sides of skillet.

   To Test Temperature of Skillet: Drop 1 tablespoon batter in center of skillet. If pancake is pale golden brown after 1 minute, skillet is ready. If it is too light or too dark, adjust heat accordingly.

5. Using 1/4-cup dry measuring cup or ice cream scoop, evenly space 3 portions batter in skillet. Use the back of a measuring cup or a spoon to gently spread each portion of batter into a 4-inch round. Sprinkle each pancake evenly with about 1 tablespoon pecans. Cook until bubbles on surface are just beginning to break, edges are set, and bottom sides are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

6. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and continue to cook until the second sides are golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and serve. (Alternatively transfer cooked pancakes to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and hold warm in a 200℉; 93℃ oven until ready to serve.) Repeat with remaining batter and pecans, using additional oil as needed.

Special Equipment

Medium saucepan; 12-inch nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned cast iron or carbon steel skillet; 1/4-cup dry measuring cup or ice cream scoop; thin, wide spatula

Make-Ahead and Storage

To store leftover pancakes, separate them with paper or foil between each pancake before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap or storing in a zipper-lock freezer bag; freeze up to 3 weeks.

Let’s celebrate the cooler weather with a stack of warm apple pancakes! These apple-flavored pancakes are the perfect autumnal breakfast treat. They’re a simple weekend breakfast project that keeps well for quick weekday mornings (they freeze and thaw well, too).

This apple pancake recipe is made from scratch with freshly grated apple, which is enhanced by a touch of ground cinnamon. Tart apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith offer the most impactful flavor. You’ll see that I used Honeycrisp apples in this batch—they’re our family’s favorite, and they yield terrific pancakes.

You might already have everything you need to make these pancakes in your pantry. Let’s make some.

Apple Pancake Tips

You’ll find the full recipe below. Here are a few tips to help achieve pancake success.

Flour options include white whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour. I try to use whole-grain flours when I can, but all-purpose flour offers the most neutral flavor, allowing the apple to shine. Otherwise, you can use white whole wheat flour (now called “golden wheat” by King Arthur Flour) for all of the nutrition of whole wheat without the nutty flavor.

Lightly coat your griddle or skillet with oil. I cook my pancakes with avocado oil because it offers a high smoke point and neutral flavor (butter burns quickly). Whichever you use, be sure to wipe off the excess with a paper towel so it doesn’t start smoking.

Start by cooking just one pancake. Once you’ve practiced with one pancake and ensured that your skillet is adequately preheated, you can make more at once. Leave a couple of inches between each pancake to allow for easy flipping.

The pancakes are ready to flip when about 1/2-inch of the perimeter has turned from glossy to matte. The underside should be nicely golden at this point. If you’re uncertain, it’s best to wait a little longer than end up with a doughy mess.

As time goes on, dial down the heat. The skillet gets hotter the longer it’s on the stove. If your pancakes are burning on the outside before they are cooked through on the inside, your skillet is too hot. Turn down the heat a bit after every few pancakes.

Watch How to Make Apple Pancakes

Pancake Serving Suggestions

These apple-infused pancakes are lovely with a drizzle of maple syrup, but even better with something extra. Here’s a list of toppings or sides to consider:

More Apple Recipes to Enjoy

Here are a few more classic apple recipes to make this autumn:

Please let me know how your pancakes turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you. You can find more pancake recipes here.

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These easy sheet pan scrambled eggs take 5 minutes to prep, and your oven does the rest! They’re super fluffy, protein-rich thanks to the added cottage cheese, and perfect for busy mornings or brunch. I love using this recipe to make a bunch of breakfast sammies to serve the family

What makes this recipe so special? You’ll actually fill a sheet pan with sides with water before placing an 8×8 pan filled with eggs into the oven. It makes THE FLUFFIEST scrambled eggs ever, and all the work is done right in the oven.

Ingredient Spotlight: Cottage Cheese

Let’s hear it for cottage cheese! You all know I love cottage cheese egg cups, and now we’re adding these amazing sheet pan scrambies to the team. Not only does cottage amp up the protein in these eggs, it adds amazing creamy texture without using shredded cheese.

Even better? There’s no need to blend your cottage cheese for this recipe; the little cheese curds taste great in scrambled eggs! But if you’d prefer a smooth cottage cheese texture (aka no curds), feel free to blend your cottage cheese until smooth in a high-speed blender before whisking together with the eggs.

Find the list of full ingredients in the recipe card below.

Equipment You Need

These sheet pan scrambled eggs require two pans — one large sheet pan with sides to fill with water, and then one 8×8 pan for the scrambled eggs + be placed into the sheet pan.

Why? Placing the pan of eggs within the sheet pan filled with water not only helps the eggs cook more evenly, it adds necessary moisture (steam) to the oven, which helps to create super fluffy eggs that aren’t overcooked on the edges. Once you try this method, I promise you, you’ll never bake sheet pan eggs another way.

Tip! Ensure the Eggs Bake Evenly

While this is a super straightforward recipe, it is important that you follow a few simple tips to ensure even baking, including:

• Every oven is different; the bake time may vary slightly depending on the oven.
• Check the eggs at the halfway point. If one side appears to be cooking faster, I recommend turning the sheet pan around in the oven so the eggs can bake more evenly on both sides.

More Ways to Make Eggs

I’ve been publishing egg recipes on Fit Foodie Finds for more than a decade, and you bet the team and I have made you a tutorial for pretty much every style of eggs your heart could ever desire, including:

Serve Solo or With Sides

Because you can slice these eggs into squares, they are absolutely perfect for making delicious breakfast sammies that don’t fall apart when you eat them.

This is also a great recipe to make to serve your kiddos when they’re just learning how to eat solids — I slice these eggs into strips so little hands can easily grab it and bring to their mouth .

Round out an entire breakfast and make my homemade maple breakfast sausage and savory breakfast biscuits while the eggs are baking.

How to Store Leftovers

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, THE BEST thing to do with leftover sheet pan scrambled eggs is to make them into breakfast sammies and keep them on hand in the freezer.

More of My Favorite Breakfast Recipes

This baked apple oatmeal is like an apple pie meets cinnamon-y baked oatmeal and then it’s all topped with a generous drizzle of an easy homemade peanut butter caramel sauce. It’s a perfect breakfast for oatmeal lovers alike — myself included!

Fit Foodie Finds literally became famous for oatmeal recipes over a decade ago, and I haven’t stopped since! Now the team and I have created hundreds of overnight oats, oatmeal and baked oatmeal recipes. And this is the newest addition to the collection, and girrrrrl is it a good one. It’s part apple pie part baked oatmeal and 100000% delicious.

A Few Main Ingredients

• Apples: I love the flavor and texture of Granny Smith apples for baking, but feel free to use your apple of choice. I do recommend peeling the apples as the skin can still be a bit too tough with this shorter bake time.
• Quick-cooking oats and all-purpose flour: These two ingredients together provide the chewy base for this baked oatmeal.
• Eggs: They act as a binder, helping the oatmeal hold its shape and giving it a nice fluffiness once baked. 
• Pure maple syrup: This natural sweetener adds a touch of sweetness without being overly processed.
• Unsweetened almond milk: This is the liquid base that helps cook the oats and keeps everything nice and moist. You can use regular milk too if you’re not avoiding dairy. 
• Cinnamon: Apples and cinnamon are like peanut butter and jelly; they just work! You’ll find cinnamon in both the apple mixture and the oatmeal .
• Vanilla: A splash of vanilla extract is like a magic touch. It enhances all the other flavors in the recipe.

Find the list of full ingredients in the recipe card below.

Once your baked oatmeal has fully cooled, you can either cover the skillet with foil and store right in that (saves on dishes! ), or transfer into meal prep containers for easy single serve goodness.

Either way, store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. While you can leave your baked oatmeal out overnight, it will last much longer in the fridge.

More Baked Oatmeal Flavors

Photography: photos taken in this post are by Sierra Ashleigh Photography.

These vegan blended baked oats with dark chocolate chips are based off of a viral recipe, yet I promise that they deserve an enduring place in your breakfast routine! Freshly made, the oats have a tender, soufflé-like texture that’s irresistable. Featuring rolled oats, nut or seed butter, banana, plant milk, and dark chocolate chips, the recipe is a wholesome morning treat. I give two options for preparation: oven or air fryer.

Blended baked oats—usually served in ramekins or other single-serve dishes—became a viral trend on Tik Tok in around 2021.

I’m here, three years later, to report that the recipe is as fun and tasty as ever. And in spite of its formerly viral status, it’s worthy of a longterm spot in your breakfast repertoire.

One of the sweet parts of working as a dietitian is that I see a fair number of teens and twenty-somethings in my practice.

These thoughtful, incisive, humorous young folks keep me up-to-date on social media trends, acronyms, and recipes.

One of my clients told me about the blended baked oat trend back when it was first popular. It sounded like a cool idea, blending the oats prior to baking them. Yet the part of me that’s quick to dismiss a fad was reluctant to try them.

I’m not too proud to admit when I’ve been wrong about a recipe, and I was definitely wrong about this one!

Now that I’ve made baked oatmeal this way, better late than never, I can tell you that it’s a fun method with tasty results. As I’ve realized so many times over in my life and career, it’s good to keep an open mind.

What are blended baked oats, exactly?

This isn’t my first time trying, or writing about, baked oatmeal. In fact, oatmeal bakes are one of my go-to vegan meal prep breakfasts.

The baked oatmeal variations that I’m accustomed to making involve mixing rolled oats with some sort of liquid, then baking them in the oven.

The resulting mixture is dense and hearty, with plenty of texture from the rolled oats.

Some of my favorite examples are my vegan blueberry banana oat bake, vegan pumpkin chocolate chip baked oatmeal, and maple brown sugar baked oatmeal.

The vegan blended baked oats that I’m sharing today are different, in a good way. Rather than baking the oats whole, you’ll blend them with plant milk, nut or seed butter (I like tahini), some baking powder, and a pinch of cinnamon.

Then, you’ll pour this “batter” into individual dishes and bake or air fry them till they’re puffy and set.

The result is something that’s much more like cake than baked oats. In fact, when I made it, I kept thinking to myself that it had an almost soufflé-like texture.

After the blended baked oats have been out of the oven or air fryer for a few minutes, they’ll lose some of their height, which is what’s reflected in the photos here.

But they really are impressively domed and fluffy at first. Even once they’ve been stored, they retain a lovely, tender texture.

Key ingredients

Making blended baked oats is more of a cooking method than a specific recipe. I’ve chosen the ingredients that speak to me, but there’s room for variation.

I’ll offer some substitutes that I know can work. As I continue to make this recipe, which I know that I will, I’ll update the recipe card with more options.

Rolled oats

I love all types of oatmeal: steel cut, rolled, and quick oats. But the variety that I cook with most often is probably rolled oats.

Rolled oats are what end up in my favorite protein-rich vegan overnight oats, my savory turmeric chickpea oats, and most of my baked oatmeal recipes.

You can use either rolled oats or quick oats here. I don’t recommend steel cut oats for this particular recipe.

If you have celiac disease or don’t do well with gluten, be sure to use rolled oats that are certified gluten-free.

Nut or seed butter

Adding nut or seed butter to the vegan blended baked oats achieves a few things. It serves as an egg replacer, it makes the oats tender and flavorful, and it adds healthful fats to the recipe.

The latter is a win when it comes to staying satiated.

I’ve tested the recipe with almond, peanut, cashew, and sunflower seed butter, along with tahini.

All of these nut and seed butters add their own distinctive flavor. As you can imagine, the PB version is really peanutty, and so on.

My favorite option so far is tahini. I think it creates the most silky-textured baked oats. And while tahini is known for being a little bitter, that bitterness mellows with baking. Your finished oats will have a light toasted flavor, and the chocolate will shine through.

Banana

Ripe banana—half for a single portion, a whole one for a double portion—also functions as an egg replacer.

In addition, it ensures that the oats are fluffy and moist, and it adds a little naturally occurring sweetness to the recipe. (The only other source of sweetness in the recipe is the dark chocolate chips.)

I know that I have some readers who really don’t care for banana, so I have two suggested alternatives: pumpkin purée and applesauce. A quarter cup of either of these can work in the recipe.

So far, I like the banana + tahini + dark chocolate chip combo best, but it’s good to have options!

Dark chocolate chips

Your favorite vegan chocolate chips are welcome here, as is finely chopped dark chocolate. I like to use mini chips when I make the recipe.

Vegan milk chocolate, which is usually made with oat milk, is also an option and increasingly easy to find. While I enjoy it for snacking or dessert, I find it a little too sweet for the blended baked oats.

If you’re not in the mood for chocolate at breakfast, then it’s fine to replace the chips with chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts. Shelled pumpkin seeds are also a nice option.

If you want the crunch of nuts with a little added sweetness, I think that my crispy baked candied walnuts or crispy baked vegan candied pecans would be a great addition.

Plant milk

You won’t need a lot of plant milk to make the recipe (1/4 cup / 60ml per serving). Soy milk is my plant milk of choice, but you can also use oat, almond, cashew, or light coconut milk.

How to make vegan blended baked oats

A few things to keep in mind about the recipe:

• As written, it makes two servings, but I’ve successfully halved the recipe to make a single serving, and you can do the same if you like.
• The blended baked oats will be at their most impressively fluffy and high right after baking. They’ll collapse a little as they cool, but they’ll still be delicious.
• You can prepare reheat the oats in either the oven or your air fryer—I’m giving instructions for both methods!
• Since the recipe takes 15-25 minutes to cook, plus prep/blending time, it’s a weekend breakfast for me. But it’s really not difficult to prepare.

Step 1: Get set up

First, preheat your oven or air fryer. I don’t always pre-heat my air fryer before using it, but I do when I’m converting a baking recipe.

Then, lightly oil two small ramekins. I use ones that are 3-inch / 7.5cm in diameter and 1 1/2-inch / 4cm high.

If you don’t have smaller baking vessels like these, you could bake the two servings together in something a little bigger. You could also divide the recipe into four muffin cups (two muffin portions per person).

Step 2: Blend

If you happen to have a personal-sized blender, or a high-speed blender that also has a personal-sized blending attachment, that’s ideal for this recipe. It can be tricky to blend smaller quantities in a large blender.

Depending on the shape of the blender you have, however, it may not be a hassle. If you try blending the oats and have trouble, even with a tamper, you can try doubling the recipe and sharing it with others. Or, use it as an excuse to meal prep and get four portions out of the recipe.

In any case, add your banana, oats, plant milk, a little ground flaxseed, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and your nut or seed butter to the blender.

The oats should blend up easily within 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: Stir in half of the dark chocolate chips (or chopped nuts)

While the batter is still in the blender, use a small spatula to stir in half of the dark chocolate chips, so that they’re evenly mixed through the batter.

Step 4: Pour the batter into ramekins and top with remaining chocolate chips

Once that’s done, pour the batter into your two prepared ramekins, dividing it up evenly.

Finally, sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of chocolate chips over the tops of your divided and portioned oats.

Step 5: Bake or air fry

If baking, you’ll need to give the oats 22-25 minutes in the oven. After baking, the tops will be golden, domed, and set.

If you’re air frying, the oats will need 15-18 minutes in order to achieve that same effect. I have an air-fryer with a 4L basket, which is roomy, but not roomy enough to fit both ramekins comfortably.

I hold one of the baked oat portions in the fridge while the other air fries, and then I make the second portion directly after.

Step 6: Serve, with or without some fun accompaniments

The vegan blended baked oats are really delicious enough to serve on their own; thanks to the chocolate chips, there’s plenty of flavor, and you won’t need a garnish.

However, a little extra nut or seed butter can be nice for drizzling, if you like.

As far as accompaniments go, a glass of soy milk for plant protein, a vegan yogurt with berries, additional banana, a cup of some sort of smoothie that you like, or some crunchy nuts are all nice ideas.

Storage & reheating

Again, I’m partial to this recipe when it’s freshly baked. But if you’re making a few portions and wish to store them, that’s also great. Future breakfast cake for future you!

Cover the ramekins with reusable silicone covers or Saran wrap, then transfer them to the fridge. You can keep them there for up to three days.

Air fry or re-heat in the oven (at 300°F / 150°C) for five minutes, or until nicely warm, before enjoying them again.

With time, I default more and more to tried-and-true recipes, meals that evoke nostalgia, and classic preparation methods.

Yet I have to remind myself that a willingness to try new things is what drove so much of my development when I was learning to cook vegan food.

I’m glad that I woke up one Saturday morning with the desire to try something fun, and different, and I made vegan blended baked oats. They’re a nice little treat, and I hope you’ll enjoy them, too.

xo