Carrot Cake Pancakes (Printable)

Spiced fluffy pancakes loaded with grated carrots, walnuts, and warm cinnamon-nutmeg flavors. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Zest of 1 orange (optional)

→ Add-Ins

14 - 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
15 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
16 - 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

→ For Serving

17 - Maple syrup, to taste
18 - Cream cheese glaze or yogurt (optional)
19 - Extra chopped walnuts

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, and orange zest if using, until smooth and well blended.
03 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the pancakes light and tender.
04 - Gently fold the grated carrots, chopped walnuts or pecans, and raisins into the batter using a spatula.
05 - Place a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly coat with oil or butter.
06 - Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the heated skillet. Cook until bubbles rise to the surface and edges appear set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
07 - Repeat with the remaining batter, re-greasing the skillet as needed between batches.
08 - Serve the pancakes warm, drizzled with maple syrup, cream cheese glaze, or yogurt, and topped with extra chopped nuts as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The batter comes together in fifteen minutes flat, which means you can go from half asleep to hero status without breaking a sweat.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can make a double batch on Sunday and have cozy breakfasts ready all week long.
  • That hint of orange zest is the quiet detail that makes people close their eyes and ask what is in these.
02 -
  • Grating the carrots too coarsely will leave shreds that feel raw and crunchy in the finished pancake, so use the fine holes on your grater for the best texture.
  • The batter will thicken as it sits because the carrots release moisture, so if it becomes too thick to pour, simply stir in another splash of milk.
  • Keep cooked pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven while you finish the batch so nothing goes cold.
03 -
  • Let the batter rest for five minutes before cooking, this gives the flour time to hydrate and the leavening agents time to activate for taller pancakes.
  • Do not press down on the pancakes after flipping, no matter how tempting, because that squeezes out all the air you just worked to build inside.

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