Carrot Cake Pancakes

5.0
(2)

Carrot cake pancakes for breakfast? Why not! The spices in these pancakes take you right to the flavors of a carrot cake. They're topped with a sweet cream cheese drizzle, chopped nuts, raisins, and flaked coconut for a decadent treat.

looking at a stack of carrot cake pancakes with frosting dripping down the side
2
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
8 carrot pancakes

If you love carrot cake, you'll go nuts for these carrot cake pancakes. This recipe uses a classic buttermilk batter, which is brightened with grated carrots, cinnamon, and spices. The result truly tastes like a slice of your favorite dessert.

“When I first came to the U.S. I discovered carrot cake and that you could use carrots for dessert,” says Chef Michel Richard in The Flavor Bible, an acclaimed pastry chef who passed away in 2016. “The problem is that most people trust carrot cake but little else.” 

Hopefully these carrot cake pancakes are a close enough step away to give them a shot. Carrots are quiet vegetables, especially when cooked, and they pair well with spices like cinnamon. Thankfully, this recipe includes ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice as well as vanilla extract and light brown sugar for sweetness.

If you know anything about pancakes, you know buttermilk is a great ingredient to use because it is fermented. Buttermilk, which reacts with the baking soda, can add a little richness and tang to a pancake and make them thicker and fluffier.

Serve these pancakes with a traditional drizzle of maple syrup or for a special finishing touch, try them with a cream cheese frosting drizzle. Either way, these pancakes are sure to become a family favorite!

Editorial contributions by Keaton Larson

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

Carrot Cake Pancakes

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon table salt

  • 1 cup whole buttermilk

  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ¾ cup finely grated carrot

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for griddle

Crem Cheese Frosting Drizzle

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 tablespoon whole milk

  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons golden raisins

  • 3 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans or walnuts

  • 3 tablespoons toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped candied ginger (Optional)

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Overhead of carrot pancake ingredients in various bowls and measuring cups.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. To make the pancake batter: Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

  3. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla; stir until just combined. Stir in carrots and melted butter until just combined. Set batter aside while you prepare the frosting and topping.

    Overhead of carrot pancake batter in a bowl waiting to be mixed together.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. To make the frosting: Whisk cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla together in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.

    Overhead of frosting being whisked in a glass bowl.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. To prepare the topping: Stir raisins, pecans, coconut, and ginger together in a small bowl. Set aside.

  6. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat; grease with butter.

  7. Working in batches, scoop 1/4 cup batter per pancake into the skillet, being sure not to overcrowd it. Cook until bubbles begin to form on surface of pancakes and edges look dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, and cook until fluffy and slightly firm, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter and adjusting heat as needed.

    Overhead of carrot pancakes being cooked on a skillet.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Divide pancakes evenly among 4 plates; drizzle evenly with frosting and sprinkle evenly with topping.

    Overhead of cooked carrot pancakes on a baking sheet with frosting and a coconut and nut topping off to the side.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

509 Calories
26g Fat
60g Carbs
10g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 509
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Cholesterol 98mg 33%
Sodium 645mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 10g 21%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 245mg 19%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 362mg 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.