What are aebleskivers?

The legend is that aebleskiver were created by Vikings while out at sea. They wanted pancakes, yet lacked a pan to make them in. So they used their dented armor instead. When they flipped the pancakes in the rounded dents, they created the spherical pancake shapes now known as aebleskiver. Whether this is accurate remains debatable.

What does aebleskiver mean?

The name aebleskiver, when translated from Dutch, means “apple slices” and refers to the traditional apple filling. From what I can tell, apple filling doesn’t seem to be as common today. In fact, they're not always filled. Instead, jam or a sauce is served on the side for dipping.

Can I use a pancake mix to make aebleskiver?

You can try using a mix to make aebleskiver, however, since mixes vary so much from one to another, it is hard to say how well your particular mix will work to make these pancake balls.

How do you flip aebleskiver?

Flip aebleskiver using chopsticks. After you let the pancake cook for a couple of minutes and you’ve added your filling, you can use the skewer or needle to sneak around the sides. It might take you a few tries before you get it right, and that’s fine. Just eat your mistakes and no one will ever know.

Danish Aebleskiver Pancake Balls

Name: Danish Aebleskiver Pancakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Danish
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 tablespoons sugar; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 large eggs; 1 ¾ cups buttermilk; 2 tablespoons of melted butter or vegetable oil, plus plenty for greasing the pan; various fillings, such as jam, jelly, applesauce, or fruit butter; powdered sugar (optional, for serving)

Description

Danish Aebleskiver Pancakes are soft, round, and golden on the outside with a fluffy center. They’re often filled with sweet or savory surprises like jam, chocolate, or cheese. Enjoy them as a cozy breakfast, a festive treat, or a fun snack.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons of melted butter or vegetable oil, plus plenty for greasing the pan
various fillings, such as jam, jelly, applesauce, or fruit butter
powdered sugar (optional, for serving)

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Instructions

Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk and butter or oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry and stir just enough to combine everything. Let sit for 15 minutes. This helps the flour to hydrate and any lumps to dissolve.
Prep the pan and start cooking. Heat your aebleskiver pan over medium-low heat. Brush the pan with liberally with melted butter, oil, or cooking spray. When hot, add a tablespoon of batter to each indentation. Spoon about a half teaspoon of filling into each mold, then top them off with enough batter to fill the molds.
Let the pancakes cook for 2-3 minutes or until the edges are set, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent burning.
Flip the aebleskiver. When the edges are cooked, stick a chopstick around the side of each mold and flip each aebleskiver over to the other side. The inside batter will still be uncooked; you will want to flip it over to finish cooking. This may take a few tries, but you'll get the hang of it. Cook for another couple of minutes on the other side before removing them from the pan using two chopsticks.
Repeat the process. Brush the molds with more butter or oil, then repeat the process with the remaining batter and filling. Serve the pancakes immediately with powdered sugar and maple syrup. They may also be briefly kept warm on a pan in a 200 degree oven.

Notes

After each pancake, brush the pan with more butter and oil.

Monitor the heat level and adjust as needed to avoid burning the pancakes.

The aebleskiver are delicate, so handle them as gently as you can.

The amount of servings can really vary depending on if you're serving these as a snack or part of a breakfast with other items.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: Danish