Poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes). Delicious, fluffy, tiny pancakes sold in street stalls in the Netherlands. Great as an afternoon snack, breakfast or dessert.
This traditional Dutch treat is one of those delicious things that are so easy to make at home. An easy recipe that anyone can make at home!
My first time enjoying Poffertjes
The first time I had them was actually in Switzerland during my travels. It was love at first bite! So much that I had to go back and get seconds. And thirds on the next day! It was that delicious.
These fluffy pancakes are usually paired with powdered sugar or icing sugar. However, they are served with many other toppings, such as caramel, maple syrup, vanilla sauce, fruits, chocolate, ice cream and more! It's a popular street food that you will not regret.
Popular on Social Media
These miniature pancakes have become so trendy on social media, they have reached the United States competing with American pancakes!
The Pan
The Dutch word poffertjes means mini Dutch pancakes. The Dutch people have a special poffertjes pan to make these little pancakes. This traditional poffertjes pan is a special cast iron pan with little wells for the batter to cook in. If you can't find this special pan, many kitchen stores and online retailers, like Amazon, will sell an electric maker to make my mini Dutch pancakes recipe. They're known as a poffertjes maker.
A Takoyaki Pan Works Well!
Alternatively you can find poffertjes plates with little holes to create the round shape of these delectable treats. Or if you can't find this plate, a Japanese Takoyaki pan does the same job and I share one linked below in my recipe card. You may also use a regular pan that is non-stick and pour 1 tablespoon of the poffertjes mix onto the pan to cook.
Traditional Way of Cooking Poffertjes
The traditional way is to heat the pan over a flame and each well is oiled with a pat of butter. Then the poffertjes batter is transferred into a piping bag, plastic squeeze bottle, or a metal dispenser where the pancake batter is dispensed into the little divots.
Once one side is cooked, these traditional Dutch poffertjes are quickly flipped over with a wooden skewer (which is fun to watch) and then cooked a bit more.
They come out with a spongy texture and are served in a paper tray with any topping of your choice and enjoyed with a wooden fork. Usually these pancakes contain small amounts of apple slices inserted into each pancake but I wanted to keep my version very simple, or it'll take a long time to cook.
I don't share many Dutch recipes on the blog but this is one that I had to share since it's one of my favorite foods to eat!
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients to make this easy poffertjes recipe. Please scroll down to the recipe card for full measurements.
- Milk of choice: you may use normal milk or your milk of choice, such as oat milk, soy milk, almond milk. I would avoid using whole canned coconut milk as it's very thick.
- Eggs:
- Vanilla extract: to give our batter a wonderful sweet aroma!
- Butter: melted butter is essential for making this traditional pancake. It prevents the pancakes from sticking to the pan as it cooks.
Dry Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: I am using plain flour for this recipe. Even though, traditionally a mixture of buckwheat flour is used. But for purposes of ease and accessibility, feel free to use all-purpose flour if that's what you have. You can find buckwheat flour at many local stores or online, like on Amazon.
- Dry Active Yeast or Instant yeast
- White granulated sugar: to help sweeten the yeast-based batter
- Salt: a pinch of salt always helps to enhance the flavors
How to Make Dutch Baby Pancakes
Below are brief steps on how to make poffertjes. Please scroll down to recipe card for full details.
In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar and salt. Whisk together until combined.
Heat your milk until warm (110F) about 90 seconds in the microwave. While whisking, gradually add dry active yeast to prevent clumping. Yeast should fully dissolve. Cover and let this sit for 10 minutes, until a thick frothy film develops on the top.
Add the yeast mixture to dry ingredients, followed by the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix just until smooth but do not overmix.
Cover batter with a lid and let this sit in a warm area, for 30 minutes to become frothy, thick and bubbly.
Tip: I place my bowl in a sink filled with just enough warm water, so that the bowl can sit and keep warm but not so much water that it's floating around.
Melt your butter in the microwave for 60 seconds or until melted.
Heat your Danish aebleskiver pan over low-medium heat, level 4/10 on a stovetop. Brush melted butter into the well of the pan. If you're using a normal non-stick pan, pour about 1 tablespoon of the batter into your greased pan.
Pour 1 tablespoon of batter to fill the well halfway or up to ¾ of the way. Do not fill to the top or it will overflow. Repeat the process until all wells are filled.
Cook until you see bubbles form on the top of the pancake and base is solid, about 2-4 minutes per side.
Flip with a skewer or fork. Fry on the other side until golden brown. Serve with a knob of butter and any of toppings of your choice (maple syrup, fruits, Nutella, vanilla sauce, powdered sugar, etc.), enjoy!
Other Pancake recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this pancake recipe, please check out my other recipes below:
- Japanese Mochi Pancakes
- Fluffy Earl Grey Pancakes
- Japanese Matcha Soufflé Pancakes
- Red Velvet Marbled Pancakes
- Japanese Soufflé Pancakes
- Marbled Matcha Pancakes
Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or buckwheat flour
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cup milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast or instant yeast
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
Optional toppings:
- icing sugar
- Nutella
- maple syrup
- fruit of choice such as berries
- apple sauce
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar and salt. Whisk together until combined.
- Heat your milk until warm (110F) about 90 seconds in the microwave. While whisking, gradually add dry active yeast to prevent clumping. Yeast should fully dissolve. Cover and let this sit for 10 minutes, until a thick film develops on the top.
- Add the yeast mixture to dry ingredients, followed by the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix just until smooth but do not overmix. Cover batter with a lid and let this sit in a warm area, for 30 minutes until it becomes bubbly, thick and frothy. Tip: I placed my bowl in a sink filled with just enough warm water, so that the bowl can sit and keep warm but not so much water that it's floating around.
- Melt your butter in the microwave for 60 seconds or until melted.
- Heat your Danish aebleskiver pan over low-medium heat, level 4/10 on a stovetop. Brush melted butter into the well of the pan, about ⅛ teaspoon per well. If you're using a normal non-stick pan, grease the base of the pan very well.
- Pour enough batter to fill each well halfway to ¾ full, about 1 tablespoon of batter. Do not fill to the top or it will overflow. Repeat the process until all wells are filled. If you're using a normal pan, pour 1 tablespoon of batter into pan.
- Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancake and the base is golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side. Flip over with a fork or skewer. Fry on the other side. Serve with icing sugar or any of toppings of your choice (maple syrup, fruits, Nutella, vanilla sauce, etc.), enjoy!
Kiana
Absolutely Wonderful
christieathome
Thank you so much Kiana for making my recipe and leaving a kind review! Have a lovely day!
Jeanne
Great recipe! I tried others that did not work. I used soy milk and cake flour (+1/3 cup). Thanks.
christieathome
Very happy to read this and glad you enjoyed it with the substitutions! Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jeanne!