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This Homemade Swedish Pancakes recipe makes the softest, most delicious pancakes. Add a sweet or savory filling!
Swedish Pancakes aren’t your typical pancakes. They can be made into a sweet breakfast or dessert, or even a savory dinner idea! If you’re looking for classic pancakes, try these Buttermilk Pancakes.
Grandma Johnson’s Swedish Pancakes
Have you guys ever tried Swedish pancakes before?
Let me preface by saying we are NOT talking about crepes. These are Swedish Pancakes. I learned there is a BIG difference when I married into a Swede family (in fact this is my hubby’s Great-Grandma Johnson’s recipe).
What is the difference between a crepe and a Swedish pancake? Visually it can be difficult to tell the difference, but once you take a bite it’s very apparent. Crepes are more dense and chewy due to more flour, fewer eggs, and no butter. Swedish pancakes are lighter and fluffier by using less flour, more eggs, and butter.
American pancakes have more flour than milk and use a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. Swedish pancakes are thinner because they use more milk than flour and don’t use a leavening agent at all.
We have these for dinner all the time (not just breakfast), and they are so good, especially with the Buttermilk Syrup Recipe!
I admit they take a little practice at first to get them that perfect golden color, but after a few tries and seeing how easy they cook, you’ll have this Swedish Pancake recipe down in no time.
Any way you have them (sweet or savory), they are sure to be a hit!
How to Make Swedish Pancakes
The whole family loves this Swedish Pancakes recipe so much that we usually double (or even triple the mix). Yes, it’s true – each kid usually has at least 3-4 pancakes.
They’re thin and delicious, so we can’t blame them. They may take a little practice, but once you have them done, you’ll be making them ALL the time!
BATTER. Beat eggs and add about ¼ cup milk. Add some flour with the salt and sugar. Mix in a bowl with beaters or in the blender. Add melted butter and more milk. Mix in the rest of the flour and milk; mix well.
COOK. Wipe the griddle with some butter or oil when it is hot. Pour a thin layer of batter into the pan and move 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.
What pan to use
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.
Swedish pancake recipe toppings
Syrup. In our home, Swedish Pancakes can’t be made without some Homemade Buttermilk Syrup or maple syrup. It’s our absolute favorite, and if you’ve had it before you know why. It’s DELICIOUS!!
We even like to add some cinnamon at times to create a Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup. This syrup is easy to make and only takes a few minutes.
Fruit. Fresh fruit is a great topping. We love to add fresh berries like lingonberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Another filling we love is our Berry Cheesecake Filling.
Ice cream. We’ve also added Ice Cream and Whipped Topping to the middle of the Swedish Pancakes, making an amazing dessert!!
filling combinations
So many options, and it just depends on whether you’re in the mood for sweet or savory!!
SAVORY:
- Sauteed steak, spinach, and mushrooms
- Eggs, ham, and cheese
- Chickpea and portobello mushrooms
- Pulled pork or chicken with BBQ sauce
- Avocado, tomato, Mozzarella, and balsamic glaze (Caprese version)
SWEET:
- Apples, strawberries peaches, and kiwi
- Apples and cinnamon
- Blueberries and lemon
- Strawberry and Nutella
- Any jam with your favorite fruit
Storing Info
Serving warm pancakes. To keep them warm, use an oven heated to about 200°F. Either roll each pancake and place them side by side in a pan or stack them on the pan separating each pancake with parchment paper.
STORE. Cover the stack with plastic wrap, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
FREEZE. 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.
I’m not joking when I say we have these more for dinner than breakfast, because they are that good.
For more pancake recipes, check out:
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes
- German Pancakes
- Banana Pancakes
- Yogurt Pancakes
- White Chocolate Berry Pancakes
Swedish Pancakes Recipe
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 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 from sticking.
- Serve immediately with your toppings of choice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello, I stumbled across your page looking for a way to modify my “Swedish Pancake” recipe that my grandma taught me.
Random- but my grandma is my Grandma Johnson! wonder if its the same person? She lives out in Conway SC, Mary Elizabeth Johnson. My dad is Aurthur..
Long story- I don’t use a recipe per say I just put all the ingredients together- BUT my pancakes are not coming out right since moving out to Colorado- I know there is a flour change but I cant seem to get it right would you be able to modify this for high altitude? Also – your recipe is bidding Cardamom? We add Cardamom to our Swedish pancakes.
We roll them up with whipped cream inside and either use fresh fruits or we cook up some berries and make a hot sauce. Fond childhood memories that I am happy to share with my kids…. Please help with the modification!!!
Hi Stacy! How fun that you make Swedish pancakes too! And that yours is from your Grandma Johnson too. We love this recipe and it is definitely a family favorite. I imagine you could modify for high altitude. We don’t have to modify for high altitude here in AZ, so I’m not sure exactly what you would need to do. But I’d suggest searching for high altitude modifications online. I’m sure that someone has some general “high altitude modification” tips that you could apply to and experiment with for this recipe! Best of luck!!
These were amazing, we filled half of them with ham and cheese then finished the second half with the TO DIE FOR buttermilk syrup. We had one question – what is the purpose of the baking powder in the syrup? What does it do? Thanks a lot for this amazing recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! So, that actually is supposed to say baking soda. Looks like we have a typo in there for the buttermilk syrup. The baking soda reacts with the buttermilk and makes it foamy and delicious! We will get the recipe card updated. You’ll have to try the syrup with the baking soda and see how you like it! 🙂
I wonder if you ever try to watch one of your own videos, and if so are you really okay with the number of interruptions there are before, during and after? If you are not aware, let me enlighten you to the fact that it is an extremely frustrating experience. I decided to try your recipe because it was the highest rated however I just couldn’t endure all of the commercial interruptions so I am leaving your website and I can’t think of a reason to return. I just wanted a simple pancake recipe, I don’t want to e lambasted with commercials
Thanks for the feedback. We are aware of the advertisements. They are actually what allows us to be able to provide free recipes and content to our awesome readers. Thanks for understanding. Hope to see you back here!
Love this recipe! One of the best ones I’ve tried.
Love this recipe!!. Good balance of flavors . Some use 4 eggs which gives it more of the scrambled egg taste. We like this version better. I made the buttermilk syrup recently and like it as well. But my favorite way to eat these is with small amount of butter , powdered sugar and lots of fresh lemon juice squeezed straight from the lemon. Thank you for posting it.!!
Mmmm the lemon juice and sugar is SO good with these! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for giving it a try!
Excellent recipe. They turned out perfectly….wow!
Yay!! So glad you loved them!
Recipe is great, but the website is so incredibly annoying all these ads are covering your screen so you constantly have to adjust your screen to see anything. Even as I write this comment I can’t see what I’m typing because of these pop ups.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! The ads allow us to be able to provide free recipes and content for our awesome readers. Thanks for working around them.
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!!