Love pancakes and apples? Put them both together in this easy German Apple Pancake recipe that’s sure to become your go-to breakfast this fall! Top these warm pancakes with some syrup or a little whipped cream- or both- they’ll taste absolutely divine!
Also known as apple oven pancake, this one’s a great special breakfast you can put together and enjoy with the entire family.
What is a German Pancake?
German pancakes are essentially oven-baked pancakes. Instead of a griddle or a pan, you’ll be using a cast iron skillet, loading everything into it, and baking it until it's fluffy and golden brown, which is actually a great hands-off way method of cooking. These are also called Dutch baby pancakes.
The German pancake might seem like it needed a lot of effort, but is actually pretty easy to make, and is fabulous for breakfast, brunch, dinner (for those breakfast-for-dinner situations), or even dessert.
Top it with your favorite pancake toppings or team it up with some good pancake sides and you’ve got yourself a hearty and wholesome dish everyone will enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This German Apple Pancake Recipe
- Easy to make: Believe it or not, this one’s actually a foolproof recipe, and much easier to make than your regular pancakes!
- Family-friendly: Apples, cinnamon, and sugar come together to create the perfect breakfast dish for the whole family.
- Ready in 30 minutes: This German apple pancake recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and is perfect for a weekend family breakfast.
- Super delish: The rich, caramelized sweetness of apples, perfectly balanced with the slight tartness and the fluffy, wholesome pancake batter makes this truly a hearty and delicious dish.
Ingredients
- Flour: Start off with just some simple all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: I used a mix of white and brown sugar for that rich, caramel flavor. You can stick to using only white sugar if that’s what you have.
- Eggs: These help make the pancakes soft and fluffy.
- Half and half: I added this into the pancake batter for a bit of extra flavor and to get the mixture to the right consistency.
- Apples: Choose the best quality, organic apples you can get your hands on. Granny Smith apples are the best choice for this recipe and are perfect for baking in general.
- Spices: I used a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg for that perfect fall flavor. Use apple or pumpkin pie spice mix if you don’t have these individual spices.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens up the tartness of the apples.
- Vanilla: You’ll also need a dash of vanilla to get that delicious sweetness in flavor.
- Butter: I would recommend using salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
- Add-ons: I also added some pecans and raisins for some extra flavor and texture. Feel free to skip these and keep it simple if you want to.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-free: To make gluten-free German oven pancakes, simply swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend of your choice.
- Nut-ilicious: For a bit of texture and additional flavor, you can also add chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, and walnuts into the pancake batter.
- Bright flavor: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens up the flavor of the apple pancake, but you can take it up a notch and also add some lemon zest into the mix.
- Vegan: You can also make vegan apple German pancakes if you want to. Simply swap the butter and half and half for vegan butter and almond milk, and use an egg replacement instead of eggs.
How to Make German Apple Pancakes
To make this German pancake with apples, start by preheating your oven to 500 degrees.
Step 1: Pancake batter. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and vanilla.
Step 2: Mix it up. Pour the flour mixture into the liquid mixture and mix well until combined.
Step 3: Prepare apples. Heat butter in a cast iron skillet. Add in the apples, spices, and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat, and add lemon juice and nuts.
Step 4: Pour batter. Pour the pancake batter over the caramelized apples, and pop it in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Step 5: Cook, top, and serve. Bake the pancake until golden brown and fluffy. Transfer to a serving platter, cut, top and serve hot.
⭐️ Hint: Check the pancake around the 15-17 minute mark. This apple pancake usually takes no more than 20 minutes to cook to perfection.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy my Grandma's Apple Pandowdy, Cast Iron Peach Cobbler, Banana Nut Pancake or our German Pancake Muffins recipe.
Storage
- Storing: Unlike the classic American pancakes, these oven-baked pancakes don’t stay fresh for too long. If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
- Reheating: To reheat the pancakes, I would recommend using a microwave. You can pop it back in the skillet and heat it over the stovetop too, but it can end up burning the pancake if you’re not careful.
- Freezing: Since these pancakes pack in fresh apples, I wouldn’t recommend freezing them or making them ahead of time.
Serving Suggestions
The best way to serve and enjoy this German apple pancake is right after it is out of the oven, still puffy and hot. You can top it with a light dusting of powdered sugar or top it with a syrup of your choice or even just some whipped cream if you want to.
I love teaming the pancake up with some air fryer apples on the side and a hefty drizzle of caramel sauce.
If you’re looking to make this a full indulgent breakfast or dessert, you can pair the skillet pancake with a nice cream cheese caramel apple dip.
Add your favorite breakfast meats such as toaster oven bacon, candied bacon, or our air fryer frozen sausage patties.
Expert Tips
- Apple swap: Don’t have Granny Smith apples? Use Honeycrisp, Gala, or Golden Delicious apples instead- they work just as well for this apple pancake recipe.
- Fruit fun: You can also tweak this German pancake recipe and add in other fruits of your choice. Chopped peaches, apricots, and blueberries are great choices.
- Milk matters: While you can definitely use skim milk or plant-based milk for this recipe, I would recommend using full-fat milk for this oven-baked pancake recipe for the best flavor and texture.
- Cook right: Since these are made in the oven, they can get overcooked and brown up pretty quickly. Keep an eye on them and get them out at the right time!
Recipe FAQs
You can! Feel free to use muffin tins if you want to make these pancakes in individual portions, but the texture of the pancakes and the caramelization of the apples turn out perfect in a cast iron skillet.
I would recommend cutting the apples into thin slices. That way, they caramelize beautifully and are cooked all the way through.
More Delicious Apple Recipes
Do you like apples? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
How to Make It Video
German Apple Pancake
Equipment
- cast iron skillet oven proof skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup half and half cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into ¼ inch slices
- ¼ Cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup raisins optional
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.
- In a medium sized bowl combine flour, sugar, and salt. In another medium sized bowl combine eggs, cream, and vanilla. Add liquid ingredients to dry and whisk until blended. Set aside.
- Heat butter in an ovenproof nonstick skillet (we always use cast iron), over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add apples, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir frequently until apples are golden brown, around 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, raisins and pecans, if using. Stir until combined. Pour batter over top of apples and place immediately into your oven. Reduce temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until edges are brown and puffy, around 18 minutes.
- Remove skillet from oven and loosen the edges of the pancake with a rubber spatula. Dump pancake upside down on to your serving platter. Cut into wedges, and serve. Here is a list of topping ideas if needed. And, here's a list of what to serve with pancakes for you to choose from as the perfect accompaniment!
Video
Notes
- Apple swap: Don’t have Granny Smith apples? Use Honeycrisp, Gala, or Golden Delicious apples instead- they work just as well for this apple pancake recipe.
- Fruit fun: You can also tweak this German pancake recipe and add in other fruits of your choice. Chopped peaches, apricots, and blueberries are great choices.
- Milk matters: While you can definitely use skim milk or plant-based milk for this recipe, I would recommend using full-fat milk for this oven-baked pancake recipe for the best flavor and texture.
- Cook right: Since these are made in the oven, they can get overcooked and brown up pretty quickly. Keep an eye on them and get them out at the right time!
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