Sheet Pan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and Brown Sugar Butter

Prep a batch of these lightly-sweetened Sheet Pan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and Brown Sugar Butter and you'll be ready to feed a crowd with minimal fuss! The pancakes are fluffy and tall, flavored with canned pumpkin puree and a pumpkin pie spice blend. They take just minutes to mix and save you from standing over a griddle and cooking pancakes one by one. While the pancakes bake, whip up the sweet, spiced brown sugar compound butter for topping. The combo is perfect for fall weekends!

You'll find me sneaking pumpkin spice into all sorts of delicious things as soon as the calendar flips over to October. These pumpkin spice pancakes are a perfect opportunity to add pumpkin spice to a new breakfast favorite. Just like this pumpkin spiced pumpkin zucchini bread and these pumpkin muffins with cake mix, they use a full can of canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice blend for their distinct flavor.

These sheet pan pancakes are great for fall sleepover mornings, holiday brunch spreads, feeding overnight guests and more!

Pumpkin Spice Pancake Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• Canned Pumpkin Puree - Use a can of pumpkin puree that does not contain any other ingredients. Pumpkin puree is not the same as pumpkin pie mix, which contains sugar and flavorings, so look for the single ingredient can.
• Milk - This recipe was tested with 2% milk, but feel free to use whole milk or skim milk instead.
• Eggs - Two large eggs will add stability and tender texture to the pancakes.
• Vegetable Oil - Use vegetable oil or another neutrally flavored oil like canola, avocado, or corn oil. Using oil in the batter instead of butter gives you a more moist pancake.
• Sugar - A moderate amount of sugar leaves the sheet pan pancakes lightly sweetened so that you can enjoy that tasty brown sugar butter on top of each serving!
• Vanilla Extract - The aroma of vanilla plays very well with the pumpkin spice and brown sugar.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice - Pumpkin pie spice blends combine cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to get that perfect fall flavor. Each blend will be a bit different, so once you identify a brand you love, stick with it.
• All-Purpose Flour - Your everyday all-purpose flour will bake up for a tender and fluffy  yet sturdy pancake.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder - Using both baking soda and baking powder gives just the right amount of lift to the pancake batter so that the pumpkin puree doesn't weigh it down.

Brown Sugar Butter Ingredients

This brown sugar butter is a compound butter that will add sweet and spicy flavor to the baked pancakes. Feel free to double this part of the recipe to have leftover butter for muffins, toast, scones, rolls, and more.

• Salted Butter - Use salted butter for a good balance of salty and sweet. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt when blending the brown sugar butter.
• Brown Sugar - Brown sugar delivers sweetness plus that layer of complexity thanks to the molasses. Pack your measuring cup well to get the most accurate measurement.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice - Use that pumpkin spice once more to bring those warm spice flavors to the butter as well so that you get twice the spice!

Prepare Sheet Pan Pancakes

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a half sheet pan (13" x 18") with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

To a large mixing bowl, add pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.

Whisk the wet ingredients together until smooth.

Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the blended wet ingredients.

Stir the batter to incorporate the dry ingredients. Whisk until everything is just combined, taking care not to over mix.

Pour the batter over your prepared sheet pan and smooth it into an even layer from edge to edge.

Bake the pancakes for 15-17 minutes until the edges are golden and the center of the pan is no longer shiny.

Slice the pancakes into 24 squares using a serrated knife for the cleanest cuts.

Prepare Brown Sugar Butter

Add the butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to a medium bowl.

Whip the butter until it is well blended. The texture will be light and smooth.

Transfer the butter to a small serving bowl or ramekin.

Serving Suggestions

Bring the sheet pan right to the table or stack the pancakes on a platter for serving. Serve them with the brown sugar butter and any other desired toppings. For a complete breakfast spread, serve with sliced fruit, scrambled eggs, and bacon or sausage links.

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

• Add Nuts - Right before baking you can sprinkle your smoothed batter with chopped pecans or walnuts to add extra texture to your finished pancakes. You can flavor the whole batch this way or just do half the pan!
• Add Chocolate Chips - Chocolate makes everything better, right? Sprinkle chocolate chips or chocolate chunks over your smoothed batter right before baking. Just like with the nuts, you can choose to flavor just a portion of the pancakes with the chocolate chips. Customize your sheet pan pancakes with any combination so that everyone in the family gets their favorite version.
• No pumpkin pie spice? Use this blend! - Combine 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves for a blend that will make enough for the pancakes and the brown sugar butter.

Equipment

Here are the kitchen tools I rely on to prepare these sheet pan pancakes with ease:

• Sheet Pans - I use sheet pans in two sizes, a quarter sheet pan (9" x 13") and a half sheet pan (13" x 18"). For this recipe, a half sheet pan is what you need. With a 1" depth, it will hold all of the batter and let your pancakes bake up light and fluffy. Buy a good quality set and you'll be using them for years. Mine have a very dark patina, so no judgement if yours look the same.
• Mixing Bowl - It's helpful to have mixing bowls in a variety of sizes, but you'll always reach for a sturdy glass or stainless steel mixing bowl for mixing batters, cookie doughs, snack mixes, and salads. Bigger is better, especially for this large batch of pancakes! It's the worst to try to mix carefully in a too-small bowl.
• Silicone Spatulas - A few sturdy yet flexible silicone spatulas are wildly useful in the kitchen. Use one to scrape every last drop of pancake batter from the mixing bowl. It will also help you spread the batter into a smooth layer in the half sheet pan before baking. Silicone spatulas are also great for protecting nonstick cookware, folding batters, and flipping delicate crepes or eggs.

Sheet Pan Tip

Sheet pans will get a patina with heavy use over time. This means they will darken and darker pans will result in more browning on the bottom of your pancakes. If you have brand new shiny sheet pans, your pancake edges won't be as golden, but will still taste delicious.

Make This Recipe Kid Friendly

These lightly sweetened pumpkin spice pancakes are a hit with kids, and letting them top them with their favorite things makes them extra fun. Provide maple syrup, butter, flavored syrups, or chocolate spread in addition to the brown sugar butter. 

If your kids love cinnamon sugar toast, the brown sugar butter makes an extra-tasty version. Spread it evenly over the entire slice of bread and then either use a toaster oven or broiler to cook the toast until the butter melts and the sugar bubbles. Cool it completely (that sugar is very, very hot) before serving up this special treat.

Try these sheet pan pancakes for a fun dinner option! It might help to lure your most reluctant dinner companions to the table for a simple family meal. More tips like this can be found in my Keeping Peace With Picky Eaters post.

Storage

Store the cooled pancake squares in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The brown sugar butter can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week (though it's never lasted beyond that at our house). The pancakes reheat easily in a toaster, toaster oven, or microwave.

Make-Ahead Options

Prepare a batch of these pumpkin spice pancakes on the weekend and you can enjoy pancakes all week long. As sheet pan pancake squares, they reheat perfectly in the toaster or the microwave. Allow the sliced pancakes to cool and transfer them to a large freezer bag. Freeze them flat and break off squares as needed for breakfast in a flash.

FAQ

More Pancake Recipes

Pancakes are a breakfast treat all year round! Try any of these pancake recipes next time the craving strikes:

Fall Flavors

Pumpkin spice pancakes are perfect for fall mornings. Here are more recipes with fall flavors for you to enjoy:

Try It and Share

I hope you try these Sheet Pan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and Brown Sugar Butter and enjoy the recipe as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.