Alma Bax 
In Germany, pancakes are a special food. Known as “Apfelpfannkuchen”, they are often offered as a dessert or as a side dish. Though they look like pancakes, they don’t come from the pancake family. Instead, they are made of apple dough and resemble little pancakes.
This recipe was born out of our failed attempts at making pancakes. The result is like eating gingerbread pancakes – soft, light, and fluffy. We hope you enjoy this easy recipe and find it provides a great start to your morning.
Apfelpfannkuchen (apples + pancakes) is a very popular German dessert. Served at nearly every occasion, this is one of the most popular and traditional German desserts. But why does it make people so happy? Many people ask me what’s the secret of the delicious, fluffy apple pancakes. The secret is in the apples – the best apples!
German Apple Pancakes with a Perfect Golden Brown Finish Await You!
Are you looking for a sweet and delectable delicacy that may be served for breakfast, brunch, supper, or as a dessert after dinner? What you’re searching for are German apple pancakes!
These apple pancakes are very fluffy and wonderfully sweet, and they’re served hot straight from the pan!
These apple pancakes are one of our favorites. We’re not big on sweets, but something about these pancakes makes them substantial and full like a brunch dish while still being sweet.
It’s the perfect balance of sweetness to avoid feeling like you’re eating an excessively sugary dessert while still knowing you’re eating wonderful apple pancakes!
Lisa grew up eating apple pancakes, but not the kind that are often referred to be German pancakes in the United States (like this recipe).
Those pancakes, also known as Dutch babies, are said to have been introduced to the United States by German immigrants centuries ago and are made somewhat differently from the Apfelpfannkuchen (apple pancakes) that we are familiar with in Germany.
So don’t be shocked if this recipe differs somewhat from your expectations!
This batch of German apple pancakes was really delicious… But they’re typically like that!
In the German city where we used to reside, we saw a bakery with a storefront dedicated only to apple pancakes!
We’ve had our fair share of this wonderful dessert dish, as well as other delicious apple treats like Apfelberliner (akin to a deep-fried apple doughnut). It was time to come up with our own recipe after a while!
It’s incredible how the apples cook up and caramelize on the tops…
The secret to this variation is to not only fill the batter with apple pieces, but also to add/insert apples after spooning the batter into the pan and placing them on top of each pancake.
You can get as creative as you want with them — Lisa loves to create five-point stars, but you could even make letters for the diners’ names!
Some apples must be thinly sliced, while others must be chopped into tiny chunks.
Another benefit of these apple pancakes is that they are naturally sweetened, thanks to the apples and sugar in the recipe. So, in our view, you don’t even need to add any syrup to enjoy them (but you certainly may!).
This is coming from Eric, a Canadian who would put maple syrup on almost everything! These pancakes are delicious with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of agave syrup.
Recipes that are similar
If you like these German apple pancakes, here are a few more recipes that you’ll adore!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 apples (medium size)
- 3 eggs, medium size
- flour (two cups)
- 1 pound of sugar
- 1 gallon of milk
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- a generous teaspoon of salt
- 5 tablespoons of oil
Instructions
- If desired, wash and peel the apples. One full apple should be cut into tiny cubes, and the 1/2 apple should be cut into extremely thin slices. For a visual representation, see the image above. Optional: To prevent browning, squirt some lemon juice on top of the apples. Set the apples aside for the time being.
- Separate the eggs into whites and place them in a medium mixing dish. Make sure there isn’t any egg yolk in the egg whites.
- The egg whites should be stiffened using an electric hand mixer. The egg whites should hardly move when tilting the bowl. This indicates that they are sufficiently rigid.
- In a second larger mixing basin, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, and sugar until foamy.
- With your electric mixer on the lowest speed, combine the flour, salt, and cinnamon and add it in tiny increments to the egg yolk mixture. Continue to mix until the batter is smooth. It’s OK if your batter is very thick at this stage.
- Set your hand mixer aside and use a spatula to gently incorporate the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk batter. Add the apple cubes (not the slices!) to the mixture. then incorporate them into the batter gently as well.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and pour about one soup ladle of batter each pancake. Smooth out the batter with a ladle or a spoon since it may be very thick. Place the apple slices on top of the batter in the pan now. You may get as creative as you want with your design, but don’t overlap apple slices to ensure uniform cooking.
- Fry your pancake for around 5 minutes on the first side on medium heat, then flip it and fry for a little shorter period on the second side. Remove the pancake from the pan after all sides are golden brown, and continue the instructions until all of your pancake batter has been used up.
- Powdered sugar, maple syrup, or jam may be used to top your pancakes. For a North American breakfast, apple pancakes go nicely with bacon.
Notes
- It’s critical to use extreme caution while folding the egg whites into the batter. This is what gives the pancakes their fluffy texture.
- Due to their size, you may not be able to fit more than one pancake in your pan.
Information about nutrition:
Approximately 5 servings 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size 476 calories 18g total fat 2g Saturated Fat 0g trans fat 15 g of unsaturated fat 102 milligrams of cholesterol Sodium: 91 milligrams 69g carbohydrate 3 g of fiber 26 g sugar 10 g protein
An online nutrition calculator was used to determine this nutritional information. It should only be used as a guideline and not as a substitute for expert dietary guidance. Depending on the particular components used, the exact values may vary.
How did this recipe turn out for you?
You may save it to one of your Pinterest boards and come back to it at any time!
“Apfelpfannkuchen” is a traditional German recipe that is also known as “Apple Pancakes”. They are made with a combination of eggs, flour, butter, sugar and apples. The pancakes are quite simple to make, all you have to do is mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then add the apples. This cake can be eaten warm or cold.. Read more about apfel pfannkuchen magnolia pancake haus and let us know what you think.
About Author
