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.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Resting time 10

Total Time 35

Servings pancakes

Calories 126

Author Kim

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

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

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can quickly make a buttermilk substitute by mixing 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar with slightly less than 1 3/4 cups of milk.

This recipe was originally published November 29, 2015. It was republished December 17, 2025 with new photos and helpful tips.

Nutrition