Apple Ring Pancakes - Fluffy Cinnamon Breakfast Recipe

Apple ring pancakes start with one apple, peeled and cut into thick 3/4-inch slices with the core punched out. Each ring gets a cinnamon coat, then a dip in pancake batter, then a hot pan.

You need one bowl for the batter and a small one for the apples. That's it. The batter is a standard fluffy mix of egg, melted butter, vanilla, milk, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.

The trick is the apple thickness. Cut too thin and the rings go limp and fall apart when you flip them. Cut them thick and you get a tender apple middle with a pancake crust around it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the apple rings

Peel the apple and slice it into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the core from each round so you're left with a ring. Put the rings in a medium bowl.

2. Coat with cinnamon

Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon over the rings and toss until each one is coated. Set the bowl aside.

3. Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk the egg, melted butter, vanilla and milk until smooth. Give it a good 30 seconds so the egg is fully broken up.

4. Add the dry ingredients

Sift in the flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Stir just until combined. A few small lumps are fine and actually better than a smooth batter.

5. Heat the pan

Set a skillet over medium heat and melt a little butter in it. You want the butter to sizzle gently, not brown right away.

6. Dip and cook

Dunk each apple ring into the batter so it's coated on both sides, let the excess drip off, and lay it in the pan. Leave space between the rings.

7. Flip when bubbles form

Cook until bubbles break across the batter and the edges look set, then flip and cook the second side until golden. The apple inside should be tender when pierced with a knife.

8. Serve

Stack the pancakes and add your toppings while they're hot. Maple syrup, a dusting of cinnamon or a spoon of yogurt all work.

Tips & Tricks

• Cut the apple into 3/4-inch slices so the rings stay firm enough to flip.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into the wet mix to avoid lumps.
• Leave small lumps in the batter. Overmixing makes the pancakes tough.
• Cook on medium heat. Too hot and the outside burns before the apple softens.
• Wait for bubbles across the surface before you flip. That's your cue, not the clock.

How to Store Apple Ring Pancakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Apple Ring Pancakes – Fluffy Cinnamon Breakfast Recipe

Cinnamon-coated apple rings dipped in fluffy pancake batter and pan-fried golden. A fun breakfast twist that comes together in one bowl.

15 minPrep time30 minCook time45 minTotal3Servings

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Ingredients

• 1 apple
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. 1Prep the apple rings — Peel the apple and slice it into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the core from each round so you're left with a ring. Put the rings in a medium bowl.
2. 2Coat with cinnamon — Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon over the rings and toss until each one is coated. Set the bowl aside.
3. 3Whisk the wet ingredients — In a large bowl, whisk the egg, melted butter, vanilla and milk until smooth. Give it a good 30 seconds so the egg is fully broken up.
4. 4Add the dry ingredients — Sift in the flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Stir just until combined. A few small lumps are fine and actually better than a smooth batter.
5. 5Heat the pan — Set a skillet over medium heat and melt a little butter in it. You want the butter to sizzle gently, not brown right away.
6. 6Dip and cook — Dunk each apple ring into the batter so it's coated on both sides, let the excess drip off, and lay it in the pan. Leave space between the rings.
7. 7Flip when bubbles form — Cook until bubbles break across the batter and the edges look set, then flip and cook the second side until golden. The apple inside should be tender when pierced with a knife.
8. 8Serve — Stack the pancakes and add your toppings while they're hot. Maple syrup, a dusting of cinnamon or a spoon of yogurt all work.

Cook's note: This makes more batter than one apple needs, so plan on a second apple or a few plain pancakes with the rest. Keep the pan at medium heat and judge doneness by the bubbles and a knife test, not just the timer.

Servings: 3

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast

RecipesCooker15 minutes30 minutes45 minutes

Written by Marta Kowalczyk
Muffins & quick breads are my whole kitchen philosophy: one bowl, a whisk, and a batter that goes from counter to oven before the coffee cools. I write for cooks who want banana bread and blueberry muffins that work on a Tuesday, with ingredient swaps and bake times tested in an ordinary home oven. My angle is making quick breads forgiving, so a slightly overripe fruit or a forgotten timer still ends in something worth slicing.