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Ingredients
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Pancake batter
Apple topping & mix-ins
To finish & serve
Method
Pancake batter
Dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, granulated sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
Wet ingredients
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.
Combine batter
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy — do not overmix. If the batter seems very thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons more milk to reach a pourable but thick consistency.
Rest batter
Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while you prepare the apples and preheat the pan. Resting helps the baking powder activate and yields fluffier pancakes.
Apple topping & mix-ins
Prepare apples
Peel the apple if desired, core and finely dice into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Sauté apples
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, sprinkle with the light brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and sauté for 3–4 minutes until the apples are just tender and the sugar melts into a glossy syrup. Remove from heat and set aside. Reserve any pan juices to spoon over pancakes if desired.
Optional: fold apples into batter
If you prefer apple-studded pancakes, fold about half (or all) of the cooled sautéed apples into the rested batter gently, distributing pieces evenly. Leave the remaining apples to spoon on top when serving.
Cook pancakes
For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle (adjust to make larger or smaller pancakes). If you did not fold apples into the batter, scatter a few sautéed apple pieces onto each pancake immediately after pouring.
Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form across the surface and edges look set, then flip and cook for another 1.5–2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning while allowing centers to cook.
Transfer cooked pancakes to a warm oven set to 200°F (95°C) or a covered plate while you finish the rest so they stay warm.
To finish & serve