Carrot Cake Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes are a fun treat for a special brunch! The pancakes have carrots, spices, and walnuts in them, and are topped with a cream cheese glaze.

When I was younger I used to eat those yogurts that came in every flavor under the sun, and frequently bought the Key Lime Pie yogurt, the Boston Cream Pie yogurt, Strawberry Cheesecake, and so on.

It’s kind of funny because the yogurt was honestly pretty bad and didn’t really taste like the Key Lime Pie flavor it was claiming to be, but I think there’s something appealing about enjoying a recipe we love in a completely different form.

Case in point, I spent last weekend testing out and making Root Beer Float Marshmallows, and Blueberries & Cream Marshmallows. Because when you bite into a homemade marshmallow and it reminds you of a root beer float, there’s just something fun about that! I love that kind of food.

After updating the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes recipe a couple months back, I decided that I wanted make some Carrot Cake themed pancakes next. And I might like these even more! They have grated carrots and warm spices in the pancake batter, plus crunchy walnuts, and a cream cheese glaze on top. The first time Pete took a bite, he literally asked me if it tasted TOO much like carrot cake. Which I, of course, took as a compliment. Because what on earth does that even mean!? These pancakes are good, and I hope you try them out for brunch sometime!

To get started, grate a large carrot using a fine grater:

It’s important that the carrots are in fine pieces, so they can cook quickly and aren’t crunchy in the pancakes.

Next, assemble the dry ingredients, which is flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger:

For the wet ingredients, combine buttermilk, grapeseed oil, and one egg:

Add the wet ingredients to the dry:

When the flour has almost been mixed in, add the grated carrots and chopped walnuts:

Mix until combined:

Place medium scoops of the batter in a nonstick skillet and cook the pancakes for a couple minutes on each side:

Then top with the same cream cheese glaze as the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, plus walnuts!

Here’s a full video on how to make the pancakes, and the recipe is below.

And one thing I’ll say, is you’ll notice there’s no sugar in the actual pancake batter, because the cream cheese glaze is so sweet. With that said, make sure to eat them together. Otherwise, add a couple tablespoons of sugar to the pancake batter. Enjoy!

More Pancake Recipes:

• Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Whole Wheat Pancakes
• Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

How to Freeze Pancakes:

You can freeze the pancakes, but not the icing.

First let the pancakes cool completely, then follow one of these two methods so the pancakes don’t stick to each other:

For the first method, place the pancakes on a sheet pan in a single layer, making sure they aren’t touching each other, and freeze for 30-60 minutes, until they are completely frozen. Then you can remove the pancakes and place them in a large plastic bag. This way they won’t stick to each other, and you can take out as many pancakes as you’d like.

For the second method, stack the pancakes between wax paper or parchment paper, and place those stacks in a resealable bag to freeze. This will keep them separated so they don’t freeze stuck together.

Freeze the pancakes for up to two months.

How to Reheat Pancakes:

Here are three methods for reheating, either by using the microwave, oven, or toaster:

Microwave Method (my favorite):

Place 1 to 5 frozen pancakes on a microwave-safe plate. Cook uncovered at 20 seconds for 1 pancake, 30 seconds for 2 pancakes, 40 seconds for 3 pancakes, 50 seconds for 4 pancakes, and 60 seconds for 5 pancakes. Exact timing will depend on the strength of your microwave, but this is a good guideline.

Oven Method:

This is great for a larger numbers of pancakes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the desired number of frozen pancakes into a foil packet. Or place pancakes in a flat layer on a sheet pan and cover the pan tightly with foil. Just make sure you seal tightly to prevent the pancakes from getting dry. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the pancakes are warm and soft. 

Toaster Method:

This is my least favorite method, but it does work. You are limited to only one pancake per slot, and need to watch to make sure the pancakes don’t become crispy or overcook. Time varies depending on toaster settings.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Carrot Cake Pancakes are a fun treat for a special brunch! The pancakes have carrots, spices, and walnuts, and are topped with a cream cheese glaze.

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Ingredients

For the pancakes:

• 5 oz all purpose flour, by weight (1 cup, measured)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup buttermilk or milk
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1 cup finely grated carrots

For the glaze:

• 3 tbsp softened butter*
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• water as needed

Instructions 

• Whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk, oil, and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until the flour is halfway incorporated. Add the walnuts and carrots, then stir until the flour pockets have disappeared, but make sure to leave lumps so you don’t overmix the batter and make the pancakes tough.
• Portion out medium scoops of the batter onto a nonstick pan set over medium high heat, and cook for a couple minutes on the first side, until bubbles form, then flip and cook for another couple minutes on the other side. Remove to a plate.
• Prepare the glaze by melting the butter and cream cheese together in the microwave. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add water as needed, to thin the glaze. Drizzle on top of the pancakes, and enjoy!

Notes

*If you’re using cold butter straight from the fridge, microwave the butter separately, otherwise the cream cheese will overcook in the microwave before the butter is melted.

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 438mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 27g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Joanne Ozug