Carrot Cake Pancakes Recipe

Pancakes are a beloved breakfast staple that will never go out of style. While nothing beats a good stack of classic flapjacks, there are also plenty of ways to take your stack to the next level, whether it be adding ingredients to the batter or topping off the pancakes with a special garnish. This carrot cake pancake recipe opts for both the mix-in and garnish route, incorporating all the spicy, crunchy sweetness you know and love about the ever-popular dessert — from the sweet, cinnamon-infused carrot base all the way to the luscious cream cheese frosting on top — and transforms it into a Saturday morning-friendly stack.

Growing up, my mom made the most fantastic carrot cake, and I took inspiration from her OG cake recipe when crafting this pancake one. Mom's classic carrot cake was so special because it incorporated ingredients like crushed pineapple, coconut, and raisins, along with a perfectly balanced rich-creamy-tangy cream cheese frosting. In my carrot cake pancake rendition, I left out the coconut but kept the nostalgic pineapple and raisin additions, along with the optional walnuts for even more of a vintage feel. I love that these pancakes are sweet and spiced without going overboard, and they also happen to freeze well, meaning leftovers are just as well-suited for a busy weekday morning as the original decked-out stack will be for a special weekend breakfast.

No good carrot cake is complete without the rich, tangy frosting, so for this carrot cake pancakes recipe, you'll make a cream cheese whipped cream from softened cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla bean paste or extract, a pinch of kosher salt, and heavy cream. Then, for the pancakes themselves, you'll need a large carrot (or a few smaller ones), buttermilk, an egg, dark brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, all-purpose flour, baking powder and soda, crushed pineapple (fresh or canned), and unsalted butter. Optionally, you can add walnuts and raisins to your pancakes as you cook them, and you may wish to garnish your stack with extra walnuts or maple syrup.

To prepare the topping, whip the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt to combine.

Slowly whip in heavy cream, continuing to whip until the mixture reaches soft to medium peaks. Chill until ready to use.

To prepare the pancakes, using the fine side of a box grater, finely grate the carrot (you'll need about 1 cup).

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the egg, buttermilk, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, grated carrot, and pineapple, and fold gently just to combine.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Pour the butter into the pancake batter and fold gently to incorporate.

Use a scoop or ladle to portion heaping ¼ cup mounds of batter into the skillet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.

If desired, sprinkle a few raisins and walnuts over each pancake.

Wait until bubbles form on the surface of each pancake, then flip and cook the remaining side until golden.

Transfer the pancakes to a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve the pancakes warm, with cream cheese-whipped cream and maple syrup.

Pancakes are one of the best make-ahead breakfasts out there, and these carrot cake pancakes are no exception. While the batter itself can be made in advance, I find that prepping the ingredients, if needed, and whipping up the batter right before cooking (or up to 30 minutes ahead to give it time to rest on the counter for an even improved texture) is the best bet. The cream cheese topping, too, can be prepared up to a day in advance, but you'll want to re-whip it right before serving for an optimal light, airy texture.

Once the pancakes are fully cooked and cooled, they'll last in the fridge for a few days but in the freezer for upwards of months. To freeze them, make sure they're fully cooled first, then tuck them into a freezer-safe container or sealable bag. From frozen, you can easily heat up a pancake in the toaster oven or pan without defrosting it first. The beauty of making these carrot cake pancakes ahead is that they'll taste just as delicious reheated as they did the day they were made, plus they'll bounce back to that fluffy texture without any hassle.

There are a few different ways to achieve ultra-fluffy pancakes, like adding yeast to the batter or by replacing regular milk with shelf-stable evaporated milk. To me, the trick to making the fluffiest possible pancakes doesn't lie in any one ingredient addition or omission — it's all in the preparation.

A gentle hand is key to making fluffy pancakes, because if you over-mix or over-work the batter, you'll end up with dense and heavy flapjacks instead. Also, make sure you carefully spoon and level your flour instead of eyeballing it, because too much flour will also weigh down the batter. Fold the dry ingredients in gently and stop mixing once you no longer see visible streaks of flour. If you let the batter rest for a few minutes before cooking, give it a gentle and quick stir to ensure any flour that's risen to the top incorporates evenly into the mix once again. 

When cooking, keep the heat on the lower side, which gives the pancakes plenty of time to rise without becoming scorched too quickly on one side. Don't press down on the pancakes after you flip them, and instead give them adequate time to cook all the way through on their own and retain that fluffy, light texture.

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