I promised that I would share another yummy breakfast that my Mother-In-Law makes for us almost every time we see her…Aebleskivers! Have you heard of Aebleskivers?
They are Danish pancakes. My mother-in-law grew up in Germany and she had these growing up and has raised her kids with them. I was first introduced to them 17 years ago and have been enjoying them over since. But they are best when she makes them!
There are a variety of ways that they are eaten and a few different recipes I have seen around. I will share with you our version. You will need a special pan that is made out of cast iron (preferable in my opinion) and has half circles. The really heavy duty pans seem to work best.
Aebleskivers
2.5 cups of flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 and 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs separated
3 TBSP oil
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whip egg whites together till fluffy in a separate bowl and set aside egg yolks. Fold whipped egg whites into dry ingredients. Add egg yolks and milk to dry ingredients and mix together. Add in oil and mix together.
Heat pan on a medium heat. Fill each cup on pan half full and let cook. Turn slightly puff when it has cooked on the edges with a knitting needle. Continue turning slightly as it cooks so that the aebleskivers will cook into a sphere.
There are a variety of ways to eat them. We usually break them into 1/4’s and sprinkle them with powdered sugar and dip them into homemade jams and jellies. We also serve them with fresh whipping cream….Yum right? Some of my kids like to eat them with syrups and fresh fruit cut up on them. Anyway that suits your fancy works. Aren’t they fun? These are my kids and husband’s most requested menu item at Oma’s house!
Want to make some but you don’t have a pan?
You can find some in specialty stores or on Amazon!
Have you ever had Aebleskivers or poffertjes? How do you eat them?
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Candi @ Keene in the Kitchen says
Hi Amy! I HAVE heard of them. My husband and I love to say aebleskiver in a sing-songy voice. It’s kind of a personal joke between us. I have spent extended periods of time in Copenhagen (months, not years) with some close friends of our family whom we met when I did a summer exchange in the summer following 8th grade. We have remained friends all these years (20+ years). My parents have vacationed with them and vice versa. They are my ‘Danish family’. In all the time I spent there, I had never had them. But, years ago, I saw an aebleskiver pan at a kitchen emporium and had to buy one and research them. I haven’t made them in years, but maybe I’ll get my pan out and cook some for the kids. I might fill them with Nutella! How delicious would that be?!?! Speaking of Nutella, the first time I ever had it was in Denmark. :-) Mmmmm… thanks for reminding me about aebleskiver.
Lisa Hathaway says
We just tried these a few weeks ago! My husband’s grandmother is Danish and made these and we all got Aebleskiver pans for Christmas. I’m a fan. We like to drop chocolate chips or blueberries in the cups after we pour the batter in (we have to do it after rather than add it to the batter because some of us don’t like blueberries). I’ve also seen chocolate syrup or caramel in the middle. Honestly – the possibilities are endless. We like them!
Sydney Blake says
My father’s side of the family is of Danish descent. My grandma used to make these often when I was growing up. She would fill them with jams and jellies, and sometimes meat. The meat ones were weird… but the sweet ones were delicious. Thanks for posting. I’ve been wondering how to make them and where to get a pan so I can keep the tradition going for my children someday.
Julie N says
We love Aebleskivers! My husband’s Grandmother introduced them to me 2 years ago and I was in love! So fluffy and delicious! I would like to try your recipe soon! Thanks!
Nicole says
My mother-in-law taught me about Aebleskivers. We love them. When I was living in Utah, we use to make them at my Mom’s house every conference weekend. I don’t have a pan, so now we live across the country we don’t make them anymore. :(
Bobbi Allen says
These are one of our favorites! We roll them in melted butter then sugar and cinnamon. Yum! I’ve wanted to try other ways though so thanks for the great ideas!
Megan says
Yum! I love aebleskiver! My grandma was Danish and made the best aebleskiver. We have them on Christmas morning and on other special occasions. We usually have them with syrup or just dipped in regular sugar. Now I’m hungry!
Megan
Juli says
I was introduced to them when I married into my husband’s family. They eat them for breakfast on Christmas. My daughter calls them “puffs”. They are delicious!! When my husband was little, they would have contests at his grandma’s house to see who could eat the most in one sitting! :)
amber says
My in-laws also introduced me to the art of aebleskivers! It’s one of my favorite parts about visiting CA; the last few Christmases I’ve asked for a pan and still no dice— maybe this year!
Letti says
I love aebleskivers! My aunt has made these for us for years. They are so good.
Jenn Southworth says
We love aebleskivers!! My dad’s family line is Danish, so we grew up with these. So yummy!! And where my grandparents live, there is a Scandinavian Festival every year where these are sold. The aebleskiver line is always super long so it’s nice to be able to skip it since we can make them at home. I also just found out that I should be getting my own pan soon, wahoo! We like them with powdered sugar and jam.
Erika says
I love aebleskiver! We don’t make them often but when we do we usually put a dollop of applesauce or a little piece of breakfast sausage on top of the batter after we put it in the pan.
Karen says
I love Aebleskivers! Just with powdered sugar please… But, we only ever eat them when we go to Solvang. Since moving to Florida, it’s been a while. Maybe I should buy the pan and start making them? Nah… I don’t need to bring another delicious goody into my life to ruin my diet. I’ll wait until I go wine tasting again :) Have a great week!
Karen
Kimberly Kay says
We have a annual international street fair here in Orange, CA. It’s over Memorial Day weekend…these (with jam) and a big hand shaken lemonaide are something we look forward to every year! Thank you for sharing this…now I can’t wait until Memorial Day!
Laina says
Here in Denmark, we eat our æbleskivers around Christmas time. We usually have a plate full with a small bowl of powdered sugar and various kinds of preserves/jams/jellys. (Black currant or blackberry are the best, but that’s just my biased opinion.) Occasionally, my mother in-law will serve some during afternoon tea/coffee with vanilla sugar (basically the same as cinnamon roll icing).
Jeanet says
The original recipe uses slices of apples in them, hence the name, Æbleskiver = Apple Slices. Fry them on one side and before turning them over you can put a small slice of apple inside it. That will make them all soft and sweet on the outside and crisp and fresh once you bite into the apple bit.
In Denmark these are traditionally served around Christmas time together with gløgg, a warm spicy red wine drink. I have never heard of them served for breakfast but seeing the suggestion where they are rolled in a mix of sugar and cinnamon sounds absolute delicious.
Tiffany Harvey says
I had heard of these before, but I thought they were always filled with something, like a marshmallow or chocolate. I’ve never had the chance to eat one though! They sound so good.
Did you know that those pans are also used to make a Japanese snack, takoyaki? I’ve been studying Japanese (language) for a few years now and would love to try some of the crazy foods I’ve read about.
Ashley says
We love making those on New Year’s Eve. We put butter milk syrup on ours. MMMM…I’ve been craving those for a while. I think I’ll have to make some soon :)
Jen says
Next time you make them, add this aebleskiver carmel sauce. SO good! 2 C Sugar, 1 C buttermilk, 2 T karo syrup, 1/2 C butter, 3/4 t baking soda, 1 t vanilla…Combine all ingredients (except vanilla) in a large pot (at least 4Q). Bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat, but continue to boil until it starts to carmelize. Add vanilla. It’s worth it, I promise!
nichole says
I have an “as seen on tv” pancake puff pan that is just the same as the pan shown..super excited to try this recipe out!! :)
Ashlee says
My Mom use to make these for us when I was growing up. They are TASTY! She got a pan from her Home Ec teaching in High School. Last week when she was visiting us in Virginia we went to Williams Sonoma and they had pans, turners, mixes, etc for the aebleskivers. I was SO excited. I can’t wait to make them for my family now. Thanks for sharing your recipe. We also like them with syrup or powdered sugar.
Nichole Paulzine says
The town celebration in the town that I grew up in in Southwest Minnesota is called Aebleskiver’s Day! Every year we go back and have aebleskivers with everyone and they are twelve.kinds.of.wonderful!!!
Sonia says
I love Aebleskiver’s. I make them on special occasions. I like to fill mine with sweetened apples. To this day no one in my family can pronounce the name correctly.
Haley Jordan says
I’m Dutch and we have something similar called a poffertjes. Pan looks similar but our’s doesn’t puff as much (batter recipe is different). We just do the butter and powdered sugar most of the time, but you can also try putting a blueberry or small bit of chocolate in it before you flip it and then butter and sugar the outside. Delish!
Mindy says
Clearly I am missing out, those look so yummy! Where can I get a pan like that?
Ami says
Williams Sonoma but it’s spelled ebelskiver pan
Lori K. says
LOVE THEM!!! I just went to Solvang (a Danish town in California) this past Saturday with my mom and daughter and this is one of the first things we have. They serve them with raspberry jam and powdered sugar.YUM!!!! I have my own pan too.
Haley K says
Amy i lo-o-o-o-o-ove ebelskivers!! (how do you spell that anyway?;) I was introduced to them by the Kjars :) Fun family/Danish tradition. So one of our aunt’s game us an ebelskiver pan a couple Christmas’s ago…i need to make them again, it’s been too long! I love them with jam inside…or plain, dusted in cinnamon sugar.
but i can’t wait to try this recipe:
http://pinterest.com/pin/62166256/
Anything with nutella is a winner in my book ;)
liz says
My Danish grandmother taught my mom how to make them. I have a recipe & a pan somewhere! But I’ve never done them myself. I love them with fig preserves!
Candy Pulliam says
These are a family favorite at my house also.
Pans are available through William Sonoma online.
Elsina says
They look very similar to the Dutch “poffertjes”. I also have a poffertjes-pan, very similar to yours! We eat them with a tiny piece of butter melting on them, maple syrup or powder sugar!
Christina says
Hm,
never saw them before probably because I’m an Asian American with not much exposure to Danish things.
Regardless, they do look delicious!!
the recipe looks similar to one for a buttermilk pancake and that’s what i’m imagining…
Plus, that pan looks a lot like the takoyaki pan Japanese use for takoyaki’s (Octopus Balls topped with Bonito flakes)
http://images.travelpod.co.uk/users/rachiebee/1.1219888200.takoyakix.jpg
Dee says
This is very similar to a dish made in India….don’t know what the connection between Danish and Indian food is. It is made both as a savory and as a sweet dish with bananas and mangoes. Here is the link to a picture
https://picasaweb.google.com/108149087687907375944/Puttu?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKXZroXLm_vjEA&feat=directlink
Sarah says
So fun to see a blog post about Aebleskivers! I’m Danish, my materal grandmother came to America, from Denmark when she was 16. I grew up eating these every year at Christmas and still do! It was been a wonderful and yummy tradition to pass on to my girls.
Amanda says
These are a family favorite of ours as well! My husband’s family is Danish and had introduced me to Aebleskivers. Of course, once we got married we received a pan of our own. Though we don’t make them very often, we always have them when we go back home to visit. We’ve always just eaten them with syrup, but yours and everyone’s comments using powdered sugar, jams and jellies, chocolate chips, blueberries, etc have given me some great ideas to try next time we have them! Maybe we’ll have to make some this weekend… YUM!
Ann@StringerMama says
MMMM – I LOVE these! They are the best dipped in powdered sugar! Love em! And we always spelled it with an e not ae – wonder why? My family is Danish as well! Thanks for posting! Going to have to steal my moms pans!
Jenn Ripa says
Hey Amy! I love that you posted about aebleskivers! Growing up, my brother and I would go visit my Gramma Grace in Junction CIty, Oregon (suburb of Eugene) in the summers. Every year we’d go to the Scandinavian Festival (http://scandinavianfestival.com/) and eat aebleskivers from one of the food venders (served on a paper plate and dusted with powdered sugar). Those are the only times I have eaten them. I’ve thought about making them, but somehow it just never felt right, or I don’t think they’d ever taste as good as when we shared them- my brother, my grams and I. I want to be 7 again!
PS… my family loves making Dutch Babies for breakfast. One time I spent the night at a friend’s house and her mom made a traditional breakfast that her family made growing up in Sweden…Dutch Babies! I went home with the recipe and we’ve made them ever since (I’m 33 now and make them for my girls!) We love to eat them dusted with sugar, sometimes a little jam or a little syrup, but usually the powdered sugar is all it needs. I think I’ll go make some right now! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/seattle-dutch-babies/detail.aspx
Yes, I grew up eating them, too! My grandma and grandpa were born in Denmark and my grandma and my mom used to make them. The funny thing is, my mom always made them for dinner. I am guessing it was too much work for her to deal with at breakfast time! I think we usually ate them with sugar or jam. Very occasionally now I will make them (ever since my mom gave me a pan) and we also give maple syrup as an option. You are right, better when someone else makes them for you!
YUM! We LOVE Abelskivers! My moms family is very heavily Danish, so I grew up eating these. Very often.
I LOVE those. My mother-in-law gave us a pan for our wedding, but I have never had the recipe. I’m so excited to try them! Thanks for sharing.
My hubby’s mother is Danish and she introduced them to me. YUMMMMMM!!!!. Hubby and kids dip them in chocolate syrup, I’m a maple syrup girl. My kids called them ‘little round doomey jobs’ and the name has stuck. I think I’ll have to make some this weekend.
Question. Are these the same thing as Danish pancakes? And do they taste just like regular pancakes? I think I might be disappointed if they tasted just like pancakes. I had something round like that at a friend’s house, but it seemed more like pastry than a pancake. It that is the case, I’d want to make them.
Ooh, I love these. My dad is Danish and we grew up having these regularly on Sunday mornings – served with icing sugar and jams. Yum. For anyone who’s looking for a pan, yes you can get them at Williams Sonoma, but theirs is aluminum and around $40; on Amazon, you can get the real cast iron ones for about $10 – cheaper, more authentic, and just plain better.
Can you make these without a fancy pan? I remember eating them at a friend’s house and I vaguely remember her mother cooking them in oil, like doughnuts. For those of you who have invested in a pan, do you use it for other things?
I just saw this post a couple of days ago and thought I would love to try these, but didn’t want to spend the money on a pan. Then yesterday I stopped into the DI for a minute and lo and behold what did I see, but a $3 aebleskiver cast iron pan. I’m excited to try it now. Thanks for sharing the recipe, I never would’ve known what that pan was otherwise.
My Dad’s family is mostly Danish with a little Swedish and Norwegian thrown in however our ties to Denmark are the strongest. My father loved to make Aebleskiver and made sure that each one of his children had a aebleskiver pan so that we could carry on the tradition. My father’s recipe is very close to yours with the addition of cardamom in the batter. We mostly had them around Christmas or in the winter and eat them with either powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, boysenberry jam or blackberry jam. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Wonderful little treats! I just noticed this blog and wanted to share with you that here in Canada this month Avon (Feb/March 2012) has this advertised in their catalog. This Aebleskiver treat, for $19.99 you can get the little pan (Teflon coated) for 6 little Aebleskiver’s, two wooden tongs to turn and 3 or 4 recipe’s. They looked yummy!
I live in Canada and am wondering if there is any way to make these if you cannot get the pan.
In my family there is something my mother used to make with bread dough fried in pan, would puff up and would be served with hot molasses butter sauce or lyle’s syrup.
Love Ableskivers! We eat ours with lemon glaze, whipped cream, nutella, and even sausage. Not all together of course. But we like variety. I got my pan from Amazon!
I LOVE Aebleskivers!! My mom bought a pan in Solvang years ago. We used to make them on special occasions. Yum!!! After I got married, I got a pan (cast iron is a must!) but I found that I did not make them very often because it takes so long to make because I can only cook 7 at a time. Recently I found a twin to my Griswold pan at an antique shop. I snapped it up. Now I get both pans going and I can keep a crowd happy. I prefer them with just powdered sugar, my family likes to dip them in jam.
Fluffy on the inside with whipped egg whites and crispy on the outside from being cooked in plenty of real butter, these things are heavenly. These are NOT just a spherical pancake!!!!
I am trying to find out if anyone knows about my mother’s German version of Aebleskivers. The name she called them was Ferkins or Furhtkins (not sure how to spell it) Her mother and father came from northern Germany and brought this receipe with them. They look like Aebleskiver and are cooked in the same pan, however, the ingredients are total different:
1/2 Gallon whole milk
3/4 Cup sugar
2 packs dry yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup water
3 tsp salt
8 medium eggs
6 T. shortening
8 Cups flour
3 1/4 tsp. cardimon (the cardimon spice is the largests difference in spice and taste)
You whip the egg whites seperately like the other receipes and fold into the other ingredients after they are combined and let the dough raise until double. When frying, put dried fruit or thick fruit preserves dough before
turning them over in the pan, making them like a jelly filled doughnut. We rolled them in sugar just before eating.
They freeze well and can be heated up in the microwave after thawing—then roll in sugar after heating.
Does anyone else know of this version and am I spelling it correctly?
my mother made these for holidays when we were growing up, (her grandparents are from Germany) and called the freirdan (not sure how to spell it). She always served them with whole cranberry sauce, but my favorite was rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
Sounds delicious!!
Oh no, the Danish stole our (dutch) recipe, was the first thing i thought when i saw your post ;-). But it is a little different i found out later on. Our poffertje is indeed a little flatter. But everyone who is going to the Netherlands should try those ones too. Especially the ones (poffertjeskraam) in Laren or Groningen! Since these are more like a ball, maybe you can bake them in a pop cake pan or cake pop pan :-)
haha! My MIL is German and she grew up eating these! So I am sure the recipe has evolved slightly over time from the original source! Never the less they are all tasty and worth a try! Thanks for sharing and stopping by!
I’m tempted to try to bake these in mini muffin pans. Think it would work? Has anyone tried this with success?
I’d love to try this, but where do you find these pans? If ordering online shipping a would be outrageous being cast iron. Thanks!
I know some specialty kitchen stores sell them.
In the recipe, I believe the egg whites should be folded in last,
Wonder if a commercial pancake batter could be used as an acceptable shortcut? Sometimes hack those with orange juice and/or more sugar. Will have to get the pan out & give it a try.
I am going to try to make them in my cake pop machines…..looks great….patty
Please do not refer to the aebleskivers as poffertjes for they are not the same. Poffertjes are more flat, traditionally made with buckwheat flour, and are not served as a breakfast item.
You can purchase an Aebleskiver pan at Amazon, JCPenney, or Le Creuset…… Amazon has them from $12 to $30.
These look delicious! How do you think they would turn out in a cake pop pan??
Do you think these could be baked in the oven in a mini muffin pan?
That is a great question! I really have never tried it. I don’t see why not…
I made these for my 2 boys, and there friends growing up, I added nutmeg and cinnamon, I left a small opening in them to put the syrup in and we called them”pacman”re the game…:)
I lived in The Netherlands in 1986-89 and we used to go to the Pannekoeken Huis all the time! My daughter loved poffertjes! I purchased a pan and I still have it! Thank you for the recipe! I think I will try it for my granddaughter!
Yeah, Danish people make fun of Americans for eating aebleskiver for breakfast. It isn’t a breakfast food there.
ha! Americans will eat anything for breakfast… ;)
As a shortcut, for those who can’t find that particular pan, try a standard waffle recipe in a cake pop maker from Walmart! :D Tasty little treats.
The picture above of the woman’s hand turning the Aebleskiver reminds me of my German mom’s and Oma’s hands. I love to find new recipes from Germany and Danish origins. I still can’t make good tasting yeast down like my mom, I put the same things in mine but it just doesn’t taste the same, she had the touch. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank You!
My grandmother was Danish and she often made them for when we got home from school. You could smell them as soon as you opened the front door. We used to Csllthem footballs. Absolutely delicious. That was fifty plus years ago! I bought a pan a couple of years ago and now my children love them too.
What sweet memories! So glad your children like them as well. You will be making memories for them too.
I visited a quaint town called Solvang, Calif and had these for the first time…they were awesome! I have the pan and haven’t made them yet. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you like them. You will definitely have to make some of your own. They are so yummy!
Love them! My Grandmother used to make them for me as well…best with fresh jam as you mentioned. .Yum!!
Naomi, that sounds delish! I will have to try the fresh jam!
I belonged to a Danish Lodge and we would make these for an international festival every year. The recipe we used, as well as my mother used, from a very old Danish cookbook also called for vanilla, and cardamom. The hint of cardamom really enhanced the flavor. We served them with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. We had many people from Denmark in this lodge and they said that was the recipe they had always used.
Sara- What a wonderful memory!I will have to try the cardamom!