These Apple Cinnamon Pancakes are soft, golden, and warmly spiced, finished with a quick maple-apple topping that tastes like pie filling. The pancakes cook up fluffy with lightly crisp edges, while the apples turn tender and glossy in minutes. It is everything fall on a fork, perfect for slow weekends or bracing Monday mornings. The kitchen will smell like cinnamon and warm maple.
Fall On a Fork.
Once the first cool breeze shows up, I start buying local apples by the bag. These pancakes became my way to stretch that apple mood into breakfast. The batter is simple and reliable. The topping stews while the skillet warms, so breakfast lands fast.
We eat these straight from the pan, stacks disappearing under a cinnamon-maple shimmer. If I am cooking for friends, I keep finished pancakes in a low oven so everyone sits down to a warm plate. Extra topping always goes on the table because someone will ask for more.
How I serve it:
Here’s exactly how I make it.
Key Ingredients
- All-purpose flour — Tender crumb with structure for clean flips.
- Baking powder — Lift for tall, fluffy pancakes.
- Granulated sugar — Light sweetness and browning.
- Salt — Balances sweet and boosts flavor.
- Ground cinnamon — Warm spice in both batter and topping.
- Milk — Any dairy or non-dairy milk you like.
- Apple cider vinegar — Reacts with leavening for extra rise.
- Egg — Binds and adds richness.
- Melted butter or plant butter — Moisture and flavor.
- Neutral oil — For an even golden sear.
- Apples — Firm baking apples hold shape in the syrup.
- Maple syrup — Sweet, complex base for the topping.
- Cornstarch — Silky, glossy finish on the apples.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
1) Make the Batter
- Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl until evenly combined.
- In another bowl, whisk milk, vinegar, and egg until smooth. Stream in melted butter, then the oil.
- Pour wet into dry and stir gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest a couple of minutes to hydrate and thicken.
2) Preheat the Griddle
- Heat a cast-iron griddle or heavy skillet over medium-low until a drop of water skitters across the surface.
- Lightly oil the pan, then wipe away excess with a paper towel. You want a thin film, not puddles.
3) Cook the Pancakes
- Ladle batter onto the hot surface and quickly nudge into circles.
- Cook until edges look set and small bubbles form across the surface.
- Flip and cook until the underside is golden and the center springs back to a gentle touch. Adjust heat as needed to avoid scorching.
4) Make the Maple-Apple Topping
- While the batter rests and the pan heats, combine diced apples, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the apples are just tender.
- Stir cornstarch with a splash of cold water to make a slurry, then stream it in. Simmer briefly until the syrup turns glossy and coats a spoon.
5) Serve
- Stack pancakes on warm plates.
- Spoon on plenty of maple-apple topping.
- Finish with a small pat of butter or a sprinkle of extra cinnamon, your call.
Substitutions & Dietary Swaps
- Dairy-free: Use plant milk and plant butter. Works beautifully.
- Egg-free: Replace the egg with a flax “egg.” Pancakes will be slightly denser but still tender.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with xanthan gum. Batter may need a splash more liquid.
- Sweeteners: Light brown sugar in the batter adds a hint of caramel.
- Oils: Any neutral oil works on the griddle.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
- Make-ahead: Cook the topping up to 2 days ahead. Warm gently before serving. Batter is best fresh, but can rest in the fridge for 30 minutes if needed.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover pancakes and topping separately for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze pancakes in a single layer, then bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Toaster or 325°F (165°C) oven until warm. Reheat topping on the stove with a spoon of water if it seems too thick.
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes FAQS
Yes. Any unsweetened milk works. Choose your favorite.
Edges look dry, bubbles pop and leave small holes, and the underside is golden.
Absolutely. Use medium-low heat and a thin film of oil.
Taste the topping. Add a little more maple syrup to balance, or a pinch of salt to round it out.
Yes. Keep pancakes warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish the batches.
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Maple-Apple Topping
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp butter melted (Earth Balance used)
- 1 tbsp canola oil
For the apple topping
- 2 small apples or 1 large, chopped (~1 heaping cup)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and egg. While whisking, stream in melted butter, then whisk in canola oil.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir just until combined; a few lumps are fine. Rest batter a couple of minutes to thicken.
- Preheat a heavy pan or cast-iron griddle over medium-low. Lightly oil the surface and wipe excess.
- Ladle small pancakes onto the pan and quickly spread into circles. Cook until edges look dry and small bubbles appear, then flip and cook until golden.
- Apple topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine chopped apples, cornstarch, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender; lower heat if needed to prevent scorching.
- Serve pancakes warm with butter (optional) and spoon the maple-apple topping over the stack. Enjoy!
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Cast-iron griddle or skillet
- Small saucepan
- Ladle
- Spatula
Notes
Nutrition
If you make these and LOVE them, share it with your friends! Tag it #rootsfood on Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter. I love to see what you guys make!
