Pannenkoeken Dutch Pancakes Recipe

I make two versions of these tasty pancakes - one with whole-wheat flour and one with coconut flour. Both are excellent! Pannenkoeken (literally translates to pancakes) are Dutch pancakes. They are very similar to French crepes, but they are thicker and sturdier and usually served rolled up, with just a sprinkling of sugar. Unlike “Dutch Babies”, they are truly Dutch. One of my fondest childhood memories is of my Dutch-born dad standing in the kitchen, making us big, thick pannenkoeken sprinkled with lots of sugar.

Whole-wheat version

My pancakes are smaller than dad’s and they are made with whole-wheat flour. Dad used to sprinkle his pancakes with white sugar, but I use brown sugar because it adds flavor in addition to sweetness. If you use all-purpose flour, you can probably use just one cup of milk, since white flour absorbs less liquid. You’ll know the batter is right if it spreads easily in the skillet.

Gluten-free vesrion

After transitioning to a low-carb, gluten-free diet, I created a gluten-free version using coconut flour. While certainly nontraditional, it’s very good. Watch the video below to see how I make these pancakes. Here’s the detailed recipe for this version. For the original whole-wheat flour recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.

Ingredients

3 large eggs ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ¼ cup (28 grams) coconut flour Cooking oil for pan (I use avocado oil)

Instructions

Break the eggs into a medium bowl and lightly beat them. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk to incorporate.
Add the coconut flour and whisk patiently until very smooth. Allow the batter to thicken for 1-2 minutes, then whisk again.
Heat a small, 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray it with cooking spray or grease it with butter.
For each pancake, pour a scant ⅓ cup of the batter into the skillet. Swirl to spread. Cook until the top is bubbly and the bottom is set, 2-3 minutes.
Using a wide spatula, or two regular spatulas, as shown in the video, very carefully flip the pannekoek - it’s not as sturdy as a wheat flour one so work carefully.
Cook the second side briefly - it will be done in 30 seconds to 1 minute, then slide onto a plate.
Spray the skillet again and continue cooking the pancakes until all the batter is gone. Pile the cooked pannenkoeken on top of each other on a plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm.
Sprinkle each of them with sugar (or a sugar-free sweetener), roll, and serve.

Nutrition info

The recipe makes 6. Nutrition for 2 (pancake only, no toppings): Calories: 210 Fat: 14g Saturated fat: 5g Carbohydrates: 10g Sugar: 12g Sodium: 127mg Fiber: 3g Protein: 10g

Expert tip

Just like crepes, you can make this recipe in advance. Cook the entire batch, and keep them piled on a baking sheet. Then briefly warm them in a hot oven, loosely covered with foil so they don’t dry out. Finally, sprinkle them with sugar, roll, and serve.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

Faithful to my childhood memories, the only filling I like for these pancakes is sugar (real or fake). But there are other tasty filling options if you’d like to experiment:

Chocolate hazelnut spread (homemade or store-bought)Whipped cream or chocolate whipped creamBlueberry compote or strawberry compoteCream cheese and jam

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