Apple Cider Pancakes
Pancakes with spiced apples and a quick apple compote. A car-camping breakfast that justifies the cast iron.
- calories
- 700
- weight
- 4.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 156
- protein
- 15 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 8 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total time
- 28 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Breakfast
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Vegetarian
- Real dishes
- Pre-mix at home
- Day one only
- Basic
Ingredients
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 2 tbsp | |
| Baking powder | 1.5 tsp | |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp | |
| Eggs | 2 large | |
| Whole milk | 3/4 cup | |
| Apple cider | 1/4 cup | unsweetened preferred |
| Butter | 4 tbsp | 2 tbsp melted for batter, 2 tbsp for cooking and compote |
| Apples | 2 medium | thinly sliced |
Method
- At home, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a jar or bag.
- In camp, whisk the eggs in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add milk, apple cider, and 2 tbsp melted butter to the eggs and stir.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Lumps are fine.
- Gently fold in half the apple slices.
- Heat a skillet or grill-grate over medium heat and lightly butter it.
- Pour batter in quarters and cook until the underside is golden, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 more minutes.
- While pancakes cook, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a second skillet with the other apple slices. Cook until the apples soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stack pancakes and top with the warm apple compote.
The key to these pancakes is not overworking the batter. Lumps disappear when they cook; aggressive stirring makes tough pancakes instead. The apple cider in the batter adds subtle sweetness and a slight tang that butter and sugar alone cannot achieve.
The compote is where the recipe earns its place in the car-camping rotation. Fresh apples caramelize quickly in butter and release their own liquid, creating a light glaze that tastes nothing like flat applesauce. Spoon it over the stack warm.
Packing
Pack the dry mix in a resealable bag or hard-sided container. Keep eggs, milk, and cider separate in the cooler. Apples go in loose.
Variations
- Use bourbon or brandy in place of cider for a more adult breakfast.
- Cook the apples in the compote with a pinch of nutmeg or allspice.
- Swap half the milk for yogurt if you have it in the cooler.
https://escapeadventures.com/recipes/recipe-campsite-apple-cider-flapjacks