What are IHOP Pumpkin Spice Pancakes?

IHOP's limited fall menu item, available every September through November. They're IHOP's classic buttermilk pancake batter with canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice stirred in, served with a cream cheese icing drizzle and warm pumpkin topping. The cream cheese icing is IHOP's same signature sauce they use on their Cinn-A-Stack pancakes — a thin, pourable cream cheese glaze that soaks into the hot stack.

Can I make these pancakes without buttermilk?

Yes. Stir 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) into 1 1/4 cups whole milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes until slightly curdled. This 'quick buttermilk' mimics the acidity that reacts with the baking soda for rise and tang. Full-fat buttermilk is still better if you have it — it's thicker and more acidic — but the substitution works well enough.

Why is my pumpkin pancake batter orange-colored?

Canned pumpkin puree adds an orange tint to the batter that deepens as the pancakes cook — you'll see golden-orange pancakes rather than standard pale gold ones. This is correct and expected. The darker color doesn't mean they're burning; check doneness by looking for bubbles across the surface and matte (not glossy) edges, just like any buttermilk pancake.

How do I get the cream cheese icing the right consistency?

Start with fully softened cream cheese — if there's any cold firmness left, beat it an extra minute before adding the powdered sugar. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. You want the icing to fall off a tilted spoon in a slow, thick ribbon, not drip in drops and not run off in a stream. It will thin slightly as it sits in the warm kitchen, so make it slightly thicker than you want the final drizzle to be.

How early can I make the pumpkin batter?

The batter should be used within 15–20 minutes of mixing. Letting it sit longer means the leavening (baking powder and baking soda) expends itself before the batter hits the griddle, and the pancakes won't rise as well. You can mix the dry and wet ingredients separately up to a day ahead and combine them when you're ready to cook.

How do I store and reheat leftover pumpkin pancakes?

Cool completely on a wire rack, then layer between parchment paper and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 325°F oven on a sheet pan for 5–7 minutes (from refrigerated) or 10–12 minutes (from frozen). A toaster on the lightest setting also works well for a single pancake. Store cream cheese icing separately in the refrigerator; it thickens when cold and needs a 30-second microwave and stir to loosen it back to drizzle consistency.

Can I make the jack-o-lantern faces without chocolate chips?

Yes. Use raisins, candy corn, or candy-coated sunflower seeds for eyes and nose. For the mouth, a curved row of mini marshmallows works if you press them in early and they partially melt into the batter. You can also skip the in-batter decoration and draw faces in cream cheese icing on top of the finished pancake stack using a squeeze bottle or a plastic bag with a corner snipped.

IHOP Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

IHOP charges $13–15 for their fall pumpkin spice stack, and they’ve brought it back every September through November since around 2014 because the demand is there every single year. At home, the same recipe — pumpkin-enriched buttermilk batter, cream cheese icing, warm pumpkin topping — makes 14 to 16 pancakes for under $4. For Halloween morning, one optional step turns each pancake into a jack-o-lantern: press chocolate chip triangles into the wet batter 30 seconds after pouring, and they melt just enough to hold their face shape permanently when you flip.

How to Make IHOP Pumpkin Spice Pancakes Copycat

The batter comes together in one bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt), then fold in the wet ingredients (buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, vanilla) until just combined — 12 to 15 strokes, still lumpy. Rest 5 minutes while the griddle heats to 375°F.

The cream cheese icing is what makes these taste like IHOP and not just generic pumpkin pancakes. Beat softened cream cheese until fully smooth, add powdered sugar and vanilla, then thin with whole milk one tablespoon at a time until the icing drizzles off a spoon in a slow, thick ribbon. Make it first so it has time to sit and thin slightly at room temperature.

The Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Face Trick

After pouring each 1/3-cup of batter onto the griddle, wait 30 seconds until the edges barely start to set. Then press chocolate chips into the wet surface: two small triangles for eyes (three chips per eye), one triangle for the nose, and a curved row of six to eight chips for the mouth. Work fast — you have about a 45-second window. When you flip, the chips are face-down on the griddle for 60 to 90 seconds, melt just enough to grip the surface, and come up embedded in the golden pancake. The faces hold their shape on the finished stack.

IHOP Pumpkin Spice Pancakes vs. Homemade

At IHOP, a pumpkin spice stack for one runs $13–15 and typically comes with five pancakes, the cream cheese icing, and pumpkin topping. At home: the full batch (14–16 pancakes) costs roughly $3.50–4.00 in ingredients: flour, buttermilk, two eggs, half a can of pumpkin puree, butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. That’s under 30 cents per pancake, versus $2.60–3.00 per pancake at the restaurant.

The one technique difference: IHOP’s griddles run hotter and are professionally seasoned, so their pancakes pick up a more pronounced golden crust. At home, get as close to 375°F as possible and use real butter (not spray) on the griddle — the milk solids in butter brown at the edges and give each pancake a lace border that matches IHOP’s look.

More Halloween Breakfast Ideas

Copycat IHOP Buttermilk Pancakes — the base batter this recipe builds on
Copycat IHOP Cinn-A-Stack Pancakes — cinnamon roll filling layered between pancakes
Halloween Caramel Apples — a Halloween kitchen project to do with kids
Viral TikTok Halloween Pumpkin Mac and Cheese — the spooky dinner that pairs with this breakfast

IHOP is a trademark of its owner, used here only to describe the dish this recipe recreates. This is an independent copycat written in our own words — Copycat Spices is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by IHOP.

IHOP Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

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