A traditional German recipe, this baked apple pancake is something I grew up eating. You can make it with buckwheat flour (the older style farmer’s pancake) or with spelt or plain flour for a more modern version.
You can also cook the batter on the stovetop and make something like a thick, hearty crepe. That’s how I often make them, especially when I’m looking for a quick dessert. Fill with applesauce rather than baking the apples into the batter.
Either way, it’s a filling, hearty dessert or lightly sweet breakfast. Eggs play an important role in this recipe and can’t be omitted – if you want a GF American pancake recipe made with baking powder, try my vegan banana buckwheat pancakes instead.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Buckwheat flour: for the lightest (gluten-free) pancake, use light or sifted buckwheat flour. Whole-grain, or a mix of the two, can be used for a higher-fibre option. Spelt, plain flour, or other gluten flours like einkorn and kamut can also be used. Don’t try subbing coconut or almond flour here.
- Non-dairy milk: I always use oat milk, but almond milk or another type can be used. Don’t use canned coconut milk.
- Coconut Oil: use refined coconut oil to avoid any slight coconut flavour. You can substitute vegan or dairy butter in equal amounts if preferred.
- Apple: use a good baking apple that isn’t too tart here, as you want it to keep its shape during baking. I like cox or boskoop.
Recipe Notes
The pan and the oven must both be well preheated to bake the pancake. Cut the apples in advance and have them ready to add or you’ll be in a bit of a pickle when it’s time to pour the batter into the pan.
A German pancake varies slightly from a Dutch baby in that it’s typically baked in a casserole dish rather than a round pan, and uses less fat. The eggs are also whisked separately which results in a different texture. A Dutch baby is, of course, not Dutch at all, but a linguistic variation of Deutsch, a recipe brought by Germans who moved to America, adapted to American food preferences and availability over time.
Whether you peel the apples or not is personal preference. Some apples have a thicker, hard skin and should be peeled, but generally you don’t need to take the extra time to do so.
How to Store
Storage: after baking, leftovers can be kept in a sealed container at room temperature for a day or two. This is best the day it’s made.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the baked pancake, but if you choose to fry them instead, the pancakes can be frozen without filling. Thaw as usual and warm slightly in a pan before serving.
Newsletter
Expert Tips
- Whisk like mad: the egg whites must be whisked into soft peaks, with no remaining liquid white, in order to fold in correctly. This is what makes the pancake so fluffy.
- Sweeten after baking: this recipe doesn’t have much added sugar, only a bit of honey, and is sweetened primarily by the added apple. If it’s not sweet enough for you, add maple syrup or cinnamon sugar when serving rather than mixing sugar into the batter.
- Don’t over-bake: the centre should be slightly custardy when the pancake is finished, not baked all the way through. The edges will be quite golden and crisp when it’s ready but look for a middle that still jiggles a bit.
More Great Breakfast Recipes
Swiss Chard Frittata
Spelt Banana Bread
Vegan Apple Muffins
Honey Oat Bread
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German Buckwheat Pancake
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup light buckwheat flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large apple peeled, cored, and sliced
Instructions
If baking
- Heat oven to 180°C (350°F). Put the pan in the oven to pre-heat while the oven heats up.
- Separate eggs, place the egg whites into a mixing bowl, and whisk until soft peaks form. Set aside.2 large eggs
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the egg yolks, milk, vanilla, coconut oil, and honey. Add the buckwheat flour and cinnamon and whisk to combine.1/3 cup light buckwheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 large eggs
- Gently fold in the egg whites to form a fluffy, light batter.
- Carefully take the hot pan out of the oven and add a knob of coconut oil, swirling to coat the pan. Pour in the batter, then top with the apples. Bake for about 15 minutes or until risen and the edges are golden.1 large apple
If frying
- Heat a large frying pan over low-medium heat with a knob of coconut oil.
- Combine the flour and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, mix the eggs, almond milk, vanilla, coconut oil, and honey. Add this to the flour mixture. Mix well and pour into the hot pan.
- Cook for about a minute and a half or until it doesn't look liquid on the side that's facing up. Flip carefully and cook for another thirty seconds. Serve hot.
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
This post was first published in December 2014. It has been updated most recently as of January 2023.
afra says
Made these for the second time and double the apples – used 2 large ones cut into thick slices. And I did much prefer as there is enough juiciness to go with the dry dough now. Very tasty!
afra says
Very tasty! I baked it in the oven and it was wonderfully fluffy. It was a little dry so I think next time I will double the apple and cut in thicker wedges or I will make an apple sauce to go with it. Or maybe mix in frozen blueberries. You see I enjoyed it so much it has sparked my imagination. Thank you for sharing!
Gabrielle says
This sounds really great! What size pan would recommend for baking? Are German pancakes typically made with buckwheat flour?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I usually use a 20cm pan for this recipe. Yes, these old-style pancakes – farmer’s pancakes – were almost always made with buckwheat instead of wheat. This is the kind of pancake I grew up eating, it’s great!