Apple pancake puffs are light and fluffy balls, also called pancake bites or pancake poppers, made without eggs, gluten free, dairy free. These paleo and vegan healthy pancake puffs are a cute way to eat pancakes - just bake and dip in maple syrup.
Apple pancake puffs or poppers, are mini pancake balls made in a mini muffin pan. The American version is modeled after the Danish dessert, Aebleskiver, which are similar mini pancake puffs made in a Aebleskiver pan. There is also a pancake puff pan for sale on Amazon. But you don't need to buy a special pan to make pancake puffs - just use a mini muffin pan.
Why Make Pancake Puffs?
My pancake puffs are a fun easy way to make pancakes. These paleo pancake puffs or poppers are a cute mini finger pancake in the shape of a donut hole. And my recipe is healthy, high in protein and fiber, paleo and gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. They are also egg free and vegan.
Different Pancake Puff Flavors
These pancake puffs are apple flavored because I use applesauce instead of eggs. You can add chunks of apple into the center to create filled pancake puffs.
Or you can make my other flavors of pancake puffs, including cinnamon sugar pancake puffs and chocolate filled pancake puffs.
Serve them all with maple syrup and/or dust with powdered sugar.
Ingredients Needed
- Oat flour. Oat flour gives the pancake puffs healthy fiber and structure.
- Milk. To add liquid.
- Baking soda. To make them puffy.
- Applesauce. Instead of eggs, I blended apples with skin into a puree. The skin has pectin which reacts with baking soda to add rise like eggs. Or you can use store-bought applesauce.
- Cane sugar. A little cane sugar is needed to add the outside structure. If you try with maple syrup instead, add a few more tablespoon of oat flour.
- Lemon juice. A little also reacts with milk and baking soda to make the pancake puffs puffy.
- Flavorings. Vanilla, salt
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Pancake Puffs
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Prep: Chop an apple, and blend into a puree with skin on. You can use store-bought applesauce, but blending an apple will give you fiber. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Step 1: Add the milk, lemon, applesauce and sugar to a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves, about one minute.
Step 2: Add the flour and baking soda.
Step 3: Mix the ingredients into a batter.
Step 4: Bake for 10-12 minutes. The tops should look brown and spring with the touch of a spoon.
Step 5: Flip them out quickly so they don't dry out. Serve with maple syrup.
Recipe Tips
Cooking time: Your oven temperature might vary so your puffs might be done as soon as 10 minutes - look for your puffs to spring back when pressed with a spoon.
Make Stuffed Pancake Puffs: Chop apples into tiny chunks and press them into the center of each pancake puff batter before baking.
Storage
Pancake Puffs can be eaten immediately or stored refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Make Ahead Option: Make the puffs in a mini muffin pan, allow to cool then freeze them in a storage bag. Thaw them in an oven for about 10 minutes at 350 F.
These Puffs Can Be Made as Pancakes on a Griddle
You can make this recipe as traditional pancakes - just spoon batter onto a hot griddle as pancakes, flip and serve with maple syrup.
FAQS
Mix the batter in a bowl, scoop into a mini muffin pan and bake. Serve with maple syrup.
Yes, this recipe of pancake puffs can be made like traditional pancakes, just spoon onto a hot griddle, flip and serve with maple syrup.
More Breakfast Treat Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Apple Pancake Puffs (poppers)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour
- ½ cup applesauce 2 small apples pureed or blended
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a mini muffin pan with an oil spray or by rubbing oil with a paper towel.1 cup oat flour, ½ cup applesauce, ¼ cup cane sugar, 2 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Add milk and lemon juice to a mixing bowl. Stir and allow the milk to curdle about one minute. Then add the sugar and applesauce. Stir again and allow the sugar to dissolve, around 1 minute. Then add the flour and baking soda.
- Scoop using a 2 tablespoon scoop the batter into a mini muffin pan. Don't smooth out the batter. The scoops will bake into pillowy yet uneven round shapes.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until the top is golden and springs back, or until a test toothpick comes out clean. Flip out quickly so they don't continue cooking.
- Serve.
Dee Dine
These pancake puffs are soft fluffy balls of pancakes, like donut holes only lighter..