These sweet, Paleo Squash Pancakes are the perfect fall breakfast treat. They're made with steamed squash, cassava flour, egg and sweetened with coconut sugar. In addition, these fall flavored Paleo pancakes are nut free, grain free, gluten free and dairy free.

Ever wonder what do do with leftover squash? Well, one of my favorite ways to use up excess squash is to bake with it. Homemade bread, pancakes and muffins are a favorite of mine.

The easiest way to bake with squash is to steam it. But, oven baked squash works too! When squash has been steamed/baked it is often tender enough to mash with a fork - a huge plus if you're not always wanting to whip out your blender or food processor.

For these Paleo Squash Pancakes, I used steamed kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin. This winter squash has a dark green, rough exterior and deep orange flesh. It is sweet in flavor - perfect for making pancakes. However, many squash varieties will work well in this recipe.

The Best Winter Squash for Making Pancakes

kabocha squash
butternut squash
acorn squash
buttercup squash
delicata squash
dumpling squash
hubbard squash

How to Make Paleo Squash Pancakes

A food processor or blender is not needed for these grain free squash pancakes. But, if you want a smoother, creamier batter then you may use one.

Before combining the ingredients to make these pancakes, you'll need to prepare and steam the squash. If you're using leftover squash then you can skip the first few steps.

So, to prep the squash, cut it in half, remove the innards and then cut the squash into cubes. Be sure to remove the skin too.

Next, place the squash in a steamer pot and steam until tender. Then let the squash cool to room temperature.

Using a fork, mash the squash. Add in egg and vanilla and mix.

Then, mix in remaining ingredients.

Preheat a frying pan by setting the temperature to medium-low heat for a couple minutes. Then, add a small amount of oil (I used coconut oil) and pour ¼ cup batter onto the pan. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until bubbles start to form on top of the pancake. Flip, then cook a few seconds more.

Repeat process until no more batter remains. This recipe makes seven pancakes, using ¼ cup batter per each.

Best Toppings for Sweet Squash Pancakes

The pancakes in these photographs were topped with coconut cream, hemp seeds, raspberries, cinnamon and maple syrup. However, there are many great toppings to choose from. Here are my go-to's:

coconut cream
coconut butter
nut or seed butter
maple syrup or honey
fresh berries
freeze dried fruit
candied nuts