This Applesauce Pancakes recipe is fluffy and flavorful! Using fruit puree makes perfect fluffy pancakes.
“These are the best crepes you’ve ever made.” That was Alex’s comeback Cozy pancakes with apple sauce recipe, to my surprise! I’m the author of pancake recipes here: from vegan pancakes to Greek yogurt pancakes to lemon blueberry pancakes. This time it was a glass of applesauce that inspired me. What to do with leftover applesauce? Make pancakes, of course! This fruit puree offers a soft and moist texture, ideal for flatbreads. They’re perfect for a leisurely breakfast… and easy enough for everyone (especially kids!).
Ingredients for pancakes with applesauce
These applesauce pancakes were inspired by a jar of applesauce in our fridge that we bought to make these frosted applesauce cookies. (Hint: they must be tried!) The pancake version of these cookies has similar ingredients: the normal cast of characters you’d expect for applesauce pancakes.
- applesauce: trade or homemade!
- all purpose flour
- Cinnamon & Allspice (Optional)
- baking powder
- Light brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
- Kosher salt
- egg
- Neutral Oil: such as grape seed oil, organic rapeseed oil or organic vegetable oil
- milk by choice
Point: You can make homemade applesauce on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot!
Can I use applesauce as an oil substitute? Or egg substitute?
Applesauce is often used as an oil substitute in quick breads, pancakes, and cookies. Why? It can replace moisture without the fat, producing lower-calorie, super-moist baked goods. It is also often used as an egg substitute for vegan baked goods and pancakes.
We made this applesauce pancake recipe as a regular pancake recipe that also includes applesauce to add moisture and flavor. But do you want to use it as a replacement? Here’s what to do:
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of oil for 1 tablespoon of applesauce. Keep in mind that this will affect the texture: the pancakes will be less smooth and a little more doughy.
- Substitute 1 egg for ¼ cup of applesauce, with these limitations. This also affects the texture: the pancake will be more tender and fragile. Keep that in mind when you flip them! Honestly, we prefer our eggless pancakes if you don’t want an egg or are using a flax egg as a binder.
How to make applesauce pancakes… perfect!
Cooking pancakes seems like a simple task: anyone can do it! But let’s be honest: this is where many amateur chefs screw up. Cook them too high and the applesauce pancakes will burn on the outside and be sticky on the inside. Here are some tips to make these pancakes perfect:
- Low and slow is key! Set the heat on low or just as high as medium-low. Cook them gently and they’ll be perfectly cooked on the inside and nicely browned on the outside. If this seems like a long time, don’t worry: it’s worth the extra minute or two!
- When to change? When bubbles form and burst. Wait for bubbles to form on the surface and begin to burst. Trust us: this trick always works!
Holiday Variation: Snowman Pancakes!
Here’s a cute holiday twist you can do with these applesauce pancakes: turn them into snowman pancakes! We made these with our son Larson and he loved decorating them. Here’s how they’re made:
- Make 3 small pancakes for the snowman’s body.
- Place the powdered sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and beat lightly to make snow.
- Use raisins or blueberries for the eyes and pimples, a carrot for the nose, and slices of apple or pretzels for the arms.
Pancake fillings with apple sauce
Once you’ve baked these beautifully golden pancakes, it’s time to top them! We like simple toppings best. A maple fillet is enough! But we have many unusual ideas. Here are some of our best toppings for these applesauce pancakes:
More recipes with applesauce
Want to make more of this popular fruit puree? There are so many great recipes for using a mason jar! Here are our favorite applesauce recipes:
This applesauce pancake recipe is…
Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based, and non-dairy foods, use the substitutes listed in the recipe below. For gluten-free dishes, go to Apple Cinnamon Pancakes.
The description
This Applesauce Pancakes recipe is fluffy and flavorful! Using fruit puree makes perfect fluffy pancakes.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Cinammon
- ½ teaspoon allspice (optional)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg (or flaxseed egg for vegans)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ¾ cup applesauce
- 2/3 cup Milk of your choice (2% or plant milk)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cinnamon, allspice (if using), baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, applesauce, and milk.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a smooth, thick batter forms.
- Lightly grease a pan with butter and wipe off excess fat with a paper towel. Heat the pan over low heat. Pour the batter into small circles (just under ¼ cup each). Bake the pancakes until the bubbles burst on top and the bottom is golden brown: low and slow is key! Then flip and cook until golden brown on the other side.
- If necessary, add some milk to the batter. Repeat with the rest of the batter, adjusting the heat as needed (the pan can get very hot during the second batch). Place cooked pancakes under an inverted bowl to keep warm. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Crepes
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Pancakes with applesauce
