Want to see your kids getting excited about breakfast? These delicious and healthy apple pancakes will do that for you!
Who doesn’t love pancakes? From kids to adults, it is everyone’s favorite. It’s become a ritual at our home during the weekends. You can get creative with the flavors, fruits and grains each time, so you don’t get bored of it.
These apple pancakes are wholesome, filled with shredded apples, applesauce and oats. It’s the perfect start to your day. They might not be very fluffy like your traditional pancakes, but it is so flavorful and delicious. You can always add more all-purpose flour so you don’t have a dense pancake. Serve this with lots of fresh fruits, nut butter and a drizzle of maple syrup and your kids will have no problem finishing it off.
What goes inside these Healthy apple pancakes?
- Apples – in the form of shredded apples and applesauce
- Oats
- Wholewheat flour
- All purpose flour
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sweetener and flavorings of your choice
- And some rising agents for the fluffiness!
At what age can your baby eat these pancakes?
These pancakes are perfect for toddlers who has been introduced to the allergens in the recipe like eggs, dairy, butter. They make a great meal for those kids following baby-led-weaning as it is easy to hold and feed by themselves.
Benefits of these apple pancakes
Apples – They say apple a day keeps the doctor away for good reason. Apples are packed with all the essential nutrients like vitamin and minerals that are needed for your baby’s good health.
They are a good source of carbohydrates too giving your kids the fuel they need to go about their daily activities.
They are rich in fiber
They contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which help in protecting brain cells.
They are also a good source of vitamin C
Oats – Oats is a wholegrain that is gentle on your kids digestive system. This fiber rich grain can be given to babies as old as 6 months old. The fiber in oats helps kids feel full for a long time.
Not only are they a good source of fiber, but they also contain protein, vitamins and minerals.
Oats also contain ingredients that provide immunity to children.
Whole wheat – whole wheat is a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, iron, vitamins and other essential nutrients. It is packed with vitamin B which is essential for the overall development of your baby.
Eggs – One of the best sources of protein! Eggs are loaded with vitamins and minerals which play an important role in the health of your growing children.
How can I make this recipe Dairy free?
The milk in the recipe can be substituted with any plant based milk to make them dairy free. Almond mil, soy milk, coconut milk or oat milk are great substitutions.
Is this recipe gluten free?
To make this recipe gluten free, you can substitute the wheat and all purpose flour with gluten free flour.
Make sure you get gluten free oats too.
Substitutions for the ingredients mentioned in the recipe –
Eggs – Eggs can be substituted with flax eggs. To make a flax egg mix 1 tbsp of ground flax meal to 3 tbsp of water per egg. Other substitutions that can work are more applesauce or yogurt.
( Tip : I would substitute 1 egg with flax egg and use applesauce or yogurt for the other egg)
Milk – Use any dairy free milk of your choice like almond, cashew, oat or soy milk
Wheat flour – Use all purpose flour or gluten free flour. If you do not prefer using whole wheat, you can try using a gluten free flour like buckwheat flour.
Oats – can substitute it with more wheat or all-purpose flour.
Applesauce – Any other fruit/ vegetable puree of your choice like pumpkin puree, pear puree etc. you can either use homemade applesauce or store bought (like this one)
Maple syrup – Use sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, honey or jaggery
Other adds ins to the recipe:
- Choco chips
- Nuts (chopped finely)
- Berries
- Spices like nutmeg, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, all spice
Why should you make this Apple pancake?
- They are Healthy
- Easy to make
- Loaded with fruits
- Can be made in advance and reheated before use.
- Kids love them!
- Good for adults in the family too
How to Store –
You can make these pancakes in advance and store it in the freezer or refrigerator. To freeze them, store it in an airtight container for upto a month. You can add some parchment paper inbetween the pancakes so they don’t stick together. To serve, defrost them in your toaster / oven.
They can be stored in the fridge for upto 2 days. When you are ready to serve just reheat them.
Recipe for Apple pancakes
Makes about 8-10 large ones or 20 mini ones
- Prep time – 10 minutes
- Cook time – 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup apple sauce
- 1 tsp and ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp maple syrup / honey / sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup packed grated apples with or without skin
- Olive oil / avocado oil or butter for cooking the pancakes.
Method:
- Add all the dry ingredients like wheat flour, oats, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon powder to a bowl and combine everything together.
- Add the eggs, milk, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla essence and grated apples to another bowl and mix everything.
- Now add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.
- Heat a cast iron pan with oil/ butter and add ¼ cup of the batter to the hot pan.
- When you see the bubbles starting to appear, flip the pancake and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes.
- Serve with maple syrup, chopped and sauteed apples, other fruits and nut butter of your choice.
Note – You can substitute the all-purpose flour with more oats or wheat flour.
For topping, you can add some butter in a skillet and heat it. When hot add ½ cup chopped apples, spices of your choice (I like to use cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or all spice) honey or maple syrup, a pinch of salt and saute until they start becoming soft. You still want them to have some bite.
Serve over pancakes!
Toddler Applesauce Pancakes
These apple pancakes are toddler approved and made with healthy whole wheat flour, apple sauce and oats.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup apple sauce
- 1 tsp and ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp maple syrup / honey / sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup packed grated apples with or without skin
- Olive oil / avocado oil or butter for cooking the pancakes.
Instructions
- Add all the dry ingredients like wheat flour, oats, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon powder to a bowl and combine everything together.
- Add the eggs, milk, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla essence and grated apples to another bowl and mix everything.
- Now add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.
- Heat a cast iron pan with oil/ butter and add ¼ cup of the batter to the hot pan.
- When you see the bubbles starting to appear, flip the pancake and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes.
- Serve with maple syrup, chopped and sauteed apples (see Notes below), other fruits and nut butter of your choice.
Notes
- To make this Dairy Free - The milk in the recipe can be substituted with any plant based milk to make them dairy free. Almond mil, soy milk, coconut milk or oat milk are great substitutions.
- To make this gluten free - To make this recipe gluten free, you can substitute the wheat and all purpose flour with gluten free flour. Make sure you get gluten free oats too.
- To make this egg free - Eggs can be substituted with flax eggs. To make a flax egg mix 1 tbsp of ground flax meal to 3 tbsp of water per egg. Other substitutions that can work are more applesauce or yogurt. (Tip : I would substitute 1 egg with flax egg and use applesauce or yogurt for the other egg)
- For topping, you can add some butter in a skillet and heat it. When hot add ½ cup chopped apples, spices of your choice (I like to use cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or all spice) honey or maple syrup, a pinch of salt and saute until they start becoming soft. Serve over pancakes!
- You can make these pancakes in advance and store it in the freezer or refrigerator. To freeze them, store it in an airtight container for upto a month. You can add some parchment paper inbetween the pancakes so they don’t stick together. To serve, defrost them in your toaster / oven.
- They can be stored in the fridge for upto 2 days.
Recipe by - Preethi V