PRINTABLE RECIPE
Apple Crumble Stuffed Pancakes
Apple Crumble Pancakes with Salted Caramel Maple Syrup & Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Whipped Cream
There’s something about apple pie that immediately feels like home. Warm cinnamon apples, buttery crumble, and that smell filling the kitchen—it’s one of those desserts that never really needs reinventing. But turning it into breakfast? That I can get behind.
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Crispy Apple Crumble
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
Brown Butter Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
- Butter, for the skillet
Salted Caramel Maple Syrup
Optional, but highly recommended
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup salted caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Optional, but highly recommended
- 4 oz (113 g) mascarpone, cold
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Instructions
1. Make the Apple Pie Filling
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples and cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften but still have a little texture.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and lemon juice. Continue cooking until the apples are tender and coated in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add to the apples and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the filling is thick and glossy.
Remove from the heat and cool completely before stuffing the pancakes.
2. Make the Crispy Crumble
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients until chunky crumbs form.
Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 14–16 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until deeply golden and crisp.
Don’t pull the crumble while it’s still pale. It needs to get properly golden and crispy. It will continue to crisp slightly as it cools, but you want real color on it before it comes out of the oven.
Set aside to cool.
3. Brown the Butter
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until it foams and the milk solids turn deep golden brown and smell nutty.
Immediately transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
4. Make the Pancake Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and cooled brown butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Don’t overmix; a few lumps are perfectly fine.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
5. Stuff & Cook the Pancakes
Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly butter the surface.
Spoon a small amount of batter onto the skillet and gently spread it into a circle.
Place 1–2 tablespoons of cooled apple filling in the center, leaving a border around the outside. Spoon just enough additional batter over the apples to completely cover the filling.
Cook until the edges are set and bubbles begin to appear. Carefully flip and cook the second side until golden and cooked through.
Repeat with the remaining batter and filling, keeping the heat around medium-low so the centers have time to cook without the outsides becoming too dark.
6. Make the Salted Caramel Maple Syrup
Combine the maple syrup, salted caramel and butter in a small saucepan.
Warm gently over low heat, stirring until smooth. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
7. Make the Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Beat the cold mascarpone briefly until smooth.
Slowly stream in the cold heavy whipping cream while beating. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste and a pinch of kosher salt.
Continue whipping until medium-stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip.
To Serve
Stack the warm stuffed pancakes and top with a generous spoonful of vanilla bean mascarpone whipped cream.
Drizzle with warm salted caramel maple syrup and finish with plenty of crispy crumble.
Serve immediately.