These pancakes are inspired by a traditional Polish apple pancake recipe my grandma made for us kids during summer holidays at her country cottage. The addition of sourdough starter, raw milk, and eggs makes them nourishing and filling. Warm with apple and cinnamon, they’re a cozy breakfast for the whole family. They freeze well too – which makes them great for meal prep. Let me show you, step by step, how to make these sourdough apple pancakes so you can make the most of apple season.

a bowl with some sourdough apple pancakes and some apple slices with a honey dipper on the left and a jar of clear honey in the corner

What Are Polish Apple Pancakes?

Unlike most pancake recipes, traditional Polish apple pancakes don’t rely on baking powder or soda. Their fluffiness comes from whipped egg whites, gently folded into the batter right before frying. They also use apple slices rather than grated apple or applesauce, giving you a juicy piece of apple in every bite. I’ve adapted this classic by adding sourdough starter. The slight tang pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the apples and cinnamon, while the eggs and raw milk boost both flavor and nutrition.

Tips for Making This Recipe

These pancakes do not require baking powder or soda as the addition of beaten egg whites makes them fluffy.
If you are making these pancakes for your toddler, make them very small for easy finger food.
The cinnamon pairs well with the flavor of apples but if you don’t like it, feel free to leave it out.
Instead of coconut oil, you could use ghee (clarified butter) for frying the pancakes.
Instead of sourdough starter you could use discard. Make sure to use discard that is not too old, as it would add a sour taste to the pancakes.
If you’d like to make these pancakes even more nutrient-dense, try using whole wheat or sprouted flour instead of white flour. Because my sourdough starter is whole wheat, I balanced it with white flour for a lighter texture that my kids enjoy.
The 1 tablespoon of sugar is optional. If the apples you are using are sweet, feel free to leave out the sugar.
The secret to fluffy pancakes is beating the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently folding them into the batter until only partially combined. You should still see streaks of egg white—this is what creates lift. If you overmix, the pancakes will still taste delicious, but they’ll turn out flatter.

Ingredients You’ll Need

a cup of sourdough starter a cup with raw milk five apples a bowl with some brown sugar cinnamon and salt a bowl of white flour and a bowl with four eggs

Step-by-Step: How to Make Sourdough Apple Pancakes from Scratch

a mixing bowl with flour and a spoon on the side

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon and the optional sugar.

a cup of egg whites a metal mixing bowl with flour and egg yolks and a white bowl with egg shells

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add the egg yolks to the flour in the bowl and mix them in well.

a metal bowl with sourdough pancake mix and a wooden spoon a few apples in the background

Add the sourdough starter to the flour and egg yolk mixture and then mix in enough raw milk to make a fairly thick pancake batter. For me 1/4 cup of milk is usually enough. Mix everything well until the batter is smooth, with no lumps.

a pile of apples peels a paring knife slices of apple and three whole peeled apples on a marble counter top

Peel the apples, then with a sharp paring knife cut the apple into small thin slices, like in the picture above. You want the slices to be quite thin so they are fast to get cooked through.

metal mixing bowl with sourdough apple pancake batter and a wooden spoon

Mix the apple slices into the pancake batter in the bowl. As you can see, there is a lot of apples in the mixture – this way you’ll get pancakes just bursting with apple flavor!

metal bowl with sourdough apple pancake batter and beaten egg whites on top

Place the egg whites into a dry bowl or large measuring cup and beat (with a pinch of salt added in) until stiff peaks form. Add the beaten whites into the pancake batter and mix in gently, until partially combined.

metal bowl with a wooden spoon and spirdpigh apple pancake batter with beaten egg whites folded in

There should be plenty of unmixed egg whites visible in the mix – don’t overmix or the pancakes won’t be fluffy.

frying pan with three sourdough apple pancakes cooking in coconut oil

Heat up a few tablespoons of coconut oil in a large frying pan and add 3 or 4 dollops of the pancake batter to the pan. Place a spoon of the unmixed egg white on top of each pancakes and flatten gently with the back of a spoon. Fry the pancakes on medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes on each side.

frying pan with four sourdough apple pancakes cooking in coconut oil

Transfer the ready pancakes to a serving platter and serve hot with a dollop of whipped cream or some raw honey drizzled on top.

Serving Suggestions

white flowery bowl with sourdough apple pancakes and apple slices on a white wooden tray with a honey dipper stick of cinnamon and jar of clear honey on the side

These pancakes are great served with some whipped raw cream or a drizzle of raw honey.

You could also serve them with sausage or fried eggs for a full breakfast.

Storage & Freezing

Store any leftover pancakes in an airtight container with baking parchment between them (so they don’t stick together). To reheat, place on a dry frying pan and cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side.
These pancakes can be frozen in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQ

These apples are made with nutrient dense whole food ingredients and naturally sweetened with apples. The addition of sourdough starter makes them also gut friendly. Apples are a good source of fiber and vitamin C, while eggs and raw milk add a boost of protein to the recipe, making these apple pancakes a healthy breakfast or lunch option.

Choose a sweet apple variety such as Gala which will make your pancakes taste sweet without any added sugar. Or if you prefer a slightly sour taste, Granny Smith apples are a great choice.

The batter is not suitable for freezing but the cooked pancakes can be frozen. Spread them in a single layer on a tray lined with baking parchment. When they freeze solid, transfer them to a ziplock bag.

This recipe was designed to work with slices of apple, but you could also try using sliced pear in the batter instead of the apples. Choose a firm pear variety, such as Conference, so the slices keep their shape when cooked.

Conclusion

Give these Polish-inspired sourdough apple pancakes a try this apple season—they’re a cozy, budget-friendly way to serve a nutrient-dense breakfast your family will love. Want more traditional, real food recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest for fresh inspiration.

Sourdough Apple Pancakes

These Polish-inspired sourdough apple pancakes are fluffy, lightly sweet, and warmly spiced with cinnamon — a wholesome breakfast made from scratch that’s freezer-friendly and toddler-approved.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Serving Size 4

Equipment

whisk

Ingredients

For the pancakes

½ cup flour
1 tbsp brown sugar or rapadura (optional)
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp unrefined salt
4 large eggs
¾ cup sourdough starter, fed in the last 12 hours
⅓ cup raw milk (you may not need all of it)
5 small apples or 3 medium ones
⅓ cup coconut oil, for frying the pancakes

To serve (optional)

whipped cream
raw honey or maple syrup

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon and the optional sugar.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add the egg yolks to the flour in the bowl and mix in well.
Mix the sourdough starter into the flour and egg yolk mixture and then add enough raw milk to make a fairly thick pancake batter. Mix everything well until the batter is smooth, with no lumps.
Peel the apples, then with a sharp paring knife cut the apple into small thin slices. You want the slices to be quite thin so they are fast to get cooked through.
Place the egg whites into a dry bowl or large measuring cup and beat with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add the beaten whites into the pancake batter and mix in gently, until partially combined. There should be plenty of unmixed egg whites visible in the mix – don't overmix or the pancakes won't be fluffy.
Heat up a few tablespoons of coconut oil in a large frying pan and place 3 or 4 spoons of pancake batter on the hot pan. Add some of the unmixed egg whites on top of each pancake. Fry the pancakes on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving platter and serve hot with a dollop of whipped cream or some raw honey drizzled on top.

Notes

If the apples you are using are fairly sweet, you can skip the sugar in the recipe.

How to Make Polish Apple Pancakes with Sourdough Starter