Kid-Requested Fluffy Cinnamon Applesauce Pancakes
These Applesauce Pancakes are light, fluffy, naturally sweetened, and made with pantry-staple ingredients in less than 15 minutes. They’re easy to make and even easier to eat – my kids happily inhale them every time. Perfect for toddlers, kids, and yes, the grown-ups too.
In a very official family breakfast survey (conducted while standing in front of the pantry), pancakes beat cereal by exactly 100%. No room for debate. Pancakes win. Every time.
Especially these Applesauce Pancakes. They’re fluffy, lightly sweet, and made with whole grains to keep little bellies full a bit longer. The applesauce makes them extra soft and gives them that warm, cozy flavor that just feels like comfort.
What I love most about these pancakes are that they are made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. No fancy mixing, no specialty flours… just easy, everyday goodness.
In our house, toppings are where the personalities shine. My youngest sprinkles hers with chopped walnuts (no surprise from the child whose #1 breakfast is Veggie Pancakes). My oldest likes chopped strawberries and a very generous pour of maple syrup. And me? I eat mine straight off the griddle while packing lunches and brushing someone’s hair – usually all at the same time.
#mymomhack – Yes, you can use homemade applesauce here… but I’ll be honest, I use store-bought in these pancakes so we can save the good homemade applesauce for when we can actually taste it (like snack time!).
Ingredients
My Toddler’s Actual Plate
When I first started making these pancakes, my youngest was a toddler and this is how I would serve these applesauce pancakes to her – cut into strips with a side of yogurt and applesauce for her to dip her pancakes into. The “dip” would sometimes become face paint, but I guess that’s all part of the process 😉
Get the recipe: Kid-Requested Fluffy Cinnamon Applesauce Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose, 50/50 all-purpose and whole wheat, gf blend
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 2 tbsp melted butter or oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cups milk regular, or any plain plant-based milk
Instructions
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Wet Ingredients: Add in the melted butter, maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract, and milk.
- Incorporate: Stir until incorporated, do not overmix.
- Cook: Heat a non-stick pan or pancake griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter onto the pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear on the outside of the pancake. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. If the batter gets too thick, add in a tablespoon at a time of milk and stir until you have the right consistency.
- Continue: Transfer pancakes to a cooling rack and repeat the process until you have used all the batter.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Toddlers
- Toddlers can help measure and put the ingredients into the bowl.
- They can help mix the ingredients together.
- They can help pour pancake batter onto the griddle for cooking (with adult supervision).
Kids
- They can pick out and measure all of the ingredients.
- Kids can help mix the ingredients together.
- They can help pour the batter onto the griddle (with adult supervision).
- They can help flip pancakes.
- Kids can help spread butter and pour syrup onto warm pancakes.
Did you make this recipe?
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Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
