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Sweet, Spiced, Fluffy Apple Pancakes with Cinnamon Streusel
Pancakes have always been one of my favorite breakfasts. So, when my Cottage Cheese Pancakes went viral, I was more than happy to start experimenting with different flavors like my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Cinnamon Roll Cottage Cheese Pancakes, and Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Pancakes.
And now that fall is *almost* here, I can’t wait to lean into warm, spiced flavors like apple and pumpkin, starting with these apple streusel pancakes! Inspired by apple streusel cake, they’re the perfect way to welcome cooler weather (or manifest it if it’s still hot where you are), and they’re so easy to make. Leftovers store and freeze well, too! So I also love prepping a big batch at once to quickly reheat for a healthy breakfast treat on busy weekday mornings. Who doesn’t want dessert in the morning, especially when it has extra protein?!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Dessert-Inspired Flavor – Thanks to the cinnamon, maple syrup, chopped apples, and a buttery streusel center, these pancakes taste exactly like apple streusel cake.
- SO Fluffy + Protein – Using cottage cheese is my secret for making the fluffiest pancakes ever while adding a bit of protein. I promise you don’t taste it!
- Quick & Easy – The ingredients come together super quickly, and the pancakes cook in minutes.
- Great for Meal Prep – Leftover apple pancakes keep well in the fridge or freezer and are perfect for quickly reheating on busy mornings.
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Ingredients
- Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base of the batter. Feel free to substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour if you need to keep your apple pancakes gluten-free!
- Baking Powder – A leavener, this helps the pancakes rise and become fluffy as they cook.
- Cinnamon
- Cottage Cheese – I always use full-fat cottage cheese for the best taste and texture, but low-fat also works. Because we’re blending it, either small curd or large curd is totally fine.
- Maple Syrup – This sweetens the pancakes. Honey can also be used, but it will change the flavor of the batter slightly.
- Milk – Use any regular or plant-based milk you have on hand to help blend the batter.
- Eggs – These act as a binder, holding the pancakes together. I haven’t tested this recipe with egg substitutes like flax eggs.
- Butter – This enhances the flavor and adds moisture so the pancakes are never dry.
- Vanilla
- Apple – I love Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, but use whatever you like best!
Streusel
- Butter – Make sure to use cold, salted butter for the best results! We want it to be nice and crumbly so that it melts and creates a slightly crisp center.
- Flour – Substitute gluten-free flour if needed.
- Cinnamon
- Brown Sugar – Use dark brown sugar if you want a stronger molasses taste or light brown sugar for a slightly lighter taste.
How to Make Apple Pancakes
This recipe is surprisingly simple to prepare. All you need is a high-speed blender, a couple of bowls, and a non-stick skillet. Here’s how to make Apple Pancakes with Streusel:
- Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Blend the wet ingredients – Combine the cottage cheese, maple syrup, and milk in a blender, and pulse until smooth. Take your time with this, making sure to get rid of any cottage cheese curds! Reserve about 1/3 cup of the mixture for the glaze. Then, add the remaining wet ingredients to the blender, and pulse again.
- Combine the batter – Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix just until no streaks remain. Then, gently fold in the diced apples.
- Prepare the streusel – Next, add the streusel ingredients to a small bowl, and use a fork to combine the mixture until coarse crumbles form, similar to the topping for my cottage cheese coffee cake.
- Cook the pancakes – Heat a teaspoon of the streusel mixture in a non-stick pan. Then, ladle a scoop of pancake batter on top. Cover and cook until the edges begin to set and the center bubbles. Then, flip, add another teaspoon of streusel, and continue to cook until the batter is golden brown and the top is beginning to soften.
- Repeat – Transfer the pancake to a wire rack or plate, and repeat the process, cooking the remaining batter.
- Serve – Let the pancakes cool. Then, top them with the reserved icing, and enjoy!
Tips
- Dice the apples finely. Cut the apples into small, even pieces so they soften as the pancakes cook, and you get a little apple in every bite. Larger chunks can make the pancakes difficult to flip.
- Blend the cottage cheese completely smooth. Blending eliminates the curds and creates a smooth, creamy base.
- Let the butter cool. Allow the melted butter to cool slightly before blending it with the eggs. If it’s too hot, it can begin to cook the eggs, which we definitely don’t want.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir the wet and dry ingredients just until no large streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps are fine! Overmixing can make the pancakes dense or tough.
- Keep the streusel crumbly. Use cold butter and mix the streusel just until coarse crumbs form. Avoid working it into a smooth paste, or it will just blend into the pancake batter.
- Cook over medium-low heat. These pancakes are pretty thick and contain apples, so they need a little extra time to cook through. Keeping the heat relatively low helps the centers cook without burning the streusel center.
- Use a lid. Covering the skillet traps steam and helps the pancakes cook evenly through the center.
RELATED: Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Variations
Add more spice. Include a dash of nutmeg, ginger, or apple pie spice in the pancake batter or streusel for even more fall-inspired flavor.
Add nuts. Mix chopped walnuts or pecans into the streusel for extra crunch and a slightly nutty flavor.
Mix and match the apples. Choose a tart variety for more contrast with the sweet streusel or a sweeter apple for a more dessert-like flavor. Or, use a combination of apples for a unique taste.
My Favorite Toppings
I always serve my apple pancakes with a cottage cheese glaze and think it’s enough, but my littles love adding extra toppings. Some of their favorite additions include:
- Chopped Nuts
- Extra Apples
- Healthy Homemade Granola
- Vegan Caramel Sauce
- Maple Syrup
- Whipped Cream
How to Store
Let any leftover streusel apple pancakes cool completely before storing. Any excess moisture will make them soggy! For the best results, I recommend storing the pancakes and glaze separately.
Refrigerator: Leftover pancakes and cottage cheese glaze will stay fresh in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Omit the cottage cheese glaze, and freeze leftover apple pancakes for up to 2 months. I always place a sheet of parchment paper between each pancake to prevent them from clumping!
Reheat: Warm your pancakes from thawed or frozen in the microwave, in a skillet over low heat, or in the toaster if you prefer a slightly crispier texture. Warm the glaze in the microwave, and add it just before serving.
Easy Healthy Pancake Recipes
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Apple Streusel Pancakes
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Equipment
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups cottage cheese
- 3 Tablespoon maple syrup (plus more for serving)
- 2 Tablespoons milk of choice
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup apples (finely diced)
Streusel
- 3 Tablespoons cold salted butter
- 1/4 cup flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Blend the cottage cheese, maple syrup, and milk in a small blending cup until smooth.
- Set aside 1/3 cup for the glaze later.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and butter to the blender with the remaining cottage cheese mixture and blend until combined.
- Pour the blended ingredients into the dry ingredients, then mix just until combined (make sure not to over mix the batter).
- Gently fold in the diced apples, just until evenly distributed.
- Meanwhile, add the streusel ingredients to a small bowl and use a fork to combine until coarse crumbles form. Do not over combine.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium low heat.
- Place 1 teaspoon of the streusel in then pan, then add 1 medium scoop of the batter over the streusel and cook for 2-3 minutes with the lid on, until the edges begin to bubble.
- Flip the pancake, then add 1 teaspoon of the streusel on top and cook for another 1-2 minutes (or until the pancake looks cooked through).
- Let the pancakes cool, then top with the set aside icing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the batter, or the pancakes will be dense and tough.
- You’ll know your pancakes are fully cooked when the tops begin to soften and steam begins to release from the top.
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