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20 Comments Aebleskiver. Admittedly, it’s not the easiest name to remember (or pronounce!), but trust me: these fluffy Danish pancakes are worth getting to know. Think of them as the slightly bigger Danish cousins of Dutch poffertjes. Crispy and golden on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside and – best of all – you can fill them with whatever you fancy.
Traditionally aebleskiver are popular around Christmas in Denmark, but as far as I’m concerned there is absolutely no reason to wait until December. Especially when chocolate is involved! Check this aebleskiver recipe!
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
The best thing about aebleskiver? The filling! Keep it simple with apple or jam, go all-out with chocolate or berries, or try a savory version with cheese. Just make sure you don’t use too much filling, otherwise turning them becomes a bit of an adventure.
What are aebleskiver?
Funny detail: aebleskiver literally means “apple slices” in Danish. These days, however, they aren’t necessarily filled with apple at all.
They remind me a little of Dutch poffertjes, which I grew up eating. Every summer we would go to the poffertjes stall in our village. They sold waffles and regular pancakes too, but obviously we went for the poffertjes: hot from the pan with a generous scoop of butter and plenty of powdered sugar. So good!
And then I tasted aebleskiver.
They have that same pancake-like quality, but they’re bigger, rounder and incredibly fluffy. The outside gets lovely and golden while the inside stays soft and airy. And because they’re bigger than poffertjes, there is enough room to hide something delicious in the middle.
What’s not to love?
Recipe Ingredients
You don’t need any unusual ingredients to make aebleskiver. The batter is quite similar to a regular pancake batter, but separating the eggs and whipping the egg whites makes the pancakes extra light and fluffy.
- All-purpose flour – the base of the batter. Regular plain flour works perfectly.
- Baking powder – gives the aebleskiver a little extra lift.
- Sugar – you only need a small amount. If you’re making savory aebleskiver, you can leave it out.
- Salt – just a pinch to balance the flavors.
- Eggs – separate the eggs first. The yolks go into the batter and the whites are whipped until stiff before being folded through.
- Milk – regular whole or semi-skimmed milk both work. You can also use an unsweetened plant-based milk.
- Butter – melted butter goes into the batter and you’ll need extra butter for greasing the pan.
And then, of course, there is the filling. Apple, berries, banana, jam and chocolate are all delicious options.
Want to sneak in something a little less sweet? Try finely diced apple with cinnamon, or make a savory batch with cheese and very finely chopped spinach. Not traditional, perhaps, but a tasty way to add a little extra veg.
Do You Need an Aebleskiver Pan?
Yes, unfortunately this is one of those recipes where the special pan really does matter.
An aebleskiver pan has deep, round wells that give the pancakes their characteristic ball shape. They’re usually made from cast iron, although non-stick versions are available too.
When I first started looking for one, they were almost impossible to find. I eventually discovered a dusty pan hidden away in a cooking store in Amsterdam. These days they’re much easier to find online.
Mine is slightly awkward because it doesn’t sit particularly well on my stove. If you’re buying one, I would definitely look for a version with a stable, flat base. Your future pancake-flipping self will thank you.
How To Make Aebleskiver
Step 1 – Make the batter
Not in the photo but you start with making the batter. Then heat the pan and generously add butter into the wells.
Step 2 – Add the first batter layer
Add about one tablespoon of batter to each well. Place a small amount of your chosen filling in the center and cover with another tablespoon of batter.
Step 3 – Add the filling
Don’t add too much filling. You really only need a small teaspoon of filling or something like one or two slices of banana.
Step 4 – Add the second layer of the batter
Once the filling is in, add a bit more of the batter on top so the filling is container in between the layers of batter.
Step 5 – turn the aebleskiver around
I use two wooden skewers or two very small forks to do this. If you’ve used enough butter this shouldn’t be too hard to do. Bake the other side of the pancake also until golden and take out of the pan.
Step 6 – Serve hot
Serve the aebleskiver with your extra’s of choice!
Best fillings for aebleskiver
This is where you can have some fun. Just remember to chop firmer ingredients into small pieces so the filling fits neatly inside.
Some of my favorites are:
- finely diced apple with cinnamon
- blueberries
- raspberries
- banana
- jam
- applesauce
- chocolate
- pineapple
You can also make savory aebleskiver. Leave the sugar out of the batter and try cheese, finely chopped spinach, sautéed mushrooms or a combination of cheese and vegetables.
Why are aebleskiver so fluffy?
The secret is the egg whites. By whipping them separately and carefully folding them through the batter, you add lots of tiny air bubbles. That gives the aebleskiver their lovely light and fluffy center.
At the same time, the butter and hot pan create a golden, slightly crispy outside.
For me, that’s what makes them so good: crispy outside, fluffy inside and then a surprise filling right in the middle.
Sorry, poffertjes. You may finally have some serious competition.
Storing aebleskiver
In the fridge
Let leftover aebleskiver cool completely and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’re best eaten within 2-3 days.
Reheat them briefly in a frying pan, oven or air fryer if you want to bring back some of that crispy exterior.
In the freezer
You can freeze aebleskiver too. Let them cool completely, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze.
They will lose some of their crispiness after freezing, but reheating them in the oven or air fryer rather than the microwave helps.
FAQ Aebleskiver Recipe
The biggest difference is their shape and size. Aebleskiver are larger and almost completely round, while Dutch poffertjes are smaller and flatter. Aebleskiver are also perfect for filling because of their larger size.
An aebleskiver pan is a special pan with deep, round wells, usually around seven. The wells create the characteristic round shape of the pancakes.
For proper round aebleskiver, yes. A regular frying pan won’t give you the same shape. If you enjoy making them, the special pan is definitely worth having.
The pan may not be hot enough or you may not have used enough butter. Make sure the pan is properly preheated and grease every well generously before adding the batter.
Wait until the underside is golden and the batter around the edges starts to set and pull away from the pan. If you try to turn them too early, they can fall apart.
Absolutely. They’re delicious plain too. Serve them warm with powdered sugar, jam, fresh fruit or maple syrup.
Yes. Leave out the sugar and fill them with something savory such as cheese, spinach, mushrooms or a combination of finely chopped vegetables and cheese.
More Pancake Recipes
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How to make delicious Dutch pancakes with this simple recipe
Aebleskiver Recipe or Danish pancakes
Ingredients
- 120 gram all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs separated
- 250 ml milk
- 2 tablespoons of butter melted, plus more for cooking
Filling
- jam, bananas, chocolate, apple, apple sauce, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries… o well, anything… bananas, chocolate, apple, apple sauce, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries… o well, anything…
- Maple syrup and/or powdered sugar for serving
Equipment
- Aebleskiver pan
Instructions
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then add the milk and the melted (and cooled) butter.
- Whisk the yolk mixture into the flour mixture (flour mixed with the baking powder, sugar and salt) until the batter is well combined. In a third bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter in 2-3 additions.
- Put 1/4 teaspoon butter in each well of the pancake pan. Place over medium heat and heat until the butter begins to sizzle. Using a pastry/silicon brush, coat surface of wells entirely with the butter. Pour 1 tbsp batter into each well, then add some of the filling in the center of each pancake and top with another 1 tablespoon of batter. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, crispy, and slightly pulls away around the edge, 2-3 minutes. Using 2 wooden skwers, flip the pancakes over and cook until golden and crispy on the other side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Notes
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
I made these and followed the directions to a T and they were INCREDIBLE !
Ah thanks Petra! That’s so good to hear. I love them too. So delicious!
Hi Simone! I’m so glad I found your blog. I just purchased a pan that I thought was a poffertje pan, but is actually an aebelskiver pan. I can still make poffertjes in it though, right? They will just be slightly larger than if I had a poffertje pan? Your recipe here makes me want to try both kinds of pancakes though!
Thanks!
He Steph! O haha… well that happens right? 🙂 You can still make poffertjes in it, but they will be much thicker and will need a longer time to cook. I haven’t actually tried making regular poffertjes in my aebleskiver pan. I think the problem might be that they become too dense and won’t cook properly but you can absolute try to do it! Or just don’t fill them all the way to the top. That would probably be the best option.
What is the correct way to pronounce aebleskiver?
Good question… I always say it like this ableskiever. More or less how you write it. But not sure if that is the right way!
I bought my caste iron skillet at the local kitchen shop a couple of years ago and lost the recipe card that cane with it but now I have found the recipe here I’m definitely getting it out and having a go at them. Thanks for photos to show steps in making.
Good try but these do NOT look like a real aebleskiver! They should be ROUND not flat. This might be due to the fact that the whites should be whisked until they form soft peaks and then folded into the rest of the dough. A true aebleskiver has cardamom in it also. This is not a good recipe.
He Erin,
Thanks for your comment. They might not be traditional but it is still a tasty recipe… 😉
I’m wondering if these would be good to freeze? I love making big batches so the Husband and Kids can just grab them and go.
He Lacey, To be honest I haven’t tried that myself and they’re usually eaten before I can even think of freezing. But I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, so just give it a go!
Love these little bundles of goodness, i put mozzarella and bacon bits in mine sometimes,then drizzle Maple syrup all over them,so good.
hello, i understand that if i use a poffertjes pan their size may differ, but would using a poffertjes pan affect the taste or texture of the aebrlskiver? or its the same but oly different size? thanks
Hè Dee. It will affect the taste as a regular poffertjes pan is not so deep. I filled the aebleskiver which you cannot do in a regular pan. So in that respect it will have a different flavor but in essence it will be the same. In terms of the batter used. Does that make sense?
Hello!
Can you use the aebelskiver pan to also make Poffertjes? After reading your post I am inclined to try the aebelskivers! But do still want the option to make Poffertjes.
Thank you!
Technically you could but they would be really big and different I’m afraid. The poffertjes pan is different in size but you sure could make them, if you don’t care about the size and such
Original æbleskiver in Denmark don’t have fillings on them. You can be tried for “blasphemy” for putting fillings in them xD
Love how fluffy they are…..now I need that pan! I may devour the whole pan though….eek…..YUM! 🙂 Hugs, Terra
They are indeed looks so good, and I love the banana filling with them. I have seen similar types with different kinds of filling and they were so good. I wish I have the pancake pan like yours!
Try and find one Kim… It’s worth it!