Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes with Cinnamon Apple Compote

These easy whole wheat pancakes with cinnamon apple compote taste just like they are from a fancy brunch restaurant. But instead, you can make these at home with a few simple ingredients!

Why You’ll Love These Pancakes

• Extra fluffy. These whole wheat pancakes turn out pillowy-soft and perfectly fluffy every time I make them, due to the fresh baking powder and melted butter. Making pancakes from scratch really is worth the extra effort!
• Packed with sweet flavor. The pancakes themselves are stuffed with chopped pecans and cinnamon, and then they’re topped with apples cooked in cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Easy to make. Anyone can make these pancakes because all you really have to do is stir and flip!
• Great for any occasion. You can make whole wheat pancakes with apple compote on a lazy Sunday morning, but they’re also elegant enough for a brunch get-together.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you need to make these fluffy whole wheat flour pancakes. To find exact ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below.

For the Whole Wheat Pancakes

• White whole wheat flour – This blend is perfect for pancakes. It’s still light and fluffy but packs in the health benefits of whole wheat flour.
• Baking powder – The baking powder helps make the pancakes fluffy.
• Cinnamon
• Salt – Just this little bit of salt makes a big difference in bringing out the flavors in the pancakes.
• Chopped pecans – One of my secret ingredients! You can chop them as fine as you’d like. They add a little nutty flavor and fun texture to the pancakes.
• Egg – You can also use a flax egg as I did in my blueberry pancake recipe.
• 2% milk – You could also use whole milk or dairy-free milk.
• Raw honey – The honey replaces sugar as the sweetener and the flavor is earthy, sweet, and delicious.
• Melted butter – This adds to the richness but doesn’t add weight to the pancake so they stay fluffy.

For the Apple Compote

• Apples – I used Honeycrisp, but they can get really expensive. You could also use Granny Smith apples.
• Butter – I like to use unsalted butter for this recipe.
• Raw honey – You could also use maple syrup.
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg – You could also use pumpkin pie spice if you don’t have nutmeg.
• Pinch of salt

How to Make Whole Wheat Pancakes with Cinnamon Apple Compote

• Make the apple compote. Cook the apples with butter in a skillet until the butter melts, then add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
• Cook the apples until they are tender. This doesn’t take very long, usually only about 4-5 minutes.
• Make the pancake mix. Do this by combining the dry ingredients first, then add in the wet ingredients.
• Whisk the pancake batter. Make sure that you do not over-mix the batter. Some lumps are okay to have.
• Cook the pancakes in a hot skillet or griddle. Flip them after about 2-3 minutes.
• Serve the pancakes with the apple compote on top. And don’t forget a drizzle of maple syrup or honey!

Tips for the Best Fluffy Pancakes

• Mix the dry ingredients first, then add the wet ingredients. You always want to mix the dry ingredients first. This breaks up any flour clumps and evenly distributes the baking powder and other dry ingredients.
• Do not overmix! As with any pancake, it’s important not to overmix the batter or they will not get fluffy.
• Start with a hot skillet (or griddle). You want the pancakes to start cooking as soon as they get on the griddle. This ensures the perfect golden brown sides and fluffy center.

What Goes With Whole Wheat Pancakes?

• Frittatas: Instead of making plain old scrambled eggs, try serving my protein-packed spinach and mushroom sheet pan frittata or my easy prosciutto frittata. A small, savory slice pairs perfectly with these sweet pancakes.
• Drinks: You always need a good breakfast drink to go with pancakes. A tasty green smoothie is a good option. Or, make my amazing iced coffee recipe!
• Breakfast Charcuterie Board: Really wow your friends with this amazing brunch charcuterie board! A display of these pancakes paired with fruit, toppings, and honey would be the perfect breakfast offering when you have company over.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerator. I like to keep any leftover pancakes for the next day in a plastic bag in the fridge. When I’m ready to eat them again, I usually pop them in the toaster for a quick and easy reheat.
• Freezer. I recommend flash-freezing the pancakes first. That means freezing them while they are laying flat on a sheet tray for about 30 minutes. Then they will harden and you can easily store them together in a plastic bag in the freezer. Whole wheat pancakes will last for up to three months this way.

More Pancake Recipes

• Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Fluffy Pancakes with Strawberry Compote and Vanilla Mascarpone
• Protein Chocolate Pancakes
• Pumpkin Pancakes with Candied Bacon

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