Authentic Ebelskiver Recipe (from my Danish grandmother...)

Our traditional and authentic Ebelskivers, or small Danish pancakes recipe yields light, fluffy puffed pancakes with endless possibilities for fillings and toppings. This recipe has been a family favorite passed down through our Danish grandmothers and only requires a few simple ingredients and one special pan.

If you know me, you know I'm all about traditions. Every Christmas, I make a big batch of Ebelskiver Danish puff pancakes for the kids and they look forward to it every year.

One of the things I love most about this recipe is that it's so versatile. You can serve them with sweet, or savory sides and everyone can customize them with their own toppings. Perfect for picky eaters or large groups of people!

Why you'll love these Danish pancakes

• They're versatile: We've also found through making this recipe many times, that you can easily fill them with things like jam or Nutella for a fun surprise inside. And for a true celebration, serve them with our non alcoholic mimosa.
• Simple ingredients: Another great thing about this recipe, like our gluten free pancake mix, is that the ingredients are pantry staples. You can make these with regular flour or gluten free. We have tried both and they always work great.
• Authentically made: We kept grandma's simple recipe and use an authentic ebelskiver pan which is traditionally made from cast iron with several small, round wells that create the classic fluffy, ball-shaped pancakes. While some pans are made from ceramic or another material, I find that using a cast iron pan gives it the most authentic flavor and texture.

Here are some key ingredients you need to make Danish pancakes

• Flour: I like to use all purpose gluten free flour and have found after much trial and error, that King Arthur brand gluten free measure for measure works best but Bob's Red Mill will also work. Of course, my grandma made them with regular flour in her kitchen and that works great if you're not gluten-free.
• Eggs: 2 eggs, separated. This is the key to getting them light and airy. You want to separate the eggs and whip the egg whites until they are forming peaks then gently fold them back into the batter making sure not to over mix them. We've had people tell us that this is what they loved most about our recipe over others and found them to be much lighter because of this step.

Let's make grandma proud and get cooking...

If you have ever watched videos of ebelskiver experts flipping perfectly round little pancakes, it can feel a bit defeating when your own first batches look less than perfect. The good news is that ebelskivers truly do have a learning curve, especially if you are using a vintage cast iron pan. If your ebelskivers are edible but not quite round yet, you are doing just fine.

Ebelskiver Troubleshooting and Tips for Beginners

The pan needs to be greased GENEROUSLY. Even a well seasoned cast iron ebelskiver pan needs more fat than you might expect. Like, ALOT.

A few helpful reminders:

• Brush a generous amount of melted butter or oil into each well, coating the sides as well as the bottom. You can even spray them generously with cooking spray.
• The pan should look shiny before the batter goes in and the oil should go up the sides with the batter when it gets poured in (then you know you have enough).
• If the ebelskivers are sticking, the pan needs more fat. Sticking is almost always a greasing issue, not a recipe issue.

When it comes to tools, you do not need anything fancy, but thinner is better. I recommend a wooden skewer, bamboo chopstick or any thin wooden pick.

Metal tools can tear the delicate skin that forms, and silicone tools are often too soft to get under the edge cleanly. But I have had success with a mini, really thin silicone spatula before as well.

Timing the first turn makes a big difference. If the ebelskivers will not rotate easily, they need a little more cook time. Look for edges that look set and a slightly golden crust.

Once you see that, gently loosen the edge and rotate the ebelskiver about a quarter turn. This allows the uncooked batter to flow underneath and helps create a round shape. If you wait too long, the batter will not flow as easily, which can lead to misshapen ebelskivers that need a little patching.

If your ebelskivers are not perfectly round at first, that is completely normal. Most beginners need to add a bit more batter, turn them more than once and even gently nudge them into shape. This gets easier very quickly with practice, and even slightly uneven ebelskivers are still delicious.

Fillings like jam or Nutella can be tricky, even for experienced ebelskiver makers. These fillings melt quickly when heated, which is why they tend to ooze out.

A few tips that help:

• Use thicker fillings rather than runny ones
• Use less than you think, about half a teaspoon is usually enough
• Add the filling after the first partial turn, once a shell has started to form
• Fully cover the filling with batter before continuing to turn

Even with these tips, a little leaking can still happen, and that is just part of the process.

Those effortless looking videos online are usually made by people who have cooked hundreds of ebelskivers on deeply seasoned pans. If your ebelskivers are cooked through and taste good, you are already succeeding. Each batch builds confidence, and before long, turning them will feel much more natural.

Now you get to use your fun pan to make the pancake rounds. Have a skewer or clean crochet hook ready for easy turning.

Need more pancake style recipes? Try these gluten free crepes or our gluten free pancakes.

More delicious breakfast ideas:

Our school breakfast pizza is a super quick way to start the day. Here are some gluten-free breakfast (20+ recipes) but I will always recommend our gluten-free breakfast casserole or easy gluten free quiche as well.

This post was originally published December 7, 2019 but has since been updated with more in-depth information and new photos December 2024. Here is the original photo.