Looking for tasty pancakes that won’t leave you with a sugar crash? Try these Carrot Cake Pancakes! Most carrot cake pancakes make you feel like you just ate dessert. But these are perfect: sweet enough with a healthy spin! They’re lightly sweetened with maple syrup, tender and moist from the carrots, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Even better, top them with maple Greek yogurt and the sweet tang is magic. It’s like eating a piece of carrot cake…that’s suitable for breakfast.
What’s in these carrot cake pancakes?
These carrot cake pancakes are full of ingredients that were already in Alex and my pantry and fridge: we didn’t have to make a special trip to make them! We hope the same will be true for you, assuming you stock carrots, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup like we do. This recipe is a spin on our Greek Yogurt Pancakes recipe: the perfect spring breakfast or Easter brunch (we created these for our son Larson for Easter!). Here’s what you’ll need:
Flour: you can use 100% all purpose, or a mix of all purpose and whole wheat or oat flour Spices: you’ll use cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for that carrot cake vibe Greek yogurt: we like using yogurt in our pancakes to make them perfectly moist Maple syrup: for a subtle sweetness: no refined sugar! Milk, egg, baking powder, and oil: to round out the standard pancake ingredients Carrots: finely grated with a shredder — this is what takes the most time!
Maple Greek yogurt: a healthy spin on cream cheese frosting!
The maple Greek yogurt topping is what puts these carrot cake pancakes over the top! For a healthy breakfast spin, we used Greek yogurt to create a sort of cream cheese frosting! The tang of the yogurt is exactly what you need to accessorize the spice of the pancakes. Here’s what you’ll do:
Let the Greek yogurt sit in a strainer to thicken while you make the pancakes. This gets it to more of a cream cheese consistency. You can skip this step if you’d like, but the topping will be a little more runny, because you’ll be adding… Add maple syrup & vanilla. Once the Greek yogurt is thickened a little, add the maple syrup and vanilla. Taste, and you’ve got instant healthy cream cheese “frosting”!
Flour types to use in carrot cake pancakes
Alex and I love pancakes that are a little heartier than the typical all purpose flour pancake. We like to use a 50/50 ratio of all purpose flour with oat flour or whole wheat flour (like our sour cream pancakes). The oat flour in particular makes it heartier and more filling than a traditional pancake would be. It also gives you the nutrients of oats, like fiber and vitamins. (Want a 100% oat pancake? Head to Banana Oatmeal Pancakes.) Either way, the mix of flours also adds complexity in flavor and helps the texture a bit. But if all you have is all purpose flour, that’s ok too! It’s a customizable recipe and works with what you have on hand.
How to make oat flour
Did you know you can make your own oat flour? If you’ve got rolled oats, you can make oat flour at home! Simply whiz rolled oats in a blender or food processor until they are ground as fine as possible, taking on the consistency of flour. Alex and I do this all the time. Go to our Oat Flour Recipes for more.
More carrot cake recipes!
Are you a carrot cake flavor fan? Here are a few more recipes that play on the magic of carrot cake:
Carrot Cake Cupcakes Warm spiced with tangy cream cheese frosting on top! Carrot Cake Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal There’s nothing cozier than baked oatmeal! This baked steel cut oatmeal is carrot cake flavored, with cozy spices and pecans. Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies These carrot cake breakfast cookies are a portable breakfast or snack similar to a Cliff bar! They’re plant-based and perfect for mornings on the go.
This carrot cake pancakes recipe is…
Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use 50% oat flour and 50% 1-for-1 gluten-free flour. For vegan, use a flax egg and a non-dairy milk. 4.5 from 2 reviews
