Sour Cream Pancakes With Cardamom Apples

Published Oct. 9, 2024

Total Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pancakes:

  • 1 cup (128g) all-purpose flour

  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 2 cups (454g) sour cream, room temperature (recommended for smooth batter)

  • 4 large eggs

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter (for greasing the skillet)

For the Caramelized Cardamom Apples:

  • 2 pounds (900g) Gala apples (or other firm varieties like Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick (3–4 medium apples)

  • ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter (4 tablespoons for cooking, 2 tablespoons for finishing)

For the Maple Sour Cream Topping:

  • 4 tablespoons sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preparation

Step 1: Prepare the Pancake Batter

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until thoroughly combined. This dry mixture provides structure and leavening for the pancakes.

  2. Add the room-temperature sour cream to the dry ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula until just incorporated—avoid overmixing to preserve the pancakes’ light, fluffy texture.

  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly fold the egg mixture into the flour-sour cream batter using a rubber spatula, mixing only until no dry streaks remain. The batter may appear slightly lumpy; excessive mixing develops gluten, leading to dense pancakes. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to allow the baking powder to partially activate, enhancing fluffiness.

Step 2: Make the Caramelized Cardamom Apples

  1. Prep the apples: Ensure they are peeled, cored, and sliced uniformly into ¼-inch thick rounds (even slicing ensures consistent cooking).

  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of salted butter and allow it to melt completely, swirling the pan to coat the surface evenly.

  3. Once the butter is foamy, add the brown sugar and stir continuously until it dissolves and forms a light caramel base (about 1–2 minutes).

  4. Add the sliced apples and ground cardamom to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sugar-butter mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally for 15–25 minutes until apples are tender but retain slight structure (adjust time based on desired “crisp-tender” texture).

  5. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of salted butter. The butter melts and emulsifies with the caramelized sugars, creating a glossy coating for the apples. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Cook the Pancakes

  1. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salted butter and let it melt completely, swirling to coat the pan.

  2. Using a ½-cup measuring cup, portion out scant ½ cup of batter onto the skillet (3 pancakes per batch, ideal for a large skillet). Cook undisturbed until the bottom surface is golden-brown and bubbles form on top (about 2 minutes).

  3. Use a spatula to carefully flip the pancakes, cooking for an additional 1–2 minutes until the undersides are crisp and lightly browned.

  4. Transfer pancakes to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, adding fresh butter to the skillet between batches to prevent sticking.

Step 4: Assemble the Dish

  1. In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of sour cream and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, stirring until smooth. This sweet-tart topping balances the dish’s richness.

  2. Plate the pancakes and top generously with caramelized cardamom apples. Add a spoonful of maple sour cream for a final flourish.

Customer Reviews

  • “Terrific! I swapped sour cream for yogurt in the pancakes (kept sour cream for the topping). The pancakes have a crepe-like texture, and the cardamom in the apples makes these truly special.”

  • “My husband and I are not sweet-breakfast fans, but this worked! The apples are the star—cardamom adds warmth, and the sour cream keeps pancakes light. We used 2 medium apples (Evercrisp + Pink Lady) and halved the recipe.”

  • “Identical to my mom’s ‘cottage cheese pancakes’—we substituted 1 cup cottage cheese + 1 cup sour cream. Now my kids use Greek yogurt for protein! The cardamom-apple combo is timeless.”

  • “Tips: Double the cardamom (1 tsp was lost in 4 apples); use firm apples (Cortland works but a firmer variety like Honeycrisp is better); and bring sour cream to room temp for smooth mixing.”

Note: Adjust sugar/salt to taste, and experiment with apple varieties (e.g., Fuji, Granny Smith) for different textures. The pancakes’ crepe-like lightness pairs beautifully with the aromatic cardamom apples.