The Best Carrot Cake Pancakes (Your New Favorite Breakfast!)

My Carrot Cake Pancakes are about as good as breakfast gets. They’re packed with classic carrot cake flavors and cook up soft, sweet, and downright delicious. Top them with some cream cheese frosting, maple syrup, and crushed pecans and you’ve got yourself dessert for breakfast!

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Growing up, I was the kid who’d choose carrot cake over just about anything.

Chocolate? Nah. Vanilla? Too plain.

But carrot cake? Now that was something special!

My mama used to make it from scratch, and the whole kitchen would smell amazing! I’d sit on the counter, swinging my legs, sneaking little tastes whenever she wasn’t looking.

Now as an adult, I love breakfast food just as much as I love carrot cake. So I figured, why not put the two together?

That’s how this carrot cake pancake recipe came to be!

It’s got all the classic carrot cake flavors, but in fluffy pancake form. And y’all know how much I love coming up with new pancake flavors!

Why You’ll Love These Carrot Cake Pancakes

If you love classic carrot cake flavors and a good breakfast food, then you’re in for a real treat. These carrot cake pancakes are soft, sweet, and full of warm spices that’ll make your kitchen smell amazing. Here’s why you’ll love them:

• They Taste Just Like Carrot Cake: These pancakes have all the goodness of a homemade carrot cake recipe, but in pancake form. It’s like having dessert for breakfast, and honestly, who wouldn’t love that?
• Soft, Fluffy, and Perfectly Golden: No dry, chewy pancakes here—just pillowy stacks of carrot cake goodness.
• Delicious Cream Cheese Topping: Y’all, I don’t make pancakes without toppings, and my cream cheese topping is what takes them over the top. It’s rich, creamy, and pairs perfectly with the warm spices in the pancakes. Add a drizzle of maple syrup and some pecan pieces, and you’ve got the perfect pancake for any special occasion—like Easter brunch or a lazy Saturday morning.

Carrot Cake Pancakes Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour: This is the base of the carrot cake pancake batter. It gives the pancakes structure and keeps them light and fluffy.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These help the pancakes rise and get a soft, airy texture.
• Ground Cinnamon & Nutmeg: The warm spices that make these pancakes taste just like a classic carrot cake recipe.
• Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: A little brown sugar gives the pancakes a deep, caramel-like sweetness, while granulated sugar keeps everything balanced.
• Eggs: They hold everything together and add richness.
• Melted Butter: Makes the pancakes extra tender.
• Vanilla Extract: Just a little pure vanilla extract makes all the flavors pop.
• Chocolate Milk: Instead of regular milk, using chocolate milk makes these pancakes extra rich.
• Finely Grated Carrots: You can’t have fluffy carrot cake pancakes without shredded carrots!

*You can use any type of milk in place of the chocolate milk, such as: regular whole milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk.

The Toppings (Because pancakes deserve a little something extra!)

• Cream Cheese Frosting (optional): I think the frosting is the best part of any carrot cake! So, I slather some of my delicious cream cheese frosting on top.
• Pecan Pieces (optional): A sprinkle of pecans adds crunch and a little nuttiness. It’s a perfect finishing touch!

How to Make Carrot Cake Pancakes

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients: Grab a large bowl and whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2. Add the Sugars: Now, mix in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Give it another good whisk to make sure everything is mixed up real nice.

3. Stir in the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat the large eggs and add in the melted butter, pure vanilla extract, and chocolate milk. Pour this into your dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

4. Add the Carrots: Use a box grater or a food processor for the easiest way to shred them up real fine. Stir them into the batter until everything is well combined. Let the carrot cake pancake batter sit for a couple of minutes to allow the flavors come together.

5. Cook the Pancakes: Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat and grease it lightly with butter or oil. Pour about a cup of batter onto the skillet and cook low and slow.

When you see little bubbles on top and the edges start to look set, it’s time to flip! Cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter.

6. Stack ‘Em Up and Add Toppings: Pile your pancakes onto a plate in a single layer and top with cream cheese topping.

You can use regular cream cheese frosting, or thin it out with a little lemon juice for a drizzle. Add some pecan pieces for a little crunch and finish with a drizzle of maple syrup.

More Delicious Pancake Recipes

• Pecan Pancakes
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Caramel Pancakes
• Cheesecake Pancakes
• Hot Chocolate Pancakes

How to Store Leftovers

To store leftover carrot cake pancakes, let them cool completely, then stack them in a single layer between sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to keep them from sticking.

Place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat in a nonstick skillet, toaster, or oven on a baking sheet at medium-low heat until warm and golden brown.

Avoid microwaving too long, or they’ll turn chewy instead of fluffy!

Print Pin

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Servings 1 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Flour
• 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon of Nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon
• ¾ cup of Sugar
• 3 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 teaspoon of Vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of Melted Butter
• ¾ cup Chocolate Milk
• 1 cup of Finely Grated Carrots
• Cream Cheese Frosting for topping | optional
• Pecan Pieces for topping | optional

Instructions

• Start by adding your flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl.
• Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
• Add in your sugar and brown sugar. Whisk together once more until well combined.
• Add in your eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and milk. Mix thoroughly.
• Lastly, add in your finely grated carrots. At this point, I used a hand mixer and mixed on high until combined.
• Pour your batter into a piping bag and cut off the tip. Pipe your batter into a well greased skillet, on medium heat. This makes for less mess! The key to pancakes is low and slow.
• Cook your pancakes until the edges are cooked through and the bubbles on top begin to pop. Then quickly flip your pancake and cook until each side is golden.
• Stack your pancakes on a serving dish and top with cream cheese frosting, and pecans if desired.
• Drizzle with syrup and enjoy!