Light and fluffy Healthy Apple Cinnamon Pancakes made with whole wheat flour, applesauce in place of oil and zero butter or refined sugar! Topped with warm spiced apples and drizzled with maple syrup!
Bookmark this pancake recipe immediately! These pancakes are seriously SO so good and this recipe is truly one of my favorites. Light and fluffy pancakes that are a bit crisp on the outside and oh so soft in the middle with warm spices and made with healthier ingredients! Zero butter, oil or refined sugar used in this recipe and these apple cinnamon pancakes are topped with sticky sweet, warm spiced apples making them the perfect cozy breakfast to kickoff fall. These maple cinnamon sautéed apples are very similar and would also make a great topping for these pancakes!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Light and fluffy with crisp edges and soft insides!
- Made with healthier ingredients and zero butter, oil or refined sugar.
- Kid-friendly and the perfect recipe to feed your whole family.
- Delicious cozy breakfast with all your favorite fall flavors!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- whole wheat flour – I used whole wheat pastry flour as it has all the nutritional benefits of whole grain flour while making these pancakes light and fluffy. I highly recommend using this, but if you don’t have any on hand you could use regular whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour.
- baking powder + baking soda – helps give these pancakes some lift
- eggs – you’ll need 2 large eggs to help bind these pancakes together
- applesauce – I used unsweetened applesauce which takes the place of butter and oil in this recipe while helping to keep these pancakes nice and moist! Also adds more delicious apple flavor.
- milk – this just adds additional moisture to these pancakes and regular milk or dairy-free milk will work in this recipe.
- maple syrup – lightly sweetens these pancakes without using any refined sugar, you could also use honey or other natural sweetener.
- vanilla extract – boost of flavor!
- warm spices – delicious combination of cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt.
- apple topping – chopped honeycrisp apples sautéed in butter (or coconut oil), maple syrup and cinnamon!
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
- Mix ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt, then set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until mixture is all combined.
- Make the batter. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or whisk until all combined being careful not to over mix the pancake batter. Texture might be a little lumpy, but that’s okay!
- Pancake time! Heat a skillet or griddle pan coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium-low heat and spoon about a 1/4 cup batter onto the skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side until pancakes are golden brown. Flip over when surface of pancakes start to form small bubbles and edges are slightly dry. You should get about 10 fluffy pancakes.
- Serve and enjoy. Top the pancakes with warm sautéed apples (see instructions below) along with more maple syrup or even powdered sugar. Enjoy!
How to Make the Spiced Apple Topping
- Peel and chop the apples. You really don’t have to peel your apples as this tastes great both ways, this is just a personal preference. I like to chop the apples into small 1/2-inch chunks making them the perfect size to top these pancakes.
- Sauté apples. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter (or coconut oil), add chopped apples, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, mixing well and making sure the apples are completely coated. Sauté the apples for about 4 to 5 minutes in the pan until they are soft and tender.
- Serve! Spoon the sautéed apples over top of your pancakes, drizzle with more maple syrup (if desired) and enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Pancakes
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Make sure to mix all the ingredients until just combined and a few lumps are ok! Over-mixing will result in a dense pancake and we want them fluffy!
- Let the batter sit for a few minutes before making the pancakes as the batter will thicken giving you even fluffier pancakes.
- I suggest using a cookie scoop or 1/4 measuring cup to ensure your pancakes are all the same size and that they will cook evenly.
- Have patience and cook the pancakes on medium-low heat, waiting until the tops of the pancakes are nice and bubbly before flipping. If your skillet is too hot, the pancakes will burn and the inside will be mushy and uncooked.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm while you make the entire batch by placing them on a baking sheet in a 250 degree pre-heated oven so that the whole family can eat breakfast together!
- While keeping your pancakes warm, make sure to avoid stacking them so that they don’t get soggy.
- I personally prefer to use Honeycrisp apples for the topping because of their sweet/tart combo and they hold up really well too without getting mushy. Braeburn, Cortland, Pink Lady apples and Golden Delicious apples all make great options. Granny smith apples tend to be pretty tart, but if you like tart apples feel free to use them!
Prepping and Storage
To Store: These pancakes will last up to 5 days stored in sealed, airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge. I like to place paper towels between the pancakes when storing to absorb any extra moisture. Reheat in the microwave on 50% power or in a toaster oven.
To Freeze: You can also freeze these pancakes for up to 3 months in freezer-safe bags.
More Pancake Recipes You’ll Love
Hope you all enjoy these Healthy Apple Cinnamon Pancakes and if you love them as much as we do, please leave me a five-star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Apple Topping:
- 2 apples, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt, then set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until mixture is all combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or whisk until all combined being careful not to over mix the pancake batter.
- Heat a skillet or griddle pan coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium-low heat and spoon about a 1/4 cup batter onto the skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side until pancakes are golden brown. Flip over when surface of pancakes start to form small bubbles and edges are slightly dry. You should get about 10 fluffy pancakes.
- To make the apple topping, in a skillet over medium heat, melt butter (or coconut oil), add chopped apples, maple syrup and cinnamon, mixing well and making sure the apples are completely coated. Sauté the apples for about 4 to 5 minutes in the pan until they are soft and tender.
- Top the pancakes with warm sautéed apples along with more maple syrup or even powdered sugar, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size: 2 pancakes + topping
- Calories: 344
- Sugar: 18.1 g
- Sodium: 192.2 mg
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.4 g
- Fiber: 8.9 g
- Protein: 7.9 g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.