Carrot Cake Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes combine two of the best foods in the world: carrot cake and homemade pancakes. These fluffy, soft, and moist pancakes are loaded with classic ingredients and warm spices. Plus, they are ready in just 15 minutes (from prep to table!).

These carrot pancakes are easy to make on busy weekday mornings this spring, but fancy for a stress-free Easter Brunch. Serve them as if they were dessert for breakfast by setting out some whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, baked apples, or maple syrup — and everyone will be begging for seconds!

Why You’ll Love Carrot Cake Pancakes

• They are moist, firm, and soft. These fluffy carrot cake pancakes enjoy a unique texture from the added carrots. Since fresh fruits and vegetables contain a lot of moisture, your baked goods can benefit from added ingredients like pumpkin, banana, zucchini, and you guessed it — carrots!
• Carrots offer added nutrients. The great texture isn’t the only thing the carrots bring to the table in these Easter pancakes. Carrots are chockfull of healthy nutrients, including antioxidants, calcium, Vitamins A and K, and fiber. These nutrients support bone health, heart health, eye health, and more!
• Carrot cake in pancake form. These carrot cake pancakes have more than just carrots added to the mix. You’ll also find cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Plus, they are topped with walnuts (or pecans) — all classic flavors that you will find in Carrot Cake.
• A great way to use up extra carrots. Did you buy a bag of carrots that you need to use up before they expire? Well, look no further. These carrot pancakes a whopping cup of grated carrots.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Carrot Cake Pancakes, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

• all-purpose flour - try an equal-exchange gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free. The texture of the pancakes may change slightly but it should produce a similar result.
• baking powder - out of baking powder? Combine ½ teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar to make your own!
• brown sugar - feel free to substitute with granulated sugar or an alternative like coconut sugar, date sugar, or sugar-free substitute like Swerve will also work as a sweetener for these carrot pancakes, but the sugar you choose may alter the flavor.
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• salt
• milk - you can swap dairy milk for a non-dairy milk like almond or coconut if you want to.
• egg - out of eggs or looking for a plant-based ingredient swap? Use ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce for every egg in the recipe.
• unsalted butter - you can use salted butter if that’s all you have on hand, but using unsalted will give you more control over the final flavor of the pancakes. Decrease or omit the additional salt in the recipe as needed!
• vanilla extract - an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of vanilla extract for a more rich vanilla flavor.
• grated carrots - you can grate the carrots manually or in a food processor, or you can make things more convenient and buy a bag of shredded carrots from the store.
• vegetable oil or cooking spray

Toppings

You can serve these carrot cake pancakes plain or with your favorite toppings. There are plenty of ways to serve these pancakes, but here are my favorites:

• whipped cream and crushed walnuts or pecans
• maple syrup and butter
• chopped or sliced caramel apples and crushed nuts
• shredded coconut
• ice cream

Equipment

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a large skillet or griddle.

How to Make the Best Carrot Cake Pancakes

1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine.

2. Combine wet ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk, egg, butter. and vanilla. For fluffier pancakes, add just ¾ cup of milk. (If the batter is too thick at the end, then mix in the remaining ¼ cup).

3. Add wet ingredients to dry. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined (the batter will be slightly lumpy). Do not over mix.

4. Add carrots. Fold in the grated carrots.

5. Prepare pan. Spray a large frying pan or griddle with cooking spray, or dampen a paper towel with vegetable oil and rub on top of the pan. Heat the pan over medium-low heat and add pancake batter using a ¼ measuring cup. Pour as many that will fit in your pan or griddle (I fit 3 in my 10-inch skillet).
6. Cook. Cook for 1-2 minutes until small bubbles begin to form on the surface, the edges have set, and the bottom of the pancake turns golden brown. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the other side is also golden brown.

7. Repeat. Remove the pancakes from the pan and set aside on a plate. Repeat in a few batches until until all the batter is used up.
8. Serve. Stack the pancakes and top with whipped cream, walnuts, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

How to Serve

These carrot pancakes are great as part of a brunch spread (especially Easter Brunch!) along with some classic breakfast dishes. Some of our favorites are:

• Spring Vegetable Frittata
• French Toast
• Skillet Cinnamon Rolls
• Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs
• Avocado Toast with Poached Egg
• Fruit Salad

For more breakfast recipes, see our 50 Best Breakfast Ideas.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once your carrot cake pancakes have cooled to room temperature, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

How to Reheat

You can reheat carrot cake pancakes in the microwave, oven, or air fryer. To microwave, heat on a medium-high heat setting in 20-30 second intervals until warmed through. To reheat in the oven or air fryer, wrap pancakes in aluminum foil. Then, heat in a 375F oven for about 10 minutes or until warm, or in a 375F air fryer for 5 minutes.

How to Freeze

Freeze carrot cake pancakes by transferring them to a freezer bag or airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper, and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Carrot Recipes

• 40 Best Carrot Recipes
• Carrot Cake Cookies
• Maple Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce
• Arugula and Roasted Carrot Salad
• Carrot Cake Muffins
• Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

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