Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

A stack of Apple Cinnamon Pancakes is the perfect way to warm up a cold morning. The pancakes are piled high with fried apples and finished with a simple homemade apple cider syrup for a truly gourmet breakfast.

โ€œMake Your House Smell Amazingโ€ Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Stack of Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with cider syrup being poured on top.

For definitely not the first time, I wish computers had smell-o-vision. I wish you could give these pictures a little scratch, and the tantalizing scent of caramelized apples and cinnamon would waft up to your nose.

But alas, this technology still feels a ways off (I mean, do we really need to go to space? This feels more pressing, honestly), so weโ€™ll have to make do with photos and your imagination. I hope thatโ€™s enough to convince you these Apple Cinnamon Pancakes are everything you could possibly want in a fall breakfast.

Hereโ€™s Why Youโ€™ll Love Them:

We start with our favorite Buttermilk Pancake recipe. Itโ€™s the absolute best. Theyโ€™re perfectly fluffy and thick and flavorful every single time. I add a sprinkle of cinnamon, because fall vibes, baby.

Then, we top that big olโ€™ stack of cinnamon pancakes with some caramelized apples. I scaled down the filling for Caramelized Apple Pie to make just the right amount, but leftover Baked Cinnamon Apples would also work well. .

Finally, we cover everything with a drizzle of Apple Cider Syrup. Sure, you can use maple syrup instead, but this syrup really takes it over the top.

Hear me when I say, these Apple Cinnamon Pancakes taste better than any specialty pancakes Iโ€™ve ordered at a restaurant. Filled with intense apple flavor and warm spice, these make an immensely satisfying breakfast or brinner.

Fork stabbing a bite of fluffy cinnamon pancakes.

Key Ingredients

  • Pantry staples, including flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda, and cinnamon.
  • Fridge staples, including eggs, milk, and butter.
  • Buttermilk provides extra lift for the pancakes and a subtle tang. While you can do the milk + lemon juice trick, full fatl buttermilk gives me the best and most consistent results.
  • Apples– I love a tart sweet apple like Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Pink Lady. The apples are tossed with a squeeze of lemon juice, brown sugar, and more cinnamon.
  • Apple Cider is combined with brown sugar and cornstarch to make the cider syrup.

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

One simple trick–separating the egg white and egg yolk–is the key to a super fluffy pancake. Hereโ€™s how youโ€™ll make them!

  1. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a smaller bowlโ€“the butter, buttermilk, and milk. Hereโ€™s the secretโ€“SEPARATE the egg and whisk just the yolk in with the other wet ingredients.
  3. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  4. Add in the remaining egg white and stir gently until itโ€™s mostly incorporated.
  5. Cook the pancakes. Heat a skillet over medium heat, then drop half cup fulls of batter onto the pan. Flip when bubbles begin to appear on the top. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  6. Meanwhile, make the apples: Toss the apple chunks with the lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan. Spread the apples evenly over the top and cook undisturbed for a few minutes, or until starting to brown. Flip and continue to cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
  7. Make the cider syrup: In a saucepan, combine the apple cider, sugar, and cornstarch.  Bring mixture to a boil, and continue to cook, whisking often, until mixture is thickened, about 2 minutes.
Cast iron skillet full of fried apple chunks.

Tips for Perfect Pancakes + FAQS

  • Use a light hand when stirring the pancake batter. We want the batter to be a little lumpy and bumpy, not perfectly smooth.
  • We love using an electric griddle to cook pancakes. It keeps a consistent temperature and cooks more of them at once.
  • Make sure you preheat your skillet before adding the batter. The skillet is ready when a drop of water sizzles on contact.

Should I use butter or oil to cook pancakes?

If youโ€™re using a non-stick pan, you can cook pancakes without any oil or butter. In fact, we usually donโ€™t use any kind of oil.

However, if you want pancakes with crispy edges, youโ€™ll want to use a neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or coconut oil that doesn’t easily burn. You can even cook pancakes in bacon fat if you want!

When should you flip pancakes?

Pancakes should be flipped once bubbles appear and pop, forming holes across the top of the pancake.

Can I make apple cinnamon pancakes ahead of time?

Definitely. The pancakes, caramelized apples, and cider syrup can all be made in advance. The apples and syrup can both be stored in the fridge for several days. Reheat the syrup in the microwave, giving it a good stir. The apples can be reheated on the stove top or microwave.

The pancakes can be stacked between layers of parchment paper and refrigerated or frozen. Reheat in the oven, covered in foil, at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes. For tips on making pancakes ahead of time and various methods of reheating pancakes, visit our Epic Pancake Party post.

If youโ€™re looking for another make-ahead pancake option, try this Overnight Pancake Casserole.

Stack of cinnamon pancakes with apples on top.

More Incredible Apple Breakfast Recipes

Those first few cold fall mornings call for comforting, warming breakfasts. On weekend mornings, we love making this Apple Cinnamon Roll Bake, Apple Crumb Cake, and French Toast Casserole with Apples.

For a grab and go breakfast, try these Apple Cinnamon Muffins or Apple Butter Overnight Oats.

Stack of Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with cider syrup being poured on top.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Fluffy Apple Cinnamon Pancakes are piled with fried apples and finished with an apple cider syrup for a truly gourmet breakfast.

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 4 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Canola oil

For the apples:

  • 1 lb. apples (3-4 medium apples), peeled and chopped into bite size chunks
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • Pinch salt
  • Apple cider syrup, for serving

Instructions

  1. First, prepare the pancakes. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, soda, and baking powder.
  2. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, butter, buttermilk, and milk.
  3. Add yolk mixture to dry mixture and stir gently until barely combined.
  4. Give the egg white a quick whisk with a fork, then gently stir it into the remaining batter. Stop before the batter smooths out! Lumpy bumpy pancake batter is good!
  5. Preheat an electric griddle to 375 degrees or heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Drop mixture by the half cup full onto the preheated pan. Cook until bubbles start to appear on the exposed surface of the pancake. When bubbles begin to pop, flip pancake and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until browned. Keep finished pancakes warm in a single layer on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.
  6. Meanwhile, saute the apples. Toss the apple chunks with the lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon, and salt.
  7. Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet or other pan over high heat. Add half of the apple mixture and fry undisturbed for a few minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown. Stir and continue to cook until the sugar mixture is a deep caramel color and apples are tender but not mushy (about 5-6 minutes total).
  8. Serve the pancakes warm, topped with apples and covered in either real maple syrup or cider syrup.

Notes

The apples can be sauteed and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or with little more butter in a frying pan.

Pancakes can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. Place parchment paper between layers. Reheat in the oven, covered with foil, at 350 degrees for 6-10 minutes or until warmed through.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 541Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 1008mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 4gSugar: 42gProtein: 9g

Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.

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