Applesauce Pancakes | The Recipe Critic

Fluffy applesauce pancakes are easy and delicious with a hint of brown sugar and cinnamon for a cozy fall flavor. The addition of applesauce gives these homemade pancakes the perfect texture. These will quickly become your favorite fall breakfast!

We LOVE pancakes at our house because they’re not just for breakfast. You can enjoy them any time of day. They are so easy to whip up on busy nights for dinner and nobody ever complains. Try more of our favorites like these German pancakes, these cinnamon roll pancakes, or these classic fluffy pancakes!

What Are Applesauce Pancakes?

Applesauce pancakes are thick, soft, and fluffy. The applesauce adds moisture and makes the pancakes tender while giving them a subtle apple flavor. It is also a great substitute for oil. Bonus points for making pancakes healthier while using less fat! The secret to fluffy pancakes is to not over-mix the batter. Leave small lumps in the pancakes to ensure fluffy and flavorful pancakes every time. These applesauce pancakes are fluffy, moist, and full of fall flavors.

With a golden crisp outside and a fluffy inside these are a welcome sight on the table first thing in the morning! They’ll be worth getting up for!  Drizzle these pancakes with homemade syrup then complete this breakfast with crispy bacon and scrambled eggs. Your family will love you for it!

Ingredients in Applesauce Pancakes

Lucky for you, these applesauce pancakes are delicious AND easy to make! Use up that leftover applesauce and get to cooking. Once you try these, you will always want to have applesauce on hand to make these pancakes! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

• Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• Baking Powder: This helps the pancakes achieve that light and fluffy texture.
• Brown Sugar: Adds a sweet element to enhance the apple and cinnamon flavors.
• Cinnamon: The perfect spice to compliment apples.
• Salt: The salt will enhance all of the flavors in the recipe!
• Milk: The milk helps dissolve the ingredients and create a pourable mixture. Use any kind of milk or even buttermilk for extra fluffy pancakes.
• Applesauce: Applesauce is a great substitute for oil. It makes these pancakes super moist! I use unsweetened applesauce but if you like sweet pancakes use regular applesauce.
• Egg: The egg helps provide a structure to hold the bubbles and help the pancakes rise.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a great taste to these pancakes.

Applesauce Pancake Recipe

These pancakes are simple and easy and take less than 20 minutes from start to finish. They are easy enough that your kids can even help you make them! Follow the instructions below to make perfect pancakes.

1. Combine the Dry Ingredients: To a large bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt then whisk to combine.
2. Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Ingredients: Add the milk, applesauce, vanilla, and egg to the bowl of dry ingredients then whisk together until smooth and blended.
3. Rest the Batter: Allow the batter to sit for a couple of minutes while you heat the skillet. It allows the batter to thicken a little.
4. Prepare the Skillet or Griddle: Preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Or heat a griddle according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Lightly spray the skillet or griddle with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Cook: Pour ¼ cup batter onto the griddle or skillet and cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Carefully flip and cook the opposite side until golden brown. Adjust and lower the heat if the pancakes begin to burn.
6. Serve: Serve with my easy sautéed apples and enjoy! Canned apple pie filling would also be delicious.