These thick and fluffy gingerbread pancakes taste exactly like a sweet and spicy gingerbread cake! Top warm pancakes with pecans and lots of maple syrup for a holiday breakfast treat.
These pancakes are for serious Christmas lovers only! Only the most hard core Christmas people could be convinced to eat gingerbread in the form of pancakes for breakfast.
With maybe a little glass of eggnog on the side.
If all this describes you, settle in because we’re about to make one seriously delicious stack of pancakes.
No fancy ingredients required today! We’re going to be following my basic buttermilk pancake recipe with just a few twists and turns in the direction of spices and molasses to give these pancakes that signature gingerbread flavor.
Christmas breakfast this year is won.
These Pancakes feature…
- A super soft and fluffy texture
- Spiced ginger and molasses flavor in every bite
- Golden maple syrup and toasted pecans on top
- Ready in minutes with only a handful of ingredients
Making the Pancakes
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Unsalted butter
- Molasses
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Spices
- Pecans
- Maple syrup
Tips for Perfect Pancakes
- Spoon and level flour – I use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
- Allow melted butter to cool – wait for the butter to cool before mixing with the other ingredients to prevent curdling.
- Use real buttermilk – this gives the pancakes a rich and tangy flavor.
- Gently fold batter – use a light hand when mixing batter to prevent overmixing.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these pancakes.
- Make it chocolate – try folding in 1/2 cup semisweet or white chocolate chips.
- Add fruit – try folding in 1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries.
- Add nuts to batter – fold 1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving these pancakes hot from the griddle with lots of warm maple syrup, toasted pecans, and pats of extra butter on top! For best results, enjoy pancakes immediately after cooking.
Breaking into a stack of these pancakes is like eating a bite of Christmas! The slightly-spicy ginger and sweet molasses flavors in soft and fluffy pancake form is like something out of a dream.
So simple yet it tastes like you’re eating cake for breakfast. You’re winning Christmas this year.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Try these other incredible pancake stacks next!
Gingerbread Pancakes
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, cooled slightly
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Melted butter for cooking
- Maple syrup, butter, and pecans for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk until smooth.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Fold flour mixture into liquid mixture until batter is just combined.
- Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly brush with butter. Working in batches, drop pancake batter by heaping 1/4 cupfuls onto hot skillet and allow to cook 2-3 minutes on each side until pancakes are golden brown. Repeat cooking method with remaining batter, adding more butter to skillet as needed.
- Serve pancakes warm with maple syrup, butter, and pecans for serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe tips and photos on 8/14/24. Please note that the original pancake recipe had a chocolate syrup topping and this was omitted in the new version. However, feel free to top pancakes with chocolate syrup if desired!
Jennifer S. says
Sarah, I’m trying to lose weight. This recipe is so not going to help me accomplish that goal. 🙂 I’m probably going to try it this Saturday – we always have pancakes either Saturday morning or Sunday night.. Then I’m going to have to try some of your other recipes another time. 🙂
Sarah says
Let me know how they turn out, Jennifer! 🙂
Tammy Doiel @creativekkids.com says
They look so good– but I love anything with chocolate! Great pictures!
Sarah says
Thank you, Tammy! I’m the same way–if it’s got chocolate in it, I’ll eat it!
Leah says
These look delicious!
Sarah says
Thanks, Leah.
Chrystal M. says
I am pretty sure my husband is going to die when he sees these!
Sarah says
Let me know if you make them, Chrystal!
Zan says
Looks delish, Sarah! Seriously wish I could have a few of those right NOW! What a giant stalk!
Sarah says
Thanks, Zan! Let me know if you make them!
Chef Ria says
Wow, look at how fluffy those pancakes are. I bet they just melt in your mouth. Love your pictures, they look, well…picture perfect 🙂
Sarah says
Thank you, Ria!