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Handed down for generations, this homemade Swedish pancakes recipe is the softest, and most delicious. Add a sweet or savory filling!
Grandma Johnson’s Swedish Pancakes
These are Swedish pancakes – not crepes. The Swede side of our family taught us there is a BIG difference (this is Lo’s Great-Grandma Johnson’s recipe).
Crepes are more dense and chewy due to more flour, fewer eggs, and no butter. Swedish pancakes are lighter and fluffier using less flour, more eggs, and butter.
We have these for dinner all the time (not just breakfast), and they are so good, especially with our Buttermilk Syrup Recipe! The whole family loves this recipe so much that we usually double (or even triple the mix).
We make them for holidays and special occasions, but really we find any excuse to make them. We LOVE Swedish pancakes and know that you will too!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Sweet or savory. From eggs to fruit to whipped cream the list goes on and on. Any way you have them, this easy breakfast is sure to be a hit!
- Pantry staples. Nothing fancy here. Just a few simple ingredients and a skillet!
- Easy to make. They take a little practice to get 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.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
- 3 large eggs – Room temperature eggs incorporate better than cold eggs.
- 3 cups milk – Whole and 2% milk work best, but lower-fat milk can be used.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted – see How to Measure Flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- optional syrup toppings – Homemade Buttermilk Syrup, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup
- optional sweet toppings – fresh fruit, 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 3 eggs and add about ¼ cup milk. Add ½ cup flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons sugar. Mix in a bowl with beaters or in the blender. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter and ¾ cup milk. Mix in 1 cup flour and 2 cups 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.
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.
Keep Pancakes 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.
Complete The Meal
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Swedish Pancakes
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.
Video
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
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.
Delicious! I pretty much only go to IHOP when i have a craving for Swedish pancackes. I awoke with a craving and decided to Google to see if I could make them. The first one was too thick (I didn’t measure my pour) and I didn’t have my pan hot enough, so it took longer than it probably should have to cook… and I was hungry! But it was still delicious. A little adjustments and the second one was perfect with light crispy edges. I was gobbling them up with raspberry jam before the next one was done. Now… to see if I can get my very picky eater 16 year old to try, and hopefully like them! Thank you!
Fingers crossed the picky eater loves them too! 😉 So glad you found the recipe and gave it a try!
Love them
Thank you so much! My grandmother made these every time I stayed with her. I’ve been looking for the recipe for years. You brought me a piece of my childhood. I’m even more appreciative, knowing how much work they were. Next, I’m going to try a Savory recipe and other yummy things I saw on your site. Thanks again.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad this recipe could remind you of fond memories. So happy you found the site! Happy to have you here!
Great, easy recipe. Better than my crepes. Froze 1/2 and microwaved a week later, still tasted great.
SCRUMDiDDLYUMPTIOUS !!!!!
Yum – I had to top mime with chocolate chips, so good we made them twice!
forget original pancakes, these are the best kind of pancakes ever! thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
These Swedish pancakes turned out amazing!!! I thought they would be the same as crepes, but they are a little different. For the filling, I used a combination of pickles, fresh pressed garlic, and mayo. They were savory and sooooo good!!
This is what I told my sister after trying this recipe:
“So, a friend took me for breakfast at a Swedish restaurant about a month ago. She ordered coffee and Swedish pancakes (crepes, really) at the recommendation of the waiter. Awesome choice. I kept thinking about those pancakes and wondering when I will buy myself a breakfast there again. Then today, the genius idea occurred to me that I could google the recipe and try them at home for myself and my people. Wow! Wow! Wow! Swedish pancakes will be served in heaven!
For a while, I couldn’t keep up with the demand of the little mouths at the table, then I couldn’t keep up with my own demand. I kept eying the last four but kindness won the day. I left them for my hubby.”
Update: I’m making them for the third time in four days, by popular demand. And the syrup is awesome!!
These were great. Super easy and quick to make.