Fluffy apple cinnamon pancakes are made with grated apples baked right into the center. These are the perfect cozy fall breakfast!
This sweet breakfast recipe would be perfect to include on a pancake charcuterie board with other favorites like oat pancakes and easy banana pancakes.
Table of Contents
Cinnamon Apple Pancakes
I always keep a jar of homemade pancake mix in the pantry for whenever we’re craving pancakes. With fall approaching, we decided to add a fun apple twist to our pancakes instead of making apple desserts this time.
These apple cinnamon pancakes are full of fall flavor! They’re full of applesauce and freshly grated apples, with the perfect amount of spice from the cinnamon. Top them with some homemade apple pie filling and cinnamon pancake syrup!
Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Grated apples: I like to use Granny Smith for its tart and crisp flavor. Shred the apples using a grater to help get the consistency evenly in each pancake.
- Applesauce: Adding just a little extra apple flavor and moisture to the pancakes.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the texture of the apple pancakes.
- Sugar: Light brown sugar works so well with apple flavor.
- Baking powder and baking soda: The necessary leavening agents to make these pancakes light and airy.
- Salt: Just a little bit helps to enhance the flavors in these apple cinnamon pancakes.
- Cinnamon: The warm spice brings fall flavors to the forefront.
- Milk: The creaminess of milk helps wet the dry ingredients.
- Egg: The binder that brings it all together.
- Vanilla extract: One of my favorite flavors to pair with apples.
How to Make Apple Pancakes
- Mix. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add in the milk, egg, vanilla, and applesauce and mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth (and most lumps are gone). Then fold in the grated apples.
- Cook. Pour 1/4 cup batter on a buttered griddle or skillet. Cook over medium heat until you begin to see bubbles on top, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Flip. Use a spatula to flip the apple cinnamon pancakes over and cook on the other side for about 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Make sure to lower the heat if they begin to brown too fast.
Favorite Toppings
- Quick apple filling: My apple crepe recipe is as sweet and savory as it comes! The best way to add that extra boost of flavor.
- Syrup: Maple syrup or buttermilk syrup are all made easily and add just the right amount of sweetness to the cinnamon pancakes.
- Powdered sugar: Sprinkle the powdered sugar overtop for a sweet sugar topping.
- Butter: Cinnamon butter and apple butter are both delicious flavors of butter to spread over warm pancakes.
- Caramel sauce: This sauce is smooth and silky with the perfect apple and caramel combination!
Tips for the Best Apple Pancakes
- Best apples. I like Granny Smith, but you can use any type of firm apple that is tart and sweet, such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
- Dairy free. To make apple cinnamon pancakes dairy-free simply swap the milk for soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk. Look for unsweetened, or the pancakes may be too sweet.
- For fluffy pancakes use milk. Milk makes apple cinnamon pancakes fluffier than water because it contains fat and protein, which contribute to the texture and structure of the pancakes.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Otherwise your pancakes will be dense and flat not fluffy.
- Measure out batter. I like to use 1/4 cup measuring scoop but a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop also works. Measuring ensures pancakes cook evenly at the same time.
More recipes with apples that we love include this apple turnover recipe, cinnamon apple muffins and cinnamon oat baked apples!
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Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons (25 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt , or table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 Granny Smith apple , cored, peeled, and grated
For serving: Butter, Syrup, Apple filling
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat a griddle to 300°F, or a skillet over medium heat.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Add wet ingredients. Mix in 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup applesauce with a wooden spoon just until most of the lumps are gone and the batter is smooth, being careful not to overmix. Fold in 1 grated apple.
- Cook pancakes. Coat the griddle (or skillet) with a little butter or oil and pour 1/4 cup batter onto the heated griddle. Cook the pancakes 1 to 2 minutes, or until bubbles appear. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Turn down the heat if they are browning too fast.
- Serve. Serve immediately or place pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven at 175°F to keep warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
The secret ingredient to fluffy pancakes is baking soda and baking powder combination. The leavening agents in the pancake batter create air bubbles. The leaven also tenderizes the gluten in the flour, which results in fluffier pancakes.
These are the perfect fall breakfast or brunch to make ahead. If not enjoying immediately after cooking, you can easily keep these pancakes warm in the oven until serving. Just place the cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven at 175°F. At this temperature, they’ll stay warm without drying out. I especially like to use this method when I’m making multiple batches of pancakes for a large crowd.
Let cool completely, then place the pancakes in a large freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or toaster oven for 30 seconds, or until warm.
Categorized as: American, Breakfast, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Stovetop, Sweet Breakfast
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Love the addition of apples in these pancakes. Love the cinnamon and apple combo.
We make these all fall long!! The apple & cinnamon combo is so comforting & delicious!!
Tis the season for apple and cinnamon recipes which is awesome because those are two of my favorite things. These apple cinnamon pancakes are so good and easy to make!
Made these delightful pancakes! Deliciously fluffy!
We tried this recipe without the extra grated apple (honestly because I forgot!). I also doubled the recipe to freeze for next week when school starts and it’s super busy. My children loved these pancakes so much, they ate it for breakfast and dinner. Now there are no leftovers for next week, but this morning, my 5 year old asked me to make those “yummy healthy pancakes” again. Definitely going to be part of my regular meal planning. Thanks for sharing great ideas!
This comment just made my day! So happy to hear they were such a hit with your kids. Great idea to freeze for busy school mornings!
Will try later
These are fantastic! So fluffy and just the right amount of apple cinnamon flavor.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These pancakes look so yummy!! Perfect for a cozy fall morning, saving!
Absolutely my type of pancakes. My kids love apple and cinnamon anything. This is perfect for fall.
My husband loves this! Thank you so much for this recipe