Apple Pancakes

Are you ready for fall? I just love this time of year when the air is cooler, leaves are changing color, and farm markets are bursting with squash, pumpkins, pears, and apples. This apple pancake recipe is inspired by Michigan’s beautiful apple varieties. We love these harvest pancakes and I’m sure you will too!

The Best Apple Pancakes

Loaded with apples. There are two whole apples in these pancakes. They add so much juicy apple flavor that can’t be replicated in a pre-made mix. I like to grate the apples, rather than dice them. The smaller pieces of apple are distributed more evenly so you enjoy them in every bite.

Cinnamon spice and everything nice. Cinnamon and apples go hand-in hand, don’t they? These pancakes boast a generous amount of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, too.

Easy to make. Homemade pancakes aren’t difficult to make. The ingredients are simple and you probably have everything you need in your pantry. They freeze well, too, so you can make a bunch of them for easy breakfasts all week.

Ingredient Notes

• Apples: You’ll need 2 medium-sized apples for this recipe. Wondering which type of apple to choose? This recipe will work with pretty much any type of apple. I like to use apples that hold their shape when cooked, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, but if you want the apples to be more invisible in the pancakes, use an apple that cooks down more, such as McIntosh or Fuji.
• All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is just fine or you can mix in whole wheat flour, if you like. I would keep it a 50/50 mix so the pancakes don’t get too dense.
• Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: These warm spices really make the pancakes shine.
• Brown Sugar: Apple pancakes are very lightly sweetened with a couple tablespoons of brown sugar. White sugar is okay, too, but brown sugar has richer, almost caramel-like flavor.
• Vegetable Oil: Use a mild-flavored cooking oil, such as canola, or if you prefer, melted butter. Just a little bit is needed to make the pancakes tender.
• Eggs: A couple of eggs boost protein and give the pancakes a cake-like texture.
• Milk: Any type of milk will work; I usually use 2%. If you use a non-dairy milk, be sure it’s not flavored or sweetened.
• Baking Powder, Salt: A couple of pantry items that are essential to pancakes. Baking powder leavens the pancakes, making them light and fluffy; salt keeps them from tasting flat.

How to Make Apple Pancakes

Prep the apples. Lightly rinse the apples. I usually peel them but that’s your choice. The peel will be pretty indistinguishable once the pancakes are cooked. Cut the apples into quarters and remove the core. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the quartered apples (the photos show apples grated using the smaller holes of the grater, which is fine too). You should have 1 ½ cups of grated apples. It’s best to measure the amount because apples vary widely in size. Set the apples aside for now.

Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl (I like to choose one with a pouring spout), whisk the eggs until they’re blended. Mix in the milk and oil.

Add dry ingredients. Measure out the flour and just put it in the bowl on top of the egg mixture. Add the sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Lightly blend the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingers, then combine them with the egg mixture. Don’t overstir. The batter may be a little lumpy but you shouldn’t see any dry pockets of flour.

Fold in apples. Add the apples to the batter and fold them into the batter, again stirring lightly, just until they’re combined. Set the pancake batter aside to rest a few minutes while the griddle heats up.

Cook pancakes. Once the griddle is hot, butter it if needed. Mine is nonstick so I usually don’t add butter. Pour the batter onto the griddle, about a ¼ cup per pancake, but that’s up to you, too. Make whatever size (or shape!) you like. Cook the pancakes until you see bubbles begin to pop, just a couple of minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown.

Serve. Your apple pancakes can be served immediately or kept warm until you’re ready to serve them. Enjoy!

What to Serve With Apple Pancakes

• Toppings: Maple syrup is classic and goes perfectly with apple pancakes. We also love warm apple compote, which is a fancy name for fried apples. It’s easy to make and can be made ahead of time. Homemade applesauce is always a hit and can be served on the pancakes or alongside. Try Instant Pot applesauce or crockpot applesauce. My family likes to top their pancakes with melted butter and cinnamon sugar, too.
• Sides: In keeping with the fall theme, try air fryer sweet potato hash with candied bacon. If you haven’t tried baked bacon, you really should because it’s the easiest way to cook bacon. Homemade apple sausage patties go well with apple pancakes, too.

Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating

Make ahead: If you have time, make a double batch and freeze the extra pancakes. Frozen pancakes do not have to be thawed before reheating which makes them perfect for a quick breakfast.

Refrigerate/freeze: Store extra pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze apple pancakes in an airtight storage container or a freezer bag with parchment paper between the pancakes to keep them from sticking to each other. 

Reheat: For best results, reheat pancakes by toasting them in your toaster oven right on the wire rack. You can also microwave pancakes but they tend to get a bit soggy.