Danish Aebleskiver (2024)

Aebleskiver is a delicious Danish treat that my husband introduced to me when we got married. It’s like a doughnut hole and a pancake rolled into one perfect, pop-able treat.

I love æbleskiver because it tastes so good, but I also love it because it’s so easy! You can make it in under 30 minutes and you can do it with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. If you haven’t tried Aebleskiver yet, give them a shot! These are great for entertaining guests on game nights when you’re trying to be fancy but don’t have time to cook anything else.

What is Aebleskiver?

Aebleskiver, or Danish pancakes, or Danish pancake balls, are little snack desserts that are spherical, cooked, dough balls that have a similar consistency to pancakes in the United States. They taste like a combination of a doughnut and waffles or pancakes. The name “Aebleskiver” directly translated means “apple slices” because traditionally they are cooked with apple slices in the middle. We love having Aebleskiver around Christmas time (as do many Danes) but of course you can enjoy it ANY time of year!

A True Danish Favorite

This is a TRUE Danish recipe, straight from Denmark. My husband lived in Denmark for a couple years and he fell in love with all the Danish food and rich traditions. He always loved visiting with the Danes, who shared the family recipe with him. When we started dating, he was so excited to make them for me. After I popped the first one, I was hooked. Once we got married, it quickly became one of our own family traditions to make aebleskiver on Christmas Eve and throughout the Christmas season.

Ingredients in Danish Aebleskiver

Despite it being a Danish recipe, you can easily find all the ingredients anywhere. Here’s all you need:

• Eggs – you’ll need to divide the egg whites and egg yolks in separate bowls
• Flour – regular all purpose flour works great.
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Butter – melted. Set aside some for greasing the pan, and some for the recipe.
• Buttermilk – you can make your own buttermilk mixture by combining regular milk with a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Give it a good whisk and you have buttermilk!

What Do You Need To Make Aebleskiver?

You will need a good cast iron aebleskiver pan to make these. A cast-iron aebleskiver pan really isn’t that hard to find. We found several types of cast-iron iron pans on Amazon for around $20. These make for GREAT gifts, by the way. For easy flipping, you can use skewers, chopsticks (the easiest way) or a fork.

How to Flip Aebleskiver

Flipping aebleskiver isn’t scary, it just takes some practice. Pour a couple tablespoons of batter into each cup and as soon as they get bubbly around the edge, flip them over using a chopstick, knitting needle, wooden skewer, or even a fork. Continue cooking, turning the ball until is is golden brown all the way around and is cooked through like a pancake. It might take a couple tries to get the feel for it, but once you do you will be flippin’ aebleskiver like it’s nobody’s business!

Aebleskiver Filling Ideas

You can always serve æbleskiver plain but in my opinion it is best when you add a filling to it. It’s actually the most traditional way of making them. I love having a little surprise inside! A little bit of filling (about 1 teaspoon) can be added to the pancake right after adding the batter to the pan. Here are some tasty filling ideas:

• Apple – fresh apple slices are the most traditional filling for aebleskiver. After all, as mentioned above, æbleskiver means “apple slices”. Just put a piece of apple into the batter after pouring it into the pan. You can also use a tiny bit of apple pie filling or applesauce.
• Jam (any kind of berry jam works great)
• Pie filling
• Lemon curd
• Fresh berries
• Chocolate chips
• Nutella or peanut butter
• Cream cheese (or any other cheese for a more savory filling)

Toppings for Aebleskiver

There are so many toppings to eat on top of these fluffy little bites. We love raspberry jam and powdered sugar but here are some other ideas and variations to try:

• Chocolate sauce
• Maple syrup
• Strayberry syrup
• Honey butter
• Fresh raspberries or strawberries
• Whipped cream
• Apple butter
• Pumpkin Butter
• Yogurt Syrup
• … or any of our other delicious homemade syrup recipes!

The Authentic Danish Way

Traditionally, aebleskiver is served as a dessert. If youreallywant to be traditional, once you have the batter in the pan, place a little apple slice in the batter before flipping (so you have a hot apple center). Our favorite way of serving them is with raspberry jam and powdered sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Traditional Danish Recipes

If you Danish, have Danish heritage, or just want to try out some tasty recipes from Denmark, give some of these other traditional recipes a try!

• Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)
• Brunede Kartofler (Danish Caramelized Potatoes)
• Ris A La Mande (Danish Rice Pudding)
• Danish Red Cabbage
• Danish Goulash

How to Make Aebleskiver