Apple Cinnamon Sour Cream Pancakes Recipe

Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients

for the spiced granola:
1 cup|105 grams rolled oats
½ cup|60 grams roughly chopped pecans
¼ cup|60 ml maple syrup
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons|15 grams diced dried apples

for the spiced maple syrup:
1 cup|250 ml maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

for the cinnamon-sugar butter:
8 tablespoons|115 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt

for the pancakes:
2 cups|300 grams all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup|250 ml apple cider
1 cup|230 grams sour cream
2 red apples
2 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons|85 grams unsalted butter

Directions

1. Make the granola: Heat the oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, toss together the oats, pecans, maple syrup, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and nutmeg. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake, stirring once halfway through, until the oats are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely, then stir in the dried apples. Granola will keep sealed at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
2. Make the spiced syrup: Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium. Bring to a low simmer over medium and cook for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Infuse for 30 minutes, then strain, discarding the cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean. Spiced syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
3. Make the cinnamon-sugar butter: Mix the butter with the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Form into a log on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll it up tight into a cylinder. Tie knots in the plastic wrap on the ends to seal. Cinnamon-sugar butter will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
4. Make the pancakes: Heat the oven to 250°F. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
5. Core and dice one of the apples into ¼-inch pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, sour cream, and egg yolks, then mix into the dry ingredients along with the apple.
6. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the batter.
7. Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet or on a griddle over medium. Add a heaping ⅓ cup of the batter and cook until bubbles form, about 2 minutes. Flip, then cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a sheet tray and keep warm in the oven while you keep cooking pancakes until you use up all the batter, using butter as needed. You may need to adjust your temperature as you go, lowering it as needed as these guys get dark quick!
8. To serve, stack some pancakes on your plate. Thinly slice the remaining apple. Top the pancakes with some butter, apple slices, and granola, then drizzle with the spiced syrup.

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