Butternut squash pancakes made with mashed butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) blended with gluten free flours, egg and dairy-free milk! So easy and healthy for a quick breakfast or healthy snack!
Craving more squash? Try my stuffed squash with quinoa and cranberries. Finish the stack with my low sugar maple Greek yogurt topping instead of syrup.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 5 minutes for the batter to set
- 🌡️ Cook Time: about 10 minutes on the skillet
- ⏳ Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 (twelve 4-inch pancakes)
- ⚡ Calories: 206kcal per serving, per the recipe card
- 🥣 Ingredients: gluten free flour mix, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, pink Himalayan salt, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, eggs, butternut squash puree and almond milk
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Moist, naturally sweet and warmly spiced like fall
- ✋ Difficulty: Blend, rest, flip
Quick Answer
Mix 1 cup gluten free flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of cardamom, ¼ teaspoon ginger and ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt. Blend ¾ cup almond milk, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 eggs and a 15 ounce can of butternut squash puree for about 10 seconds, stir it into the dry ingredients and let the batter set 5 minutes. Scoop ¼ cup onto a sprayed skillet over low-medium heat, pat it thin, cook 3 to 5 minutes until set on top, flip and cook about 3 minutes until golden. It makes twelve 4-inch pancakes.
Jump to:
Butternut squash is one of my favorite squashes to work with when cooking and baking! It is a powerful way to get vitamin A, vitamin E and extra fiber in your diet, not to mention it mashes up and makes baked goods super moist! Plus it is naturally sweet, buttery, nutty and has a flavor that is delicious roasted topped with cinnamon or butter!
Why These Squash Pancakes Stay So Moist
Click to see why it works
- Squash puree in the batter. Butternut squash mashes up and makes baked goods super moist.
- Vinegar and baking powder give lift to the thick gluten free batter.
- A 5 minute rest. Letting the batter set helps the gluten free flour absorb the liquid.
- Pat them thin. The batter is very thick, so pat it down with the back of the measuring cup.
- Low-medium heat cooks the center before the outside gets too dark.
Why You'll Love These Pancakes
- Easy, dairy-free, nut free and gluten free.
- Canned or fresh. Use a 15 ounce can, or roast your own for a sweeter pancake.
- Kid approved. The batter is slightly thick but makes a super moist pancake and my boys just love them!
- Fall spices of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.
- Lunchbox friendly. Add a favorite nut butter and jelly in the middle for school lunches!
Key Ingredients
- Butternut squash puree - a 15 ounce can, or 1.5 cups fresh butternut squash, cooked, with seeds and skin removed, smashed into puree.
- Gluten free flour mix and baking powder.
- Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and pink Himalayan salt.
- Eggs.
- Almond milk - or coconut milk.
- Maple syrup, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Butternut Squash
You can use and eat the whole inside of butternut squash including the long neck (except the seeds). Once the squash is fully cooked and cool enough to handle, slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, scoop out the hearty orange meat and discard the skin. Here are a few tips and tricks that help me in the kitchen.
- Roasted. My favorite way, because it brings out a natural sweetness and makes it perfect for blending into sauces and baked goods. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, slice the squash in half, toss in a bit of olive oil and roast flesh side up for 50-60 minutes until soft when poked with a fork.
- Microwave. Cook on high for 9-12 minutes for halves or 12-15 minutes whole, until the center is soft when poked with a knife.
- Grilled. Slice into rounds, brush with olive oil and grill on medium-high for about 15-20 minutes, flipping often.
- Sauteed. Peel, seed and dice into 1-inch squares, then cook covered in 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often.
If using a fresh squash, it can be pureed and also used as a cream supplement in pasta sauces, as the base in butternut squash soup, roasted and chopped in salads, muffins, pancakes and more! It is actually a fruit but "used" as a vegetable.
Butternut squash pancakes are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium, along with vitamin A and Vitamin E. A healthy pancake recipe that is a great source for breakfast or snacks!
How to Make Butternut Squash Pancakes
1Heat the skillet. Heat a skillet on the stove top on low-medium.
2Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt and mix well.
3Blend the wet ingredients. In a blender or food processor add the milk, vinegar, maple syrup, vanilla, eggs and butternut squash. Blend for about 10 seconds, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Let the batter set for about 5 minutes.
4Cook. Spray the skillet with cooking spray. Scoop ¼ cup of batter onto the skillet and pat it down with the back of the measuring cup to thin it out. After about 3-5 minutes, when the pancakes begin to set on top, flip and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
5Serve. Serve with maple syrup, fruit or nuts. Enjoy!
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Fresh is sweeter. Either way is delicious, but fresh roasted butternut squash is naturally sweeter than canned.
- Last minute squash. Microwave the whole squash for about 10 minutes until soft in the center, cool slightly, halve, seed and scoop. A large squash may need longer.
- Pat the batter thin since it is very thick.
- Use a good pan. Grab a favorite nonstick nontoxic cookware and get started!
- Flip once when the tops look set, about 3 to 5 minutes.
More Healthy Pancake Recipes
More pancakes: Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes and Blender Banana Oat Pancakes.
More butternut squash recipes: Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Soup, Cranberry Butternut Squash Stuffing and Spaghetti Squash Pasta With Butternut Sauce.
New to squash? Learn how to cook spaghetti squash.
Butternut Squash Pancakes FAQs
Yes. Use a 15 ounce can of butternut squash puree, or 1.5 cups of fresh cooked squash smashed into puree.
The batter is meant to be thick. Pat each pancake down with the back of the measuring cup to thin it out on the skillet.
Cook about 3 to 5 minutes until they set on top, flip, then cook about 3 more minutes until golden brown.
Yes. They use almond milk or coconut milk, and they are also gluten free and nut free when made with coconut milk.
Microwave it. Cook halves on high for 9 to 12 minutes or a whole squash for 12 to 15 minutes until soft, then cool, seed and scoop.
It makes twelve 4-inch pancakes, about 4 servings.
More Fall Breakfasts
Make breakfast cozy with Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes, Banana Oat Pancakes, Pancakes With Raspberry Sauce and Stuffed Squash. I hope you enjoy these gluten free butternut squash pancakes! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Butternut Squash Pancakes (Gluten-Free)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free flour mix
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 15 ounce can butternut squash puree or 1.5 cups fresh butternut squash, cooked and seeds and skin removed and smashed into puree
- ¾ cup almond milk or coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan on the stove top on low-medium.
- In a large bowl combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt and mix well. In a blender or food processor add the milk, vinegar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, eggs and canned or home cooked butternut squash. Blend for about 10 seconds to combine then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Let the batter set for about 5 minutes before cooking.
- Spray your skillet with cooking spray. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop pancake mixture onto stove top and spread into a circle. The batter will be very thick so pat it down with the back of the measuring cup to thin it out on the skillet. After about 3-5 minutes when your pancakes begin to set on top flip it and cook the bottom until it is golden brown (about 3 minutes).
- Serve with maple syrup, fruit or nuts. Enjoy!
Matt Fenton says
Very good but I forgot the salt and it was a bit needed. When should it go in. I think it's missing in the steps
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Add the salt with the other dry ingredients. Sorry about that and thank you for letting me know it was missing- I just added it in:-). I'm so glad you like this recipe, it is such a good one! If you need, just sprinkle some salt on the pancakes:-).
Heather Howard says
I loved these and my kids did too!!! No need for syrup and better flavor than traditional pancakes. Thank you for sharing Danielle!!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Hi Heather! You are very welcome and I am so glad you all enjoy these! xx