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This gingerbread pancakes recipe is full of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves combined with rich molasses to create fluffy, perfectly spiced pancakes that taste like Christmas morning. Top them with whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup for a festive breakfast. Serve this on holiday weekends, for special brunches, or anytime you’re craving something a little more magical than the usual!
You may love holiday pancakes but are looking for a gluten-free or grain-free option. Try out our Paleo Gingerbread Pancakes!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- You’ll have a full stack of festive pancakes on the table in about 20 minutes, which is perfect for those busy holiday mornings when you want something memorable without standing over a stove or oven forever.
- The warm spice combination is incredible— molasses brings deep, rich sweetness while ginger, cinnamon, and cloves create that nostalgic gingerbread flavor everyone loves, I mean, they taste literally like a slice of gingerbread cake! They work beautifully for a Christmas eve or Christmas morning breakfast when serving holiday guests.
- This pancakes gingerbread recipe works for both kids and adults alike! They reheat beautifully, freeze like a dream, and the flavors actually get so much better after sitting for a bit. Make a double batch and thank yourself later!
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Donโt over mix the batter; blend just until the dry ingredients are incorporated and you still see a few small lumps. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and creates tough, rubbery pancakes instead of light, tender ones. Stop stirring the second you don’t see dry flour anymore.
- Let your batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking, as this gives the baking powder time to activate and the flour time to hydrate fully, which results in fluffier pancakes with better structure. Use this time to heat your griddle and prep your toppings. If the batter seems too thick after resting, add milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a good consistency for pouring into the pan.
- Medium to medium-high heat is your sweet spot, because if go too hot the outsides will burn before the insides cook through; too cool and you’ll get pale, gummy pancakes. Test with a few drops of water — they should sizzle and dance across the surface. If they evaporate instantly, turn the heat down a notch.
- Preheat your oven to 200ยฐF and place finished pancakes on a baking sheet in a single layer while you cook the rest. This keeps them warm without drying them out, and your family and guests can eat together instead of in shifts. Cover loosely with foil if they’ll be waiting more than 10 minutes.
Recipe Variations
Make it Extra Festive: Top with cream cheese frosting (thinned slightly with milk) instead of whipped cream for a true gingerbread cookie experience. Add candied ginger pieces or crystallized ginger to the batter for an extra ginger kick.
Add Chocolate Chips: Fold ยฝ cup mini chocolate chips into the batter for gingerbread-chocolate pancakes that kids absolutely love. Dark chocolate pairs beautifully with the warm spices.
Try Buttermilk Pancakes: Replace the regular milk with buttermilk for extra tangy, tender pancakes. The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking powder to create an even fluffier texture.
Add Nuts to the Batter: Fold in ยฝ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or candied walnuts for added crunch and richness. Toast the nuts first for even more flavor.
Make Mini Pancakes: Use just 1 tablespoon of batter per pancake for silver dollar-sized pancakes that are perfect for kids or for serving at a brunch buffet. They cook faster too — about 1 minute per side.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can mix the dry ingredients the night before and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. However, don’t mix the complete batter more than 30 minutes before cooking u002du002d the baking powder will start to activate and lose its power, resulting in flat pancakes. For best results, mix the batter fresh when you’re ready to cook.
Oh no – the most common reasons are old baking powder or overmixing the batter. Check your baking powder’s expiration date and test it by dropping a teaspoon into hot water u002du002d it should fizz vigorously. Also, remember to mix just until combined, leaving small lumps in the batter.
You can substitute up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, though the pancakes will be denser and heartier. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend u002du002d the texture will be slightly different but still delicious. Avoid using only almond flour or coconut flour, as these need different liquid ratios.
Wait for bubbles to form across the entire surface of the pancake and for the edges to look dry and set. The bubbles should pop and stay open, not fill back in. This usually takes 2-3 minutes. When you lift the edge with your spatula, the underside should be golden brown.
You can substitute maple syrup or honey for the molasses, but you’ll lose that distinctive deep, rich gingerbread flavor, and we want that! The pancakes will still be delicious and have the warm spices, but they won’t taste quite like gingerbread. If you’re in a pinch, dark corn syrup with a tablespoon of brown sugar can work as a substitute.
It’s better to freeze cooked pancakes rather than raw batter. The baking powder starts activating as soon as it hits liquid, so frozen batter won’t rise as well when you eventually cook it. Instead, cook all the pancakes, then freeze them with parchment paper between each one – they reheat in minutes and taste just as good as fresh.
More Holiday Breakfast Recipes
- Monte Cristo French Toast Casserole
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Mashed Potato Pancakes
- Vegan Pumpkin Donuts with Salted Caramel Glaze
- Sweet Potato Bread
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Muffins with a Spiced Crumb Topping
- Whole30 Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Eggs (Keto)
- Tonga Toast French Toast Casserole
- Rich & Creamy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- The BEST Croissant French Toast Casserole
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes
Equipment
- griddle
- large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- Rubber spatula, or wooden spoon
- Wide spatula
Ingredients
For the Pancakes
- 1 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ยผ cup molasses
- ยฝ teaspoon ground ginger
- ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon cloves
- ยผ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 ยผ cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
- Whipped cream
- Maple syrup
- Chopped pecans (optional)
- Fresh or dried cranberries (optional)
Instructions
- Sift 1 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon ground ginger, ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon, ยผ teaspoon cloves, and ยผ teaspoon salt together in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ยผ cups milk, ยผ cup molasses, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour wet mixture into the well in the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined and no dry flour remains. Batter should be slightly lumpy. Do not overmix.
- Let batter rest for 5 minutes while you heat the griddle.
- Heat a griddle or large non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.
- Pour approximately ยผ cup batter onto the hot griddle for each pancake.
- Cook until bubbles form across the entire surface and edges look dry, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a baking sheet in a 200ยฐF oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve warm with whipped cream, maple syrup, chopped pecans, and cranberries.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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