Quick and easy whole grain pancakes made with cinnamon, applesauce, and carrots! Make these thick, hearty, wholesome pancakes for a fun breakfast option this weekend!
Allow me to introduce you to carrot applesauce pancakes.
They’re based off a muffin I used to order from a bakery when I was in in college that was thick, hearty, dense, and absolutely loaded with carrots.
Occasionally the baker would toss in a handful of raisins or nuts to the batter, sometimes I’d find actual apple chunks, but no matter what, they were always so, so good. I’d grab a muffin and a cup of tea, pull out my laptop, and get to work.
Sadly the bakery has since closed, but I’m still dreaming of those muffins. So much so, that when a pancake craving struck last week, I knew the exact flavor combination I needed: carrot applesauce.
It’s an unlikely flavor combination, but one that works so well here. The applesauce adds moisture, natural sweetness, and a faint aroma of apples to the batter; carrots add little to no flavor, but instead fleck each pancake with fall-colored confetti and a little bit of veggie goodness. The combination of the two makes for a more dense pancake, reminiscent of the texture of those muffins I loved so much. Add in a hefty dose of cinnamon, and they’re the ultimate breakfast on mornings when you’re craving something hearty and wholesome.
I made these pancakes with whole grain spelt flour, which I’ve been absolutely loving lately. If you haven’t had it, spelt is an ancient cousin of the genetically altered, commercial wheat that’s grown today, and performs similarly to whole wheat in baking. If you can find it, I highly recommend trying it out. If not, no big deal-any organic whole grain flour you love will work in this recipe! If you’re interested in learning more about wheat and why I always look for unbleached organic, local, and/or stone-ground (and love buying it’s ancient relatives like spelt, einkorn, and kamut) here’s some disturbing info on modern wheat.
The best part about these pancakes? Other than shredding a carrot, there’s very minimal effort required to make them. Simply dump everything into a bowl, mix well to combine, and just a few minutes later you’ll have golden, tender pancakes waiting to be drizzled with maples syrup (and peanut butter, if you’re into it).
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Carrot Applesauce Pancakes and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!
Carrot Applesauce Pancakes
Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 6 pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 large carrot (to yield 1 cup shredded)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil, olive oil, or butter, plus more for cooking
- 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup organic whole grain flour (such as spelt, einkorn, white whole wheat, etc)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
- Shred carrot, measure out 1 cup, and set aside. Place your largest skillet on the stove over medium heat.
- Whisk together the applesauce, egg, maple syrup, oil, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, including shredded carrots, and mix well to combine. Batter will be quite thick.
- Grease the skillet with more coconut oil/butter, then scoop pancake batter by the 1/2 cup full onto the pan. Use a spoon to spread each pancake into a 4 inch circle.
- Cook pancakes for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through (these pancakes won’t get the typical bubbles that you usually look for on pancakes, so just peek under them after a few minutes and flip when brown!). Repeat until all batter is cooked.
- Serve immediately, with maple syrup, nut butter, or your favorite pancake toppings. Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 4 days, or the freezer for several months. Pro tip: reheat frozen pancakes in the toaster like a piece of bread!