This apple cinnamon recipe is a perfect starting food for baby led weaning and is packed with wholesome nutrients great for developing baby.

These apple cinnamon pancakes are super easy to make, require minimum prep  and are loaded with natural ingredients such as applesauce, nutrient rich buckwheat flour and immunity boosting cinnamon. They get the sweetness from applesauce and can be further sweetened with maple syrup if need be.

These apple cinnamon pancakes are really nice to have on hand as a snack or when travelling. I suggest making pancakes small or cutting them up into small bite-sized pieces and serving them as a finger food for your baby.

You can serve these with extra apple sauce, fresh fruit, or even yogurt to get your baby accustomed to different textures and allow your baby to practice their dipping skills.

What age can your baby eat apple cinnamon pancakes? 

These homemade apple cinnamon pancakes are best suited for six months of age and older (when they get their first teeth or able to chew without choking). 

Although this apple cinnamon pancake recipe is suitable for babies without teeth, both toddlers and older kids love these as well. 

BLW Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for Babies and Toddlers

Benefits of these apple cinnamon pancakes

 All the ingredients in this recipe are nutritious for your growing little one and can be found easily at your local store. 

You can avoid processed sugars and unwanted additives, commonly found  in a pre-packaged pancake mix by making pancakes at home with little prep. 

Buckwheat Flour: 

Buckwheat Flour is a nutrient rich seed. Besides being gluten and wheat free, It contains four times as much fiber as whole wheat flour and is a good source of complete protein, iron, folate and even vitamin K.

Applesauce

Apples are a great choice for one of an infant’s first food. They are easy to prepare, easy to digest and are full of nutrients. They are rich  in Vitamin C, fibre and phytochemicals. Look for organic applesauce without any additives or make your own at home by cutting up apples and cooking them down to a puree.

Chia seeds: 

Don’t be afraid of feeding your baby chia seeds. They are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, protein ,fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. They are also high in Iron which is important for brain development and magnesium and B vitamins. 

Almond Milk: 

Almond milk is a great source of calcium and vitamin D for babies. However, it lacks the protein commonly found in cows milk. However, when paired with other protein sources such as chia seeds and applesauce here its a great addition to baby’s diet.

Cinnamon: 

Cinnamon is considered safe in small quantities for babies that are starting solids. Cinnamon is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Its also great for improving digestion and helps boost immunity. 

*Please note that its important to choose only Ceylon Cinnamon as Cassia should not be given to babies.

Coconut oil:

Coconut oil is well known for skin care benefits but did you know its also great for consumption. Coconut oil is a good source of fat, protein and calories for developing baby. It can help ease baby’s digestion and helps with constipation.

BLW Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for Babies and Toddlers

What do you need to prepare 

  • A bowl for mixing the ingredients. A medium size bowl will work just fine. 
  • A small bowl to mix chia and water to create a chia egg.
  • A teaspoon to make baby size pancakes or tablespoon to add the batter to the pan. 
  • A cast iron pan. 
  • A wooden or silicone spatula to flip over the pancakes. 
  • Applesauce: Look for organic applesauce without any additives or make your own at home by cutting up apples and cooking them down to a puree and then blend to a smooth consistency.
  • Buckwheat Flour or whole grain flour suitable for babies. 
  • Chia Egg. Place chia seeds in a bowl with water, stir well and let it sit until it becomes a gelatine like consistency. 
  • Cinnamon: Look for Ceylon cinnamon, which is the safest for babies.
  • Coconut oil for frying.
  • Milk. You may use cow, goat or vegetable milk, whatever your child enjoys. 
  • Baking powder: so your pancakes rise and cook through.

Substitutions for the recipe 

This recipe can be adjusted based on your babies needs and taste.

  • You can replace buckwheat flour for gluten free rice blend( artisan sprouted is best) or even use a whole grain if you like
  • This recipe is dairy free;however; feel free to use cow or goat milk if that’s what you have on hand.
  • This recipe is egg free. But you can use 2 eggs instead of the chia egg. 

Extra add-ins for the apple cinnamon pancakes 

Here are a few suggestions to add to the batter so your baby exposed to different tastes and expand the palette.  

  • Add pieces of fresh soft fruit on top such as banana, peaches, honeydew. You can try giving your baby cut up apple with skin on after 10 months but make sure to watch them closely when they are eating.
  • Give your baby a bowl with a dip such more applesauce or yogurt and watch how your baby gets to practice their dipping skills.
  • Stir some seeds into the batter such as hemp seeds or grind up some pumpkin seeds and stir it in. 

BLW Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for Babies and Toddlers

How to Store Apple Pancakes

Apple pancakes are a great make-ahead food and they can be enjoyed cold or re-heated easily.  Just make sure to allow the pancakes to cool to room temperature before storing.

  • Refrigerating Apple Pancakes
    • Once cool, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for unto 7 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds or in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes.
  • Freezing Apple Pancakes
    • Place the pancakes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, so they are close together but not touching. Place in the freezer until frozen, around 30 mins. Then transfer to a freezable container.

Baby Apple Pancakes Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of buckwheat flour or other gf flour
3/4 cup or 2 pouches (90ml) of unsweetened applesauce
1 cup of milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 tbsp of chia seeds with 5 tbsp of water
Coconut oil for frying
Add in: Maple syrup

BLW Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for Babies and ToddlersINSTRUCTIONS

    • Make a chia egg by combining 2 tbsp of chia seeds in a small bowl with 5 tbsp of water and stir well to combine. Allow to site for 5 minutes to create jell-like consistency. 
    • While waiting, add flour, cinnamon and baking powder to a medium size bowl and stir. In a separate bowl combine milk with applesauce, add chia egg and stir well to create uniform consistency. 
    • Add liquid mixture to dry and stir with a big spoon to combine and incorporate all flour into the batter. 
    • Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. For small pancakes use a teaspoon and for large ones use  1/4 cup of the batter at a time—making sure to spread to an even thickness about 1/4-inch thick. Let cook about 3-4 minutes OR until the edges are totally set and bubbles start to appear. Allow the pancakes to be mostly cooked before you flip them.
    • Carefully flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 
    • Serve immediately and allow to cool completely and store in the fridge and/or freeze. See instructions above.

*Please note that if you substitute buckwheat flour with other type of flour, pancakes might need extra few minutes to cook and the batter will be a bit thicker. Which you can thin out by adding a few more tablespoons of milk. 

About the Author: This recipe was created and photographed by Natalia Groch, blogger and recipe developer at cravingavocados.com

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