How to make apple cider pancakes
Each Sunday in Autumn we make a stack of these soft, buttery apple cider infused pancakes. The combination of tangy buttermilk, with apple cinnamon sweetness is a match made in heaven. If you want to know how to make apple cider pancakes, this recipe is perfect for you!
There is nothing more lovely than a pancake feast on weekend mornings. This is our go to family recipe. It's been passed down for two generations, and it has converted me into a pancake lover
The first step is to make sure you have some fresh apple cider, if you don't have any, you can use my recipe.
Next, you'll want to make sure you leave yourself enough time to reduce your apple cider for a more concentrated apple flavor. See notes below on how to do this. I often do this step the night before I plan to make pancakes to allow my syrup plenty of time to thicken, and to save some time in the morning.
INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED FOR APPLE CIDER PANCAKES
This recipe calls for basic ingredients you likely already have at home.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- one egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup apple cider, or apple cider syrup
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ½ tablespoon of salt
- ½ tablespoon of cinnamon
HOW TO MAKE THESE DREAMY, FLUFFY PANCAKES
It doesn't get much more simple than these pancakes.
- Sift your flour into a large bowl, then add your baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk together
- In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and apple cider syrup until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk by hand gently to combine the ingredients. The batter is thick and a few lumps may remain.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with butter. Once hot, drop about ¼ cup of batter on the griddle. Cook until the edges look dry and bubbles begin to form on the sides, about 1 minute. Flip and cook on the other side until cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Coat griddle/skillet again with butter for each pancake or batch of pancakes.
- Keep pancakes warm in a preheated 200°F (93°C) oven until all pancakes are cooked.
- Serve pancakes immediately with honey, maple syrup, or my apple peel pancake syrup
HOW TO MAKE APPLE CIDER SYRUP:
If you've made any apple cider goodies so far this year, you've likely seen instructions for apple cider syrup. It's the same concentrate used in my brown butter apple cider donuts.
Apple cider that has been reduced down on the stove is thick and potent, adding big flavor without excess liquid. This steps takes an additional 20 minutes, but is absolutely necessary for impactful apple flavor.
To reduce your apple cider:
- Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a small saucepan.
- Place on low heat and set a timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Begin checking at 10 minutes, and stir regularly for the next 10 minutes. At this point, apple cider should have reduced to ½ cup. If not, continue to reduce on low heat and stir consistently.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken for at least 20 minutes before using in the batter.
DON'T HAVE BUTTERMILK? NO PROBLEM! SUBSTITUTE WITH THIS:
In a pinch, you can make DIY buttermilk using regular milk and lemon juice. I always use and recommend real, full fat buttermilk for the best, tangy, pancakes.
1. Use milk: Pour 1 cup of whole or 2% milk into a liquid measuring cup. For vegan buttermilk, you can use a vegan milk of your choice with perfect results.
2. Add an acid: For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. You can scale the recipe up or down depending on how much you need. That's it!
The recipe:
