Fitness / March 27, 2024

Fluffy Apple Pancakes

Warm up your mornings with the undeniable chemistry of apple and cinnamon, a flavorful fusion in your Fluffy Apple Pancakes.

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Is there a better combination of flavor than apple and cinnamon? Try to think of one; I’ll wait.

Yeah, I didn’t think so. Not only do cinnamon and apple taste so good together, they make you FEEL good. A single bite of something that features both and I am instantly wrapped in a blanket, sitting in front of a fire, and sipping a hot tea (probably apple & cinnamon flavored).

I regularly bake apple pies (heavy on the cinnamon) to serve as the last meal of the day (i.e., dessert), so why not use the same ingredients when making the first meal of the day? Their collective warmth means you can crawl out of bed and go from a literal blanket to a figurative one. And when you use them as part of pancakes, that blanket gets super fluffy.

I make this recipe when I’m in the mood for something sweet and savory on Saturday mornings. The great thing is, apple and cinnamon make your pancakes feel like a dessert despite being good for you. And with the use of whole wheat flour and natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, this is one indulgent breakfast without the guilt.

Are Apple Pancakes Healthy?

These apple pancakes benefit from a few substitutions, like using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, and honey/syrup instead of sugar, so the recipe isn’t as bad as it could be. The sweetness also comes from the apple itself, which is high in natural sugars. The apple also packs fiber and vitamins, which make the fructose easier to swallow (literally, in a way). This recipe can be a part of a vegetarian diet, as well as a Mediterranean diet. Apples are relatively high in carbs, so you can’t eat them if you’re on a keto diet.

What Type of Apple Should I Use?

You have three things to consider: sweetness, tartness, and firmness. That last one I think we can all agree on—you want an apple that will hold its shape during the cooking process—but the first two are up for debate and are more an issue of preference. Granny Smiths, for instance, are tart and particularly firm, whereas, say, Honeycrisps are sweet and, as their name suggests, are exceptionally crisp and juicy. Fujis, meanwhile, are similar to Honeycrisps but have a bit more tartness to them. If you can’t make up your mind which direction to go in, I suggest going with Pink Ladies, which seem to strike that balance between sweet and tart nicely.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup shredded apple, peeled
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt (optional)
cooking spray or a small amount of butter for the griddle

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine

Whisk together the shredded apple, milk, melted butter, and egg until smooth. This creates the moist base for your pancakes.

Mix

Sift the dry ingredients and fold them into the wet mixture for a light and fluffy pancake batter.

Cook

Pour the batter onto a preheated griddle and cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook until golden brown.

Enjoy

Serve your apple pancakes warm with your favorite toppings for a delicious and nutritious start to your day.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How do I store apple pancakes?

Let the pancakes cool then store them in an airtight container or wrap them in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. I suggest putting paper towel between each pancake to absorb excess moisture. You can also freeze your pancakes. Follow the same steps (the paper towel will also prevent them from sticking to each other). To reheat, use your toaster!

Why aren’t my pancakes fluffy?

First, the ingredients. Are they all fresh? That includes the baking powder (powder that is more than six months old will have a negative impact on your pancakes). Next, did you overwork your batter? You want to mix the wet and dry ingredients just enough that they come together. Too much interference on your part and you’ll end up with chewy pancakes.

Do I make pancakes in a pan?

Actually, you should use a griddle (you can call them griddle cakes instead). Griddles promote even cooking because of their larger surface area and even heat distribution. Pans tend to be hotter in the center and less so on the outskirts. Griddles, like I said, are bigger, which makes it easier to flip pancakes; it also means you can cook more than one at a time. Last point: Griddles are usually nonstick, so they don’t require as much oil, if any.

Do I need to let the batter sit before cooking?

It’s not necessary, though it does have its benefits. For starters, it lets the gluten in the flour get adequately hydrated by the wet ingredients. This relaxes the gluten and results in softer pancakes. It also lets the flavors combine, the lumps to dissolve, and the air bubbles to escape. The result is pancakes with no holes, better texture, and more flavor.

Serving Suggestions

When I am looking for something relatively healthy to serve alongside my apple pancakes, I turn to more of the same: chopped apple and cinnamon. I also sometimes top it with plain Greek yogurt, chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds), or other fruit, like sliced strawberries, blueberries, or bananas. If I want something sweet that is more on the decadent side, I will look at whipped cream, cinnamon sugar (a blend of cinnamon and sugar, to state the obvious), caramel sauce, maple butter, or powdered sugar. It really all depends on whether I am looking at this meal as a healthy start to my day or an excuse to have dessert for breakfast. Both are good answers.

Fluffy Apple Pancakes

Warm up your mornings with the undeniable chemistry of apple and cinnamon, a flavorful fusion in your Fluffy Apple Pancakes.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 304kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

1 cup shredded apple peeled
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 large egg preferably organic
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup
1 1/4 tsp baking powder aluminum-free
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
A pinch of salt optional
cooking spray or a small amount of butter for the griddle

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the shredded apple, low-fat milk, melted butter and egg until well combined.
In a separate bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt if desired. Sifting helps to aerate the flour.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet apple mixture using a spatula, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Preheat a griddle or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. I usually prevent sticking by lightly coating with cooking spray or a small pat of butter.
Pour the batter onto the hot griddle by 1/4 cupfuls, leaving space between each pancake for expansion.
Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges appear set, about 2-3 minutes.
Carefully flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side, until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve the apple pancakes warm. I will let you pick your topping, I usually go for pure maple syrup, a bit of Greek yogurt (goes straight in my biceps) and bit of chopped nuts for that delightful crunch.