I recently saw a recipe for Ebelskivers in Parade Magazine that called for an unbelievable amount of sugar followed by even more sugar to be sprinkled on top of the finished product. Sure, these donut-like, filled Danish fritters might remind you of dessert, but they by no means need all that sugar (and white flour) to turn out delicious!
I have to credit my dad for introducing us to these “round pancakes,” as we like to call them in our family. He started making them for all the grandkids a few years back, and my daughters liked them so much they bought me a pan so I could make them at home.
Which brings me to a valid point…you do need a special pan (pictured) to make these! And I even share the technique for making them in the short video below (you’ll have to x out the ad to see the subtitles). They are really fun to cook and, especially if you are new to the concept, they can make for a pretty special breakfast. Plus since round pancakes kind of remind me of donuts, I’m a fan. :)
Before we dive right into the video though I’d like to introduce one of our newest sponsors….The Pursuit of Healthiness! This Facebook page chronicles a busy girl’s life as she attempts to become healthy and fit while working full time. Her page almost resembles a support group of sorts so go “like” her on Facebook in order to follow along as she makes the transition to real food.
Filled Pancakes (a.k.a. Whole-Wheat Ebelskivers)
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk preferably whole
- 4 eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter melted + extra for cooking
- 1 tablespoon honey
- pure maple syrup warmed (for serving)
Filling Options
- bananas
- pears
- peaches
- blueberries
- pecans
- jam
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- Separate the egg yolks from the eggs whites. This can be done by cracking the shells in half and moving the yolk back and forth between the two halves while the whites drip into a bowl.
- In a small bowl combine the milk, egg yolks, melted butter, and honey and whisk together thoroughly. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until combined, but still lumpy.
- Using an electric mixer whisk the egg whites until white and fluffy and soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula carefully fold the egg whites into the pancake batter.
- Finely dice fruit and/or nuts to use as pancake filling, set aside.
- Warm up the pan over medium heat. Cut the butter into small bits about the size of a pencil eraser. Once pan is warm add a tiny pat of butter to each well in the pan.
- Next, using two spoons, fill each well about halfway with batter. Working quickly add about a teaspoon of filling (to each well) on top of the batter in the pan. Then quickly top with more pancake batter until filled to the top.
- Once the bottoms start to brown use the skewers to turn pancakes halfway. As soon as you are finished turning them halfway start working to turn them over the rest of the way until the other side browns.
- Once the batch is done use a spoon to remove pancakes from pan. Keep pancakes warm and repeat with rest of batter.
Serve with warm syrup and fresh fruit if desired.
Don’t know what I did wrong….stuck to the pan. Any ideas?
What type of pan are you using – non-stick or cast iron? If it is cast iron, make sure it’s well seasoned and you add the pat of butter to help from sticking. If your heat is too high, that could also be an issue. – Nicole
It is a brand new cast iron skillet. I figured it out. Had to use coconut oil to get it greased enough and had to make sure that it was really hot before I began. I turned the heat down and they finally turned out great after my third attempt of working with a cast iron skillet. Kids loved them. Thanks for the recipe. Maybe next time the kids will leave me with one.
Glad you figured it out! And yes, I hope they save you one, too :) – Nicole
Just made this for breakfast this morning and everyone liked it. Thank you so much!
I have a Scandinavian heritage and grew up eating ebelskivers often, especially with sleepovers when my dad would treat us all to them. I can’t wait to try this healthier recipe. Thanks so much!
Ebelskivers are also great prepared with gluten free flour!
What if you used a muffin pan and baked them, would that work?
If you want to make a savory seafood version of filled pancakes, try Japanese takoyaki! Delicious!
We love making ebelskivers!!
Can you use a cupcake tin for this instead of the Ebelskiver pan?
Hi there. Turning them would be the difficult issue. If you give it a go, let us know.
Thank you posting this recipe so now we have a healthy breakfast.
I have an electric doughnut hole maker. I didn’t know this was something special… But I’ve been doing this for a couple years… Using it to make pancake balls. Never filled them though. … Also have an electric mini doughnut maker that I’ve used for everything from pancakes to cakes and muffins mixes. I just thought I was being lazy, not wanting to turn the oven on. Lol!!!
I just got my pan today,,, planning on making them on Sunday…. can’t wait!!
Thank you for this healthy version! My great-grandma immigrated from Switzerland and taught my mom how to make these, and she made them for us on special occasions when we were young. Now, I make them for my family whenever I can, often for dinner! Some of our favorite fillings are peaches, apples, or my mom usually used pineapple.
I am so going to try these this weekend. My MIL has bought my kids every kind of Babycakes machine there is, I think the cake pop one will work perfect for making these. Thank you, I am in desperate need to figure out breakfast ideas for my kids. I am not home when they get up during the week so boxed cereal is all the hubby is up to making for breakfasts, looking for items I can prepare ahead :)
used this recipe today and it was a success, this is the first time I was able to make them without managing to crumble them lol.
thanks!
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. I do wish though, that you’d use aebleskiver as the name (in danish it is: æbleskiver – meaning apple slices or discs). It makes it harder to find the recipe, as I would not normally search for ebleskivers (the “er” at the end of the word already denotes it as a plural, BTW). More people might find it if it was spelled correctly. :)
What is song you have playing on the video? I like it and also want to try these Ebelskivers.
Hi. The song is “Beautiful Day” by Ryan Huston.
Thank you so much. i really like the song!
Do you think you can substitute the milk with coconut? For a dairy free alternative? Thanks!
Yes, you can. :)
Hello!!! Just saw this recipe and I was wondering if you could use it for mini pancakes in a mini muffin tin?
Hi Sarah. That’s not something we’ve tried. Let us know if you do.
I was thinking the samething. I have a small kitchen and do not have room for more stuff
Could you use frozen fruit in these or do you think fresh is best?
Hi Michelle. Frozen fruit will work, too.
My family came over to the states from Denmark and we have an old world ableskiver recipe that I use. It doesn’t use a ton of flour and sugar. They are more egg and buttermilk based. These are my favorite and to see them made healthy makes me want to get out the old pan and make some.
Love this! We lived in Denmark for three with our 3 small children about 12 years ago. These were a holiday staple everywhere we went. I, too, have the pan, and plan on making more this Christmas. I’m going to try them your way and see what everyone thinks. Thanks for update a fabulous memory.
Loved this! I made it in my mini donut maker and it worked great! I used blackberry jam, fresh raspberries, diced apples, and wild blueberries. They were all good and my friend and I didn’t eat them with any more maple syrup.
UGH!!! I have a cast iron Ableskiver (or Ebleskiver if you prefer)pan sitting lonely for quite some time in the cupboard!! WHY did I not think to use it for the kiddos lunches??? Thank you – this post reminded me of it. This gal is headed to dust that old’ trusty friend off for use once more!!!! My wee ones are going to LOVE this!!! As always you have come to my rescue once more! Thanks!
Help
What is the baking temperature and how long?
Hi. These are made stove-top.
Attempting to use a cake pop maker today. It was cheaper than the special pan.
Hey Susie, how well did the cake pop maker work :)?
I have one of the cake pop / donut hole makers (looks like a waffle iron). I never use it, do you think I could use it make these?
Just found your site today and I am loving it!! I am starting my own challenge to remove processed foods from my family’s diet. You are making this very easy for me! :)
Hi Tracy. We’ve not tried but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. ~Amy
I make a different recipe for these all the time. I would think it would work for this recipe too.
Just made these for Father’s Day and even the picky teenager approved! Thank you!
On what temp would you reheat them?
Hi June. I reheat at 325 until warm through. ~Amy
Okay, finally successfully made. Whew! And a bunch are freezing. How do you recommend reheating for best results?
Hi Cheryl. Thaw them in the fridge overnight. I like to reheat in the oven with some loose tin foil covering them. ~Amy
I married a scandinavian and the 1st gift my MIL gave me (other than an amazing husband – 14 years ago) was an Ebelskiver pan. We have family in Solvang and travel there all the time! Ebelskivers are a regular ‘special’ breakfast in our house. But I have never ventured away from the traditional recipe. Thanks to you, I am going to try. Did you know there are great savory recipes for this little Danish pancake as well. I asked an elderly Danish woman what her secret ingredient was and she said Cardamon – I might add that to your recipe ;) THANK YOU!
Hi there, are these similar to a dutch baby? Just wondering if you’ve made those with WW flour successfully?
Hi Angi. Not sure what a dutch baby is but these are made with whole wheat. ~Amy
This sounds delicious! Is their a way to make these without the pan?
Hi Elle. Hmm, I don’t know how that would work. :) ~Amy
I wonder if you could use a muffin tin and bake them instead?
Hi there Cassie. If you try it, let us know. ~Amy
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe. The pancakes were yummy and super delicious. My kids loved too.
We’ve found that when making these it’s just as effective to stir the filling into the batter. It prevents the “omg why is the middle molten” problem of the original recipe. We also tend to fill with lingonberry jam.
Love this recipe for guilt-free ebelskivers! I grew up vacationing in Solvang where these are part of breakfast daily.
I started by filling with raspberries and nectarines. Yum! But, the I tried stuffing the raspberry with a chocolate chip or two before putting it in the middle. Even better!
It’s is my new favorite weekend treat.
what would be a good butter substitute? I’m not vegan but I don’t eat butter
and thanks for the awesome recipe
Hi. We typically substitute butter with coconut oil. ~Amy
Her pan in the video doesn’t look like the cast iron pan from the link? It looks like a non stick? Is it a non stick in the video or the cast iron, which is better? I’m worried the cast iron one would stick and be hard to flip in.
Thanks!
Hi Ashley. The butter will keep the batter from sticking. The cast iron pan is seasoned and ready to go. :) ~Amy
Thanks, but is her pan in the video a non stick not cast iron? It doesn’t look like the one she uses is a cast iron.
Yes, that is right – I know a lot of my readers do not like non-stick and while I’ve had my non-stick version of this pan for a long time if I were just now making the purchase I would choose the suggested cast iron instead. I hope that makes sense!
Would these freeze at all?
Hi Heather. Sure, you can freeze these! ~Amy
Is it possible to use this special pan on a glasstop cooking surface?
Hi Isabel. I would think so but that is not something we have tried. ~Amy
Thank you so much for this Aebleskiver recipe! I’ve been eating these since I was a kid and I can’t wait to try this healthier recipe!!!
If your pan is new and not super-well seasoned, you will need significantly more butter to be able to turn these without the outer layer cooking to the pan.
Hi, would this work using a cakepop maker?
Hi Cecilia. I would think so. Try it and let us know! ~Amy
Do you have to use whole milk? Would almond milk work?
Hi Jana. Almond or coconut milk should work just fine. ~Amy
I just found your sight, I absolutely love it! Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into sharing better food. And thank you everyone else who comment on how the recipes turn out, myself & a daughter are newly gluten free so it’s hard to figure out what to cook.
These look so good! Now I just have to find that darn pan I bought and NEVER used!
I made these this morning filled with bananas and chocolate hazelnut butter (nutella) and the family LOVED them. First batch was a bit rough, but then i got the hang of them. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
If you are interested, Arne who opened the first Aebelskiver restaurant in Solvang, CA developed an electric Aebelskiver pan that really makes cooking them so much easier. The kids have all moved out, but we often pull it out when they are visiting and you can even make them on the table and serve them right off the grill. Here’s the link: http://aebleskiver.com/electricpan.html
Hope you enjoy it and while there take a look around his website. He has lots of great tips there.
Trying these this weekend. I was wondering what that cast iron pan that my friend gave me is for!! Now I know!! Just need to season it and I am good to go!!
Thanks…Again!!!
can these be made and frozen?
Yes, I don’t see why not. Jill
I’m Danish, and in my family these are only made for Christmas. We also don’t fill them with anything, but do eat them with powered sugar and jelly. To me if you only get them once or twice a year it’s okay it make them as is, unless ofcourse there is an allergy.
We always look forward to Æbleskiver in our house in December.
like this web site- great!
These look greatbut I am wondering if there is a way to make them eggless? My youngest is allergic to eggs but I know he would love these.
Hi Kim. If you do an internet search, you can probably find some egg replacement options. I know I often hear about using flaxseed and water, but, I do not know the exact measurements. Jill
These are great. I made mine in the oven per another readers suggestion and they came out delicious. My babysitter makes muffins with the kids a lot, but apparently they get refered to as cupcakes. So now my daughter has christened these breakfast cupcakes.
I tried making these this morning. I had some challenges, but overall I find them to be very yummy.
My challenges: 1 – I definitely didn’t whip the egg whites enough (blender on high), so I’m sure my consistency was a little off.
2) I made my first few batches on medium heat, but I found that the outsides were really really browning up too much, so I lowered the heat to about a 3 (previous setting 5). The issue there was they didn’t seem to cook all the way through.
I’ve sampled a few and they were delicious. My “stuffing” that I used was diced peaches and all natural strawberry jam. Really good.
I ate these so much as a kid. My mom is Danish and would cook them weekend mornings. She turned them with a knitting needle. When Mom moved to the US from Denmark in the 70s, you couldn’t buy an aebleskiver pan in the States so my grandmother sent us one, priority airmail; I still remember that it cost $100! Thanks for a great recipe and bringing back such wonderful memories!
I grew up eating aebleskivers all the time as a kid. We rarely filled them, and they were perfectly fine plain. It was nice to grab a handful on the way out to the bus when I was running late. I found a pan at a thrift store while I was in college, so it was super cheap.
You can definitely freeze these, although they are better fresh. They are a bit more time consuming than pancakes but not by much. It’s so nice to see the recipes being passed around!
we ate these growing up because we lived next to a danish town where you can buy plates of them at their festival every year. originally, aebelskivers were filled with apples, hence “apple pancakes.” I have to say though, that my mom never filled them with anything, we just enjoyed jam or syrup on them. Her recipe calls for buttermilk, and they are so light and fluffy. We love using cast iron to make them, and she also turns them with a knitting needle! :) Can’t wait to try the healthier variation.
Living in Japan, I see these pans used ALOT for sweet & savory dishes. A favorite food here is takoyaki or octopus balls. THough they are not my cup of tea, I’m sure you can add a different protein or vegetable inside to make this a great lunch food too. I’d think about omitting the honey since it may make the dough too sweet.
Always wanted to try these, thanks!
Lisa–you inspired me to dig out our pan that we got 3 years ago and never used! I made these last night and they were a hit. Thanks for the recipe and esp for the video!
I have lived in Denmark now for 17 years. Here is a gluten free version that works out ok, not as good as wheat but still good.
Gluten free Aebleskiver.
4dl buttermilk mixed with 240g glutenfree flour (I use a mix of rice, buckwheat, oat) ½tsp baking soda, 1Tsp sugar or natural sweetner, 1/4 tsp salt, 3 egg yolks. Add 50g marg/butter melted or use an oil. Let rest ½ an hour. Fold in 3 egg whites that have been whisked until stiff but not too dry. When baking in the pan add a little bit of fat in some form as these need to be fried.
Wondering if anyone has tried these with a veggie filling instead of the fruit. My kids love crepes with sauted mushrooms and goat cheese and I’m wondering how something like that would go with this idea.
Has anybody made this with a different sort of flour? My son can only have rice flour and I desperately need some new recipes for him.
Rebecca, if you have a successful rice flour waffle recipe, that should work for Ebelskivers. Just make sure you grease your pan very well. I find that rice flour is pretty sticky.
I found a rusty old cast iron ebelskiver pan at a yard sale that my brother sandblasted for me and I reseasoned. I love it! Thanks for the whole-wheat recipe.
Hi Rebecca. Can he have oats? My husband is gluten free and I have had success with some of the breakfast recipes substituting gluten free oats for the whole wheat flour (1:1). I just do it in my blender to grind the oats to a finer consistency. Good luck. Jill
I tried these in the cake pop maker and they turned out but it’s difficult to work fast enough…next time I would use a pastry bag to add the batter. I made about 15 of the balls and the rest using Alaine’s directions above. The muffin pans were much easier to deal with and just as tasty. Plus, my toddler doesn’t care what form it comes in yet as long as she can dip it in maple syrup (or any other dip for that matter!) Thanks for sharing your success Alaine!!
I did not have the special pan, and we do not have the budget to buy one right now, so I just tried them in the oven! They turned out awesome, and my 2 toddlers ate an entire pan of mini muffin sized ebelskivers! I preheated my oven to 425 and used 1 mini muffin pan (12) and 1 regular sized muffin pan (12). I filled them about 2/3 full (about 1/4 cup for the large muffin pan), added filling (about 1/2 to 1 tsp in the mini muffins, about 1-2 tsp in the large ones), then I filled them so they were level with the pan. I baked the mini sized ones 10 minutes, and the large ones for 15 minutes. I just removed them from the pans with a spoon and put them in a covered dish to keep them warm at the table. Everyone loved them! One note, though, make sure you butter or oil the cups really well even if you have non-stick pans. I have non-stick pans and did not do that good enough in the larger pan – they stuck quite a bit. Also, I added a pinch of cream of tartar to the egg whites before beating them – Bobby Flay says that helps stabilize them when you fold them into the batter. Ours turned out so light and fluffy, and we didn’t miss the sugar at all! Thanks for this great wholesome recipe!
This is a great suggestion as I don’t want to buy the special pan either…
Thank you! This is very helpful. I’ve got a small kitchen and try to avoid specialized pieces of equipment just because I’ve got no place to put them.
Thanks for this suggestion. I think this works well as a substitute for those of us who are space challenged. The only bad thing is that you don’t get that lovely brown fried look and taste. Although, maybe you could in a metal pan. I only have silicone.
Oooh! I just saw an ebeskiver pan at Williams Sonoma and put it on my mental wish list. I may need to get one to try these out. We have Pancake Sunday at our house but we may need to change it to Round Pancake Sunday! Thanks!
I’ve made ebeskivers quite a few times, but they’re always a mess when it comes time to turn them. Your method of turning them a quarter turn first seems like it will solve that problem. Thanks!
(BTW, I like to fill them with jam or Nutella. So good!)
Our family has really enjoyed your recipes so far. I have been wondering how you approach adapting recipes to eliminate or reduce the amount of sugar? Our family has some recipes we really enjoy but that contain a lot of sugar – do you have a good rule of thumb for substituting honey or agave for the sugar? What are your thoughts on stevia? Thanks!
Hi Alaine. Substituting honey for sugar becomes an experiment. There are many websites that will give you a starting point for a conversion if you perform a web search. We don’t recommend Stevia in the powdered form as it is pretty highly processed. You may be interested in this post on sweeteners. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/14/sweeteners-101/. Jill
I’m also wondering if a cake pop pan would work!
Love this recipe! Thank you! I was wondering if it works using olive oil instead of butter (in the recipe and in the pan). I am not much of a butter eater.
Hi Jennifer. I’m not sure I’d suggest olive oil – I don’t usually use that in baking. If I substitute anything in baking I usually use coconut oil. You could try a few and see what works. Jill
I love pureed raspberries in mine! You can also make delicious savory ones with cheese and herbs. The possibilities are endless. They sell the pan at William-Sonoma.
I bought a cake pop pan- would this work the same? Or would it be easier to attempt a mini cupcake pan. There are no Danes in my area :)
My grandparents were Danish, and we each got an Aebelskiver pan when we got married. I loved it when my mom and grandma would make them. My grandma’s secret recipe? The Bisquick waffle recipe! My mom just used her pancake recipe. I once made them from the actual recipe, and then just went back to using my favorite pancake recipe again. No separating or beating eggs. And the are still delicious!
Remember, if you dont have a special pan, I guarantee that at least ONE of your neighbors will have it and they are not using it daily. :) Ask around, post of facebook and borrow these specialty pans instead of buying your own. :) Especially those mini cupcake or mini tart pans. :)
I love the video!!! FUN
I will buy a pan and get busy. Thanks lady!!
My boys love your crepes, waffles so I’m sure they’ll love your Ebelskivers. why haven’t I tried your pancakes…hmmm?
I’ve had a cast iron pan for years but only used it a couple times. I can’t wait to try these. Thanks!
How fun, can’t wait to try these on our vacation soon!!!!
Hello, why don’t you use the whole egg?
Hi Shirley –
You do use the whole egg. The yolks go into the main batter and the whites are beaten until they fill with air and form stiff peaks. This process is not possible if you leave the egg yolk and whites together. The beaten egg whites make the batter super light and fluffy and help the end product to be light and puffy. It takes about 6-10 minutes to get the egg whites to this state but the end result is worth the effort.
My local library carries a book called “Kitchen Science”. It is full of facts about cooking, baking, food, etc. If you are just learning to cook it’s probably a good resouce to read through at least once.
R
Thank you for posting this! I dated a guy in high school whose grandparents always made me Aebelskiver when I visited. They are such a fun food, but yes, generally filled with sugar. I am excited to get these treats again!
I am new to your site and I am loving it! My husband and I are working on our fitness and eating right, and your site gives us some ideas and inspiration. I was wondering if you could tell me what your idea of the best honey to buy is?
Hi Casie. Glad you are enjoying the blog. Raw honey, and preferably a local one, is what I use. Hope that helps. Jill
I see that you are using the Nordic Ware Nonstick pan in your video. Have you used the cast iron one? Do the pancakes stick to it more?
If you have a well seasoned cast iron pan, they will not stick. The trick is making sure that your pan is free from rust and well seasoned.
To re-season, scour with one drop of soap and a firm scrub brush. Then coat the entire pan and handle, inside and out with melted vegetable shortening (that is extremely important). Place in a 450* F oven upside down for one hour on the center rack with a sheet of aluminum foil under it (because it will drip), then turn the oven off and let it cool off inside the closed oven.
After each regular use, scrub with salt and a firm brush under hot water… NO SOAP ( it will take off the seasoning), immediately dry with a towel and lightly coat with vegetable oil. Preheat the oven to 450* and then turn it off immediately. Place the cast iron in the oven as it cools down. You can store the cast iron in the oven because the heat will not damage the cookware, even if someone heats up the oven with it inside.
I gave up coated cookware a long time ago because of the chemicals it puts off and my kiddos have low iron. Cast iron takes care of both issues. I have 5-6 different sizes if skillets, a wok and a griddle pan. Lodge is my favorite and you can usually find good pieces at swap meets and stores like Goodwill and Savers for nearly nothing!
Good eye! I posted the cast iron version because I know so many of my readers feel strongly about not using non-stick (due to possible chemicals leaching into the food). I do have a cast iron non-pancake pan and have no problems with foods sticking. If I were to buy my round pancake pan for the first time today I would pick the cast iron version.
Can these be frozen? We don’t have a lot of time in the mornings during the week, but I think the kids would love these!
They sure can! We make them all the time, and I freeze a baggie full for my kids. Just reheat them in the microwave. Yum!
Sara – I don’t see why not although I’ve not tried it. Jill
Thank you so much for this post! I’ve been eating (and making) Aebleskiver since I was a little girl. They are fabulous and I’m so excited that they are becoming more well known! :)
Any idea on nutrition info on these (calories, fat, etc…)
Hi CB. I’m sorry but we don’t track that information. There are a few websites where you can enter a recipe and it will calculate the nutritional content for you. Jill
OMG, I am SO excited. I have an aebelskiver pan, but only had white-flour recipes. Yay–thanks!
I’ve heard of Ebelskivers, but never had one. Looks and sounds good. I’ve seen a recipe on pinterest for puffins (pancake + muffin) where you put the batter in a muffin pan, then add your fruit toppings and bake it. They didn’t put batter on top of the toppings, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. I don’t own that special pan, so maybe baking it would work. It’s worth a try.
I just put my comment below – I tried making them in muffin pans and they turned out great.
These look wonderful! Can’t wait to try these!!
I just bought some Cherry Butter (think apple butter, but with cherries instead) at my local farmer’s market, and I think that it would make a delicous filling in these! Thanks for sharing! :)