Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Fluffy old fashioned cinnamon pancakes topped with fresh cut apples that are cooked in a cinnamon syrup glaze. Serve with more syrup or powdered sugar.

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About Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

You can never go wrong with fluffy, old-fashioned pancakes, but you can make them better. Like, say, with a cinnamon twist topped with chunky, gooey apple goodness.

This tried and true recipe is sure to please everyone – from your kids to your friends. Family breakfast on a Sunday? Adult brunch on a Saturday? Pancakes are perfect for any time of day.

Can I make pancakes in advance?

Good news here – the answer is yes!

The apple topping is easily made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until use. And because the apples are fresh, I’d recommend using it within a day or two for the best taste.

The pancake batter can also be made the night before, but there is a catch. If a recipe calls for egg (as this one does) you can mix everything but the egg beforehand. So, mix the pancake batter up, leave the egg out, stick it in the refrigerator in a sealed container overnight, and simply put the egg in when you’re ready to start cooking.

Can you save leftover pancake batter?

Yes, you totally can!

Not only can you freeze the pancake batter, but you can also freeze the apple cinnamon topping.

To freeze: In separate Ziplock bags, pour in the pancake batter or apple cinnamon topping. Roll the bags to remove any excess air, and then lay them flat to seal. Once sealed, you can store both the batter and apple topping in your freezer for up to one month.

When you want to use your frozen batter, let it thaw out in warm water, cut the corner of the bag off, and pipe a perfect pancake directly onto your pan. You can also allow your batter to thaw out overnight in the refrigerator before use.

To defrost the apple topping, put bag of frozen topping into a sink of warm water until thawed, then place it into a pan and heat on low until hot.

How many people does this apple cinnamon pancake recipe serve?

This particular recipe yields 4 servings, which should feed about three to four people, depending on appetite. Fortunately, this recipe is very easily doubled or tripled – and with how easy it is to freeze any leftovers, there’s no harm in making a big batch.

My pancake batter didn’t turn out right. What did I do wrong?

Mastering the art of pancake batter mixing means knowing when enough is enough.

First, make sure you only mix the batter until it just comes together. If you still see lumps of flour, that is fine.

Second, while fat is necessary for a great pancake, you do not want to go overboard with it. Too much butter or too many eggs can result in a super dense, pound cake-like pancake. Do not stray far from the butter and egg directions in a pancake recipe if you’d like to keep your dish light and fluffy.

Third, be sure to cook pancakes over medium heat. Use your first pancake as a tester for the heat of your pan to ensure that the rest of your pancakes are beautiful!

Can I substitute maple syrup for something else?

Honey, molasses, and agave nectar are all common substitutes for maple syrup. However, please be aware that all of these will give different tastes to the dish. Golden syrup can be used, but you do want to make sure the consistency is correct.

So, if your substitution choice is a bit thicker than maple syrup, you can add one or two spoons of water to thin it out. It’s also possible to make your own syrup out of jams or jellies. Check out this guide for more ideas: 5 Pancake Toppings That Aren’t Maple Syrup.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Before starting, make sure to peel the apples, remove the core, and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2 – In a medium saucepan, cook the butter, light brown sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and apples until the ingredients are melted and the apples are tender. Once cooked, set the apples aside.

Step 3 – In a large mixing bowl, add the milk, egg, and vanilla, then mix well.

Step 4 – Pour in the melted butter, then mix again.

Step 5 – Add flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to the bowl, then mix a final time.

Step 6 – In a large skillet, pour in the batter (about 1/4 cup at a time) and cook for a few minutes. Flip the pancake and cook for a few minutes more until the sides are golden brown. Repeat this step until all of the batter has been used.

Step 7 – Serve immediately topped with cinnamon apples and more maple syrup or powdered sugar.

This post was originally published on March 20, 2015. It was updated with new content on October 28, 2019.

Recipe Details

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4.20 from 31 votes

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

15 minutes mins prep + 20 minutes mins cook

560 kcal

Yields: 4 servings

Fluffy old fashioned cinnamon pancakes topped with fresh cut apples that are cooked in a cinnamon syrup glaze. Serve with more syrup or powdered sugar.

Ingredients 

US Customary – Metric

Apple Topping

• 2 apples, any type, peeled, core removed, and cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoon salted butter
• 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Old Fashioned Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoon salted butter, unsalted, melted & cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Apple Topping

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, syrup, and chopped up apples. Cook for 3-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft.
• You can either set the heat to low or remove saucepan from heat and cover while preparing the pancakes.

For the Old Fashioned Pancakes

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Slowly pour in the cooled melted butter, whisking vigorously.
• Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, forming a smooth, fluffy batter.
• Spray a skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium heat.
• Scoop 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the pan, then use a spatula to gently spread the batter into a flat circle (about 4-5 inches wide). Cook pancake for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles appear along the sides. Flip the pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter has been used.
• As pancakes are ready, serve with cinnamon apples on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 767mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 675IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 332mg | Iron: 2.9mg

I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.

Author: Chrisy