These pumpkin spice pancakes with cottage cheese are soft, spiced and easy to make. The combination of banana, oats and cottage cheese gives the pancakes a full texture and makes them suitable as a nutritious breakfast or snack.
Pumpkin spice consists of spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove and allspice. The mix usually contains no pumpkin, but takes its name from the American dishes in which it is traditionally used. With its warm and slightly sweet flavor, pumpkin spice pairs not only with pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice latte, but also surprisingly well with pancakes.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Quantity: about 8 small pancakes
Serves: 2 people
Why cottage cheese in pancakes?
Cottage cheese – also called hüttenkäse – makes the batter soft and provides extra protein. By pureeing the cottage cheese together with the other ingredients, most of the curds disappear and a smooth batter is formed.
The pancakes remain slightly softer than traditional pancakes. Therefore, it’s best to fry them small and only flip them when the top is almost dry.
Ingredients
For about eight small pancakes you need:
- 200 g cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 small ripe banana
- 100 g oats
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- Optional 1–2 tablespoons milk
- A little butter or oil for frying
Optionally you can add 75 grams of pumpkin puree. In that case use a slightly smaller banana or add some extra oats if the batter becomes too thin.
Make your own pumpkin spice
Don’t have ready-made pumpkin spice at home? Make the spice mix yourself with:
- 4 tablespoons ground Ceylon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
Mix the spices well and store the mix in a clean, tightly closed spice jar. For this recipe you need about 1½ teaspoons.
Preparation
- Put the cottage cheese, eggs, banana, oats, pumpkin spice, the baking powder and salt into a blender or tall mixing jug.
- Puree everything into a fairly smooth batter. A few small bits of oats or cottage cheese are no problem.
- Let the batter sit for about five minutes. During this time the oats absorb some of the liquid.
- Check the thickness. The batter should run slowly off a spoon. Is it too thick? Then add one or two tablespoons of milk. Is it very thin? Stir in some extra oats.
- Heat a little butter or oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Spoon small dollops of batter into the pan. Use about two tablespoons of batter per pancake.
- Fry the pancakes for about two to three minutes, until the edges firm up and small bubbles appear on the top.
- Carefully flip them and fry the other side for another about two minutes until golden brown.
- Serve the pumpkin spice pancakes immediately with your favorite toppings.
Which toppings go with them?
The pancakes are slightly sweet from the banana by themselves. You can serve them, for example, with:
- Fried apple and a pinch of cinnamon
- Greek yogurt or extra cottage cheese
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Fresh blueberries
- A little honey or maple syrup
- Almond butter or peanut butter
Fried apple pairs particularly well with the warm flavor of pumpkin spice. Fry apple cubes briefly with a small knob of butter and a pinch of cinnamon until they are soft.
How to fry firm, airy pancakes
Do not fry these pancakes over too high heat. Because of the banana they brown faster than regular pancakes. At medium to low heat they have enough time to become firm on the inside as well.
Don’t make the pancakes too large. A diameter of about eight to ten centimeters makes flipping easier. Also wait until the edges have set before sliding a spatula under the pancake.
The baking powder ensures a lighter result. Are you using ground oats instead of whole oat flakes? Then the texture becomes a bit finer and smoother.
Can you store the pancakes?
You can store the cooked pumpkin spice pancakes covered in the refrigerator for up to two days after cooling. Reheat them briefly in a frying pan, oven or microwave.
You can also freeze them. Place a piece of baking paper between the pancakes if necessary so they don’t freeze together. Thaw them in the refrigerator or heat them gently straight from the freezer.
More to make with pumpkin spice
Pumpkin spice is a versatile mix that you can use in both warm drinks and sweet dishes. Try the spices, for example, in:
- Pumpkin spice latte
- Oatmeal or overnight oats
- Banana bread
- Apple pie or muffins
- Granola
- Pumpkin soup
- Roasted pumpkin
- Hot chocolate
Want to know more about this popular spice mix? Also read: What is pumpkin spice and how do you make it yourself?
Frequently asked questions
1. Is there pumpkin in pumpkin spice?
No, pumpkin spice is a spice mix and usually contains no pumpkin. The name refers to pumpkin pie, in which the spices are traditionally used.
2. Can I replace the cottage cheese?
You can replace cottage cheese with a firm quark, but the texture and amount of liquid may then change. Add extra oats if necessary.
3. Can I make pumpkin spice pancakes without banana?
Yes. Replace the banana, for example, with about 100 grams of pumpkin puree and add a little honey or maple syrup to taste.
4. Why do my cottage cheese pancakes fall apart?
Probably the batter is too thin or the pancakes were flipped too early. Add some extra oats, fry small pancakes and wait until the top is almost set.
5. Can I make the batter the night before?
You can, but the oats will continue to absorb liquid, making the batter thicker. Store it covered in the refrigerator and add a small splash of milk before frying if necessary.
