Pancakes are a Saturday staple in our house. They're how we kick off the weekend and settle into a different pace than the rest of the week. But some Saturdays call for something a little different than a regular old pancake, and that's when I like to make this Puffed Apple Skillet Pancake. The sautéed apples, honey, butter, and cinnamon fill the house with the best smells, and the pancake comes together with a beautiful, puffed golden-brown top when it's finished. And I love adding a few thin apple slices on top to make it feel extra special and give the dish some beauty.
Why You'll Love This Puffed Apple Skillet Pancake
- Naturally sweetened. Just ¼ cup of honey, with the apples doing the rest of the sweetening work.
- Packed with protein. Five eggs add substance without feeling heavy, thanks to how puffy it bakes up.
- No flipping required. The whole pancake bakes in the oven at once, so there's no standing over the stove flipping batches while everyone waits to eat.
- Cozy fall flavors. Apple, cinnamon, and honey give this a fresh twist on a classic pancake.
When there's an abundance of apples in the house and we're looking for a switch up from our regular Saturday pancake breakfast (these Buttermilk Pancakes are our usual Saturday go-to!), I make this Puffed Apple Skillet Pancake. One pan and no flipping make it so everyone eats at the same time instead of me standing at the stove flipping batches while everyone's getting antsy to eat.
The apples sauté first in butter, honey, and cinnamon until soft (this makes the house smell uh-mazinggg) while I whip up the batter. Then I pour the batter right on top of the apples and stick the whole thing in the oven to make one big puffed pancake. It's sweet enough on its own from just the apples and honey that some Saturdays we skip the maple syrup altogether, which isn't something that happens with a regular stack of pancakes around here!
If you're looking for a bake that makes the house feel and smell like fall, give this one a try! I also love making these Fresh Milled Flour Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping and this Pumpkin Bread with Fresh Milled Flour this time of year. Happy baking!
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Ingredients
This batter gets its lift from whipped egg whites, its moisture from milk and sautéed apples, and its sweetness from honey and cinnamon. Fresh milled soft white wheat flour keeps things light, while butter brings richness to both the apples and the skillet itself.
- Soft white wheat berries — naturally lower in gluten content, which keeps this pancake light and tender instead of dense. Pancakes are forgiving though, so feel free to use another variety if that's what you have on hand.
- Butter — sautés the apples for flavor and caramelization alongside the honey, and greases the skillet bottom and sides so the pancake releases cleanly.
- Apples — the star of the show; sautéed with honey and cinnamon until soft, they add moisture, natural sweetness, and fall flavor.
- Honey — the main sweetener here, with the apples doing the rest of the sweetening work.
- Cinnamon — the warm spice flavor for the sautéed apples.
- Eggs — the whipped whites are what give this pancake its signature puff and rise, while the yolks add richness and structure.
- Milk — adds moisture to the yolk mixture and thins the batter to the right consistency.
- Vanilla extract — enhances the overall flavor, especially in fresh milled flour recipes. This vanilla bean paste is my all-time favorite. I'll never go back to using anything else.
- Baking powder — gives the batter lift, working alongside the whipped egg whites for that signature puff.
- Salt — balances the sweetness and sharpens the other flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Mill the Flour
Preheat the oven to 400°F and mill the wheat berries using your home mill.
Step 2: Sauté the Apples
Melt the butter in a 12" skillet over medium-low heat while chopping the apples into ½" chunks. Add the apples to the skillet, pour the honey and cinnamon over top, and let simmer while mixing the batter.
Step 3: Make the Batter
Separate the eggs and place the yolks into a large bowl, and whites into a medium bowl. Whisk the yolks with milk and vanilla, then add the flour, baking powder, and salt directly on top. Mix and let sit to hydrate while whipping the whites.
Step 4: Whip and Fold the Egg Whites
Whip egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold into the rested batter until just combined. You don't want to overmix, but mix enough that the batter comes together for a uniform consistency.
Step 5: Bake the Pancake
Turn off heat under the apples and spread them evenly in the skillet. Pour batter over top, smooth it evenly over the apples, and bake 18–20 minutes until puffed, golden and set.
Hint: When sautéing the apples, make sure to push the mixture up the sides a bit. This helps grease the sides of the skillet for a cleaner release after the pancake bakes.
Substitutions
A few swaps that should work well in this recipe:
- Soft white wheat → other fresh milled flour varieties - pancakes are very forgiving so feel free to swap out the soft white wheat 1:1 for another wheat berry of choice. Just keep in mind this could impact the texture and density a bit.
- Milk → Any dairy or non-dairy milk (oat, whole, 2%)
- Honey → Maple syrup
- Apples → Any baking apple (Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith) - should hold up well; softer apples like McIntosh may break down more, but will still be okay.
Variations
A few ways to switch this recipe up:
- Pears - swap the apples for pears with the same honey-cinnamon treatment.
- Extra warm spice - add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom alongside the cinnamon.
- Toppings - dust with powdered sugar or serve with butter and maple syrup like traditional pancakes.
- Nutty crunch - stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the sautéing apple mixture.
Equipment
- Grain mill
- 12" skillet
- Hand mixer
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for a few minutes rather than microwaving, which can make it rubbery.
Freezing isn't recommended — the texture likely won't hold up once thawed.
Top Tip
Looking for a show-stopping presentation? Thinly slice half an apple and lay the slices in a pattern on top. They hold up beautifully in the oven and create a dramatic design against the golden-brown pancake top. So pretty!
FAQ
The batter is best mixed fresh right before baking, since whipped egg whites lose their lift if it sits too long.
This pancake will have a nice, dramatic puff when it first comes out of the oven but will settle as it starts to cool down. Nothing to be concerned about!
A 10" skillet will work just fine, but you'll want to increase the bake time by a few minutes to accommodate a deeper depth of batter.
Nope! Pancakes are very forgiving so feel free to use any wheat berry you'd like. If you decide to use a different wheat berry, just make sure to swap it 1:1 by weight. This can also have an impact on the density and texture of the pancake.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Puffed Apple Skillet Pancake:
Puffed Apple Skillet Pancake with Fresh Milled Flour
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and mill the wheat berries using your home mill.100 g wheat berries
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. While the butter melts, chop the apples into ½-inch chunks. Add the apples to the skillet, then pour the honey and cinnamon over the top. Let everything simmer while you mix the batter.3 tbsp butter, 3 apples, ¼ cup honey, 2 tsp cinnamon
- Separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a large bowl and the whites in a medium bowl. Whisk the yolks with the milk and vanilla extract, then add the flour, baking powder, and salt directly on top. Mix until combined and let the batter rest while you whip the egg whites.5 eggs, ½ cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 100 g wheat berries, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
- Whip egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold into the rested batter until just combined. You don't want to overmix, but mix enough that the batter comes together for a uniform consistency.5 eggs
- Turn off the heat under the apples, spread them evenly in the skillet, then pour the batter over the top and smooth it out. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until puffed and set.
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