This buckwheat apple pancake is one giant pancake made in a cast-iron skillet. Apples and bacon caramelize on the stove, then a buckwheat batter is poured over and baked in the oven. It's sturdier than a puffy German pancake, slightly sweet and savory, and ready in about 35 minutes (with a bacon-free option).
This baked pancake takes me back to the lovely Sunday mornings of my childhood years. Like my Oat Flour Pancakes or Plantain Pancakes, this giant buckwheat pancake (reminiscent of "Boekweit Koek") is a sweet pancake, but filled with warm, sweet apples and crispy bacon, all made in one large skillet.
It's one of our favorite breakfast recipes, a nice way to switch it up from traditional pancakes, and a great option for celebratory moments or holiday brunch.
Cooking with fall apples? You might also like my Healthy Apple Crumble (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free) or Gluten-Free Applesauce Cake.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One skillet: It's all cooked in an oven-safe skillet, starting on the stove and finishing in the oven.
- Sweet and savory: The bacon adds a lovely savory flavor to the buckwheat's tender texture and the caramelized apples.
- Naturally sweet: Raisins, dates, and apples make it slightly sweet, so you can enjoy it as is.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free: Made with buckwheat flour, plant milk, and olive oil.
- Made for sharing: It looks beautifully rustic, fills the kitchen with the warm smell of caramelized apples, and serves 6 for a lazy weekend or holiday brunch.
Ingredients & Notes
Here's what should be on your grocery list to make this buckwheat pancake:
- Apple: Choose a sweet apple, like Golden Delicious, Jonagold, or Honeycrisp. With fall around the corner, you'll have plenty of choices. I love Golden Delicious because it has an almost buttery honey taste that works well here.
- Buckwheat flour: Gluten-free buckwheat flour makes this oven-baked pancake look so beautifully rustic. It tastes nutty, though some brands can be slightly bitter; the cinnamon and dates balance that and let the nutty undertones come through.
- Plant milk: To keep it dairy-free. I often use cashew or almond milk, which is creamy and a good source of protein. You can use any milk; just avoid flavored ones or anything with added sugars.
- Dates: Blended with the milk, they add natural sweetness and pair well with the bacon.
- Egg: One large egg, beaten.
- Molasses: Use organic unsulfured blackstrap molasses to sweeten and darken the apples.
- Olive oil or butter: Either works, but something about apples and extra virgin olive oil is irresistible, and it keeps the pancake dairy-free.
- Raisins: Optional, but I highly recommend them. They complement the apples and add natural sweetness to the buckwheat.
- Bacon: Adds a wonderful sweet and savory component. Go for uncured and sugar-free bacon.
- Salt and cinnamon powder: Enhance the flavors of the buckwheat and bacon.
- Baking powder: The leavening agent.
How To Make Buckwheat Apple Pancake
Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C with the rack in the upper third.
Step 1 - Blend the Milk and Dates: Blend the milk and dates in a high-speed blender until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2 - Add the Dry Ingredients: Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, including the raisins.
Step 3 - Combine: Stir until everything is well incorporated.
Step 4 - Make the Batter: Add the reserved milk mixture and beaten egg to the flour mixture. Stir until you have a beautiful dark batter.
Step 5 - Layer the Skillet: Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Divide the bacon across the bottom of the skillet, then immediately arrange the apple slices on top. Drizzle the molasses and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil evenly over the apples.
Step 6 - Turn the Apples: Cook for one minute, then turn the apple slices (not the bacon) with a fork.
Step 7 - Add the Batter: Immediately pour the batter evenly over the apples and bacon, using a rubber spatula if needed. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the edges have set. Not any longer, or the bacon can burn.
Step 8 - Bake: Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool slightly.
Cut it into large pie pieces and flip each one when serving to reveal the browned apples and bacon. Or, once cooled, use a large spatula to turn the whole pancake over and cut the desired number of slices.
Variations & Substitutions
- Molasses: You can use maple syrup instead, but molasses adds that sweet and savory smokiness. It also has a long shelf life and works in recipes like my Instant Pot Beef Stew or Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
- Teff flour: Replace one-fourth of the buckwheat flour with sweet Teff flour, which is also gluten-free and adds a wonderful nutty component.
- Spelt flour: If gluten isn't a concern and you don't like buckwheat, try Spelt flour, like in my Orange Loaf Cake with Spelt Flour. It's a non-wheat whole grain flour with more protein and a much better flavor than regular all-purpose flour.
- Vegetarian: Leave out the bacon and arrange the apple slices directly in the oiled pan. Pour the molasses and remaining olive oil over the apples, cook for one minute, turn them, pour the batter over, and follow the rest of the recipe as is.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven setting or on the stove.
Recipe FAQs
It's the dark, earthy syrup left after the third boiling of sugarcane or sugar beet juice. Molasses is the syrupy byproduct left after sugars are extracted; the juices usually go through three cycles of boiling and crystallization, and the syrup left after each is called molasses. Blackstrap is less sweet than light or dark molasses but contains more nutrients. It also has a touch of bitterness or smokiness, which I love, and gives the apples and bacon a beautiful dark color.
Nothing, really; it already has amazing sweet and savory flavors. But it's lovely with a drizzle of pure maple syrup, fresh berries on the side, or one of my sweet spreads, like Rhubarb Compote, Cranberry Sauce, or Instant Pot Apple Butter.
More Pancakes & Breakfasts To Try
Made this? Tell me how it went in the comments and leave a star rating below. I love to hear from you. And don't forget to subscribe to my monthly newsletter! - Mariska
📖 Recipe
Buckwheat Apple Pancake With Bacon (Oven-Baked)
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 Large cast-iron skillet Or other oven-proof pan.
- 1 Blender For blending the milk and dates smooth.
- 1 Large Bowl For the batter.
- 1 spatula For spreading the batter evenly in the pan.
- 1 Pancake flipper For flipping the whole pancake, if you like.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plant milk 237 ml
- 5 pitted dates
- 1 cup Buckwheat Flour 132 grams
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup raisins 135 grams
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, divided
- 6 ounces bacon 170 grams, go for uncured and sugar-free bacon
- 1 large apple, sliced crosswise 250 grams
- 1 tablespoon molasses or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F/ 190 °C with rack in the upper third.
- Place the milk and the dates in a blender. Blend on high-speed setting until thoroughly blended, set aside.1 cup plant milk, 5 pitted dates
- In a bowl, add flour, salt, cinnamon powder, baking powder, and raisins. Combine the dry ingredients.1 cup Buckwheat Flour, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup raisins
- Add the reserved milk mixture and the egg to the dry ingredients. Stir well until you have a beautiful dark batter; set aside.1 large egg
- In a 12-inch (cast-iron or oven-safe) skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat on the stove.2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, divided
- Divide the bacon over the surface of the skillet, then immediately arrange the apple slices on top. Pour the molasses evenly over the apple slices and the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil.6 ounces bacon, 1 large apple, sliced crosswise, 1 tablespoon molasses
- Cook for one minute, then turn the apple slices (not the bacon) around using a fork. Immediately pour the buckwheat batter evenly over the apples and bacon.
- Cook until the edges of the batter have set a bit-for about 3 to 4 minutes. Not any longer, because it can cause the bacon to burn.
- Remove the pan carefully from the stove and place it directly in the oven.
- Bake the pancake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle, and any thicker parts of the pancake comes out clean.
- Remove carefully from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Cut a piece of pie, turn it around, revealing the beautifully browned apples and bacon. Serve on individual plates.
- Or wait until the whole pancake is cooled. Then you can carefully turn the whole pancake around with a large spatula to reveal the browned apples.
Notes
-
- Molasses: You can also use maple syrup. But molasses will add that sweet and savory smokiness. Besides, it has a long shelf life and can be used in many other recipes like my Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Apple Butter, or my Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
- Buckwheat flour: You can replace one-fourth of the buckwheat flour with sweet Teff flour is also gluten-free and adds a wonderful nutty component.
- If gluten is not a concern, and you don't like buckwheat, then I suggest Spelt flour like in my Quick Spelt Cake-a non-wheat, whole grain flour with a higher amount of proteins. It has a much better flavor than regular all-purpose flour.
- Olive oil: You can replace it with butter.
- Make it vegetarian-friendly or meatless by omitting the bacon. Instead, arrange the apple slices directly in the oiled pan. Pour the molasses evenly over the apple slices and the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil. Let them cook for one minute. Turn them around and pour the batter over the apples. Follow the rest of the recipe as-is.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
Kuntala Bhattacharya says
I have made pancakes and love them. But this one looks different. Certainly delicious. I dont eact bacon though maybe with chicken salami, not sure though.
Mariska says
Kuntala, just omit the bacon. It will still be heavenly delicious and a perfect fall recipe!
katrina Kroeplin says
omg this looks amazing. i seriously need this like right now!
Autumn Murray says
What an interesting flavor combination! It looks and sounds delicious!
Emman Damian says
My goodness! I love your APPLE BUCKWHEAT PANCAKE WITH BACON recipe! Can't wait to do it tonight! So good!
Mariska says
Aww. thank you Emman!
Melanie williams says
My husband would love this, so we may well have to give this a go at the weekend for our bit of baking time x
Mariska says
Oh, Melanie, this is definitely a great weekend recipe! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as my family does!
Marie Phillips says
My daughter used to make a similar recipe all the time. I love the addition of bacon to it. And I love that it is sweetened with molasses.
Mariska says
Marie, I would love to see your daughter's creations. Share it next time she makes it;)
Ashley t says
Oh my goodness this looks and sounds so delicous. Would love to try making this one day.
Heather says
I've never seen anything like this before. It looks so delicious.
Mariska says
Thank you, Heather!
Matt Taylor says
This looks really good! I love how easy it is to make too, one skillet dishes are awesome!
Mariska says
Thank you, Matt!
the joyous living says
this looks like quite an amazing pancake for autumn. apples and bacon! might i ask what buckwheat flour tastes like?
Mariska says
I would say, nutty. But some brands might have a bitter taste to them that easily is ommitted by adding cinnamon. The dates in this recipe will also balance these flavors. I hope you'll give Buckwheat a try;)
Surekha says
That looks so good! I've never had a pancake that was an actual cake in a pan like that before. I've only ever had that American version. I have to make this!
Mariska says
I hope you'll try it, Surekha. And if you do, share your creations. I would love to see them;)
Ben says
Aww yeah. Now all I need is a huge glass of milk and a gallon of syrup. That looks amazing!
Mariska says
Ben, you definitely know how to celebrate life;)