Apple Pancakes toped with Cinnamon Butter

These pancakes are perfect for spring. You get the goodness of pancakes, and also the light fresh taste of the apples. The cinnamon butter pulls these pancakes together wonderfully,
This morning I decided to wake up a bit early and make Dan a nice fresh breakfast to start off this rainy Saturday properly.
The one thing I love more then cooking, is cooking for other people. Dan is a great cook as well, on my birthday a few weeks ago he woke up early and made me some spinach mushroom quiche for breakfast before I left for work (he is so sweet), so it was my turn.

Now pancakes are not something I make a whole lot, or crave that often either. Now these apple pancakes on the other hand, are so delicious that as soon as I think of pancakes, I want to make these right away.

Cinnamon butter

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Pancakes

• Juice from half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, halved, cored

• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the cinnamon butter:
Using an electric mixer, beat all the ingredients in small bowl until blended. 

 

(all of the ingredients for the cinnamon butter before mixing)

 

(The butter should be nice and fluffy after beating it with the electric mixer)

Set the butter aside until the pancakes are ready.

For the pancakes:
Combine lemon juice and zest in bowl.

Coarsely grate apples into bowl, tossing to coat with juice. 

Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.

Whisk in milk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth. Stir in apple mixture. Cover and let batter stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. 

(The batter will be pretty thick)

Preheat oven to 200°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Heat heavy large nonstick griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat 1 minute. Place some butter in the pan and let it melt, move the pan around so the butter coats it. For each pancake, drop about 1/4 cup (I used just under that) batter onto pan, spacing pancakes apart.

Cook until golden on bottom and bubbles start to form on surface, about 3 minutes. Turn pancakes over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, add a small amount of butter before each batch of pancakes. 

Serve with a little dollop of cinnamon butter.

Enjoy!