Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Swirl
I am not telling you when I say these just might be the best pancakes I’ve ever had. At least, it’s a very close competition between these Carrot Cake Pancakes and my Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes. These pancakes are extremely simple and easy to make. Of course, we’ve got specs of shredded carrots in this pancake batter, but we also have a nice harmony of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to help drive that classic carrot cake flavor home. These pancakes are the perfect combination of soft and fluffy but not overly sweet on their own, so paired with that smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting, it’s seriously a match made in heaven. I hope that you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
How To Make Carrot Cake Pancakes
I love a good pancake, and it’s still an ongoing debate, pancakes v.s waffles. Thankfully, with this recipe, there’s no debate. These carrot cake pancakes with cream cheese swirl are so much easier to make than you might think, and make for the ultimate breakfast. Let’s break it down, shall we?!
Making Carrot Cake Pancake Batter
- Finely shred your carrots, the finer, the better :)
- Place the shredded carrots in a thin towel and squeeze out excess moisture. This step prevents soggy pancakes. Trust me, I tested this recipe a few times and learned the hard way lol.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Sifting makes these pancakes light and fluffy, and prevents lumps.
- Whisk just until combined, making sure not to overmix.
- Fold in the shredded carrots using a silicone spatula.
- Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes while preheating your griddle.
Making Cream Cheese Frosting
- Make sure butter and cream cheese are fully softened.
- Beat them together with an electric mixer until completely smooth and lump-free.
- Add confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Mix on low until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Transfer a few scoops to a piping bag and leave the rest covered at room temperature.
Tips for Making Carrot Cake Pancakes
- Shred carrots finely. Large shreds won’t soften enough while cooking.
- Squeeze out moisture. Too much water from carrots = dense pancakes.
- Don’t overmix the batter. A few lumps are perfectly fine.
- Keep the heat moderate. Too hot and the outside will brown before the center cooks through.
- Remove excess melted frosting from the griddle to prevent burning.
How to Store Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Swirl
Because these pancakes have cream cheese frosting, making sure that you store them correctly is key!
- Allow pancakes to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Keep for up to 3–4 days.
Recipe Alternatives
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter
- Stir in crushed pineapple for a hummingbird-style twist
- Use maple cream cheese frosting instead of vanilla
- Swap whole milk for buttermilk for extra tang
- Make them gluten-free using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
More Recipes You Might Enjoy!
Banana Coffee Cake
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel Apple Pancakes
Copycat Honey Nut Cheerio Milk ‘N Cereal Bars
Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes
Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Swirl
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10-12
servings15
minutes10
minutesKeep the screen of your device on.
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
One block cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
- Carrot Cake Pancakes
1 3/4 cups finely shredded carrots (about 5-8 large carrots)
3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
butter, for greasing griddle
Directions
- Start by preparing the cream cheese frosting since we will need it while the pancakes are cooking. First, make sure that both your butter and cream cheese are at least room temperature; softened is even better. Place in a large bowl and cream together using an electric mixer.
- Once there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth, add the remaining ingredients and continue to mix on low speed until everything starts to come together. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is combining evenly. Place a few scoops of the frosting into a piping bag, cover the rest, and set aside at room temperature.
- Carrot Cake Pancakes
- Start by shredding your carrots very finely. Once you have enough, place the carrots in the center of a thin rag and squeeze out the excess moisture. Set the carrots aside for now.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, milk, and vanilla. Once combined, sift the dry ingredients into the wet. Whisk just until everything has come together. Use a silicone spatula to fold in the shredded carrots. Let the pancake batter thicken and set at room temperature for about 10 minutes while you preheat your griddle.
- Heat your griddle to about 250-300 degrees F. Once ready, spread a generous amount of butter on your griddle, then scoop your pancake batter onto your griddle, making sure not to overcrowd, so you have room to flip. Cook the pancakes for about 3-5 minutes, then pipe a swirl of cream cheese frosting on top. Let it sit for a few seconds, then gently flip your pancake. You will see cream cheese frosting ooze out the sides – don’t worry, remove any excess next to the pancakes to prevent burning.
- Cook the pancake on the other side for an additional 2-5 minutes, then remove from the heatand swirl it side up. The cream cheese frosting will have seeped into your pancakes – this is normal (it adds even more flavor)! A few minutes after being removed from the heat, pipe another swirl where the indents have been made from the first cream cheese swirl. Repeat these steps for each one.
- Enjoy!
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