Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 ServingCalories:510kcalTotal Fat:14gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium:520mgTotal Carbohydrate:69gDietary Fiber: 8gSugars: 18gProtein:27g
These spiced apple pancakes have a caramelised cinnamon apple ring cooked right into the middle of each one. The batter is vegan, made with almond milk, apple cider vinegar, self-raising flour and vanilla protein powder, so there are no eggs or butter, and they're on the table in about 25 minutes.
This is the time of year when apples are at their sweetest and cheapest, so I end up putting them in everything. Most apple cinnamon pancakes stir grated apples into the batter. These do it the other way round: you caramelise whole apple rings in cinnamon syrup first, then pour the batter straight over the top. Flip them and you've got a sticky apple topping built into every pancake, a bit like a mini upside down apple cake, just made in a pan instead of the oven.
Sweet apples are the star. Gala is my go-to, and Pink Lady or Braeburn work just as well. You want sweet apples that hold their shape in the pan, cooking apples like Bramley turn to mush.
Almond milk and apple cider vinegar make a quick vegan buttermilk. The vinegar reacts with the raising agents in the flour (baking powder, which contains bicarbonate of soda), and that's what makes these puff up without any eggs.
Self-raising flour means no extra baking powder or soda to measure. In the US, use all purpose flour with a little baking powder and salt instead, the amounts are in the recipe card notes.
Vanilla protein powder is where most of the protein comes from, and the vanilla does the job vanilla extract would normally do. Plant-based powders vary a lot in how thirsty they are, so add a splash more milk if your batter looks stiff.
Cinnamon goes in the batter and in the pan. If you like more warming spices, apple pie spice (mixed spice here in the UK) is a lovely swap.
Pancakes are brilliant, but a stack made from just flour and syrup can leave you starving again an hour later. Adding protein powder to the batter and keeping the syrup sugar-free brings these to around 510 calories with 27g of protein and 8g of fibre a serving, which can help keep you fuller for longer. Want a bit more? A spoonful of yogurt on the side (soy or coconut to keep it vegan, Greek if not) adds a few extra grams of protein.
If you're on an apple kick like me, try my apple pie cottage cheese pancakes next. If waffles are more your thing, the apple waffle pops are so much fun, and for a make-ahead breakfast, my carrot cake breakfast muffins are perfect.
You can watch me make these on Instagram, and the full recipe with every step is in the card below. Tag me if you make them, I love seeing your stacks.
Alex :)
Fluffy vegan pancakes with a caramelised cinnamon apple ring cooked into the middle of every one. The batter is made with almond milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla protein powder, so there are no eggs or butter, and it all comes together in about 25 minutes. Drizzle with salted caramel syrup and scatter over pumpkin seeds for the easiest weekend brunch.
Stir the almond milk and apple cider vinegar together and leave for 5 minutes to thicken into a vegan buttermilk. Sieve in the self-raising flour, protein powder and 1 tsp cinnamon, add the melted coconut oil, and whisk to a smooth batter. It should be thick enough to cling to an apple ring rather than run straight off it.
Slice the apples crossways into rings about 1cm thick. You should get 4 or 5 rings from each apple, skip the very ends.
Punch the core and seeds out of each ring with a small round cutter or an apple corer. I use a little flower-shaped cutter, which gives you that pretty centre.
Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a large non-stick pan, skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add the syrup and the remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon and spread it around the pan with a spatula.
Lay the apple rings in the pan in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they soften and start to caramelise. Work in batches if they don't all fit.
Spoon enough batter over each apple ring to cover it completely, letting a little spill over the edges. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set.
Flip each pancake carefully with a spatula and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in a low oven while you repeat with the remaining pancake batter and apple rings, adding a little more oil or cooking spray to the pan between batches.
Stack the pancakes on a plate, drizzle with a little more syrup and scatter over pumpkin seeds or fresh fruit. Serve warm.Servings: 2 ServingCalories:510kcalTotal Fat:14gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium:520mgTotal Carbohydrate:69gDietary Fiber: 8gSugars: 18gProtein:27g
