First things first, warm your griddle or skillet over medium heat until it’s hot enough that a small drop of batter sizzles gently when it hits the surface. Meanwhile, take a large bowl and whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt—this helps blend all those warm spices and rising agents evenly.

Add the brown sugar to the dry ingredients, then combine with the egg, milk, vanilla, and applesauce. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix everything just until combined; don’t worry if the batter is a little lumpy—that’s actually a good sign for soft, fluffy pancakes. Fold in the grated Honeycrisp apple gently so the fresh fruit spreads throughout the batter.

Coat the cooking surface lightly with butter, then pour around ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. You can make them as big or small as you like! Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to appear on the surface—usually about a minute or two—then flip them carefully and cook the other side until it turns a lovely golden brown.

While the pancakes cook, toss diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch into a saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring regularly until the apples soften and the sauce thickens. If it becomes too thick before the apples are tender, add a splash of water to loosen it up and keep it perfect for spooning over the pancakes.

Finally, pile your pancakes high, drizzle with that cozy apple topping, add a pat of butter if you like, and dig in for a comforting fall breakfast treat.