The Cheesecake Factory’s Caramel Apple Pancake Recipe Is Perfect for Christmas Morning

You’re all too familiar with The Cheesecake Factory’s Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, and if you had a nickel for every time you ordered their Breakfast Tacos, you’d be able to buy…well, a whole lot more of them. Now, you’ll have to add this Santa-approved recipe for Caramel Apple Pancakes to your roster, because it’s the ultimate post-presents breakfast for Christmas morning.

Despite being restaurant-caliber delicious, these Cheesecake Factory pancakes are made with pantry staples and a handful of store-bought shortcuts. We’re talking canned apple pie filling, caramel sauce and whipped cream (although you can totally make your own if you’re feeling ambitious). The stack is drenched in four-ingredient cinnamon swirl topping that you’ll be tempted to drink straight from the saucepan.

Read on for the full recipe (it makes about eight pancakes total).

For the cinnamon swirl

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 5 ounces brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅓ cup cream

 For the pancakes

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, separated
• 8 ounces apple pie filling
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon swirl
• 4 teaspoons caramel sauce
• 2 ounces granola
• 4 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 4 ounces whipped cream
• Maple syrup, for serving

Make the cinnamon swirl:

1. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to the pot and cook until the sugar melts.

2. Add the cream to the pot and whisk to incorporate.

3. Turn off the heat and allow mixture to cool until safe to handle.

Make the pancakes:

1. Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together until evenly combined. Set aside.

2. Pour the buttermilk into another mixing bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla and 2 tablespoons oil to the bowl.

3. Add the flour mix to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Continue to fold the ingredients together until evenly combined with a few small lumps remaining in the batter. Do not overmix the batter.

4. Heat ¼ teaspoon of the remaining vegetable oil on a griddle or in a large nonstick pan. Using a 4-ounce ladle, pour the batter onto the griddle or pan, forming one pancake that’s 6 inches in diameter.

5. Divide the apple pie filling and set aside one half. Scoop a little bit of the first half randomly atop the pancakes as they cook.

6. Randomly drizzle a little bit of the cinnamon swirl in between the apples on the pancakes.

7. Cook the pancakes for approximately 2½ minutes each or until the edges begin to dry and puff up, and little air bubbles start appearing on the surface of the pancakes.

8. Flip each pancake over and continue to cook for another 1½ minutes or until done. Repeat until all the batter is used. 

9. Place two pancakes onto each serving plate. Divide the reserved apple pie filling between the servings, mounding it in the center on top of the pancakes.

10. Drizzle a little caramel over the apples.

11. Sprinkle with granola and powdered sugar.

12. Top the pancakes with the whipped cream and serve with warm maple syrup if desired.