Whole-grain Gingerbread Apple Pancakes for the holiday season. Perfect for when you have house guests or any leisurely Saturday or Sunday morning. They are plate-licking good.

whole-grain healthy Gingerbread Apple Pancakes

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Why We Love This Recipe For Healthy Gingerbread Pancakes

I have really been looking forward to making these Healthy Gingerbread Pancakes with Apple for everyone during the holidays.

This fall I have been making my Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes on repeat, but now that we are into the holiday season, these Gingerbread pancakes are my number one fave!

They’re like a gingerbread cookie in fluffy pancake form with tiny bits of apple in them. This is definitely my favorite pancake recipe at the moment along with Healthy Oatmeal Pancakes.

Ingredients for this Recipe

Apple

Shredding the apple before adding it to the batter makes it easy to evenly combine. I’ve found it makes the pancakes extra moist and of course, super flavorful. The end result are deliciously fluffy, fruity and very seasonal pancakes.

Molasses

Molasses is a popular baking ingredient which I for one, love. It adds both color, moisture and sweetness.

Buttermilk

It’s not a coincidence that buttermilk is so widely used in pancake recipes. Buttermilks acidity helps kickstart the baking soda which can make the pancake even fluffier. It also helps balance out the flavor in the pancakes, adding a tad bit of tang. Don’t worry! If you don’t have buttermilk at home, an easy DIY substitute is milk with a little bit of lemon juice.

Whole-Wheat Flour

We love whole-wheat flour in baking recipes and to make pancakes and crepes for it’s nutritious health benefits. In this recipe, we used whole-wheat pastry flour because it is finely milled and makes the pancakes light and fluffy. You can sub in regular whole-wheat flour or white whole-wheat flour instead.

Spices

To give these pancakes gingerbread flavor we used a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove.

Other Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons plus 3 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided

Step-By-Step Instructions To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients

Whisk whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and cloves in a medium bowl.

Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients

Beat eggs together in a large bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, molasses and 3 tablespoons oil.

Step 3: Finish the Batter

Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture. Once the batter is smooth and fully combined, stir in the shredded apple.

Step 4: Make Pancakes

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush 2 teaspoons oil over the griddle or 1 teaspoon oil over skillet. Ladle ¼ cup-fulls of the batter onto the hot griddle or skillet spacing to account for spread. Cook, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until the pancakes are set and browned on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip over and continue cooking until cooked through. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoons oil and remaining batter, in batches, if necessary.

Step 5: Serve

Stack the apple pancakes and serve with any desired topping. My favorite is the classic–maple syrup, and a thick pat of butter of course.  

Apple Gingerbread Pancakes on a teal plate

FAQs and Expert Tips For These Pancakes

Can you make pancakes ahead of time and reheat?

Pancakes are a great make-ahead food. You can either store the pancakes in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer until ready to serve, or you can whisk together the wet ingredients and store it in the fridge the day before. Just make sure you add the leavening agent (aka baking soda/powder) the day of.

Why are my pancakes flat instead of fluffy?

If your pancakes aren’t turning out as fluffy as you’d like, your batter may be too wet. Try adding a bit more flour to thicken it up if you think that might be the issue. Otherwise, your baking powder might be expired.

What can you add to pancake batter?

Just like the apples, you could really add anything you’d like. If you prefer a bit of crunch, try adding a few chopped up nuts, such as walnuts, to the pancakes while they’re cooking.

How can you tell when a pancake is done?

You’ll know when to flip a pancake when the edges look set, and little bubbles appear on the top. Once you’ve flipped, you’ll only have to wait another 2 or so minutes.

Additional Gingerbread Flavored Recipes to Try

Additional Healthy and Yummy Breakfast Recipes To Try

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Healthy Whole-grain Gingerbread Apple Pancakes on Healthyseasonalrecipes.com

Gingerbread Apple Pancakes

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5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 pancakes 1x
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Description

Whole-wheat gingerbread pancakes with shredded apples. A healthy seasonal breakfast for house guests over the holidays, or for any relaxed Saturday or Sunday morning.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 3 tablespoons plus 3 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided
  • 1 large apple, peeled and shredded on a box grater

Instructions

  1. Whisk whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and cloves in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Beat in buttermilk, molasses and 3 tablespoons oil. Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture. Stir in apple.
  3. Heat griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush 2 teaspoons oil over the griddle or 1 teaspoon oil over skillet. Ladle ¼ cup-fulls of the batter onto the hot griddle or skillet spacing to account for spread. Cook, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent scorching, until the pancakes are set up and browned on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip over and continue cooking until cooked through. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoons oil in one more batch for the griddle or two more batches for the skillet.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 pancakes
  • Calories: 350
  • Sugar: 19 g
  • Sodium: 467 mg
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 48 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 8 g

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