Apple Pancakes
Celebrate the start of fall with light and fluffy Apple Pancakes, filled with warm spices! This pancake recipe is so easy to whip up and packs plenty of flavor thanks to the addition of sweet, ripe apples and cozy spices. So perfect topped with cinnamon apples, chopped pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup!
These apple pancakes are my new favorite fall breakfast! They kind of remind me of apple pie in pancake form. You’ve got the sweet, slightly tart finely diced pieces of apple mixed into the batter, the light, fluffy texture, and to really take these hotcakes to the next level, we’ve added plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg. So good!
This recipe is amazing!!! So flavorful! I made them for my kids for the first day back to school and they loved them!
— Kate
Reasons to love this recipe
- It’s delicious. If you’re looking for a warm, cozy breakfast, then you’ve come to the right place because these flapjacks are filled with sweet apple and cinnamon flavors that are irresistible and comforting. Just the thing to get you in the mood for the fall season!
- So simple. Effortless and easy to make, this straightforward recipe is about as simple as it gets when it comes to pancakes. With only a few steps, you’ll have fluffy pancakes ready in no time!
- Perfect for meal prep. Be ready for the week and prep breakfast in advance. Just cook, cool, and store these in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to enjoy!
- They’re family-friendly. Need to prepare breakfast for a crowd? These are great for all ages, even the kiddos will love these sweet and fluffy flapjacks.
Ingredients needed
This apple pancakes recipe is made with basic ingredients that I bet you already have in your pantry. Here’s the lineup:
- Flour. Regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour will give you the best results. To make gluten free pancakes, try using an all-purpose gluten-free flour or oat flour.
- Baking staples. You’ll need some vanilla extract for flavor, a pinch of salt to pull the flavors together and baking powder to help with fluffiness.
- Sugar. Add just one tablespoon of sugar for a touch of sweetness.
- Nutmeg + cinnamon. For warm, cozy flavor!
- Apple. Feel free to use any favorite apple variety in this recipe. My favorites are honeycrisp, fuji, gala or pink lady apples. I leave the skin on the apple, but you can peel it if you’d like.
- Milk. You can use any milk you’d like. Whole milk will give your pancakes the richest flavor.
- Egg. You’ll need just one egg in this recipe.
- Melted butter. A touch of melted butter gives these the perfect texture and richness.
- Optional toppings. The options are endless! Here are some favs: maple syrup, butter, powdered sugar, whipped cream, applesauce, yogurt, peanut butter, chopped pecans or walnuts.
In the mood for plain pancakes? This pancake recipe works great without any extras! Feel free to omit the grated apple. Or, you can sub the apple for another add-in. Sometimes we love to use blueberries or mix in chocolate chips or banana chunks with macadamia nuts!
How to make this recipe
These made-from-scratch apple pancakes take just a couple of minutes longer to whip up, than pancakes from a boxed mix. And once you give these homemade pancakes a try, you won’t be able to go back to eating boxed mix. No comparison! Here’s the easy method:
See the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Stir in wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gently stir in the apple, milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; mix until just combined. Do NOT overmix. Some small lumps are fine.
- Let batter rest. For best results, rest the batter for 5 to 10 minutes. This will allow the gluten in the flour to relax and the starch grains to swell and will make for the most light and fluffy pancakes.
- Cook. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat to medium-high heat. Butter the surface and once hot, scoop out about 1/4 cup of pancake batter for each pancake. You may need to use the back of a spoon to gently spread the batter out into a circle. After about 3 minutes and when bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges look set, flip and cook the other side until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy. Top with any favorite toppings. We love maple syrup, diced cinnamon apples, chopped pecans and a dollop of whipped cream!
Frequently asked questions
If you’re making breakfast for a crowd, keep these warm until they’re all cooked and everyone can eat. Simply heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Once a batch is done cooking, transfer them to a large baking sheet and put them in the oven to stay warm.
Most boxed mixes call for water, but we definitely recommend milk in this recipe for delicious richness. Whole milk will also yield a more moist pancake, due to the extra fat.
Yes, the batter can be made and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before you plan to use it. In addition, cooked pancakes keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Favorite toppings
The best thing about homemade pancakes is you get to pick exactly how you want them topped! Here are some ideas:
- Maple syrup
- Whipped cream or yogurt
- Cinnamon apple topping – slice or dice an apple and cook with a small amount of brown sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon in a skillet that has been greased with a pat of butter or coconut oil cooking spray
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Coarsely chopped nuts (pecans, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc.)
- Powdered sugar
- Butter or nut butter (Nutella, almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)
- Caramel sauce
Expert tips
This recipe is pretty simple and straightforward, but here are some tips perfection every time:
- Don’t over-mix the batter. You want to gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until you have a lumpy, just-moist batter. Lumps are good! If you beat the batter until it is perfectly smooth, you’ll have a very dense, flat pancake instead of a light and fluffy one.
- Rest batter. Once you’ve mixed up the batter, it’s best to let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax and the starch grains to swell. These will be more likely to come out light and fluffy.
- Don’t press down. Don’t use the flipper to press down on the pancake. This can cause it to flatten and it won’t help it cook any faster.
- Only flip once. Flipping the pancakes back and forth causes them to deflate and become dense, so when it’s time to check if they’re done on bottom, just barely lift them to take a peek.
- Apples. My favorites are honeycrisp, fuji, gala or pink lady apples. I leave the skin on the apple, but you can peel it if you’d like.
Serving suggestions
These easy apple cinnamon pancakes pair well with a variety of breakfast sides. Below are some of my favorite sides to serve with them:
- Hash browns or breakfast potatoes. Yes, please!
- Fresh fruit or fruit salad. To keep this breakfast on the lighter side, fruit is such a great option.
- Yogurt. Serve on the side or add a spoonful on top.
- Bacon, sausage, or ham. Anyone else love the bacon/maple syrup combo?
- Eggs. Scrambled on the side, or perhaps over easy and served on top.
Storing, freezing & reheating
- Storing leftovers. The great thing about homemade pancakes is that they keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. For the fridge, let them cool completely and then put them in a zip-top baggie or another airtight container. You can reheat in a toaster or microwave when you’re ready to eat.
- Freezing. Once they have cooled to room temperature, freeze them first on a large pan or plate. When they are slightly hard, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freezing them first, separately, keeps the pancakes from sticking together.
- Reheating. To reheat from frozen, you can either heat them in a toaster oven, microwave, or a warm oven. You can also reheat without thawing them first.
More pancake recipes to try
If you love this recipe, try one of our other favs next:
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Apple Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup grated or very finely diced apple* (about 1 apple, a little more or less than one cup is fine)
- 1 ¼ cups milk (add 2-3 additional tablespoons, if the mixture seems too thick)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ideas for serving: maple syrup, butter, powdered sugar, whipped cream, applesauce, yogurt, peanut butter, chopped pecans or walnuts
- Other optional mix-ins: these pancakes are also great plain without the apple or feel free to sub the apple with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, banana chunks, macadamia nuts, blueberries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
- Make a well in the center and stir in the apple, milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; mix until just combined. Do NOT overmix. Some small lumps are fine. Let batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Heat lightly greased or buttered skillet or griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Portion out 1/4 cup scoops of batter per pancake onto skillet or griddle, cooking in batches as needed. You may need to gently spread the batter out some.
- When bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges of the pancakes look set (2 to 3 minutes), flip and cook the other side until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve warm with maple syrup and butter and/or other favorite toppings.
Notes
**This recipe can easily be doubled, if you’re serving a crowd.
***See post for instructions for storing, freezing and reheating pancakes.
Did you make this recipe?
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This recipe is amazing!!! So flavorful! I made them for my kids for the first day back to school and they loved them!