Apple Pancakes
Let’s enjoy the crisp air with a stack of cozy apple pancakes! These apple-scented pancakes make for an ideal autumn breakfast. They’re a straightforward weekend cooking project and hold up well for fast weekday mornings (they also freeze and thaw beautifully).
This apple pancake recipe starts from scratch with freshly shredded apple, and a hint of ground cinnamon brings everything to life. Bright-tasting apples such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith create the biggest flavor payoff. In this batch, I used Honeycrisp apples—they’re a family favorite, and they make fantastic pancakes.
You may already have what you need to prepare these pancakes right in your pantry. Let’s get cooking.
Apple Pancake Tips
You’ll see the complete recipe below. For now, here are a few pointers to ensure your pancakes turn out great.
Flour options include white whole wheat flour, standard whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour. When possible, I reach for whole-grain flours, yet all-purpose flour gives the most balanced flavor so the apple can really stand out. If not, you can use white whole wheat flour (often labeled “golden wheat” by King Arthur Flour) to get the nutrition of whole wheat without the bold, nutty taste.
Lightly grease your griddle or skillet with oil. I cook my pancakes with avocado oil since it has a high smoke point and a mild flavor (butter tends to scorch quickly). No matter what you choose, wipe away any extra with a paper towel so it doesn’t start to smoke.
Begin by cooking just one pancake. After you’ve practiced with a single pancake and confirmed your skillet is properly heated, you can cook the rest together. Keep a couple of inches between pancakes for easier flipping.
It’s time to flip when roughly 1/2-inch of the outer edge changes from shiny to matte. At that stage, the bottom should look nicely golden. If you’re unsure, waiting a little longer is better than risking an undercooked, messy pancake.
As cooking continues, reduce the heat. The skillet warms up the longer it stays on the stove. If your pancakes brown too much on the outside before they cook through inside, the pan is running too hot. Lower the heat a little after every few pancakes.
Watch How to Make Apple Pancakes
Pancake Serving Suggestions
These apple-kissed pancakes are fantastic with a drizzle of maple syrup, but they’re even better with something a little extra. Consider this set of topping or side ideas:
More Apple Recipes to Enjoy
Want a few more classic apple dishes to savor this fall? Here are some ideas:
Please share how your pancakes turned out in the comments! I truly enjoy hearing from you. You can find more pancake recipes here.
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Apple Pancakes
This apple pancake recipe uses freshly grated apple along with ground cinnamon. These apple pancakes are nourishing, flavorful and simple to prepare. Makes 8 to 9 pancakes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a smaller bowl, mix the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until everything is fully combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in the grated apple. Stir only until you don’t see dry flour anymore (a few small lumps are totally fine). Let the batter sit for 5 minutes for extra light and fluffy pancakes.
- While the batter rests, if you’re using an electric griddle, warm it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, warm a large stainless steel or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. You can begin cooking when a drop of water sizzles on contact with the hot surface. If needed, lightly oil the cooking surface and wipe away any surplus with a paper towel (nonstick pans usually need little to no oil).
- Spoon a scant ¼ cup of batter onto the hot skillet, leaving about a couple of inches around each pancake for spreading. Cook until small bubbles appear on the pancake tops, 2 to 3 minutes (you’ll know it’s time to turn when about ½-inch of the edge looks matte rather than glossy). Flip, then continue cooking until the pancakes are lightly golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Proceed with the remaining batter, adding more oil and adjusting the heat as required (after a bit, I usually switch to low heat—if the pancakes are browning too fast outside before they cook through, the temperature is too high). Serve right away with your preferred toppings, or hold warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.
- Any leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for as long as 4 days, or frozen* for up to 2 months. Reheat by stacking leftover pancakes and wrapping them in a paper towel before warming gently in the microwave.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Whole Wheat Pancakes.
*Make your own buttermilk: Combine 1 cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy such as almond milk) with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or distilled vinegar. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then stir once more before using. View photos of the steps here.
Make it dairy free: Prepare your own buttermilk using non-dairy milk and swap the butter for avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil.
Make it egg free: I haven’t confirmed this, but you can likely leave out the egg.
Make it vegan: Use the dairy-free and egg-free options listed above.
Make it gluten free: Use Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free 1-to-1 flour as a replacement. Or, you could experiment by mixing the grated apple into my recipe for Almond Flour Pancakes—please let me know in the comments if you try it!
Nutrition
The information displayed is an estimate generated by an online nutrition calculator. It shouldn’t be used in place of a professional nutritionist’s guidance. See our complete nutrition disclosure here.
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