Aebleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)

Plate of aebleskiver with powdered sugar on top and a side of blueberries next to the plate.

bhofack2 / Getty Images

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 28 servings
Yield: 28 aebleskiver

One of Denmark's most famous types of pastry, aebleskiver, literally "Apple Slices" in Danish, are light and airy pancake balls, a cross between a pancake and a donut. Although apples aren't always present in modern aebleskiver, they were in origin. Our recipe includes apple slices in a fluffy batter of flour, butter, and eggs.

To make aebleskiver you need a special pan, available online or in specialized baking stores. Once you master the knack of using this pan, you may never buy commercial donuts again.

Ingredients

  • 2 apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

  • 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a medium-size pan, lightly sauté apple pieces in 2 tablespoons of butter until softened but still firm. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

  3. Separate the egg whites from yolks and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

  4. In a different bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until creamy. Set aside.

  5. In a medium-size bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.

  6. Gradually stir in half-cups of flour at a time, alternating with half-cups of buttermilk, into the egg mixture. Mix well until all buttermilk and flour are combined into the eggs.

  7. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter.

  8. Heat up aebleskiver pan over high heat. Once very hot, reduce the heat to medium.

  9. Place 1/8 teaspoon of butter into each well to grease, using a pastry brush to coat the round surface entirely.

  10. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of batter into each well, filling half-way, and place an apple chunk on the batter. Immediately spoon enough additional batter over the apples to cover and fill well to the top.

  11. Allow the pancake to cook until the sides begin to brown and pull away from the sides of the wells.

  12. Lightly run a knife or, in the traditional fashion, a knitting needle around the edge of each ball to loosen and then flip over to cook through for about 2 minutes.

  13. Remove the aebleskiver to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using, to serve.

  14. Enjoy!

Other Fillings

Although aebleskiver are commonly filled with apple slices, you can substitute them with jam, dried fruit, or even cheese to create a delicious range of both sweet and savory variations:

  • Choco-Banana: Use one small banana slice and a square of dark chocolate inside of each pancake.
  • Berries: Marinate 2 cups of berries with 4 tablespoons of sugar, and the zest of one lemon for 30 minutes. Drain the fruit to get rid of as much liquid as possible. Use the berries as the filling of the pancakes.
  • Cheese: Cube half a pound of Stilton or Brie cheese, and place a small piece inside of each pancake. Make a honey syrup to drench the pancakes before serving.
  • Sweet Mascarpone: Mix 1 cup of mascarpone with 2 tablespoons of honey and place a small dollop of the cheese mixture inside of the pancake. Serve with apricot or berry fruit compote.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
64 Calories
2g Fat
10g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 28
Amount per serving
Calories 64
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 59mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 49mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)