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Apple Pancakes are tall, fluffy, cinnamon-spiced stacks crowned with warm, buttery cinnamon apples, and they make any morning feel like fall. I make these on cozy weekend mornings and the smell alone pulls the whole family to the table. If you love a cozy breakfast, our stuffed French toast is another sweet way to start the day.
With homemade cinnamon apple topping folded right into fluffy buttermilk-style batter, these pancakes taste like apple pie for breakfast.
Apple Pancakes Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 45 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 pancakes
- ⚡ Calories: 286kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Fluffy and warmly spiced with sweet cinnamon apple topping
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a cozy weekend breakfast like our quick cinnamon rolls
Quick Answer
First make a quick cinnamon apple topping by simmering diced apples with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and a cornstarch slurry until thick. Then whisk together a fluffy pancake batter, fold in some of the apples, and cook the pancakes on a griddle until golden. Stack them up, spoon the warm apple topping over the top, and finish with maple syrup.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Cinnamon apples in and on top. Folding cooked apples into the batter and spooning more over the top gives you that cozy apple flavor in every single bite.
- Plenty of baking powder for lift. A generous amount of baking powder is the secret to tall, fluffy pancakes that rise beautifully on the griddle.
- Resting the batter matters. Letting the batter rest for 5 minutes lets the flour hydrate and the leavening activate, so the pancakes cook up extra light.
- A cornstarch slurry thickens the topping. Just a little cornstarch turns the buttery apple mixture into a glossy, spoonable topping that clings to the pancakes.
- Granny Smith apples hold their shape. Tart Granny Smith apples stay tender but firm as they cook, balancing the sweet, spiced sauce.
- It tastes like apple pie for breakfast. Warm cinnamon, soft apples, and fluffy pancakes come together for a breakfast that feels like a treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are an easy weekend breakfast that feels special, perfect for fall mornings and holidays.
- They taste like apple pie for breakfast, a cozy companion to our lemon blueberry coffee cake.
- The homemade cinnamon apple topping is good enough to spoon over ice cream, waffles, and oatmeal too.
Key Ingredients
A handful of pantry and produce staples make both the pancakes and the topping. Here are the ones that matter most.
- Granny Smith apples: Their tartness and firm texture hold up to cooking, balancing the sweet cinnamon sauce.
- Brown sugar and cinnamon: Together they create that warm, caramel-y apple pie flavor in the topping.
- All-purpose flour and baking powder: The flour gives the pancakes structure while plenty of baking powder makes them tall and fluffy.
- Whole milk: Whole milk makes the batter rich and tender, you can add a splash more for thinner pancakes.
- Cornstarch: A small slurry thickens the apple topping into a glossy, spoonable sauce.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is easy to adapt to what you have. A few favorite spins:
- Switch the apples: Honeycrisp or Gala apples make a sweeter topping, or use a mix for more complex flavor.
- Add nuts: Stir chopped toasted pecans or walnuts into the apple topping for crunch, like a fruit crumble.
- Make them dairy-free: Use your favorite plant-based milk and melted vegan butter, the recipe works just the same.
- Keep them warm: Hold cooked pancakes on a sheet pan in a 200 degree oven while you finish the batch.
How to Make Apple Pancakes
- In a large skillet, melt the butter with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice over medium-low heat.
- Add the diced apples and simmer covered for 10 minutes, then stir in a cornstarch slurry and vanilla until thick. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla, stir into the dry ingredients until just combined, and rest 5 minutes.
- Fold about a half cup of the cooked apples into the pancake batter.
- Cook quarter-cup scoops of batter on a greased skillet 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, then stack and top with the warm apples and syrup.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overmix the batter, stir until just combined with a few lumps for the fluffiest pancakes.
- Let the batter rest 5 minutes so the baking powder activates and the pancakes rise tall.
- Keep the heat at medium, too hot and the outsides burn before the centers cook through.
- Flip when the bubbles burst and stay open in the center, that is the sign the first side is ready.
- Make the apple topping first so it has time to thicken while you mix and cook the pancakes.
- Keep finished pancakes warm on a sheet pan in a low oven so everyone eats together.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Apple Pancakes are a cozy weekend breakfast at its finest, stacked tall and smothered in warm cinnamon apples with a generous drizzle of maple syrup. A pat of butter melting down the sides makes them feel extra indulgent.
Serve them with crispy bacon or sausage and scrambled eggs for a hearty brunch, or set them out next to our overnight French toast casserole for a full spread. A hot cup of coffee or cider rounds it all out.
They are perfect for fall mornings, holiday breakfasts, and lazy Sundays. The cinnamon apple topping also keeps well, so spoon any extra over oatmeal, yogurt, waffles, or ice cream throughout the week.
Apple Pancakes FAQs
Tart, firm apples like Granny Smith are best because they hold their shape and balance the sweet cinnamon topping. Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji also work well if you prefer a sweeter result, and a mix of varieties adds nice depth of flavor.
Yes. The cinnamon apple topping can be made up to three days ahead and reheated. You can also cook the pancakes ahead and keep them warm in a low oven, or refrigerate and reheat them in a toaster or oven so they stay fluffy.
Store cooled pancakes and the apple topping separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat the pancakes in a toaster, oven, or skillet, and warm the apples on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Absolutely. Freeze the cooled pancakes in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to two months. Reheat straight from frozen in a toaster or oven. The apple topping can be frozen separately and thawed in the fridge.
Flat pancakes usually come from overmixing the batter or old baking powder. Stir the batter just until combined, leave a few lumps, use fresh baking powder, and let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking for the tallest, fluffiest results.
Yes. The cornstarch slurry gives the topping a glossy, thick texture, but you can simmer the apples a few minutes longer to reduce the liquid naturally. The sauce will be a bit thinner but still delicious spooned over the pancakes.
Craving more cozy mornings? Try our stuffed French toast or a warm apple and blackberry crumble next.
These pancake bites are just as fun for little hands as our fluffy cinnamon apple pancakes.
Fluffy Cinnamon Apple Pancakes
Ingredients
For the apple topping:
- 1 pound Granny Smith apples
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the pancakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples, cut into small dice, and set aside.1 pound Granny Smith apples
- Add the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, butter, and lemon juice to a large skillet.⅓ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3 tablespoons salted butter, ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Place over medium-low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, stir constantly, about 3 minutes.
- Add the apples to the pan and coat them in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened.
- Mix the water and cornstarch together in a small bowl.1 tablespoon water, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Drizzle in the cornstarch slurry over the apples while stirring constantly, stir until combined and the apples thicken, 1 minute.
- Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cover and set aside to keep warm.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Whisk together the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl or measuring cup.1 ¼ cups whole milk, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons salted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir it together; a few lumps are okay. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Fold in ½ cup of the apple mixture.
- Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Add ¼ cup of the pancake batter to the hot pan and gently spread out the batter.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until bubbles rise and burst in the center and the bottom is golden. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Place the pancake on a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve the pancakes with the apple topping and drizzle with maple syrup.Maple syrup to serve
Notes
- Use Fresh Apples: Fresh Granny Smith apples give the best texture and flavor for the topping.
- Measure Ingredients Accurately: For the fluffiest pancakes, measure your dry ingredients and wet ingredients accurately.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter until just combined. Small lumps are okay and help keep the pancakes fluffy.
- Rest the Batter: Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking to ensure the baking powder activates.
- Cook on Medium Heat: Cook the pancakes on medium heat to get a golden brown color without burning.
- Keep Pancakes Warm: If you’re making a large batch, keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven at a low temperature until ready to serve.
Nutrition
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