Apfelpfannkuchen, or German Apple Pancakes, are a deliciously fluffy breakfast or dessert featuring thinly sliced apples cooked into a tender, golden pancake. Lightly spiced with cinnamon and sugar, they are often served with powdered sugar, apple compote, or a drizzle of syrup. Sweet, comforting, and aromatic, Apfelpfannkuchen is a classic German treat perfect for cozy mornings or festive occasions.
Apfelpfannkuchen (German Apple Pancakes)
Ingredients
BATTER
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 4 eggs, separated
- Pinch salt
FILLING/TOPPING
- 2 sweet and crisp apple (Envy, Gala, or Honeycrisp) peeled, cored and sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp salted butter, divided
SERVING (mix these together to make cinnamon sugar)
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, milk, water, and egg yolks.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites into the flour mixture.
- Heat roughly ¼ Tbsp of butter in an 8” skillet over medium-high heat.
- Arrange some of the apple slices in the hot skillet. Let the apple slices caramelize for 30-45 seconds.
- Spoon enough batter into the skillet to fill the entire pan in a ¼ – ½ inch layer. (The batter will be stiff from the egg whites and will need to be spread evenly with a spatula to thin it for consistent cooking.)
- When edges start to turn golden and the center is mostly dry, about 4-5 min, carefully flip the pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the second side. Then, slide the pancake onto a serving platter.
- Keep the pancakes warm in a low oven while you make the rest of the pancakes, adding a little butter to the skillet before each set of apples and batter. (As the pan gets hotter, you may need to reduce the heat slightly to keep the apples from burning.)
- Sprinkle the pancakes with cinnamon sugar to serve.
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