Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

These fluffy, amazing pancakes are made with ground cinnamon and topped with buttery, tender caramelized apple for the perfect autumn breakfast treat!

The best apple pancakes

I absolutely love this apple pancake recipe. They’re perfect for chilly autumn mornings and lazy weekends when you want to stay in your pajamas just a little while longer. My whole family loves them! The pancakes are soft, fluffy and bursting with cinnamon flavor – they’re also so incredibly easy to make and look beautiful stacked on a plate.

My secret to the pancake batter is apple cider, which adds amazing flavor! It’s perfectly balanced with the  cinnamon, which is noticeable but not too strong.

And the best part, of course, is the gooey caramelized apple topping. Apples are cooked with butter, sugar, and cinnamon until they’re soft and tender, and creates an irresistible caramel sauce.

How to make the best apple pancakes

To make the pancakes:

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, including the sugar
2. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dries, and gently mix together, being careful not to overmix.
4. To cook the pancakes, pour ¼-cup of batter onto a hot skillet, with the heat on medium. Cook on each sides for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a place.

To make the caramelized apple topping:

1. Chop up apples into thin slices or ¼-1/2-inch cubes.
2. Combine with brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the apples to the butter and cook for about 8 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and the apple are tender. Stir occasional.

Tips for making perfect apple pancakes

• Don’t overmix your pancake batter. This will result in more dense, tougher pancakes (and we want them light and fluffy).
• Use a combination of tart and sweet apples. I find that this combination creates the perfect balance of tart and sweet, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. I love tart apples like Granny Smith and sweet apples like Honey Crisp.
• If you want your pancakes a bit sweeter, you can add an extra 3-4 teaspoons of brown sugar, or even a tablespoon of maple syrup, to the batter.
• If you want to omit the apple cider, you can substitute it with an equal amount of whole milk (this will change the flavor a bit, but with the apple topping, you’ll still taste plenty of apple goodness).
• Serve the pancakes immediately after making them. They just taste the best when they’re fresh:) If you want to really indulge, try making some homemade whipped cream to go along with them!

More of my favorite pancake recipes

• Chocolate Pancakes: For the chocolate lovers out there, these rich and chocolatey pancakes are for you. Topped with chocolate ganache, they’re insanely delicious.
• Banana Pancakes: The perfect thick and fluffy banana pancake recipe. Best served with real maple syrup!
• Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pancakes: A perfect breakfast when you’re craving an indulgent morning treat. Perfect for kids (and adults).
• Classic Buttermilk Pancakes: Add blueberries, chocolate chips, or fresh strawberries to these classic buttermilk pancakes.
• Ricotta Pancakes: The addition of ricotta makes these pancakes extra rich and creamy.
• Pumpkin Pancakes: Perfect for chilly fall and winter mornings.

Print

Apple Pancakes

These fluffy apple pancakes are topped with tender, caramelized apples for an indulgent morning treat.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

YIELD 18 pancakes, enough for 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Pancakes:

• 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour, sifted
• ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup apple cider (or whole milk, for a total of 2 cups)
• 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 small apples , grated or finely chopped
• Cooking spray/butter/canola oil , for coating the pan

For the Topping:

• 2 apples , peeled, cored, and cut into cubes or thin slices
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. To make the pancakes: In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, apple cider, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined and moistened, then fold in apples. Do not over mix.
2. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray or oil. For each pancake, drop ¼ cup of batter onto skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes, until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and bottoms appears golden brown. Flip carefully and cook another 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Make sure to coat the skillet before every pancake or batch of pancakes to prevent sticking.
3. To make the topping: In a medium bowl, toss together apples, sugar, and cinnamon. In a medium heavy skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add apple mixture to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft but not mushy and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
4. Serve pancakes with the apple topping while they’re still warm.

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