Pannekoek (South African Crepes with Cinnamon Sugar)

A recipe for Pannekoek (South African Crepes with Cinnamon Sugar)! These thin pancakes come together easily and are filled with a drizzle of lemon juice and sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

Pannekoek are pancakes similar to slightly thick crepes from South Africa, originally brought from the Netherlands. They are especially a perfect comfort food for a rainy day.

A basic batter with flour, salt, baking powder, eggs, milk, and butter is whisked together until smooth, then poured in thin layers in a hot skillet and cooked just until golden on each side. Each warm pancake is drizzled with freshly squeezed lemon juice, a generous sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, then rolled up and served warm.

A Few Tips

If the Pannekoek batter is too thin, add a little more flour until it is thick enough to coat the bottom of the pan and swirl in a thin layer. If it is too thick to spread, slowly add a little more milk.

I whisked together the ingredients until smooth with no lumps. If you can’t get it smooth enough or are looking for a quicker way, simply toss everything in the blender and process until just smooth. Some recipes I came across use butter in the batter. Others use a neutral oil.

I use a crepe pan to make the Pannekoek, but a well seasoned skillet would also work well. The trick to a thin, even pancake is a thoroughly heated pan and pouring in the batter (about 1/4-1/3 cup, 60-80 milliliters) quickly. As soon as the batter touches the pan, swirl it around in a circle to coat the bottom. Watch the temperature and adjust the heat between medium and low as needed. They cook quickly, so keep an eye on them and take care not to overcook.

These Pannekoeke are best eaten quickly after they are made. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar while still warm. The sugar will melt slightly and blend with the lemon juice to create an almost syrupy mixture.

This recipe can easily be doubled to serve a crowd.

Looking for more pancake recipes?

Try my

• Matcha Souffle Pancakes
• Pandekager (Danish Pancakes)
• Panqueques con Dulce de Leche (Argentinian Dulce de Leche Crepes)

Pannekoek (South African Crepes with Cinnamon Sugar) Recipe

Adapted from Aquila Online

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5 from 4 votes

Pannekoek (South African Crepes with Cinnamon Sugar)

A recipe for Pannekoek (South African Crepes with Cinnamon Sugar)! These thin pancakes comes together easily and are filled with a drizzle of lemon juice and sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine South African

Keyword cinnamon, crepe, pancake, South Africa, South African

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 8 Pannekoeke

Ingredients

• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (237 milliliters) milk
• 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled

FIlling:

• 3-4 tablespoons (40-50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (9 grams) ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Slowly whisk into the flour until no lumps remain. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Place a large 12 inch (30.5 cm) skillet over medium-low heat. Grease with additional butter or oil.
• Pour 1/4-1/3 cup (60-80 milliliters) batter into the center of the pan. Immediately swirl the pan in a circle to coat the bottom in a thin layer.
• Once bubbles begin to form and the bottom is starting to turn golden, flip and cook the other side. Cook just until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter.
• In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Squeeze a little lemon juice on the cooked crepe and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Roll up and repeat with remaining Pannekoeke. Serve immediately.