Super Easy, Warm-You-Up-Breakfast: German Apple Pancakes

This time of year always makes me want to make sweet, spicy, filling breakfasts. I don’t know what it is about cooler weather, but it just calls out for hot, special “treat” breakfasts – something to warm you from the inside out. Of course, there’s usually not much time for yummy breakfasts like that, what with busy school mornings and hectic holidays. That’s why these German apple pancakes are so fantastic! They go from raw ingredients to a special breakfast treat in only about 30 minutes! And half of that time is baking time, so you’re able to relax!

The best apples for these are Granny Smith apples. They cook beautifully, and their tartness is the perfect contrast to warm maple syrup or caramel sauce. They need to be peeled, cored, and sliced into quarter inch slices for this recipe.

To get the perfect apple slices in no time at all, I always use a peeler. It peels, cores, and slices the apple into the perfect size slices in seconds. Plus, kids love them and always want to help.

Once the apple is through the peeler, cut it in half to create the slices. Although, an edible apple slinky is awfully fun…

The remaining ingredients are unsalted butter, eggs, vanilla, sugar, brown sugar, salt, flour, and half-and-half. You’ll also need very small amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees, then, in a blender (or food processor), combine the eggs, vanilla, white sugar, salt, and half-and-half. Blend until thoroughly combined, then sprinkle the flour over the top and blend until there are no clumps remaining.

Next, place the butter and apple slices in a ten inch skillet (preferably nonstick) set over medium high heat, then sprinkle with the brown sugar.

Cook the apples, stirring them occasionally, until they are soft and a light golden color, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the batter over the apples, starting around the outside and working your way in, until they are covered. Place the pan in the preheated oven and reduce the heat to 425 degrees.

Bake until the batter is puffy and the edges are browned, 15 to 18 minutes.

Use a heatproof spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the pancakes. If you’re not using a nonstick pan, use the spatula to loosen the bottom as much as possible too.

Place a large plate or small platter upside down on top of the pan…

…use oven mitts to hold the pan and plate together while you invert the pancakes.

Dust the pancakes with a couple of tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar before serving.

These are sweet and mild, as is.

Or even tastier with a drizzle of maple syrup. If you want a particularly decadent breakfast, pour on a little caramel sauce. Yum. Enjoy!

German Apple Pancakes

Ingredients

2 eggs
3/4 cup half- and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 medium granny smith apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of allspice
confectioners’ sugar
maple syrup

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a blender (or food processor), combine the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, salt, and white sugar. Blend until thoroughly combined, then sprinkle the flour over the top and blend until there are no clumps remaining.

Place the butter and apple slices in a 10-inch skillet set over medium high heat, then sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and a light golden color, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the batter over the apples, starting around the outside of the pan and working your way in, until they are covered.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and reduce the heat to 425 degrees. Bake until the batter is puffy and the edges are browned, 15 to 18 minutes.

Use a heatproof spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the pancakes. If you’re not using a nonstick pan, use the spatula to loosen the bottom as much as possible too. Place a large plate or small platter upside down on top of the pan, and use oven mitts to hold the pan and plate together while you invert the pancakes.

recipe adapted from Baking Illustrated