Apam Balik. A delicious Malaysian streetfood pancake filled with sweet creamed corn, peanuts, sugar and butter. Easy to make at home and indulgent! This is my dairy-free version of this cultural dessert.
Every time, my husband and I visit Malaysia we always get this. He likes his apam balik crispy but today we are making the more chewy thicker version. Both are just as delicious!
This malaysian pancake peanuts recipe brings back childhood memories for him as he lived there when he was young. It reminds him of his sweet God mother who used to treat him to one of these every single time he returned.
What does Apam Balik taste like?
This thick chewy Malaysian peanut pancake turnover has a sweet and slightly savoury taste thanks to the creamed corn. The sugar, butter and peanuts give it that extra sweetness and crunch to balance out the soft chewy pancake.
Apam Balik as Street Food
Unfortunately, foods like Apam Balik are not as popular anymore due to Western influence over street food vendors.
So that's why I am sharing a recipe for it! This apam balik recipe is really easy to make at home and takes about 1 hour or 1.5 hours if you want more bubbles in your pancake.
You can make small or large pancakes but today we're going to make the larger ones. Typically in Malaysia, they are about 6-8 inches wide in diameter. But my husband has told me that they also have the large ones too.
Apparently there is an apam balik mould but this recipe won't require one, just a pan with an edge will do!
This Malaysian dessert pancake is adapted from El Mundo Eats to make it dairy-free. Although I had to make slight changes to the recipe with regards to the milk content and instructions for optimal bubbles in the pancake!
I know there are many other recipes for apam balik online but this one is easy, dairy-free and so delicious! I hope you give it a try and check out my other pancake recipes below!
Other recipes you may like!
JAPANESE SOUFFLÉ PANCAKES
MOCHI PANCAKES
MATCHA SOUFFLÉ PANCAKES
BANANA THAI PANCAKE
GREEN ONION CHIVE PANCAKE
GAMJAJEON (KOREAN POTATO PANCAKES)
KOREAN SHRIMP LEEK PANCAKE
For this recipe
You will need the following apam balik ingredients:
- cooking oil or vegan butter
Batter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup self rising flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp dry yeast
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 cups warm oat milk (500 ml)
Apam balik filling:
- granulated sugar, as much as desired
- peanuts chopped, as much as desired
- 250 ml canned creamed corn
- vegan butter
How to make Apam Balik
In a large mixing bowl, sift and whisk all-purpose flour, self rising flour, baking soda, and salt.
Then in a small bowl, mix together warm oat milk, dry yeast, vanilla extract and sugar. Allow yeast to melt completely.
Pour the yeast milk into the dry ingredients and mix.
Crack an egg into the batter and whisk again. Do not overmix.
Cover the batter and allow it to rest for 30 minutes up to 1 hour if you have extra time.
In a small pan set over medium-low heat, melt some butter to coat your pan and wipe the excess with a paper towel.
Ladle your batter into the pan and smooth it out into a circle.
Then swirl the batter against the wall of the pan to create a "crust".
Cover the pan with a lid. Let this cook until bubbles form all over the pancake, about 2-3 minutes.
Once the bubbles have formed, sprinkle a generous amount of sugar, creamed corn, peanuts and as much better as desired.
Cover the pan back with a lid for 2 minutes.
Then in the pan, fold one side over to create a semi-circle pancake.
Slide onto a cutting board and slice in half with a sharp knife. Repeat this process for the remaining pancakes. Enjoy!
Give it a try!
Well I hope you give my Apam Balik easy recipe a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.
Thanks for visiting my blog! If you enjoyed this Malaysia pancake recipe, please share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture if you've made my recipe and tag me on Instagram @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!
Made this recipe and loved it?
If you could leave a star rating for my Malaysian peanut pancake recipe, I would greatly appreciate it 🙂 Thanks so much!
Take care,
Christie
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Apam Balik (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- vegan butter for frying
Batter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour self rising
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp dry yeast
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 500 ml warm oat milk
Filling
- white granulated sugar as much as desired
- peanuts chopped, as much as desired
- 250 ml creamed corn canned
- vegan butter
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, sift and whisk all-purpose flour, self rising flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Then in a small bowl, mix together warm oat milk, dry yeast, vanilla extract and sugar. Allow yeast to melt completely.
- Pour the yeast milk into the dry ingredients and mix.
- Crack an egg into the batter and whisk again. Do not overmix.
- Cover the batter and allow it to rest for 30 minutes up to 1 hour if you have extra time.
- In a small pan set over medium-low heat, melt some butter to coat your pan and wipe the excess with a paper towel.
- Ladle your batter into the pan and smooth it out into a circle.
- Then swirl the batter against the wall of the pan to create a "crust".
- Cover the pan with a lid. Let this cook until bubbles form all over the pancake, about 2-3 minutes.
- Once the bubbles have formed, sprinkle a generous amount of sugar, creamed corn, peanuts and as much better as desired.
- Cover the pan back with a lid for 2 minutes.
- Then in the pan, fold one side over to create a semi-circle pancake.
- Slide onto a cutting board and slice in half with a sharp knife. Repeat this process for the remaining pancakes. Enjoy!
Oh my gosh we grew up eating this! Can't wait to try! 🙂
This recipe is spot on. Reminds me when I used to work to malaysia
Thank you so much!
The crispy texture and the sweet flavors make this dish so tempting!
Can I use semi skimmed milk to substitute oat milk. I don't seem remember seeing oat milk selling on the shelf in the UK.
Yes semi skimmed milk would work for this recipe. I hope you enjoy my recipe!