Simple Aebleskiver Danish Pancakes
Danish pancakes are fluffy, light, and airy Danish pancake balls or Danish donuts, which are made in a cast-iron aebleskiver pan. They are topped with confectioner’s sugar, jam, fruit preserves, or a little maple syrup to make the perfect delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert!
These are fun and tasty treats that you can serve as a special holiday breakfast on Christmas morning, or serve year round because everyone loves them so much!
Try this twist to regular pancakes and make these mini Danish pancakes the next time you feel like trying something new for your family.
Danish pancakes are great served by themselves or as part of a hearty breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, and orange juice.
For other delicious breakfast recipes, try my easy and delicious breakfast quiche and cinnamon streusel muffins.
What are Danish Pancakes?
Aebleskiver actually means “apple slice” in Danish.
Originally, these Danish pancakes were cooked with apple slices in the middle of each pancake ball.
It is a true Danish recipe that is traditionally made during the Christmas season.
It is best made in a special pan called an ebelskiver pan, also spelled aebleskiver. You can order an Aebleskiver pan on Amazon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These aebleskiver Danish pancakes are a unique treat and will easily become a favorite on special occasions.
- There are various toppings that you can try so that you can please even the pickiest eater in your family.
- It’s fun to try recipes from other countries and cultures around the world, and these are a tradition in Denmark during the month of December.
- The ingredients that are needed are things that you commonly have in your pantry or refrigerator.
- After you whisk eggs whites to stiff peaks, it helps to give the Danish aebleskiver recipe a fluffy and airy texture, which makes them even more lovely and delicious!
Tell Me About Danish Pancakes
- Taste– Mildly sweet, these pancake balls taste like a cross between a pancake and a donut.
- Texture– Light and fluffy would describe the texture of the Danish pancakes.
- Ease– This recipe is very easy to make. It takes a little practice to learn to judge the cooking time and turn the pancake balls so that they do not burn on the outside.
- Time– From start to finish, these aebleskiver delicacies take about 30 minutes of preparation and cook time.
Ingredients for Danish Pancakes
- Large Eggs– Eggs provide hydration, bind the ingredients together, and aide in rising the pancakes during cooking.
- All-Purpose Flour– Flour is the basis of the recipe, and provides shape, substance, and structure.
- Granulated Sugar– This ingredient provides a slight sweetness to the Danish pancakes.
- Baking Powder– Baking powder acts as a leavening agent, but also provides the pancake recipe with an airiness so that they will not be dense.
- Salt– Salt adds flavor but also helps to bring out the other flavors in the recipe.
- Buttermilk– Buttermilk helps to make the Danish pancakes more moist and fluffy.
- Confectioner’s Sugar– This is the same thing as powdered sugar.
- Maple Syrup– Maple syrup is actually better for you than other syrups as it is high in anti-oxidants and is better for you nutritionally.
- Jam– You can use your favorite jam to top your pancake balls with.
Make Danish Pancakes in 4 Easy Steps
- Beat egg whites– Separate egg whites and yolks, and whisk egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Mix dry ingredients– Mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients– Add egg yolks and buttermilk to the dry ingredients, and then fold in the egg whites.
- Cook– Cook them for 2-3 minutes and rotate ball to cook for 2-3 more minutes in the cast iron aebleskiver pan. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Danish Pancakes
- Make sure you use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour as the pancake balls will be too dense.
- Heat the aebleskiver pan to medium or medium-low heat as you do not want to cook the outside of the pancake balls too fast. They will burn and the inside will not be cooked through.
- Use a slender wooden skewer, long knitting needle, or chopstick to turn the pancake balls in the pan.
- Use a pastry brush to apply avocado oil or butter to each well before you pour batter into each one.
- Remember which well you poured the aebleskiver batter into first, as that will probably be the first one that you will need to rotate.
- Test to see if the danish pancakes are done by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.
- You will know that it’s time to rotate the pancake ball when the batter starts to bubble around the edges.
- You can wipe out each well before adding more batter to be sure that it doesn’t burn leftover particles on the next batch.
How Do You Make Buttermilk?
If you do not have buttermilk on hand to make the Danish pancakes, you can actually make your own.
This recipe requires 2 cups of buttermilk.
In order to turn milk into buttermilk, use 2 cups of milk and add either 2 TB of vinegar or 2 TB of lemon juice; either one works well.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes before using it in the recipe.
It might be helpful to make the buttermilk first before beating the egg whites so that it has time to sit.
Add-Ins for Danish Pancakes
- Honey– Honey can be drizzled on top of the danish pancakes rather than maple syrup, jam, or confectioner’s sugar.
- Caramel Sauce– Try caramel sauce for an extra sweet treat on top of the pancakes.
- Peanut Butter– If you would like to avoid the extra sweetness, use peanut butter on top for some extra protein!
- Nutella– Nutella has a chocolatey hazelnut flavor.
- Chocolate Chips– Chocolate chips or white hot chocolate chips would add an extra sweet and slightly crunchy taste to the pancake balls.
- Diced Apples– Diced apples on top of the pancakes would make the Danish pancakes taste more like the original recipe which was cooked with apple slices inside.
- Blueberries– Blueberry pancakes are always delicious, so why not add fresh blueberries on top of the Danish pancakes?!
How to Store Leftover Danish Pancakes
These Danish pancakes are so delicious that you will want to eat them right away. However, if you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
How to Reheat Danish Pancakes
If you have leftovers and would like to reheat them, turn the oven to 300 degrees F and reheat until just cooked through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! After they are cooled you can place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. When you want to use them, you can place them directly into the oven at 300 degrees F until heated through. You do not need to thaw them first.
Yes! Pour batter until the cup is about 1/3 full. Then you can add cream cheese, Nutella, peanut butter, chocolate chips, fruit, honey, jam, or caramel sauce. Then add more batter on top before cooking. Work quickly because the batter does not take long to cook!
Aebleskiver Danish Pancakes Recipe
Aebleskiver Danish Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 Aebleskiver cast-iron pan
- 1 bowl large
- 1 bowl medium
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 wooden skewer
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (separate whites and yolks) large
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
Toppings
- confectioner's sugar
- maple syrup
- jam
Instructions
- Add the egg whites to an electric mixing bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the egg yolks and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Fold thoroughly with a wooden spoon until it is completely combined.
- Gently fold in the egg whites making sure to keep the mixture fluffy.
- Heat the aebleskiver pan on your stovetop over medium heat.
- To keep the Danish donuts from sticking, add 1/2 teaspoon of avocado oil to each well.
- When the pan is hot, add batter to the top of each well. I like to use a measuring cup filled with batter to pour the batter into the holes.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wooden skewer, poke the middle of each pancake ball and flip them.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Test to see if the Danish pancakes are done by inserting a toothpick and seeing if it comes out clean.
- Dust with confectioner's sugar or maple syrup!
Notes
- Make sure you use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour as the pancake balls will be too dense.
- Heat the aebleskiver pan to medium or medium-low heat as you do not want to cook the outside of the pancake balls too fast. They will burn and the inside will not be cooked through.
- Use a slender wooden skewer, long knitting needle, or chopstick to turn the pancake balls in the pan.
- Use a pastry brush to apply avocado oil or butter to each well before you pour batter into each one.
- Remember which well you poured the aebleskiver batter into first, as that will probably be the first one that you will need to rotate.
- Test to see if the danish pancakes are done by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.
- You will know that it’s time to rotate the pancake ball when the batter starts to bubble around the edges.
- You can wipe out each well before adding more batter to be sure that it doesn’t burn leftover particles on the next batch.
