Shredded Apple Protein Pancakes

Now we have recipe 10 minus 1 (doctor).

Apple pie is great, right? It’s personally my favorite kind of pie, but can be tedious and time-consuming to make. So how about we make a pancake recipe that mimics the experience without the extra labor? Here we have one with a balanced flavor profile and appropriate calorie & protein standards, thus giving tasty yet filling pancakes that will keep you satisfied for hours!

Let’s give the docs a break, shall we?

Ingredients

Makes ~15 pancakes.

Base batter

• 250g whole wheat/spelt flour
• 70g (vegan) protein powder
• 1 tbsp (14g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
• 1 tbsp (8g) cinnamon
• ½ tsp (1.2g) nutmeg
• ½ tsp (3g) fine salt
• 2 eggs
• 1.5 tbsp (23ml, 21g) coconut/neutral oil
• 2.5 tbsp (50g) maple syrup/honey
• 1 ½ tsp (6g) vanilla extract
• 500mL buttermilk
• Cooking fat of choice, see note below

Mix-in

• 3 medium apples (~450g), shredded

Cooking fat note

Here are your options:

• For fried-like surfaces: (about ½ tsp or 2g per pancake)
  • Butter (ideally salted, grass-fed)
  • Any neutral oil
• For picture-perfect uniform surfaces:
  • Cooking spray

Required Utensils

Chances are that you already have most of what’s listed below. But as a student, I used to have basically nothing at hand, so all necessary items are listed below:

• Medium pot, to hold all dry ingredients (and then batter)
• Small pot, to hold all wet ingredients
• Weight scale, to measure ingredients (in grams)
  • Or use measuring cups if handy
• Measuring spoons (at least for teaspoon measurement)
• (Box) grater (for shredding apples)
• Whisk, for initial mixing (can use spoon instead, but might take longer)
• Rubber spatula, for final mixing
• Scooping spoon, for accurately pouring batter for cooking (optional)
• Non-stick pan (or flat griddle), to cook the pancakes!
• Flat spatula, for flipping pancakes
• Tray/plate, to hold cooked pancakes!

Instructions

1. In medium pot, whisk all dry ingredients till thoroughly combined. Set side.
2. In small pot, whisk all wet ingredients till thoroughly combined. Set aside.
   NOTE: If using coconut oil, add in just before combining wet & dry ingredients, to avoid solidification before combining.
3. Now for the mix-in shredded apple:
   • Optionally peel apples first, if you don’t want pieces of skin in pancakes. 
   • Use the shredding side of your grater to shred the apples into thin chunks. 
4. Form a well in center of pot with dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry. Use rubber spatula, stir in wide circular strokes till almost combined.
5. Add shredded apple and again stir in wide circular strokes till just combined; DO NOT over-mix. Small lumps are okay!
6. Let batter rest for 10 to 30 minutes at room temp. More time = fluffier pancakes!
   During this period:
   • Gather your pan(s), spatula, and tray/plate to hold cooked pancakes.
   • Pre-heat your pan(s) at medium heat and have your cooking fat ready.
7. Once pan(s) are warm (not hot), add fat to pan center, and add just under ¼ cup (60ml) batter to center.
8. Cook for 2-3 min, until bubbles begin to pop on top and edges are firming up. Flip pancake and cook for another 2-3 min till golden brown. Remove from pan.
9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 with remaining batter. Enjoy!

Serving

To pour on

• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Pancake syrup of choice

To spread on

• Any nut butter (ideally salted): almond, cashew, mixed nut, etc.

To top off

• Crumbled brown sugar
• Caramelized apple chunks/pieces
• Walnuts/pecans (whole or chopped)
• Whipped cream
• Cream cheese glaze/frosting
• Butter
• Powdered cinnamon and/or nutmeg

Storage

Packaging of choice

• Ideal for fridge: Plastic/glass air-tight containers
• Ideal for freezer: Wrapping 1-4 pancakes in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place in air-tight plastic bag

Shelf life

• Fridge: 5 days
• Freezer: 3-6 months (best quality, assuming temp below 0°F/-18°C)

Got any questions or suggestions? Comment down below!

First posted on March 24, 2025.

Last updated on March 24, 2025.