German Apple Pancake
A skillet pancake baked in the oven with caramelized apples on the bottom. Closer to a Dutch baby than a stack of pancakes. The apples cook in butter and sugar first, then you pour thin batter over them and bake until puffed. Flip it onto a plate. The caramelized apples end up on top.
From Original recipe (traditional German apple pancake, no verifiable Wikibooks source exists) · Recipe facts not copyrightable (US law)
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Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Makes
4
Difficulty
medium
Nutrition
Per serving (1/2 pancake) · USDA FoodData Central: Pancakes, plain (adjusted for apple + butter)
285kcal
Calories
8.8g
Protein
14.1g
Fat
30.7g
Carbs
1.8g
Fiber
Ingredients
Servings
1x- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium tart apples (Granny Smith or Braeburn)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425F.
- 2
Whisk 3 eggs, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp vanilla until completely smooth. Set aside.
- 3
Peel, core, and slice the 2 apples into thin wedges, about 1/4 inch thick.
- 4
Melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tbsp sugar and cook, stirring, until it starts to turn amber, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Add the apple slices, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften and caramelize.
- 6
Spread the apples evenly across the bottom of the skillet. Pour the batter over the apples.
- 7
Transfer to the oven. Bake 18-22 minutes until puffed dramatically and golden brown.
- 8
Run a spatula around the edges. Place a plate over the skillet and flip. The apples should be on top.
- 9
Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. It deflates as it cools.
Notes
things we learned along the way
- Tart apples. Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp. Sweet apples like Fuji become too sugary once caramelized.
- The batter is thin on purpose. It puffs up around the apples in the oven.
- If flipping feels risky, just serve it in the skillet with apples on the bottom. Still tastes the same.
- Use a hot pad. That skillet handle is 425 degrees when it comes out of the oven. Every single person forgets once.
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Source and credits
Recipe adapted from Original recipe (traditional German apple pancake, no verifiable Wikibooks source exists). License: Recipe facts not copyrightable (US law).
Photos from Unsplash (free license). Nutrition data from USDA FoodData Central.