Swedish Pancakes are thin, tender, and buttery, kind of like the yummiest cross between a pancake and a crepe. They cook up fast, roll up beautifully, and feel extra special for weekend breakfast, brunch, or even breakfast-for-dinner.
This recipe is especially close to our hearts because it comes from my husband’s great grandma Johnson, who immigrated from Sweden. It is the kind of simple, well-loved family recipe that has been made for generations, and it still turns out soft, golden, and perfectly delicate every single time.
Serve them warm with fruit, buttermilk syrup and homemade whipped cream (or use savory fillings), and you have a breakfast that feels both nostalgic and a little fancy. And if you love this recipe, you can try some of our other favorites like Easy Pancakes, Crepes, German Pancakes, and French Toast.
Why we think you’ll love them:
- Simple pantry staples. Nothing fancy here. Just a few simple ingredients and a skillet!
- Quick! They cook quickly in a skillet, which makes them great for brunch or busy mornings.
- Everyone loves them. Kids love customizing them with fruit syrup and whipped cream.
Swedish Pancakes Ingredients
- Large eggs (3): Gives structure while keeping them soft and flexible. They also help create a smooth batter that cooks up tender.
- Milk (3 cups): Thins the batter so it spreads easily into a thin layer. It also keeps the pancakes delicate and soft.
- Unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan (3 tablespoons): Adds rich flavor and helps the pancakes cook up with golden edges. Extra butter in the pan keeps them from sticking and adds that classic finish.
- All-purpose flour, sifted (1½ cups): Gives the pancakes body while still allowing them to stay thin and tender. Sifting helps prevent lumps and makes the batter extra smooth.
- Sugar (2 teaspoons): Adds a touch of sweetness and helps with light browning. It keeps the flavor balanced for sweet toppings.
- Salt (1 teaspoon): Brings out the buttery flavor and balances the sweetness. It keeps the pancakes from tasting flat.
- Optional syrup toppings: Homemade Buttermilk Syrup, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup
- Optional sweet toppings: Fresh fruit, Fruit syrup, Nutella, jam, Homemade Whipped Cream, or even softened ice cream
- Optional savory filling: Shredded cheese, eggs, ham, bacon bits, or sausage crumbles
How to Make Swedish Pancakes
BATTER. Beat eggs and add about milk. Add flour with salt and sugar. Mix in a bowl with beaters or in the blender. Add melted butter and milk. Mix in flour and milk; mix well.
COOK. Heat a skillet and wipe with some butter or oil when it is hot. Pour a thin layer of batter into the pan and tilt the pan until the batter is spread all over. When edges are bubbled and browned, it’s ready to flip.
SERVE. Serve warm and add any desired toppings.
Best pans for Swedish Pancakes?
>> For larger Swedish Pancakes, simply use an 8-10-inch pan with a flat bottom and shallow sides so they are easier to flip.
>> For smaller pancakes use a Plett (a frying pan with several round grooves, often 3 inches in diameter). You can make several small Swedish pancakes at one time.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes if you can, it helps the flour hydrate and makes the pancakes cook up more tender.
- Use a nonstick skillet and a little butter each time, it helps the pancakes release easily and keeps the edges golden.
- Tilt the pan right after pouring so the batter spreads thin and evenly, this is the key to Swedish pancake texture.
- Flip when the edges look set and lightly browned and the center looks cooked, thin pancakes flip quickly.
- How to keep warm? Place a sheet pan in the oven and heat to about 200°F. Roll each pancake and place them side by side in a pan, or stack them on the pan, separating each pancake with parchment paper. Keep warm for up to 30 minutes.
Swedish Pancakes Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Toppings
- fruit syrup, homemade whipped cream
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat eggs until well combined.
- Add milk, butter, flour, sugar, and salt to eggs and mix until smooth.
- Heat more butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, or spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour about ¼ cup batter into the pan and tilt the pan in circles until the batter is spread all over in a thin layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes. When the edges are bubbled and browned, it is ready to flip.
- Cook the other side until golden, about 1 minute, then transfer to a plate. Repeat to make the remaining pancakes, stacking them with a piece of parchment paper between each one to keep them from sticking.
- Serve immediately with your toppings of choice.
Notes
- Sweet: fresh fruit, Nutella, syrup, jam, whipped cream, or even softened ice cream.
- Savory: eggs, ham, cheese, bacon bits, sausage crumbles
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Make-ahead tip: Stack cooked pancakes with parchment between them, then reheat gently in a warm skillet or microwave before serving.
Separate pancakes with parchment paper, wrap the stack with plastic wrap, and then again with aluminum foil and label. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw before reheating. Heat in the oven, microwave, or skillet.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Complete The Meal
Toppings + Fillings
Cheesecake Fruit Salad
1 hr 7 mins
Buttermilk Syrup
10 mins
Homemade Whipped Cream
15 mins
How To Make Maple Syrup
18 mins
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This recipe was first shared October, 2011.
We make these all of the time! I love them with chicken, goat cheese and red pepper. My kiddos love them with blueberry syrup and my husband loves them with cinnamon and butter. Great recipe!
My family loves this recipe!!
Add cardamom, more sugar… melt butter in the pan for each one (gets you more crispy brown spots) – make sure batter is thin. Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam, then roll up and sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Mmm!!
This is one of my favorite syrups of all times. My grandkids look be it when I make it for them
I have been trying to share other cultures with my kids, so I have been trying new ethnic dishes, and this one was a hit! It made the perfect brinner.
These are the most soft pancakes I have ever made! and they tasted great with cream and fruit on top!
Words can’t describe how delicious these were! Thank you!
Love love love these, and the syrup takes them over the top
Yes, the syrup is makes these!! So glad you love them!
These are awesome! When my ancestors settled here from Sweden, the closest thing they could find to lingonberries were high bush cranberries. They smell like sweat socks when cooking but make a delicious sauce! We still eat all our pancakes with cranberry sauce and sour cream
Cranberry sauce and sour cream sounds like a delicious topping for these Swedish pancakes! Thanks so much for sharing!
Excellent! We made ours with cake flour so no need to sift the flour. They are delicious in the traditional Swedish fashion with lingonberry jam. I would highly recommend this recipe and will myself keep it in my permanent “box”. Thank you.
Woohoo!! Happy you tried it! Thank you!