In another bowl add flour, baking powder(optional), sweetener, salt, cinnamon powder and mix well.
Now add 2 tbsp melted butter/ oil and vanilla essence(optional) to buttermilk, mix lightly..
Add slowly to the dry ingredients and lightly mix. Do not over beat the batter as wheat may develop gluten and pancakes will be hard. NOTE--The batter should be lumpy, not too runny.
If adding chopped/grated apple add at this step.
Keep aside for 5 minutes.
Cook Pancakes
Heat the griddle, brush it with butter/oil, then toast apples from both sides.
To check whether the griddle is perfectly hot for cooking pancakes, drizzle little water, it should immediately sizzle and evaporate.
Pour 1/3 cup batter over the apples. (When adding toasted apples)
Cook from one side till the bubbles start appearing on the top.
Carefully flip the pancakes, add butter/oil and cook for another minute.
Serve warm pancakes with maple syrup/honey or apple butter or chocolate sauce
Toast Apple
Core the apple and cut thin roundels.
Dust apples with sugar and cinnamon powder.
Heat griddle and brush butter on griddle.
Keep apple slices and toast till light brown from both sides. Keep the flame to low.
Now pour ? cup batter over the apples, cook pancakes as mentioned in the above steps.
Serve Pancakes
Serve pancakes with coarsely crushed walnuts/almonds drizzled with honey/maple syrup. Or, spread some apple butter/nutella or peanut butter.