Gingerbread Pancakes
Start your morning with a little holiday magic! These Gingerbread Pancakes are fluffy, spiced just right, and perfect for stacking high with butter and syrup. Quick to make and impossible to resist, they’re perfect for a weekend treat or festive brunch.
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A Note from Kim
Stacked with Festive Flavor
Gingerbread pancakes are one of my favorite holiday breakfasts to make! They’re cozy, comforting, and filled with just the right blend of warm spices. I remember, as a child, how the wait through Christmas breakfast felt endless, with the excitement of opening presents just around the corner.
Now, as an adult, I love lingering over those long, festive mornings and savoring every bite, just like my parents and grandparents did. These pancakes are perfect alongside other Christmas brunch favorites like cranberry orange muffins, tater tot breakfast casserole, or a creamy quiche Lorraine for a full, festive spread.
With love (and lots of good eats), 
These were a hit on Christmas morning!! Great texture and flavor, perfectly sweet. Will make again for sure!!
— Ashley
Ingredients You’ll Need
These are the best pancakes for the holiday season! They are packed with cozy flavors that taste just like Christmastime. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe. You can find the list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives structure; spoon and level for best results.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and caramel notes.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Help the pancakes rise and stay fluffy; make sure they’re fresh.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and spices.
- Spices: A blend of cinnamon, ground ginger, and allspice provide that classic gingerbread flavor.
- Eggs: Bind ingredients and add structure; use room-temperature for smooth batter.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and tang; can substitute with milk plus lemon juice or vinegar (see notes in recipe card), or just use your preferred milk.
- Unsulfered Molasses: Brings deep, rich gingerbread flavor; avoid blackstrap.
- Fresh Grated Ginger: Boosts ginger flavor with brightness and warmth.
- Lemon Zest: Optional, but adds a fresh, bright note to balance the warm spices.
Kim’s Recipe Tips
- Mix gently: Stir the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Once the flour streaks disappear, stop mixing, over-mixing can prevent the pancakes from rising properly.
- Preheat the griddle: Make sure your pan is hot before adding batter so pancakes rise right from the start. Keep the heat at medium to avoid burning or undercooking.
- Flip at the right time: Wait until the edges start to dry and small bubbles appear in the center. Flip the pancakes only once to keep them fluffy. These tricks work well for other pancakes too, like my cinnamon roll pancakes!
- Don’t skip resting the batter: Letting it sit for 5–10 minutes gives fluffier pancakes.
- Keep pancakes warm in the oven: Set to 200°F to keep finished ones soft and fluffy while you cook the rest.
How to Make Gingerbread Pancakes
Here are step-by-step process images along with instructions. You can find printable instructions in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mix all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
Step 2: Stir in wet ingredients. Add the eggs, buttermilk, molasses, grated fresh ginger and lemon zest, and whisk until just combined. Some small lumps remaining are fine. (Do not over-stir the mixture. Over-mixing makes for a flat pancake. Mix until a few streaks of flour are remaining.) Let batter sit for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Cook. When pan is hot and right before cooking the pancakes, lower the heat to medium or medium-low and spoon out 1/4-1/3 cup of batter for each pancake.
Step 4: Flip. Cook each pancake 2–3 minutes per side, lowering the heat if they brown too quickly. When bubbles form at the edges and the underside is golden, flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 2–2½ minutes.
Step 5: Serve. Remove pancakes and either serve immediately or keep warm in the oven at about 250ºF. Serve with butter, warm maple syrup, whipped cream, chopped nuts and/or any other favorite toppings.
Gingerbread Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, light works too
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1/3 cup unsulfered molasses, not blackstrap
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, optional
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Instructions
- To keep pancakes warm while you are making the whole batch, heat oven to 250°F and place a large sheet pan inside.
- In a large bowl, mix 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
- Add the 2 large eggs, 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, 1/3 cup unsulfered molasses, 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, and whisk until just combined. Some small lumps remaining are fine. (Do not over stir the mixture. Overmixing makes for a flat pancake. Mix until a few streaks of flour are remaining.) Let batter sit for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. It should be hot before adding the pancakes to the surface. Spray surface with cooking spray or grease with a bit of oil or melted butter. When pan is hot and right before cooking the pancakes, lower the heat to medium or medium-low and spoon out 1/4-1/3 cup of batter for each pancake.
- Cook each pancake for about 2-3 minutes. If pancakes are browning too quickly, lower the heat. Bubbles will form on the edges of the pancakes and once they look dry, use a thin spatula to gently lift one side and take a look underneath. If the pancake is golden, flip and cook on the other side for about 2 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove pancakes and either serve immediately or keep warm in the oven. Spray or grease surface again and continue cooking remaining batter.
- Serve with butter, warm maple syrup and any other favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Frequently Asked Questions
This usually means the baking powder or baking soda is expired, the batter was over-mixed, or the pan wasn’t hot enough when cooking.
The heat is likely too high. Most pancakes cook best over medium or medium-low heat. Use about ¼ cup for each pancake. Don’t flip until the edges are set, and the bubbles forming in the batter begin to pop.
Molasses is key for classic gingerbread flavor. However, if you want to skip it, try adding the spices in this recipe to my buttermilk pancake recipe.
Storage Recommendations
- Leftovers: Store cooked gingerbread pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- Reheating: Reheat pancakes in the microwave for 15–20 seconds, on the stovetop for 1–2 minutes per side, in the air fryer for 3–5 minutes at 370°F, or in the oven at 350°F for 5–7 minutes until warmed through.
- Freezing: Arrange pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen using the microwave, toaster, air fryer, or oven.
More Festive Holiday Breakfast Recipes
If you try this gingerbread pancake recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
I used almond milk and didn’t have fresh ginger or lemon so left that out – turned out delicious!!!
So glad you loved them!
These were a hit on Christmas morning!! Great texture and flavor, perfectly sweet. Will make again for sure!!
Thanks so much for your comment! So glad these were a hit!
These are AMAZING! My husband loves them and requested (demanded) them for Christmas morning.
Haha! So glad you loved them!
I made these exactly as written for a holiday brunch. They were amazing. Don’t change anything.
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear!