Breakfast

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pancake: Cozy Fall Breakfast You’ll Love

ByChef Maggie October 27, 2025November 3, 2025

Let Me Tell You About These Pancakes…

Alright, picture this: chilly autumn morning, I’m half-asleep, coffee in hand, and my kid yells, “Mom, pancakes!” Not regular pancakes though—we’re talking Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pancake masterpieces. Toasty, sort-of-cheesecakey, and pumpkiny (if that’s a word)—these always make the house smell like a pumpkin patch decided to throw a breakfast party. Actually, last Thanksgiving, my cousin tried to sneak some into a Tupperware for the road. Didn’t work. My dog got there first—don’t ask me how cottage cheese panckes appeal to dogs, but there it is. Anyway, these are the pancakes I crave when leaves start falling or frankly, when I just miss fall.

Why You’ll Love This, Even If You Think You Won’t

I make this when I need to bribe my family to set the table (honestly, pancakes are the only leverage I have now). My family goes a bit bonkers for these, especially because they’re somehow fluffy and creamy all at once? (That’s the cheese at work, I swear!) It’s my “clean out the fridge” recipe too—if the pumpkin or cottage cheese are close to expiring, pancakes it is. Also, I used to dread making pancakes from scratch—what’s with every bowl in the kitchen getting dirty? But this one uses, like, two bowls. Bliss.

Here’s What Goes In (and Substitutes I’ve Survived With)

1 cup pumpkin puree (sometimes I swap for mashed sweet potato—works in a pinch but pumpkin is king)
3/4 cup cottage cheese (any fat content is fine, even ricotta once when I was desperate)
2 eggs (I’ve actually used flax eggs for vegan friends, not bad at all)
1/2 cup flour (all-purpose is classic, but I also did half oat flour once just to feel healthy—didn’t notice)
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (sugar if you must, but maple is autumn incarnate)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or more, because who’s measuring cinnamon anyway?)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (my grandma would say “don’t forget the nutmeg” so I try not to)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (which I always forget but it does matter)
Butter or oil for the pan—both work, and olive oil’s fine if that’s all you’ve got
Optional: handful of chocolate chips or walnuts—depends how fancy you feel

How To Make Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pancake (Without Breaking a Sweat)

Mix the pumpkin puree, cottage cheese, eggs, and maple syrup (or honey) in a big bowl. Stir until it looks…well, kind of odd. Lumpy is fine here (I worried for years it wasn’t—nope!).
In another bowl, dump the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Give it a little whisk. Or fork. Or whatever’s clean.
Pour the dry stuff into the wet. If you see a few streaks of flour, honestly, that probably means you didn’t overmix (I know they say that’s important—it actually is for pancakes).
This is where I sneak a taste. Not just to check for sweetness, but because I have no self-control.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium. Add some butter/oil and swirl it a bit—my stove is fussy, so I have to keep adjusting the heat (old house probs).
Spoon batter on—about 1/4 cup at a time. If they look blobby, that’s okay! Let them cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. The edges should look a bit dry and you might see a few bubbles (or not).
Flip with confidence (or as much swagger as a spatula allows). Another 2-ish minutes on the other side is good. Don’t worry if they’re slightly orange and jiggly—they set up as they cool.
Transfer to a plate, stack ’em as high as you dare or just eat hot off the pan.

Stuff I’ve Learned (Sometimes The Hard Way)

If you forget the baking powder, you get delicious pumpkin hockey pucks. Still edible. Maybe not ideal, though.
I tried coconut flour once. Never again. It sucked all the moisture away. Maybe you can do it better, but I can’t.
Don’t be shy with cinnamon. Too much is rarely a problem (except for that one time…it got pretty spicy).
If you’re using really watery cottage cheese, just drain it a bit. Actually, I find it works better if it’s not soupy.

If You Want To Switch It Up…

I’ve thrown in chopped apples and pecans—bit of a breakfast apple pie vibe, super nice.
Last week, my friend tried adding protein powder. Not my favorite, but it did keep me full until lunch.
Tried it with gluten-free flour. Works fine, just a smidge denser. Rice flour though? Kinda crumbly, not my cup of tea.

Use What You’ve Got (Equipment Rant Incoming)

Griddle: Nice if you’ve got one, but I usually just use my ancient skillet.
Bowl: Any big bowl. Sometimes I use a saucepan. No shame.
Spatula: Flipping with a fork in college—made it work. Not recommended, but it’s possible if you’re desperate.

How Do You Store ‘Em? (Although They’ll Disappear)

Supposedly, these keep in the fridge for 2-3 days in a container. I rarely get past 24 hours because my partner “just checks on them” and suddenly there’s one left. You can freeze them too—just layer parchment in between and use a bag or box. They reheat great in a toaster or microwave. Actually, I think this tastes better the next day, maybe that’s just me?

Here’s How I Serve Them (Traditions and Other Shenanigans)

My favorite way: stacked up, drowning in maple syrup and a bit of whipped cream (it’s breakfast, but who’s judging?). My dad likes peanut butter on his—can’t say I recommend it, but he swears by it. My little one insists on chocolate chips, extra butter, and sometimes a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar (we call it her “pancake snow”).

Pro Tips (Learned The Hard Way…Oops)

Once I tried rushing the flipping—total disaster. Let the edges look dry, even if you’re impatient. Not worth the mess otherwise.
Don’t stack hot pancakes, they go soggy (unless you like them that way?). Cool on a rack if you’re feeling fancy.
Actually, if you let the batter sit for 10 minutes it gets fluffier. I usually forget, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Some FAQs Because People Actually Ask Me

Can I make these ahead?
Yep. They reheat brilliantly; I just pop them in the toaster. Or eat cold with jam (don’t tell anyone).
Can kids help?
Sure. The batter part is fun—just watch for flour explosions. I always have to fish out eggshells if my son cracks them (practice makes perfect… maybe).
Can you taste the cottage cheese?
Sort of, but it’s more creamy than cheesy. Think less cheesecake, more melt-in-your-mouth.
What if I don’t have pumpkin?
Sweet potato, mashed banana—even applesauce. Bit different, but still good. Bananas are sweeter, so pull back the syrup a tad.

By the way, if you’re hunting for the best pan, Serious Eats has a top notch review. And if you’re wondering about pumpkin puree, I learned a ton form King Arthur Baking’s blog (spoiler: some brands aren’t even pumpkin!).

So there you have it. Pancakes, small talk, and a pumpkin obsession—just another morning in my kitchen. If you try this, let me know, honestly, I want to hear about disaster attempts too. Those are half the fun, right?

Chef Maggie