Apple Cider Pancakes

In celebration of apple season finally being here, we asked Alex Caspero, Registered Dietitian, yoga teacher and blogger at Delish Knowledge to create a delicious fall inspired recipe for us highlighting our favorite fruit of the year.

This may be the most perfect weekend breakfast. A giant stack of warm apple cider pancakes, a mountain of soft, cinnamon coated apples and a generous pour of Eckert’s homemade apple syrup. Just add an oversize cup of coffee with my favorite book and I might stay on the couch all morning.

I’m a big believer in Saturday breakfasts, a tradition I take very seriously in my house. After a morning walk, bike ride or run together as a family, we head home to relax, plan the weekend and linger over a long breakfast. To me, it’s the perfect way to ease into the weekend; savoring time, trying new recipes and creating memories. While these special days can be few and far between during the busy summer season, we gear back up after Labor Day ends.

Though the weather is still hovering around 90 degrees, I’m all in for Fall. I’ve switched out my spring flowers for mums, pulled my boots out of storage and dusted off my slow-cooker. I’ve also scheduled a few afternoons to head out to Eckert’s for apple and pumpkin picking and stocking up on my favorite fall favorites like homemade apple cider, apple butter and apple syrup. We welcomed in the season this past Saturday with a batch of these cider pancakes. Tender, fluffy and layered with apples, I know you will enjoy them as much as we did.

If you have any extra pancakes, they freeze wonderfully. Simply wrap each cooled pancake in plastic wrap then place in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to eat, remove the wrap and toast until warmed through.

Apple Cider Pancakes
Yield ~14-16 pancakes

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup Eckert’s Apple Cider
1 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
2 large eggs
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup shredded apples (from roughly ~3 small apples)
Eckert’s Apple Syrup, for topping

Apple Topping

3 apples, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients for apple topping: apples, sugar, butter and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until apples soften and caramelize, about 10-15 minutes.

While the apple topping is cooking, make the pancakes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider, milk, vinegar, eggs, canola oil and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the shredded apples. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together taking care not to over mix. The batter will be lumpy.

Heat a large griddle over medium heat and coat either with cooking spray or a teaspoon of oil. Using a ¼ cup scoop, pour pancake batter onto the griddle. Cook until air bubbles appear then flip and cook on the other side, about 2 minutes more.

Continue with the rest of the batter.

To serve, stack pancakes and top with apple topping and Eckert’s Apple Syrup.