Fluffy German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup are perfect for a fall weekend and are a great way to change up the traditional German pancake recipe, also known as a Dutch baby.
We love apple season! If you have an abundance of apples, you might also want to check out our Homemade Apple Fritters, Apple Pie Ice Cream, or Authentic Irish Apple Cake.
German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup
At our house, weekends typically call for pancakes in one form or another. Sometimes that’s traditional fluffy buttermilk pancakes, sometimes it’s thin French crepes with fruit and nutella, but often it’s German pancakes.
We were introduced to German pancakes later in life by our friend Ginny who made them for us one weekend while we were visiting at her house. I just love how they puff up in the oven and then get drizzled with homemade buttermilk syrup. They are so delicious and a total splurge breakfast that is one of the most often requested treats by our 7-year old who has a particular fondness for German pancakes.
But there is a classic apple variation known as Apfelpfannkuchen in German, which basically ups the classic dutch baby game by adding apples sauteed with a little butter, cinnamon, and sugar to soften them and release some of their natural juices.
And while you can totally enjoy these German apple pancakes as they are out of the oven with just a dusting of powdered sugar to sweeten them, I’ve gotta admit that the cider syrup is what really puts this breakfast over the top. In fact, when my apple-loving husband tried them, he declared that he thinks he actually even prefers these apple german pancakes over the plain ones.
If there is any leftover cider syrup, it also makes a fantastic ice cream topping as well.
How to Make German Apple Pancakes
An immersion blender is awesome for mixing up this german apple pancake batter! The texture was absolutely perfect and it was so easy to use. I’m looking forward to using my immersion blender to make aioli and blending hot liquids for creamy soup bases as well.
I like to mix up the pancake batter first, and then work on the apples while the batter rests, which helps the texture, I think.
To prepare the apples, I first melted some butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. The beauty of these German apple pancakes is that you can saute the apples in the same pan you plan to bake the pancake in the oven with. Although if you don’t have a cast iron pan, you could saute the apples in any skillet and transfer them to a square baking dish if needed.
I peeled and cored a sweet, firm apple before adding it to the butter in the skillet, then added the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir the apples occasionally to ensure they soften evenly, and the apples will start to caramelize while they cook. When they are tender, add the remaining butter to the pan and let it melt. Then pour the pancake batter into the hot pan directly over the butter and apples and stick it in the oven to bake.
The pancake will puff up a lot while it bakes, but will rapidly deflate when you pull it out of the oven. That’s totally normal and what to expect when making dutch babies.
How to Make Cider Syrup
- Whisk the sugars, cornstarch, and cinnamon together in a medium saucepan before adding the liquid. This helps disperse the cornstarch and makes it easier to avoid lumps.
- Add the apple cider and lemon juice and cook the syrup over medium heat until the syrup starts to bubble and thickens. Whisk the syrup while it cooks and remove it from the heat when it has thickened enough to be syrupy.
- Stir in the butter and vanilla until the butter is melted. Enjoy with German apple pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, waffles, french toast, ice cream, and more!
- I recently discovered these awesome Ergospout lids (<– affiliate link) that let you turn any mason jar into a pouring pitcher. It’s perfect for your cider syrup! Use the discount code HOUSEOFNASHEATS for an extra 10% off.
Other Weekend Breakfast Favorites to Try:
- Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
- Toasted Coconut Pancakes
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Coconut Syrup
- Danish Aebleskivers
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup
Ingredients
German Apple Pancake
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter divided
- 1 apple peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Cider Syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
German Apple Pancake
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, and salt and blend using an immersion blender until smooth and combined. Set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven safe pan over medium heat. Add the sliced apple and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook for about 4-5 minutes until the apple begins to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan with the cooked apples and heat until melted, then pour the pancake batter directly over the melted butter and apples and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until puffy and golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately with cider syrup.
Cider Syrup
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugars, cornstarch, and cinnamon, then gradually pour in the apple cider and lemon juice, whisking to combine.
- Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the syrup begins to thicken slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter until combined, then serve with warm pancakes. This is also delicious over ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
More Apple Recipes
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These look delicious! I have never tried making a German Pancake with apples in it before. It sounds like a delicious combination and the cider syrup sounds like the perfect topping! Happy Apple Week!
What a wonderful, elegant breakfast.
Oh man, these look SO yummy! I’ve never had a German Pancake before, but I think that needs to change.
It definitely needs to change!
That pancake looks so good anyway, but the thought of cider syrup is really calling to me. YUM!
This looks delicious! I have two questions though; approximately how much cider syrup does this make, and how long does it keep for?
It makes about 1 1/4 cups of cider syrup. And it will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Hi, Amy, found you just yesterday and am preparing the Dutch Pear Pie I’ve never heard of. Anywho, browsing and finding this recipe was a treat, too. It made chuckle a little for it is presented as a breakfast dish which it is not, never was and never will be. May I explain: this dish is never served by its own but is a side dish to Erbseneintopf (thick green pea soup), or Linsensuppe (thick lentil soup) which both have added a little vinegar. The apple pancake’s sweetness goes heavenly with the soupcon of vinegar. The pancake side dish works equally fabulous with cherries.
Thank you for letting me know! I definitely wasn’t aware that it is traditionally paired with a soup! I will have to look for a recipe for the Linensuppe because that sound interesting.
How kind of you to reply, Amy, and so fast. I’ll have a look whether I’ll find a recipe easily adaptable to the ingredients you have at your disposal. I tried to include a link but, sadly, failed. Have a fabulous week-end. B.
You can always email me at amy@houseofnasheats.com! 🙂
Delish! So eay & fast to make and taste like something very special.
Thank you! Yes it is fun to make something a little out of the norm. It can definitely make it feel special.