Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe | Buns In My Oven (2024)

Our Apple Pancakes start with thick and fluffy homemade pancakes. They get topped off with our simple brown sugar cinnamon apples and then we drizzle everything with caramel sauce for the perfect fall breakfast.


I went to the grocery store the other day, as I do every single day of my life it seems, and they had bags and bags of local apples.

Ah, yes. It’s Fall. Bring on the apple onslaught.

We’ve already done Apple Fritters, which are often served for breakfast, so let’s keep with the trend, right?

Caramel Apple Pancakes.

If you tend to resort to making pancakes from a box mix, I feel you. It just seems so much easier, but truthfully pancakes from scratch really aren’t hard and they don’t take much extra time.

I should know – I wrote an entire book full of pancake recipes. It contains 70 pancake and syrup recipes for breakfast, dinner, and dessert. You can see a few samples by checking out my s’mores pancakes, my peach pecan pancakes, and my cinnamon raisin bread pancakes. Orrrrr, you can just hop over to Amazon and pick up a copy of (affiliate link) Stack Happy.

If you’re more of a pumpkin person, give my pumpkin coffee cake a try this fall!

These brown sugar apples would be good over our Belgian waffle recipe too!

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate and member of other qualifying programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe | Buns In My Oven (3)

Dry Ingredients – These aren’t box mixed pancakes! You’ll be making these from scratch, which means you’ll need to combine some dry ingredients like flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder & baking soda!

Wet Ingredients – Along with the dry ingredients you’ll need buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter. Trust me, this is how you make a good pancake!

Apples – Use a tart apple like Granny Smith for best results. They’ll get heated up with some butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar for lots of flavor!

Caramel Sauce – Just grab some caramel ice cream topping from the store and heat it up. Sweet and simple!

What Readers are Saying!

“I made these this morning and wow!! So delicious! I didn’t have Caramel sauce so I doubled the butter and brown sugar in the apples to get a little extra sauce. I will be making these again and again!” – Justina

How To Make Caramel Apple Pancakes:

Pancake Batter: As with any good made from scratch pancake recipe, you’ll need to do some mixing. Start by adding all of the dry ingredients including the flour, baking powder & soda, sugar, and spices. Mix those up and set it aside for the moment.

Now you’ll need to mix the wet ingredients. Add the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter to another bowl and stir until well combined.

Finally, you can pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until most (but not all) of the lumps are gone. Remember that it is important to not overmix the batter!

Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe | Buns In My Oven (4)

Cook: When you’ve prepared the pancake batter you can go ahead and fire up a skillet or griddle and start cooking the pancakes. Use about a 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake. The secret to knowing when pancakes are ready is to watch for the bubbles.

Once bubbles have formed on the top you can flip the pancake and brown the other side. While you are cooking the pancakes you can move on to the final step and prepare the caramel sauce and apples!

Caramel Sauce & Apples: These apples are pretty simple to make, and when it’s combined with the caramel sauce it is perfect over pancakes! Melt some butter in a small skillet with some brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Mix it up well and stir in the apples! They’ll take about 5-7 minutes to cook, or until they are tender. Once they’re finished you can top your pancakes with the still warm cinnamon sugary apples, and then drizzle the warmed caramel sauce over the top! Apple pancakes are the perfect choice for a Fall breakfast.

Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe | Buns In My Oven (5)

Pro Pancake Tips:

Mixing – Don’t overmix your batter! Use a fork to stir it altogether until it’s mostly smooth, but a few lumps remain. Overmixing your batter leads to tough pancakes.

Buttermilk – We like the extra fluff that buttermilk adds to pancakes. Plus it makes for a more tender pancake. No buttermilk? It’s easy to make your own! Just add a scant 3/4 of a cup of buttermilk to your measuring cup and stir in about a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. (We don’t measure the vinegar, we just splash it in.) Let that sit for 5 minutes before stirring and then using as buttermilk.

Portioning – We use a 1/4 cup dry measure to scoop equal sized amounts of pancake batter onto our hot griddle. Every pancake is the same size and they are a perfect size for flipping.

Cooking – Big believer in cooking your pancakes in a bit of melted butter! It’s so much tastier than the spray oil. Be sure to cook the pancakes until bubbles form AND pop on the surface. This will ensure your pancake is cooked all the way through.

FAQs:

Can I just use a boxed pancake mix?

Yep, but it’s worth it to go the extra step and make these from scratch. Seriously, some things really are worth making from scratch and pancakes are one of them! Trust me, I’m a legit pancake expert.

What other types of apples can I use?

We like tart apples for this recipe, such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Braeburn.

More Breakfast Favorites:

And of course you can find many more pancake recipes in Stack Happy!

Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe | Buns In My Oven (6)

Follow me on social for more recipe ideas & inspiration!

Caramel Apple Pancakes

Ever wondered how to make pancakes from scratch? Let me show you! These apple pancakes are the perfect treat for a fall breakfast!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep10 minutes minutes

Cook10 minutes minutes

Total20 minutes minutes

Serves 8 pancakes

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted

For the apples:

  • 1 medium tart apple peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

For the topping:

  • Caramel ice cream topping warmed

Instructions

To make the pancakes:

  • Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

  • In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter until well combined.

  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk together until most of the lumps are gone. Do not overmix.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.

  • Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface. Flip the pancake and cook until browned on the bottom and the center is done.

  • Repeat with remaining batter until all pancakes are cooked.

For the apples:

  • While the pancakes are cooking, set a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter to the skillet and melt.

  • Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to combine.

  • Add the apples and stir to coat.

  • Cook for 5-7 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

To serve:

  • Top the pancakes with the warm apples and drizzle the warmed caramel sauce on top.

Tips & Notes:

It’s easy to make buttermilk at home! Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 3/4 cup of milk and let set for 5 minutes. Stir to combine. Use in place of the buttermilk.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 162kcal (8%)| Carbohydrates: 21g (7%)| Protein: 3g (6%)| Fat: 7g (11%)| Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)| Cholesterol: 40mg (13%)| Sodium: 297mg (13%)| Potassium: 130mg (4%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 8g (9%)| Vitamin A: 260IU (5%)| Vitamin C: 1.1mg (1%)| Calcium: 57mg (6%)| Iron: 0.9mg (5%)

Author: Karly Campbell

Course:Breakfast

Cuisine:American

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Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe | Buns In My Oven (2024)

FAQs

What does a perfectly cooked pancake look like? ›

Flip at the right time: Look for bubbles on top and light browning around the edges, after about 2 to 3 minutes. Then flip and continue to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. It's okay to peek to see if they are browned on the bottom. If the pancakes are too floppy to flip, they aren't cooked enough.

What do eggs do in baking pancakes? ›

Egg: A whole egg lends even more moisture. Plus, it helps bind the pancake batter together.

What makes pancakes fluffy and helps them rise? ›

Pancakes and waffles typically both contain baking soda, which causes them to rise. As soon as the baking soda is combined with the wet ingredients (which contain an acidic ingredient, like often buttermilk), it starts producing carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the batter to rise.

What can you add to pancake mix to make it taste better? ›

Spice It Up

Some mixes already have flavors added to them, but a little more spice never hurt anyone. I like to add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or vanilla extract to give it more depth in flavor. You can even add a dash of cocoa powder for some chocolate pancakes!

What not to do when making pancakes? ›

Don't let the lumps fool you into overmixing!
  1. You ignore the heat during cooking. If you are not using an electric skillet, you must pay attention to the heat when you start cooking the pancakes. ...
  2. You've been using the wrong pan. ...
  3. You flip your pancakes too soon. ...
  4. You don't fully preheat your pan.

Does adding more baking powder make pancakes fluffier? ›

Top tips for fluffy pancakes

Don't be tempted to add more than the recipe suggests, as too much baking powder will make pancakes taste soapy. Alternatively, you could use self-raising flour, which will add to the amount of raising agent in the recipe and potentially make your pancakes fluffier.

What temperature to cook pancakes? ›

The ideal griddle temperature for pancakes is 375°F, or a medium setting for gas stovetop burners. Achieving the correct cooking temperature is key to making a perfect pancake. An overheated griddle will burn pancakes on the outside and undercook them on the inside.

How long should pancakes cook? ›

Make 1 or 2 more pancakes, taking care to keep them evenly spaced apart. Cook, until bubbles break the surface of the pancakes, and the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip with a spatula and cook about 1 minute more on the second side.

What is the secret to light fluffy pancakes? ›

The secret is in the egg whites!

To give your pancakes that fluffy text, beat only the egg whites for 3 minutes on medium speed. They'll start turning creamy, which means it's time to add them to the pancake mixture. Use a wooden spatula to incorporate everything. There you have it!

Can I use mayo instead of eggs in pancakes? ›

🥞 #foodie #foodhacks #heinz #pancakeday #veganpancakes #eggless.

What makes fluffier pancakes milk or water? ›

Milk helps make pancakes fluffier than water. Since milk is thicker than water, it creates a thicker batter. Further, if you use whole milk or low fat milk, the fat content helps yield tender, fluffy results.

What makes restaurant pancakes taste so good? ›

Restaurants tend to use real, farm-fresh eggs and real milk when making their pancakes, which as you might guess, adds to a richer, higher-quality eating experience.

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