Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (2024)

| September 25, 2021

This Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe can be served for breakfast, brunch or even dessert! One pan serves 8 generously and can be eaten hot out of the oven or at room temperature.

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (1)

If it is possible to make the perfect fall dish, this is IT. Caramelized apples, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, all baked into the most delicious family style pancake! The caramelized apples give this recipe just the right amount of sweet.

I prefer to eat this German Apple Pancake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top, but if you want to top it with syrup, I highly recommend either Creamy Maple Syrup, or this recipe for Caramel Syrup.

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (2)

Our German Apple Pancake is the ultimate recipe for a crisp fall weekend, a holiday celebration or even a lazy weekend at home.

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (3)

Tips for baking ABK’s Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe:

  • Use a mixture of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples for the best blend of tart and sweet.
  • Use fresh apples instead of canned pie filling for best results and fresh flavors!
  • A cast iron pan will help to retain heat and produce a perfectly golden brown pancake.
  • Butter the sides of the pan to prevent sticking.
  • Let the baked pancake rest for 5 minutes before inverting onto plate when done.

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (4)

This recipe is best served warm, but can be served at room temperature as well. I love it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for brunch or dessert. a light sprinkle of cinnamon on the vanilla ice cream adds a nice bit of color and little extra flavor! If you love nuts, 1/2 cup of pecans work well in the caramelized apple layer.

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (5)

Tools to make this recipe easy!

Three tools I use when making this recipe are my trusty apple peeler, corer and slicer. Can’t live without this tool when making anything that includes peeled and sliced apples! A good quality cast iron skillet is a kitchen essential you’ll use forever. This is the 10 inch Lodge pan I use for this recipe. The last tool I use often is this sugar shaker it gives a nice even sprinkle of powdered or cinnamon sugar to finish off many dishes!

Don’t be intimidated by this recipe. It is very simple and can be broken down in a few easy steps…

How to make German Apple Pancakes:

  • Preheat oven. Very important to have the oven HOT for this recipe.
  • Prepare the pancake batter (this may be done up to 24 hours ahead and stored in fridge).
  • Cut the apples, melt butter and sugars and spices in pan. Add apples and caramelize.
  • Pour pancake batter into hot pan of caramelized apples.
  • Bake pancake, remove and serve!

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (6)

I hope you love this tasty new recipe. Let us know in the comments if you make ABK’s German Apple Pancake for your family!

Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (7)

5 from 7 votes

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Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe

Our Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe is comfort food for fall! Loaded with caramelized apples, cinnamon and butter it bakes up in minutes and can be served for brunch or dessert!

CourseBreakfast, brunch, Dessert

CuisineAmerican, german

Keywordapple, brunch, eggs, fall, family style

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

caramelize apples 5 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8

Author Si Foster

Ingredients

  • 4large eggsroom temperature
  • 1cupmilk (whole is best)
  • 1teaspoonvanilla
  • 2tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
  • 1cupall-purpose flour*
  • 1/2teaspoonbaking powder
  • 1tablespoonsugar
  • 1/4teaspoonsalt
  • 3apples, about 3 cups loosely packed
  • 1/4cupunsalted butter
  • 1/2cuplight brown sugar
  • 1/4cupwhite sugar
  • 1teaspoonground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoonground nutmeg
  • 1tablespoonwhite sugar for topping apples

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees with oven on middle rack.

Batter for pancake

  1. In blender or a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter.

  2. Add flour, baking powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt. Mix just until blended. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Apple filling

  1. Peel, core and slice the apples into 1/8 inch pieces. Set aside in bowl.

  2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast iron or other stove and oven-proof dish over medium heat. Swirl butter to cover sides and bottom of pan. Place sugars and spices into the melted butter in pan. Stir. The mixture may look dry, but it will melt as the pan continues to heat up.

  3. Add the cut up apples to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. If the mixture is not bubbly, turn the heat to medium-high. The sugar mixture should be bubbly and start to caramelize. Evenly spread the apple slices around. Sprinkle the top of the apple slices with 1 additional tablespoon of white sugar.

Assembly and bake

  1. Pour the batter mixture over the apples and sugar and turn off stove heat. Carefully transfer the hot pan to the oven. Close oven door and immediately reduce temperature to 425, Bake for 15 minutes.

  2. After 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (do not open oven door) and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

  3. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. The pancake will pull away from sides of the pan a bit. Run a knife or spatula around edge of pan to loosen the pancake. Place a plate (larger than cast iron pan) on top of the pan and carefully invert the pancake onto a plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Recipe Notes

  • It is very important to remember to turn the heat in the oven down when the pan is placed in the oven and also at the 15 minute mark. Set a timer and stay close to the kitchen.
  • All-purpose flour works well in this recipe. At my elevation (about 4800 feet above sea level) I have the best luck with 1 cup of flour. Many recipes for German apple pancakes use as little as 1/2 cup of flour. I have also had success with 3/4 cup of flour, but find the pancake seems a little more doughy with less flour.
  • Unsalted butter is best, but salted butter will also work.
  • I like a mixture of Granny Smith apples and Honey Crisp for this recipe.
  • I have used 2 tablespoons instead of 1/4 cup of butter in the apple layer and found there is not a lot of difference in the flavor overall, but the caramelization of the apples is not quite as good!
  • Any oven proof dish will work when baking the pancake.
  • The finished pancake may also be served straight out of the pan without inverting.
Easy German Apple Pancake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my German pancakes not fluffy? ›

If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise. We suggest that you give the oven and skillet plenty of time to heat up thoroughly before adding the batter.

What's the difference between German and American pancakes? ›

How are German Pancakes different than American Pancakes? German pancakes use a whole lot more eggs and no added leavening agent. German Pancakes are also baked in the oven to a golden perfection.

What is another name for German pancakes? ›

A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

Why does a German pancake puff up? ›

Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

Why are they called German pancakes? ›

German pancakes and Dutch babies are essentially the same thing, but the dish is said to have originated in Germany, not the Netherlands. The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German).

What is the trick to fluffy pancakes? ›

The tip, via Food52, relies on relaxed egg whites, aka unbeaten whites that have been allowed to sit for a bit. The pancake technique calls for the eggs to be separated and for the yolks to be mixed into a buttermilk, milk, and melted butter mixture.

Does baking soda make pancakes fluffier? ›

Baking soda is essential for baked goods, but baking powder is really what makes pancakes and biscuits rise and become so super fluffy. Double-acting baking powder, which is the kind that you'll find in the grocery store, produces bubbles in two ways: when it is mixed with wet ingredients and then when it gets heated.

How do you make pancakes more fluffy? ›

5 Tips for Fluffier Pancakes
  1. Allow the Batter to Rest. A good rule of thumb when you're wondering how to make fluffy pancakes is to let the batter rest. ...
  2. Beat the Egg Whites. Separate your yolk from the egg white then beat to create a fluffy pancake. ...
  3. Don't Over Mix! ...
  4. Wait for the Bubbles. ...
  5. Follow a Good Recipe.
Dec 1, 2019

Which country has the best pancakes in the world? ›

France – Crêpes

You can't possibly make a list of the world's best pancakes and not include France. Crêpes are unavoidable throughout the country. There are two main types of French crêpes – sweet ones (crêpes sucrées) and savoury ones (crêpes salées). Savoury crêpes are commonly known as 'galettes'.

Why are they called dollar pancakes? ›

In the U.S., we refer to them as "silver dollar" pancakes, as they are roughly the size of the old-school coin. While the batter is very similar to traditional griddled pancakes, silver dollar pancakes are usually served beyond the breakfast table.

What is Holland pancakes? ›

A pannenkoek (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈpɑnə(ŋ)ˌkuk]; plural pannenkoeken [-ˌkukə(n)]) or Dutch pancake is a style of pancake with origins in the Netherlands. Pannenkoeken are usually larger (up to a foot in diameter) and much thinner than their American or Scotch pancake counterparts, but not as thin as crêpes.

What do Southerners call pancakes? ›

Pancakes are sometimes called hoecakes in the South. Most Southerners are familiar with lacy cornbread, aka hot water cornbread. A hoecake is a rustic fried version of a pancake made with ground cornmeal.

What do English people call pancakes? ›

In both the US and UK, the term hotcakes is used as a synonym of pancakes.

What do French people call American pancakes? ›

The common word is “crêpe”. But if you refer to American or English ones, people use the English one. Otherwise, if you make pancakes with buckwheat only or a mix of wheat and buckwheat, you'll say “galettes” or “ crêpes salées”.

What is apple cake made of? ›

Key Ingredients You Need

You'll use sturdy all-purpose flour instead of cake flour in this recipe because of the thick, wet batter. Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These ingredients help the cake rise. Spices + Vanilla: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and vanilla—apple's flavor support team!

What is apple crumb made of? ›

Apple Crumble Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour and almond flour – The almond flour adds extra richness to the topping, while the all-purpose flour keeps it light and crisp. Whole rolled oats – Because to me, nothing says fall like oats, nuts, and apples. Walnuts – For crunch!

What is apple flour made of? ›

Apple flour is flour made from the milling of apple pomace, a mix of about 54% pulp, 34% peels, 7% seeds, 4% seed cores, and 2% stems remaining after apples have been squeezed and crushed for their juice. It is also called "apple pomace flour", which contains higher amounts of dietary fiber than refined white flour.

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