These easy apple cider pancakes are the perfect fall breakfast. They are fluffy, made with apple cider, coated in cinnamon sugar and have a cinnamon apple topping. A delicious, sweet start to your day!
These delicious pancakes taste very similar to an apple cider donut. They have apple cider in the batter and then cinnamon apples on top. The tops of the pancakes are coated with cinnamon sugar before stacking them on plates, which gives them that crunchy and sweet apple cider donut feel...and taste!
These make the most perfect breakfast, but are also fun to make for dinner. Who doesn't love breakfast for dinner, anyway?
For more sweet breakfast recipes, try: Pumpkin Banana Bread with a Brown Butter Glaze, Oatmeal Blueberry Banana Muffins, or Baked Oats for One.
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Why You Will Love These
- They are fluffy. These pancakes cook up nice and fluffy and hold their shape when you stack them high on plates. They make for a great presentation and perfect texture for eating.
- The cinnamon sugar coating. After the pancakes are cooked, the tops are brushed with butter and dipped in a cinnamon sugar mixture. The cinnamon sugar coating tastes great but looks pretty too! This is one of the best things about the pancakes, for sure!
- The cinnamon apples. Sweet apples are cooked with brown sugar, apple cider and cinnamon until they are tender. These apples and the sauce they create are the perfect topping to the apple cider pancakes.
- They are easy. You can prepare the apples and get them cooking on the stove while you prepare the pancakes, which makes everything ready to go at the same time. The total preparation time is only about 10 minutes. A super easy pancake recipe!
Ingredients Needed
Here are notes about some of the ingredients needed to make these fluffy apple cider pancakes. For a full ingredient list see the recipe card below.
- Apples: I always prefer and will recommend Honeycrisp apples for eating and my recipes. They are perfectly sweet and crisp. As an alternative you could use another firm, crisp and sweet apple like Cortland or Braeburn.
- Sugar: You will use brown sugar in the apple topping and regular granulated sugar for the cinnamon sugar coating and in the pancake batter.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is used in the apple topping and the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Cloves: Ground cloves are used in the apple topping. This adds the perfect cozy flavor to the apples.
- Apple cider: You will use apple cider in both the apple topping and in the pancake batter. Apple cider is not the same as apple cider vinegar!
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used for the apple topping and also is brushed on the pancakes before dipping them in the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Flour: All purpose flour is used in the pancake batter.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegetable oil: You will use vegetable oil in the pancake batter. You could substitute melted butter or even unsweetened applesauce for this, if you prefer!
- Egg whites: Two egg whites are used in the pancake batter. You can separate the egg whites from the egg yolks yourself or purchase egg whites in a carton at your grocery store.
Step by Step Instructions
Here is how to make these easy apple pancakes. You will need a saucepan, bowls, a whisk, and an electric or stovetop griddle.
Make the Apples
STEP 1: In a medium sized saucepan, combine the apple cider and butter. Heat this over medium heat until the butter is melted.
STEP 2: Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Stir to coat evenly and then continue to cook over medium heat while you prepare the pancakes, stirring occasionally until tender.
Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar
STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Stir this well until it is combined.
STEP 2: Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture onto a plate and set it aside until the pancakes are ready.
Make the Pancakes
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.) Stir this with a whisk until it is combined.
STEP 2: In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (apple cider, vegetable oil and egg whites.) Stir this with a whisk until it is fully combined.
STEP 3: Add the apple cider mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a whisk just until combined. Set aside to let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes while the griddle heats up.
STEP 4: Heat griddle to medium heat. ( I like to set mine to 300°F.) Coat with cooking spray or butter.
STEP 5: Pour pancakes by the ¼ cup onto the hot griddle.
STEP 6: Allow pancakes to cook on the griddle until bubbles form and the edges start to look dry. Flip the pancakes and allow them to cook for about an additional minute, or until the centers are cooked through.
STEP 7: Remove pancakes from the griddle and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
STEP 8: When you are ready to serve the pancakes, brush the tops and edges of the pancakes with melted butter. Immediately dip the buttered side into the cinnamon sugar mixture on the plate, sliding it around to fully coat. Place pancakes on a serving plate and stack as many as desired.
STEP 9: Top pancakes with warm apple mixture, drizzling with any juice from the bottom of the saucepan. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- To test the griddle to see if it is hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water on it. If they bounce around on the griddle, it is hot enough for cooking your pancakes.
- Use a large cookie scoop to pour batter onto the griddle. This will help to get uniform sized and shaped pancakes.
- Wait for bubbles to form and pop without filling back up with batter before flipping the pancakes.
- Make a double batch of the cinnamon apples for leftover apples that are delicious to eat on their own, on ice cream or for an extra scoop on your pancakes.
- Use a large skillet if you do not have a griddle.
- Top the pancakes with maple syrup, if desired. They are already pretty sweet, but if you need just a bit more sweetness, pure maple syrup is a great idea.
FAQ
Yes. Sometimes apple cider can be difficult to find. I would use apple juice in its place, if needed. You might choose unsweetened apple juice so your pancakes don't get too sweet.
Yes. You could make the apple topping ahead of time and just warm it up before serving it with the pancakes.
Yes. Allowing the batter to rest will help your pancakes to cook up extra fluffy. Also be careful not to over mix the batter because that will help them to be fluffy too!
Storing and Freezing
To refrigerate leftover pancakes, allow them to cool to room temperature and then place them in an airtight zip top bag or container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat, wrapped in paper towels, in the microwave until heated through.
Refrigerate the cooled apple topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Heat in the microwave until heated through before serving.
To freeze pancakes, place cooled pancakes in an airtight zip top bag and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat, wrapped in paper towels, until heated through.
Other Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Easy Apple Cider Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Apple Topping:
- 1 tablespoon apple cider
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Pancakes:
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups apple cider
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 large egg whites
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
For the Apple Topping:
- Heat apple cider and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted.1 tablespoon apple cider, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add apples, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Stir to combine. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the apples are tender.2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Stir to combine.¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pour the mixture onto a plate and set aside.
For the Pancakes:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine.2 ½ cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the apple cider, oil and egg whites. Stir with a whisk to combine.1 ¾ cups apple cider, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 large egg whites
- Add the apple cider mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a whisk just until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Preheat a griddle to medium heat (about 300°F). Coat pan with cooking spray or butter. Spoon ¼ cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Cook until edges appear dry and bubbles are forming and popping in the center without filling back up with batter. Flip and cook about 1-2 more minutes or until centers are done.Cooking spray
- Remove the pancakes from the griddle and place them on the plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
- When ready to serve, brush the tops of the pancakes with butter and immediately dip them, butter side down, in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Rub around on the plate to fully coat. Stack on serving plates.2 tablespoons melted butter
- Top pancake stacks with apple topping and drizzle with any juices in the bottom of the saucepan. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.
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