This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Jump to Recipe

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.

a fluffy apple german pancake in a skillet with fresh whole apples and syrup to the sides

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.

An image of a pan of apple dutch babies with cider syrup with one slice taken out of it.

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.

An image of German apple pancakes rising over the side of a cast iron skillet. An image of German apple pancakes being dusted with powdered sugar from a sifter.

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.

An image of an immersion blender in an easy german pancake batter to make German apple pancakes, otherwise known as apple dutch babies. An image of the pancake batter for German apple pancakes with an immersion blender in it to mix the batter together.

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.

An image of sliced apples sauteing in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar for German apple pancakes. An image of sauteed apples in a white cast iron skillet by Staub. An image of German pancake batter being poured into a skillet of sauteed cinnamon apples for a German apple pancake recipe.

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.

An image of a slice of German apple pancake covered in homemade cider syrup for a delicious Fall breakfast.

How to Make Cider Syrup

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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!
  4. 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.

An image of the ingredients for making homemade cider syrup in a saucepan. An image of homemade apple cider syrup made from scratch. An image of a glass jar of homemade cider syrup with cinnamon sticks and apples next to it. An image of a slice of Apple Dutch Baby Pancake drizzled with cider syrup with the rest of the pancake in a skillet behind it.

Other Weekend Breakfast Favorites to Try:

a german apple cancake with a slice removed and placed on a white plate to the side
Yield: 4 people

German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup

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.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Remove from oven and serve immediately with cider syrup.

Cider Syrup

  1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugars, cornstarch, and cinnamon, then gradually pour in the apple cider and lemon juice, whisking to combine.
  2. 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

Apple German Pancakes adapted from Bon Appetit and Cider Syrup adapted from Little Dairy on the Prairie.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 493Saturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 189mgSodium: 376mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 2gSugar: 41gProtein: 8g
© Amy Nash, House of Nash Eats
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast