A German Apple Pancake will have your house smelling like a bakery. Apples, the batter with the vanilla, and warm spices like nutmeg, and cinnamon–how could anyone not love this combination?
German Apple Pancakes | Air Fryer Recipe
- Fast. Has a cook time of under 30 minutes.
- Easy. A simple pour and cook recipe.
- Vegetarian. A great dessert to pair with your favorite Vegetarian main course.
- Delicious. Something the whole family will love.
German Apple Pancake batter is light and fluffy and it all comes together with ease while still looking and tasting quite complex. Eat this for a decadent breakfast, a light lunch, or just because.
This recipe is somewhat in between a traditional dutch baby, a pancake, and a cake. Which are three delicious things that you can make in any case. The final texture is a little thicker than a pancake but lighter than a cake.
What are German Apple Pancakes Made Of?
German Apple Pancakes are also referred to as Dutch Baby Pancakes. They are a large popover pancake batter that most people bake in a cast-iron skillet. The batter puffs up in the oven as it bakes, and then the cooked batter falls as it cools down. This happens when you take the German Apple Pancake out of the oven and the cool air from your kitchen hits it. Think of it somewhere between a crepe and french toast.
And delicious.
You will need flour, sugar, vanilla, milk, and of course, butter to get this batter started. Warming spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg make this German Apple Pancake comforting and leave your family counting down the days until you make it again.
Watch a Video on Making German Apple Pancakes
Benefits of Making Pancakes in the Air Fryer
Time and ease. Dutch baby pancakes usually take about 45 minutes to bake in the oven, and that doesn't include the preparing of the apples. If I have the opportunity to make a delicious breakfast in half that time, then you know that I am going to do just that. And, I don't have to preheat my oven, or heat the entire house as it cooks.
It is important to note that you must let the batter rest for 30 minutes. This gives the flour a chance to absorb all the liquid in the batter and will allow your German Apple Pancake to cook properly.
How To Make A German Apple Pancake
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk lightly.
STEP 2: Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Then, add vanilla, butter, and nutmeg. Make sure there are no lumps. Let the batter stand for 30 minutes.
STEP 3: For the apples: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined; set aside. Peel and chop apples.
STEP 4: Place the butter in a 6-inch round baking pan. Place the plan in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes.When butter is melted and the pan is hot, brush some of the butter up the sides of the pan.
STEP 5: Sprinkle the spiced sugar mixture over the butter. Arrange apple slices in the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the apples. Set the air fryer to 2 minutes or until the mixture bubbles.
STEP 6: Gently pour the batter mixture over the apples. Set the air fryer to 350°F and bake for 12 minutes or until batter is golden brown around the edges and center is cooked through.
STEP 7: Serve immediately. Like, right now. Go make these! Take me on IG when you do! #TrustUrvashi.
Once you've mastered this Air Fryer Recipe, you can add whatever your favorite fruit is, or what is in season. You could add pears, peaches, or even pumpkin would accompany the recipe nicely. And bonus? You most likely already have everything you need on hand.
Toppings for German Apple Pancakes
Ice Cream. Are there even any others?
Just kidding. There are so many delicious things that would be great on top of these German Apple Pancakes. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:
- Plain whipped cream. With all of the flavor this has, ice cream often feels like gilding the lily–which is not a bad thing for a special occasion.
- Your favorite fruits. Use whatever fruits are in season to lighten up this recipe.
- Syrup. I know it sounds like it'll be too much. And for some people, it just may be. But there's nothing more decadent than a drizzle of maple syrup over the top of a pancake.
Tips And Tricks For Making A German Apple Pancake
- Eat these right away, as they do not reheat well. Place the pancakes into the air fryer just as you sit down to dinner so that when you're done eating, your German Apple Pancake is ready to eat.
- Slice your apples thin. This way they cook into your batter for a creamy texture without too much of a bite.
Need More Dessert Recipes?
Instant Pot Apple Cake 
Butternut Apple Soup 
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- Instant Pot Apple Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding
- Keto Dessert Recipes
- Baked Apple Recipe
- Maple Pecan Bars With Sea Salt
- Instant Pot Pandan Cake
- Ginger Cassava Cake
- Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake
So the next time you're looking for an indulgent and deliciously filling breakfast, make a delightful German Apple Pancake! Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest if you enjoyed it!
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 tea Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tea Sugar Or Other Sweetener Equivalent
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 tea Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tea Ground Nutmug
- 1 TBS butter, melted
For the Apples
- 1 small Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, Sliced
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar, divided
- 1/4 tea Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tea Ground Nutmeg
- 2 TBS Butter
- Ice Cream , If Desired
Instructions
For the Batter
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk lightly. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla, butter, and nutmeg. Let batter stand for 30 minutes.
For the Apples
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined; set aside.
- Place the butter in a 6-inch round baking pan. Place the plan in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes. When butter is melted and pan is hot, brush some of the butter up the sides of the pan.
- Sprinkle the spiced sugar mixture over the butter. Arrange apple slices in the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the apples.
- Set the air fryer to 2 minutes or until the mixture bubbles.
- Gently pour the batter mixture over the apples. Set the air fryer to 350°F and bake for 12 minutes, or until batter is golden brown around the edges and center is cooked through.
- Serve immediately with ice cream, if desired.
Watch The Video
- You can substitute apple pie spice, or pumpkin pie spice for a change of pace, although both those spice mixes have considerably less nutmeg than in this recipe.
- These apple pancakes need to be eaten right away!
Pat Resende
This looks delicious, and I love that it uses ingredients that I always have on hand. However, I don’t have an air fryer and don’t plan to get one. I see no reason this couldn’t be baked in my convection oven. Am I missing something, or would that work?
Wendy
This was delicious! My whole family loved it. I did use a silicone pan and I don't know if that's why but it did take an additional 5 minutes of cooking to get it cooked through.
Jushadoodle
It keeps referring to ingredients and says that there is a recipe here but there is not. This seems like a scam. I’ve watched the video five times. No recipe. Just throw in some of these items. That won’t work. Why did you do this?
URVASHI PITRE
There’s totally a recipe. Scroll to the button or hit the jump to recipe button at the top.
desiree
this sould great wish i had air fryer i make them with the fryer every day
Deanna Watts
Urvashi, can this be made low carb/gluten free with almond flour? And if I wanted to use peaches, should I use different spices?