A few weeks ago we went apple picking, and like every year, we came home with way more apples than we can reasonably eat. Our counter has basically been an apple stand ever since.
On weekends we usually do English muffins for lunch. So last Saturday I reach into the bag and… two. Only two English muffins, one short. Somebody (I’m not naming names, husband) clearly got to them first. So, extra carbs on the spot it was!
I had a whole counter of apples staring at me, and I thought: what if I make a tiny batch of pancakes to fill the gap? And what if those pancakes were basically apple fritters? So that’s what I did.
These are barely pancakes, honestly. There’s just enough batter to hold everything together, and the rest is big chunks of apple that go soft and jammy as they cook. A splash of maple syrup, a little cinnamon and a drop of vanilla give them that cozy fritter flavor. No deep-frying required!
The method is about as simple as it gets. Whisk, stir, fold in the chopped apple, and cook low and slow so the centers set before the outsides get too dark. The batter is thick and lumpy with apple, so the pancakes come out all craggy and rustic. That’s a feature, not a bug.
Look at that inside! That’s what you’re here for.
This recipe makes about 6 small pancakes, just enough for 2 people, or just enough to round out a lunch that was one English muffin short. Crisis averted, and a few more apples used up. Only about forty more to go…
Mini-batch Apple Fritter Pancakes
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (nut) milk (80 ml)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey (20 g)
- 1 drop vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup flour (90 g) I used a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat
- 1/2 tsp baking powder I used low-sodium
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 medium apple (180 g) chopped into small chunks
- 1 tsp oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and stir until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX. A few lumps are fine.
- Fold in the chopped apple. The batter should be thick and mostly apple, so if it looks runny, add a little more flour until it thickens up.
- Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and gently spread it out a little.
- Cook until the edges look set and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden and cooked through. Low heat is key here so the apple-heavy centers cook before the outsides burn.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Any apple works. Leaving the peel on gives you little pops of color.
- Whole wheat flour adds a nutty, more fritter-like flavor. All-purpose works on its own too.
- To sweeten the deal, add a dusting of powdered sugar, or whisk powdered sugar with a little maple syrup for a quick glaze and drizzle it on top.
- Store leftovers (if any!) in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a skillet.
