Fluffy, golden, and loaded with fresh apple flavor, these Apple Pancakes are the perfect way to start a crisp fall morning. They’re tender inside, lightly spiced with cinnamon, and topped with warm caramelized apples for the ultimate cozy breakfast.
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I love how the grated apples in the batter keep the pancakes moist and flavorful without being too heavy. Every bite has little bursts of apple sweetness, balanced by that buttery sautéed apple topping. These taste just as good on a lazy Sunday as they do at a holiday brunch table.
Serve them stacked high, drizzled with syrup, and topped with extra apples, and you’ve got a breakfast that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. They’re simple, satisfying, and always a hit with both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – No sifting needed and don’t worry if you have some lumps in your batter.
- Granulated sugar – White sugar is fine. You can reduce this to 1 tablespoon if you use sweeter apples.
- Baking powder – Make sure your baking powder hasn’t expired so your pancakes fluff up nicely.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon – You can bump this to ½ teaspoon if you love cinnamon.
Wet Ingredients
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, mix ½ cup full-fat sour cream with enough milk to come up to 2 cups. Blend well. This works in a pinch as a buttermilk substitute.
- Eggs – Extra large eggs also work; this isn’t a fussy recipe.
- Vanilla extract – Artificial vanilla works just fine.
- Unsalted butter – If you use salted butter, skip adding extra salt in the dry ingredients.
- Granny Smith apples – You want 2 cups of grated apple.
- Melted butter
Sautéed Apple Topping
- Granny Smith apples
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
how to make Apple Pancakes
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. I like mine because it’s deep enough that flour doesn’t fly everywhere when mixing.
In a separate glass batter bowl with a spout, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined — a few lumps are fine. Fold in the melted butter and grated apples with a flex-edge silicone spatula. It scrapes the sides clean and folds without overmixing, which keeps the pancakes tender.
Warm a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat and coat with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Drop about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake using a trigger-style cookie scoop for even portions. Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges set, about 2–3 minutes. Flip with a fish spatula (my favorite for pancakes because it’s long and flexible) and cook another 2–3 minutes until golden brown.
Keep the pancakes warm in a 200°F oven on a rimmed baking sheet with a cooling rack inside so they don’t get soggy, while you finish the rest.
For the topping, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and caramelized, about 5–6 minutes.
Stack the pancakes, spoon the warm apples over the top, and serve immediately.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter; a few lumps are just fine.
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for the best flavor balance, but Honeycrisp are my second favorite in this recipe.
- Keep the heat on medium-low so the pancakes cook through without burning.
Make It A Meal
Pair these Apple Pancakes with crispy bacon or sausage patties for a full breakfast spread. A hot mug of coffee or spiced chai makes the perfect finishing touch.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover pancakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or toaster oven for the best texture. You can also freeze them in a single layer, then store in freezer bags for up to 2 months. Just pop them in the toaster to reheat.
Apple Pancakes
Add Preferred SourceEquipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 green apples about 1 pound, peeled and coarsely grated (2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil plus more as needed for cooking
Sautéed Apple Topping
- 2 green apples peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Pancakes
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir gently just until combined; the batter should remain a little lumpy.
- Fold in the melted butter and grated apples, being careful not to overmix.
- Warm a heavy skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon butter to coat the surface.
- Drop about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake onto the hot pan and cook until the edges start to set and bubbles form and pop on top, about 2–3 minutes.
- Flip the pancakes and cook for another 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Adjust the heat if they brown too quickly.
- Keep pancakes warm in a 200°F oven on a baking sheet while you finish cooking the rest.
For the Sautéed Apple Topping
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sliced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until tender and caramelized.
- Pile the warm sautéed apples over the stacked pancakes and serve immediately.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter — a few lumps are just fine.
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for the best flavor balance, but Honeycrisp are my second favorite in this recipe.
- Keep the heat on medium-low so the pancakes cook through without burning.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.