Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes with Maple Almond Butter

As promised yesterday, we're back to the recipe posts! Yesterday, I ate pancakes from my dining hall for the first time, and I was so utterly disappointed --- honestly, frozen pancakes taste better than the ones they served! 

My on-going war with the dining hall aside, let's start off with an important question: pancakes or waffles?

I remember when I was about six years old, we had just eaten pancakes for breakfast, and my mom was talking to my aunt over the phone. When it was my turn to speak with her, my aunt asked the question that I think most Chinese people ask, which is, "have you eaten yet?"(it's a sign of courtesy). I replied with the typical, six year old's one-word "yes", and she asked what I ate. I replied with "pancakes!", and then she asked me the very same question that I asked you: "do you like pancakes more or waffles more?". I thought about it, and said "pancakes".

A few years later, I began to realize that I loved waffles more because of their crispy edges, but now, I think I've gone back to loving pancakes just a little bit more again. I love the fluffy interior and the fact that I don't have to painstakingly clean the waffle iron whenever I make pancakes. Above all, depending on the size of your pancakes, you can probably make more pancakes than waffles out of one batch of batter. Who doesn't prefer a tall and pretty stack of pancakes over one waffle?

So with that pancake story aside, let's get into this gluten-free and vegan recipe:

thinly sliced Granny Smith apples; I caramelized half of the slices over the stove top

Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes with Maple Almond Butter

By: Hannah Claudia

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for the pancakes:

one batch of buckwheat pancakes (found here; I replaced the egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce to make this recipe vegan-friendly)

1 tsp cinnamon (I love cinnamon, so I would add 2 tsp!)

for the toppings:

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thinly 

1 handful of chopped walnuts (toasted, if you prefer)

for the Maple Almond Butter:

2 tablespoons of almond butter

2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup (or enough to make the almond butter runny)

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1. Make the pancake batter and follow the directions to cook the pancakes. 

*Tip: To make pancakes that are evenly colored on both sides, don't wait for bubbles to pop up in the center! Once the edges are beginning to dry/set, flip the pancakes!

2. Heat another pan on the side. 

3. Add half of the apple slices to the dry, hot pan. Caramelize the apples (the natural sugars are enough!) and flip when the bottom is golden brown. Remove when the second side is just as golden/caramelized. 

4. In a small ramekin, mix the almond butter and maple syrup until you achieve a runny, cream sauce-like consistency. 

5. Stack your pancakes and top with the apples, walnuts, and maple almond butter!

xoxo, han