Tortitas de Calabaza are a beloved Mexican dish made from mashed pumpkin or squash, shaped into small patties and pan-fried until golden brown. Slightly sweet and deeply comforting, these fritters bring warmth and nostalgia to the table. Whether served as a snack, breakfast, side dish, or light dessert, Tortitas de Calabaza capture the earthy sweetness of calabaza (Mexican squash) in every bite.
Traditionally made during the fall and winter months, especially around Día de los Muertos or Lent, these fritters are a celebration of seasonal produce. The pumpkin or squash is typically cooked down and mashed into a smooth purée, then mixed with ingredients like eggs, flour, a touch of sugar, and warm spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg. The result is a batter that turns into soft, pillowy cakes with a slightly crisp exterior when fried in a bit of oil.
What makes Tortitas de Calabaza so delightful is their simplicity and versatility. Some versions lean more savory, pairing the pumpkin with cheese or herbs, while others embrace the natural sweetness of the squash and are dusted with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with syrup. Either way, these little patties are satisfying and wholesome, often evoking memories of family kitchens and traditional cooking.
They’re also easy to adapt-swap calabaza for butternut squash or even canned pumpkin if needed. Add a bit of vanilla or orange zest to enhance the flavor, or enjoy them with a hot drink like atole or café de olla for the ultimate cozy experience.
Tortitas de Calabaza are more than just fritters, they’re a taste of heritage. In every bite, you get a sense of home, tradition, and the joy of making something comforting from simple ingredients.
This recipe is made by Sarahi Lacen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pancake mix just add water
- 1 cup pumpkin boiled
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the pancake mix with the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Add the smashed pumpkin and mix all the ingredients together. The mixture will be a bit drier than regular pancake mix.
- Use a big spoon to place the mix on a frying pan covered with butter at medium heat.
- Cook on one side, then turn the pancake to the other side.
- Flip a couple of times to ensure it cooks thoroughly.
- Enjoy!
Um, are these really pancakes? More like weird blobs…
I love how quick this is with pancake mix—no fuss. Mine browned a little too fast on medium heat, so watch that pan.
I think my pan was too hot too 😅 Mine got dark like super quick, and I don’t even know why. Next time I’ll lower the heat. Still tasted good tho!
Yes!! “No fuss” is exactly it. I did mine on medium-low and they came out perfect—golden, not burnt. Thanks for the tip about browning fast!
I don’t like pumpkin, but my husband loved these. He said it tastes like autumn! 😂
Yummy! My kids loved them! They didn’t even guess there was pumpkin in it!
That’s awesome! I’m glad your kids loved it. Sneaking in veggies is the best! 😊
Pumpkin in pancakes? Sounds weird. Is it really that good? 🤔
These turned out amazing! So fluffy and tasty! Definitely making them again!
I’m glad to hear they turned out great! I love the fluffiness too! Can’t wait to try this!
Tasty! I didn’t use butter, just a non-stick pan. It worked fine. =)
¡Qué buena idea! La calabaza le debe dar una dulzura súper rica. Me encanta que sea con mezcla de pancake y no complicarse mucho.
I added chocolate chips to the mix, soooo good! Highly recommend!
These are so yummy! I love the pumpkin flavor. Perfect for fall!
Eh, I’d rather just have normal pancakes. Pumpkin isn’t for me. But I guess if you like pumpkins, go for it.
I get that! Pumpkin isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But give it a try sometime, you might be surprised!
I was skeptical about using pumpkin, but wow! They’re awesome!
I think cinnamon is overrated, but these were decent. I’d probably eat them if someone made them for me.
I guess they’re okay without cinnamon, but like, what’s a pumpkin dish without it? Just seems… weird. But if you like them that way, who am I to judge?
I can’t believe you think cinnamon is overrated! It adds so much flavor to everything, especially in fall recipes like these. But hey, to each their own! Just brings more for us cinnamon lovers, right?
I love that this uses pancake mix! So easy and quick!
Never thought of using pumpkin in pancakes. But wow, I’m sold! Even my kids loved them!
Yummy! I added some walnuts and it gave it a nice crunch. Will definitely make again.
Just okay. The texture was off and wasn’t sweet enough for me. I might stick to regular pancakes.
I loved these tortitas! The pumpkin gave it a unique flavor. Maybe try adding more sugar next time?
I dunno, regular pancakes are usually better. How can pumpkin be a good substitute?
Cinnamon is too much in this one… made it taste funny.
No me convenció mucho. La primera tanda se me pegó y creo que el fuego estaba muy alto. La próxima las haré a menor temperatura y con más mantequilla.
Wow, this recipe is super easy! My kids loved them! Thanks for sharing!
I would give it a 1 because I burned mine 🤦♂️ but that’s my fault, not the recipe. It smells good!
Las hice para desayuno y volaron. Quedaron gorditas y con ese sabor otoñal que da gusto. Repetiría sin dudas.
¡Qué buena pinta! Me encanta eso del “sabor otoñal”, y que salgan gorditas es señal de que la mezcla con la calabaza funciona perfecto. 😄
I tried it but came out too dry. Maybe I need to add more water or something. 🤔
These are amazing! I can’t believe how easy they are to make. My kids loved them!
So glad to hear that! They’re super easy and delicious. My kids loved them too, especially with a little syrup!
Really? They look kinda weird to me. Pumpkin in pancakes? I dunno if that’s my thing.
I made these for breakfast but they taste more like dessert… not complaining though!
Yummy, but my kids didn’t like them as much. They prefer regular pancakes. 🤷♂️
Pumpkin pancakes are the best! Kids just need to give them a chance. 😋
Maybe try adding more sugar next time? My kids love sweet stuff! 🍯
These turned out fluffy and lightly spiced—my kid asked for seconds. I used fresh pumpkin and it was perfect. 🌟
Ok pero… ¿1 taza de pumpkin boiled? yo no sabía si era calabaza cocida o puré. Igual las hice con puré y quedaron ricas. La canela se siente demasiado para mi gusto, voy a bajar la próxima.
Too sweet for my taste. I would reduce the sugar next time.
Fantastic recipe! I omitted the sugar and used honey instead. Super yummy!
No sé… “una taza de calabaza hervida” depende de cómo la aplastes y de cuánto agua suelte. A mí me quedó demasiado líquido y tuve que agregar mezcla extra.
Totalmente de acuerdo: “1 taza de calabaza hervida” es súper engañoso 😅. La próxima vez exprímela un poco (o déjala escurrir) para que no suelte tanto líquido.
These are delicious! Perfect for fall mornings. I topped mine with maple syrup and it was heavenly!
These sound kinda weird to me. Pancake mix with pumpkin? I don’t know, man. My pancakes need eggs or they ain’t pancakes!
I’m glad you liked them! I never thought to add maple syrup. I’ll try that next time! 😊
How do I make these without pancake mix? Can I substitute flour? Asking for a friend.
Yum! Perfect for fall vibes! 🍂 Just what I needed as the leaves change!
Pumpkin in pancakes? Seems strange but actually not bad. Would make again for sure!
I dunno, pumpkin in pancakes sounds weird. Is it even healthy? I’m skeptical.
Pumpkin in pancakes is a game changer! I added some nuts too, and it was amazing! Definitely on my breakfast list now.
Not that great, didn’t rise like normal pancakes. 🙁
I will try this recipe but I think pancakes gotta have eggs for the fluffiness.
Me encantaron. La mezcla sí queda más densa que las tortitas normales, pero al cocinar un poco más salen perfectas y con sabor a canela bien rico.
Hmm, I don’t know. I tried it and it was kinda dry. Maybe I did something wrong?
These are amazing! So fluffy and full of flavor. A great twist on regular pancakes!
Delicious! Also, I used cinnamon sugar instead and they were even better!
Cinnamon sugar sounds yummy! I gotta try that next time. Thanks for the tip!
I made these for breakfast and my kids loved them! Will make again!
My mixture was definitely drier than regular pancake mix like you said, but it held together okay. I greased the pan well and they released easily.
I don’t know… the texture was kinda weird. Maybe I did it wrong? 🤔
Kinda bland tbh. Wouldn’t make again. Maybe too much sugar? Who knows.
I dunno, they were great! Maybe you just cooked them wrong? 🤷♂️
I actually loved them! Maybe try less sugar next time? It could help with the blandness!
Why would you use pumpkin? Don’t get it, no offense.
Pumpkin adds a great flavor and sweetness! It’s a nice twist on regular pancakes. You should give it a try!
I dunno, pumpkin seems weird for pancakes. Don’t you want like, chocolate chips or something instead?
I was skeptical about using pancake mix with pumpkin, but wow—cinnamon + vanilla is a great combo. I did need a tiny splash of water though.
I tried these for breakfast and they turned out way too dry. I think I need to add more water next time… or maybe I did something wrong?
These tortitas are amazing! I can’t believe how good they turned out. Perfect for fall breakfasts!
Sounds good but what if I don’t like pumpkin? Can I use something else instead?
I totally agree! These tortitas are like a warm hug on a plate. Perfectly cozy for chilly mornings! 🍂
Esto es basicamente panquecitos de calabaza, y me recordó a los de café. La receta es corta y funciona. Gracias!
¡Qué buena comparación! 🙌 A mí también me recuerda a los de café, sobre todo por la canela. Yo les pongo un toque extra de vainilla y quedan bien esponjitas.
Uh sí, suena rico, pero una cosa: ¿1 taza de calabaza no queda muy aguada? Yo siempre la escurro bien o se me pegan. Igual bien por ser receta corta, gracias.
I don’t know if I did something wrong, but mine came out way too dry. Maybe I needed more pumpkin?
These are the best pancakes! So fluffy and yummy!
I might be doing something wrong—mine turned out more like pancakes you’d feed to a science experiment. Any tips for moisture?
Soo good! But what’s with the water? Just add water didn’t work for me. Gonna try with milk next time.
Las hice con puré de calabaza sin escurrir bien y quedaron como masa líquida—o sea, no eran tortitas, eran blobs 😂. Si la calabaza está bien escurrida mejor.
Ok pero “mezcla el pancake mix con azúcar, vainilla y canela” — yo pensé que la pumpkin era suficiente. No estaba seguro… pero salieron ricos.
5/5!!! Wow, sabe a otoño. Muy buen tip de “un par de flips” para que queden bien cocidas. La textura me gustó más que las tortitas clásicas.
Quedaron sabrosas, aunque tuve que ajustar: usé menos azúcar porque la calabaza ya era dulce. Igual repetiría, sobre todo con mantequilla.
Cinnamon really made a difference! I also added some nutmeg. Definitely a keeper!
I don’t know about this recipe. Pancake mix + pumpkin? Sounds weird. But I gave it a try and it wasn’t bad.
No es lo que esperaba, pero lo voy a intentar de nuevo y añadirle chocolate! 🍫
10/10 would recommend!!!
Not bad, but the sweetness felt off. 1/4 cup sugar might be too much if your pumpkin is already sweet. I’ll reduce sugar next batch.
Tortitas? I thought these were pancakes? Lol. Anyway, they were delicious.
Really easy and quick to make, but why does it say to flip them? They don’t look like regular pancakes.
I don’t get why you gotta flip them if they ain’t even like real pancakes. Just one side seems fine!
I think the flipping helps them cook evenly, even if they don’t look like normal pancakes! They’re still delicious!
I couldn’t find pumkin so I put sqush instead.. it worked good but I think it ain’t the same. Need to try again with the right stuff.
My kids loved these! They were so fluffy. We added chocolate chips and they were gone in minutes.
Tortitas de calabaza? Sounds weird but it’s really good! Who knew pumpkin could taste so nice in pancakes!
These taste like fall. I added a pinch of nutmeg and a drizzle of maple syrup—insanely good. Will make again.
Could work.
Honestly, could work! The pumpkin swap sounds tasty—though I’d cut the sugar a bit if your pancake mix is already sweet.
Súper fácil. Solo agregas el agua al mix y ya… ok no, en serio: la receta confunde un poco con el “just add water”, pero funciona si sigues la instrucción de mezclar todo con el calabacín/ pumpkin.
No me salieron como esperaba. Se pegaron en la sartén aunque usé mantequilla. Capaz el calor estaba muy alto porque se doraron rápido por fuera y adentro no tanto.
Seguí la receta tal cual y sí quedaron un poquito más “secos” que los panqueques normales, pero quedaron bien igual. La canela se siente mucho, en mi caso perfecto.
Tortitas? More like ‘why did I even try this?’ Not a fan of the texture 🙁
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy them! I actually loved the texture, kinda fluffy and spongy! Maybe try less pumpkin next time?
Tortitas are supposed to be more like fritters! You might’ve mixed it up? Still love pumpkin tho! 🍂
Yo soy medio torpe en la cocina, pero con una cuchara y paciencia salieron. El punto de cocción con varios flips ayuda, eso sí.
Yo le bajaría el azúcar. Con la mezcla de pancake que ya es dulce, la verdad me pareció empalagoso. Por lo demás, fácil.
Wait… “flip a couple of times”? That’s not a measurement 😂 I burned one side but figured out the timing after. Still worth it.
But like… how many is “a couple”? I did 2 flips and they were kinda raw. Next time I’ll count it and maybe turn more. Also pumpkin boiled—does that mean cooked with water? I’m confused lol.
Honestly the “flip a couple of times” is so true 😂 I just look for bubbles and don’t overthink it. Burning one side happens to the best of us—still, sounds delicious!
Kinda dry for me. I followed it exactly, but the batter was thick—next time I’ll add more pumpkin puree or a bit more liquid. Still tasty.