Aebleskiver are buttery, tender pancake-like balls that are enjoyed in Denmark during the holiday season. Dusted with powdered sugar and and served with jam, sweet and fluffy æbleskiver are an irresistible treat.
Lucky for us, they are very easy to make at home. Let me show you how!
Why This Recipe Works
These æbleskiver recipe produces top-notch results every time because:
- It contains just the right amount of sugar and isn't overly sweet;
- Just a hint of Nordic spices (cardamom and nutmeg) add welcome flavor to this otherwise simply flavored treat; and
- the eggs are separated and the egg whites are whipped before adding them to the recipe. This creates an extra light and fluffy texture in the final product.
The Ingredients
Nothing fancy, just simple pantry staples required here. I have a couple of ingredient notes when it comes to substitutions:
- If you are not a fan of cardamom and/or nutmeg or simply just want a more plain version of æbleskiver, feel free to omit one or both spices.
- The whole milk can replaced with plant-based milk if desired.
The Equipment
This recipe does require an æbleskiver pan, which is a pan with divots that is specially designed for making these pancake-like balls. You will also need a wooden skewer or some other sharp, pointy implement (some people use a knitting needle) to help turn the æbleskiver over while they are cooking
How to Make Æbleskiver at Home
Making æbleskiver is a lot like making traditional pancakes but with a few twists:
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Set aside.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls, reserving the egg whites for the next step.
- Beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment of stand mixer until they form medium peaks that are fluffy but not dry. This can be done by hand but requires a lot of vigorous whisking!
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
- Heat an æbleskiver pan over medium low heat. Place a small cube of butter in each round or brush each round with melted butter using a heat proof pastry brush. Swirl the pan to coat all sides.
- Once the butter stops foaming, spoon batter into each round until it is nearly full. Cook until it is JUST set, about 1 minute.
- Using a skewer, flip each æbleskiver 90 degrees (the batter will run out into the bottom of each round).
- Continue turning the æbleskiver so that the partially cooked bottom is now on top.
- Turn the æbleskiver frequently using the skewer until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes total.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm with powdered sugar and jam.
Expert Tips for Excellent Æbleskiver
- Monitor the heat carefully! It's easy for these Danish pancakes to cook too fast on the outside and not be done on the inside. Start with the heat at medium low and then adjust downward if they are cooking too quickly. You can check the doneness of the interior of the æbleskiver by inserting a skewer into the center (it should come out clean with no batter attached).
- Begin to turn them once the first side is just set. This helps them become more round and prevents the bottom side from browning too quickly.
- Turn the æbleskiver frequently. You will end up with a more evenly done, golden brown round final product if you continue to turn them as they cook.
- Be sure to wipe out the pan with a damp paper towel in between batches. This clears out any leftover butter or cooked bits of batter so that you can start with a clean slate.
FAQs
Oddly enough, it means "apple slice" in Danish. Traditionally, these pancake balls were made with an apple slice tucked into the center of each one. So even if your æbleskiver don't have a piece of apple in the center, the name remains the same.
It's pronounced "ay-blah-skee-ver".
Despite the fact that they are pancakes, æbleskiver are traditionally more of a snack or treat to enjoy with coffee than a breakfast in Denmark. They are often served in threes, dusted with powdered sugar alongside raspberry jam for dipping. Æbleskiver are a classic holiday pairing with glögg, or mulled wine. Street vendors throughout Denmark sell æbleskiver during the month of December.
They are best eaten immediately, but once the are cool you can store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Reheat briefly in a 300 degree oven to warm through.
Yes. Transfer cooled æbleskiver to a freezer bag or other tightly sealed container. When you are ready to serve, pop them in a 300 degree oven briefly until warmed through (no need to defrost first).
Related Recipes
Looking for other Scandinavian holiday favorites? Give some of these classics a try!
Æbleskiver (Danish Pancakes)
Equipment
- Æbleskiver pan
- Wooden skewer or other pointy object
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature + more for the pan
- Powdered sugar and raspberry or strawberry jam for serving optional
Instructions
- Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cardamom and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk milk, egg yolks, vanilla and melted butter together in a large bowl until well combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whip until they come to medium peaks that are fluffy but not dry. Gently fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until just incorporated.
- Heat an aebleskiver pan over medium low heat. Dot each round with a small cube of butter or brush with melted butter. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into each round so that it is almost full. Cook until the bottom is just set, about a minute. Using a wooden skewer, gently turn each aebleskiver 90 degrees so that the batter spills out into the pan. Keep turning so that the side that is partially done is on the top. With the help of the skewer, continue cooking and turning until the aebleskiver are golden brown on all sides and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Adjust the heat downward if the æbleskiver are cooking too quickly.
- Set aside on a wire rack to cool. Wipe out the pan with a damp paper towel and repeat with remaining batter. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with raspberry or strawberry jam if desired.
Notes
- Monitor the heat carefully! It's easy for these Danish pancakes to cook too fast on the outside and not be done on the inside. Start with the heat at medium low and then adjust downward if they are cooking too quickly. You can check the doneness of the interior of the æbleskiver by inserting a skewer into the center (it should come out clean with no batter attached).
- Begin to turn them once the first side is just set. This helps them become more round and prevents the bottom side from browning too quickly.
- Turn the æbleskiver frequently. You will end up with a more evenly done, golden brown round final product if you continue to turn them as they cook.
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