Apple Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk or make your own*
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple (about 1 medium)
• Avocado oil or vegetable oil, for greasing the pan

Steps

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

2. 2

   In a smaller bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly blended.

3. 3

   Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Add the grated apple. Stir just until combined (a few small lumps of flour are okay). Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so your pancakes will be nice and fluffy.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, if you’re using an electric griddle, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, heat a large stainless steel or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. You’re ready to start cooking pancakes once a drop of water sizzles on contact with the hot surface. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface and wipe off the excess with a paper towel (nonstick surfaces likely won’t require any oil).

5. 5

   Scoop a scant ¼ cup of batter onto the warm skillet, leaving a couple of inches around each pancake for expansion. Cook until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, 2 to 3 minutes (you’ll know it’s ready to flip when about ½-inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy). Flip the pancakes, then cook until lightly golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes more.

6. 6

   Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more oil and reducing the heat as necessary (I usually end up on low heat after a while—if the pancakes are turning too dark on the outside before they cook through, it’s too hot). Serve the pancakes immediately with toppings of your choice, or keep them warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven.

7. 7

   Leftover pancakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or frozen* for up to 2 months. To reheat, stack leftover pancakes and wrap them in a paper towel before gently reheating in the microwave.