Warm Apple Pancake Skillet

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 20 min cook

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large crisp apples (Honeycrisp)
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup maple syrup for serving

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a 10-inch cast-iron or oven-safe skillet inside to heat while you prep.
2. 2Core the apples and slice them into thin half-moons an eighth-inch thick so they soften quickly yet keep some bite.
3. 3In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; in another bowl beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla until frothy.
4. 4Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just until a smooth batter forms with no large lumps; a few small streaks are fine.
5. 5Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, add half the butter, and swirl until melted and foaming.
6. 6Arrange the apple slices in a single overlapping layer across the bottom of the skillet, sprinkle with the brown sugar and thyme, and return to the oven for 4 minutes so the fruit begins to soften and caramelize at the edges.
7. 7Pull the skillet out, pour the batter evenly over the apples, dot the remaining butter on top, and bake 14–16 minutes until the pancake is puffed, golden at the edges, and set in the center.
8. 8Let the skillet rest 2 minutes, then loosen the edges with a spatula and slide or invert onto a board; the apples should be glossy and tender.
9. 9Cut into wedges and serve warm with a light drizzle of maple syrup; the pancake should smell of cinnamon and fresh apple with a custardy interior.