Description
These Spiced Apple Cider Pancakes with Warm Cider Maple Syrup are a delightful fall breakfast treat, combining the natural sweetness of grated honey crisp apples and apple cider with cozy spices like cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. The fluffy pancakes are complemented perfectly by a warm, spiced maple syrup reduction, making for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour (Kamut preferred)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- A pinch of nutmeg
- ½ – ¾ cup apple cider
- 1 medium honey crisp apple, grated (about 1 cup)
Cider Maple Syrup
- ½ cup apple cider
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg thoroughly, ensuring even distribution of the spices.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg until fully blended. Add the apple cider (starting with ½ cup) and melted butter, mixing well. Then fold in the grated honey crisp apple, incorporating it evenly.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture using a flat whisk or rubber spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the pancakes tender.
- Rest the Batter: Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap, and let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps activate the baking powder for fluffier pancakes.
- Preheat Oven (Optional): If making all pancakes at once, preheat the oven to 200°F to keep cooked pancakes warm.
- Cook Pancakes: Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium to medium-high heat and grease with butter, oil, or cooking spray. Using an ice cream scoop or rounded ladle, pour about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the skillet. Cook until bubbles form and edges set, then flip carefully. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes on the other side without pressing down.
- Keep Warm: Serve pancakes immediately or place them on an ovenproof platter in the preheated oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
- Make Cider Maple Syrup: In a saucepan, combine apple cider, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil then simmer until the mixture reduces by half and thickens into a syrup.
- Serve: Drizzle the warm cider maple syrup over the pancakes and enjoy your cozy fall breakfast!
Notes
- Resting the batter improves pancake texture by allowing the baking powder to activate fully.
- Using honey crisp apples adds natural sweetness and moisture; other tart apples can be used but adjust sweetness as needed.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid tough pancakes.
- If cooking in batches, keep finished pancakes warm in a low-temperature oven to preserve texture and warmth.
- The cider maple syrup can be made ahead and gently reheated before serving.
- The amount of apple cider in the batter can be adjusted to achieve desired batter consistency (thicker for fluffier pancakes, thinner for lighter pancakes).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
