It’s officially apple season, baby! And since it’s always and forever pancake season, I decided to combine my love for both into a cozy, apple pancake that’s fluffy, gluten free and nutritious.
Are you down, OR ARE YOU DOWN.
I’m not sure if you remember my banana oatmeal pancakes, but it’s one of my favorite recipes to use those spotty ripe bananas that spend a few too many day on the counter. Plus they’re packed with protein and nutritious for the kiddos and even toddlers! So I figured, why not try an apple version out?
And now we’re here with these glorious fluffy healthy apple cinnamon pancakes.
The best part? The batter is made right in your blender making them a breeze to whip up!
What’s in these apple pancakes?
These healthy apple pancakes are made with applesauce, eggs, a touch of pure maple syrup, almond milk (any milk will work), vanilla extract, gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. I love using applesauce because it gives the pancakes plenty of real apple flavor.
If you’re feeling up to it, you can always stir in 1/2 cup of diced apple pieces, but I prefer to reserve those for a sauteed apple topping.
How to make healthy apple pancakes in the blender
- Apple pancakes are super easy to make! Grab your favorite applesauce from the store, or make a homemade version, then add remaining pancake ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add olive oil or coconut oil to a griddle or large nonstick pan and place over medium heat. Add pancake batter 1/3 cup at a time. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and tiny bubbles appear around the edges. Flip and cook 2 minute more.
- Serve pancakes with sauteed cinnamon apples, pecans and pure maple syrup for a delicious, healthy breakfast.
How to keep pancakes warm
You can absolutely make these pancakes ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven. Simply place oven at 200 degrees F, then add pancakes to a platter or oven-safe plate and place in the oven until ready to serve.
How to freeze pancakes
If you want to make your pancakes ahead of time and serve them at a later date, you can place the pancakes on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching and place in the freezer for 30 minutes, then place them in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to reheat, simply add pancakes to a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds or until warm. This is a great option for kids or if you want to have a make ahead breakfast on hand.
I hope you love these healthy apple pancakes. I love serving them with peanut or almond butter, sauteed apples and pure maple syrup.
More healthy pancake recipes you might like:
Whole Wheat Banana Bread Pancakes
Chai-Spiced Sweet Potato Pancakes
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe below to let me know how you liked it. You can also tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram with your creations!
Healthy Apple Pancakes (made right in the blender!)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Olive oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let the batter sit in your blender while you heat your pan up. If batter is WAY too thick, you may need to add a few extra tablespoons of milk to the blender.
- Lightly coat a griddle with coconut oil, vegan butter or olive oil and place over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add about 1/3 cup of the batter to the griddle for each pancake and cook for 2-4 minutes until pancakes slightly puff up and you see a few bubbles along the edges.
- Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly, then you need to lower the heat. I normally start on medium heat, then reduce to medium low later so that my pancakes don't burn. If at any point your griddle starts smoking, it means your pan is too hot. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more oil and remaining batter. Makes 6 pancakes total. Serves 3, 2 pancakes each.
Recipe Notes
Optional for the topping: Add 3/4 cup diced apple + 1 tablespoon butter + 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup + a sprinkle of cinnamon to a saucepan and saute over medium heat until apples begin to cook down a bit. Serve over pancakes if desired!
How to freeze pancakes:
If you want to make your pancakes ahead of time and serve them at a later date, you can place the pancakes on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching and place in the freezer for 30 minutes, then place them in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to reheat, simply add pancakes to a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds or until warm. This is a great option for kids or if you want to have a make ahead breakfast on hand.
107 comments
These look perfect for Sunday breakfast after my long run. Can’t wait to try them!
Absolutely! Great idea. Hope you love them!
Freezing healthy pancakes like these is a great way to conquer breakfast on busy mornings!
Absolutely!
These look great! Would I need to make any changes if I wanted to make these into waffles?
I haven’t made them into waffles so I’m not 100% sure it would work! Let me know if you give it a shot.
Oh my golly gosh these are delicious! Thank you for creating and sharing this decadent recipe.
So glad you love them!
Love this recipe! I didn’t have any apple sauce so I actually just chopped up two apples and blended with the rest of the ingredients and they turned out awesome!
Perfect! So glad that worked out well!
I will be making these this morning 🙂 I’m so excited to try!! I looove me some healthier pancake options for a slow Saturday morning.
These were great! I made a double batch, so I can freeze the leftovers! I had a few fresh blueberries that some of the pancakes got!! Yummy!
Loved this recipe! We had just gone apple picking and made our own applesauce so this was perfect. My 9 year old daughter made the batter, so easy right in the blender. We will be making these over and over, next time I’ll double the recipe since they are so good. Thank you!
So glad you liked this recipe! 🙂
Finally got around to making these. So delicious! The perfect fall breakfast. Btw, the new site looks amazing!!
Thank you so much, Angela!
I ended up freezing the leftovers when I made these. Earlier this week, when I cleaned out my freezer (like everyone else who is hunkered down at home), I found them hiding in the back. I thawed them out and ate them for breakfast yesterday and today. They held up perfectly in the freezer.
Perfect! Love freezing pancakes for later.
These were a big hit with the whole family. Especially the topping! I made it once with apple and the second time with pear because that’s what I had on hand, equally delicious.
Love that! Such a great idea.
This is so easy to make in the blender, great use of extra applesauce too. This one works like a charm for me. Puffy nice pancakes, great flavor and I even lighten them up a bit with egg beaters or egg whites. This is a go to recipe for me for pancakes. Thank you.
Perfect! So happy to hear that, Frances 🙂
Best pancakes!!! I make them for my boyfriend all the time and he loves pancakes. He has no idea they’re a bit healthier than the others I’ve made and he thinks they’re the best!! So tasty, will make forever🥰
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Can we sub out the egg for flax eggs or the aquafaba?
I haven’t tried it, but probably wouldn’t recommend in this particular recipe. Feel free to try my vegan pancakes here: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/fluffy-vegan-pancakes/
Delicious!!! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect. My kids devoured them
Perfect! I’m so glad 🙂
Oh. My.Gosh. These are so delicious!!!! I made them right in my magic bullet (filled to the very brim. I used soymilk and added blueberries and walnuts(because I love them). I also added an extra half teaspoon of maple syrup. I skipped the cinnamon and other spices as they are not my favorites. Amazing. These are going into my regular rotation. I can grab leftovers for breakfast. I made them as a desert
Delicious! Love the idea of blueberries + walnuts, too. Glad you enjoyed!
Could I use a different kind of milk (even dairy milk) since we have a nut allergy in the house?
Yes, absolutely!
Made these just as the recipe is laid out, folded in the extra shredded apple (pink lady) and used a Cuisinart. Delish!! Will be freezing the remaining pancakes for a quick breakfast feast, yum! Thanks for the great recipes, keep em coming.
Sounds amazing! Great idea to freeze for later, too 🙂
Definitely recommend! Super easy and a great touch adding the caramelized apples
Absolutely! Wonderful breakfast 🙂
These are fantastic! My new go to pancake. I substituted pumpkin pie spice for the allspice and nutmeg.. very good! For someone that has to be gluten and dairy free..I’m thankful to have found Ambitious Kitchen.. you’ve given me delicious food options I didn’t know were possible!
Perfect! I’m glad you’re finding recipes here that you love 🙂
These are delicious and so easy to make!
Perfect breakfast!
Can you use steel cut oats or oat flour instead of rolled oats?
You could use oat flour instead 🙂 same amount of oat flour should be fine!
Sooo good! My 22 month old daughter even ate them and she’s in her toddler picky eating stage! Love that it’s all made in the blender too. Very easy to throw together. Thank you!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Can I blend the old fashion oats to make oat flour for the pancakes? I tried making pancakes with just old fashioned oats and I don’t really like the taste of it
These are awesome pancakes. I added the extra couple of tablespoons of almond milk as suggested. My 2 year old ate these up, and so did I!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
Just made these for breakfast and they were absolutely delicious! Added the Apple topping as suggested, as well as peanut butter & date syrup. So so yum 😋
Love it! Perfect breakfast 🙂
I love your recipes but since I have kidney disease I must count potassium. It would be really
great if your could include potassium in your nutrients lists.
Delicious! My son who is super picky loved it. I loved it too. Not too sweet… and yummy
Amazing! Happy to hear that 🙂
THE HEALTHY APPLE PANCAKES WERE DELICIOUS! EVERYONE IN OUR HOUSE ENJOYED THEM. I MADE THE TOPPING TOO, AND ADDED TOASTED WALNUTS. I APPRECIATE THAT THE RECIPE WASN’T TOO THICK FOR MY BLENDER. (SOMETIMES A RECIPE WILL SAY IT CAN BE MADE IN THE BLENDER, BUT IT DOESN’T REALLY WORK.)
So happy to hear that, Heather! Such a great breakfast!
Can also use applesauce to substitute the eggs? Or would that be too much applesauce?
I don’t think that would work, try a flax egg instead!
Thank you for the recipe! I don’t think I will be making these again as they were a bit too dense for my liking but it was fun to try a new recipe! For those making the recipe I recommend cutting the nutmeg and allspice in half.
Sorry to hear that, Michelle! I wish I could help troubleshoot as these should come out nice and fluffy like the photos. I hope you find new recipes here that you enjoy!
These pancakes are delicious & super easy! I blended apples, instead of putting applesauce, with apple cider. I also added a scoop of vanilla protein powder and left out the vanilla & maple syrup. They were amazing. They’re also good with blueberries!
Sounds delicious! Any ideas for egg substitutes in this one?
You could try subbing a flaxegg, but I haven’t tested it so I can’t be certain.
These were AMAZING!!!! Do yourself a favor and make the apple topping to go with it! Delicious
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
This was a perfect Fall pancake recipe and totally impressed us. We absolutely loved these pancakes!! I followed your recipe exactly but just left out allspice as I couldn’t find it in my cupboard. They were incredibly tender! Better than any buttermilk/all purpose flour recipe I’ve tried and much easier to whip up. I topped mine with fresh McIntosh apples (sauteed in butter, brown sugar & cinnamon). This is a keeper! Thank you!!!
Unpopular opinion: apples are the real stars of autumn baking season. Especially honeycrisps.
These pancakes were the perfect treat for Sunday brunch on a crisp sunny day. Easy to toss together, baked beautifully, and full of delicious honeycrisp flavor. The touch of nutmeg/allspice and Monique’s suggestion to top with almond butter, diced apples, and maple syrup came in clutch.
Love honeycrisps! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Love this recipe. I make this when I’m meal prepping and freeze it for easy access. I make this one, the banana and the pumpkin blender pancakes. Great recipes.
Love it! Best breakfasts 🙂
These were absolutely delicious and so easy to make!! I will definitely be making them again! Thank you!
Amazing! Such a great breakfast 🙂
This is a go-to family favourite in my house. They are delicious and so quick and easy to whip up. The spice blend is just perfect. Love these!!
So happy to hear that!
These are some of our all time favorites! We’ve made them many times and they’re always perfect. The stewed apples really top it off.
These are my favorite pancakes of all time! They are so easy and fail-proof, I keep coming back to them!
So happy to hear that!
Question–Is there a substitute for eggs in this recipe??
I wouldn’t recommend swapping the eggs out – sorry!
Absolutely delicious! I would recommend making the batter the night before and leaving it in the fridge. This allows the batter to thicken, which makes cooking the pancakes a lot easier.
Perfect! Great tip 🙂
These were amazing! Thanks for another great recipe!
Absolutely! Glad you loved them 🙂
I made this exactly as written and it was delicious! My whole family loved them and my daughter declared them her new favorite pancakes. Next time I’ll double it for our family of 6.
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
Hi. Can the batter be made the day before and refrigerated until the next morning? Thx, Joanna
Hi! That should be fine 🙂
This sounds like a great recipe although I don’t have a microwave. Would you be able to defrost a couple of pancakes overnight and reheat in the oven?
We loved the texture of these!
Wish I had seen your note about the yummy apple cinnamon toppings. That would have been so good!
Glad you liked them! Perfect for next time 🙂
Super fluffy pancakes! They taste really good and are very easy to make.
These are a Sunday morning staple for us! We leave out the maple syrup, and they are still perfect topped with almond butter and greek yogurt.
I’ve made so many of the AK pancake recipes and this is one of my favorites because 1) they’re so easy and 2) that apple topping is excellent. Pro tip: make at the beginning of the week and reheat in the toaster!
We love these pancakes!! I make them about once a week for myself, my husband and our 10 month old. They melt in your mouth! I don’t like cleaning my blender, so I usually blend the oats by themselves then combine the rest like I would with any other pancake recipe and it works great!
This recipe has been added to the weekend breakfast line up! I love using applesauce for some added fruit servings in the pancakes. Using homemade applesauce is a great way to use all of those Fall apples without having go to unhealthy baked goods, These pancakes are fluffy, delicious, and a crowd pleaser. I like to top mine with fruits on hand (blueberries and banana), almond butter drizzle, and pure maple syrup.
I really enjoyed these pancakes. Very tasty. I used my homemade apple butter instead of applesauce and cut back on the spices. I found that I did need to add a bit more milk as the batter was quite thick. I served with additional maple syrup and apple butter on top. Thanks for the great recipe.
Perfect! And yes, if the batter is ever looking a little too thick just add a splash of milk. Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious my husband who loves apples really enjoyed this one!
So happy to hear that!
Following the recipe as written gets great results! I don’t have time for mini pancakes so I made 3 large ones and they fluffed up fine, make sure you have enough baking powder to get the fluffy results. This blender method also results in an easy cleanup and easier/tastier than my winging-it banana pancakes.
Modifications:
Added 1tbsp of powdered fiber
I didn’t measure the ingredients, I always eyeball it unless it’s baking.
Topped with butter and homemade syrup (literally just butter and brownsugar)
Perfect! Glad you loved them!
I absolutely love these and so does my som! We make these weekly in our house!
I’m so glad! Perfect breakfast 🙂
Very good and easy!
Glad you enjoyed!
These were great. My 3 year old and I loved them. Really easy but fluffy and delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad! Such a great breakfast.
These are hands down the best healthy pancakes I have ever had. They are SO FLUFFY and flavorful! They feel incredibly indulgent. I had already made oat flour earlier in the week and just mixed everything in a bowl instead of a blender and it still turned out perfectly.
So happy to hear that! Such a great breakfast 🙂