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Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes)

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Recipe for Poffertjes- Dutch mini puffed pancakes topped simply with a little butter and sprinkling of powdered sugar.

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Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes) (5 of 5)

Poffertjes are little pancake puffs from the Netherlands formed by pouring a yeast-based batter into the cavities of a Poffertjes Pan. They are cooked on each side until golden and finished off with a few dots of butter and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. They are particularly popular as a street food during holidays and summer festivals (we got to try them at a food stall in the Markthal in Rotterdam). Evan and Claire were fond of their tiny size which was perfect for little hands. Arousing Appetites has a great overview of the history behind the Poffertjes.

Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes)

Poffertjes are traditionally made in a Poffertjes pan (another one). I did not have one available, so I used this Aebleskiver pan (currently unavailable) and only filled the very bottom part with the batter.

The fluffy, spongy texture comes from the yeast and 1 hour rising time. The milk should be lukewarm, just slightly warm to touch to activate the yeast. Traditionally, the pancakes are made with a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour. I used purely all-purpose since the buckwheat flour available in the United States tends to be darker and stronger than the European version. If you have a lighter quality available, feel free to replace half of the all-purpose flour with it.

To easily fill the pan with batter, I used a piping bag. A ziploc bag with the corner snipped off or even a squeeze bottle would be great too. I used a little appetizer spoon to flip the poffertjes over, but a chopstick or toothpick will also work.

These pancakes are best served right away with butter and powdered sugar. They would also be great with syrup or strawberries and whipped cream.

Looking for more pancake recipes? Try Kanelplättar (Swedish Mini Cinnamon Pancakes), Oladi (Ukrainian Buttermilk Pancakes), and Nutella Stuffed Aebleskiver.

Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes) (4 of 5)

Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes) Recipe
Adapted from Oh My Dish

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Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes)

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 7 grams (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 350 milliliters (1 1/2 cups) lukewarm whole milk, 105-115 degrees F
  • 250 grams (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 egg
  • Butter for greasing pan

For serving:

  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over milk, then stir to combine. Allow to sit until the yeast is frothy, 5-10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the frothy yeast with milk and egg until smooth. Cover with plastic or a towel and allow to rest until bubbly and risen, about 1 hour.
  • Place poffertjes pan over medium heat and brush each of the cavities with melted butter.
  • Transfer the risen batter to a piping bag or large ziplock bag with a small edge of the corner snipped off. Pipe a small amount of batter, about 1 tablespoon, into the cavities of the heated pan.
  • Cook until the bottom is golden and bubbles form on the top. Flip to cook the other side. Remove to serving dish and repeat with remaining batter, greasing the cavities as needed.
  • Serve immediately with butter and powdered sugar or syrup.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan

    Does this ever bring back ancient memories! In the late ’60s I had a Danish roommate who had one of these pans and call the pancakes abelskiver. She turned them with a knitting needle (cooking chopstick was also a possibility). I don’t remember if her dough was yeast-based. Wish I had room in my kitchen for one of these pans…

    Reply

  6. Just Jo

    *Squeal* – are these not the cutest pancakes ever?! I’ve heard of these and ableskiver but I haven’t tried either just get. I need to get me a pan and try your lovely looking recipe 😀

    Reply

    • Tara

      I cheated a bit by using the Aebleskiver pan instead of the traditional Poffertjes pan, but I only have so much room in my kitchen 🙂

      Reply

  9. Rita

    Hi,
    Can I use instant yeast instead? I cannot seem to find the one you have used. If yes, would it be the same measurement?
    I tried making poffertjes earlier but failed as my batter had no bubbles and they weren’t cooking and came out rubberu. I am going to try your recipe later. Hope it works

    Also, can I ask you, do poffertjes taste very different from the normal fluffy and spongey american type of pancake?

    thank you 🙂

    Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Rita! Yep, you can use instant yeast. You will only need about 2 teaspoons and no need to add it to the milk. Just mix it straight into the flour. The taste is close to the American pancakes, but I found them to be a bit lighter.

      Reply

  10. Rita

    Hi.
    Thanks for your reply. I followed your recipe and it tasted great. but after a few hours I had a problem with the batter. It smells very bad, smells sour (if that makes sense).. I left the batter in the kitchen for several hours and returned to find it smelling bad. I will be using this recipe at a charity event but I am worried that the bad smell will remain all day long, I will be there for 7 ays. I forgot to mention that even the pancakes had the same smell. Do you have any clue what this has happened? does it mean the batter is no longer safe to use?

    Thank you so much

    Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Rita. If they smell bad then I would toss them. Do you mean you left the batter sitting out at room temperature for several hours? Pancake batters in general should be covered and refrigerated if left for more than a couple of hours and these Poffertjes are best with fresh batter that has only been left for about an hour or two and are best while still warm from the pan. Sorry 🙁

      Reply

  11. Rita

    Hi Tara.
    Thanks for your response. Can I use baking powder instead of yeast? if yes, what would be the perfect amount? and is it really necessary to warm the milk and keep the batter out for an hour?. I am raising funds for children in need next week and still don’t have a decent recipe, my pancakes either turn out rubbery or chewy. Your recipe is perfect but the use of yeast is quite problematic :(. It is frustrating, I would be grateful If you could enlighten me.

    Thank you.

    Reply

  13. Seena Chriti

    hello, if I want to make this for a big event that will last more than 8 or 10 hours and I will be serving them for large amounts of people how much time in advance can I make the dough?
    do I make them and take them in cooler inside the bottles?
    or should I mix them as I go and let them rise and use?.
    what are your thoughts.
    thank you

    Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Seena! The Poffertjes are best served warm from the pan, but the batter can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until needed.

      Reply

      • J.So

        If the batter is made a day in advance and left refrigerated does that change the consistency/texture of the poffertjes?

        Reply

        • Tara

          Hi! I haven’t personally tried it so can’t say for sure, but up to a day in advance refrigerated shouldn’t change the consistency much. I wouldn’t let it go any longer than that though.

          Reply

  15. Corine

    Hi Tara,

    I loved seeing these (and you’re piece about Rotterdam) on this site.
    I used to live in Rotterdam and work right beside the Markthal, so I spend many lunches there.
    Now I live in a town right outside of Rotterdam. (Yes, I am Dutch).

    As the Dutch do not have a real cuisine of it’s own, I saw you really try to find Dutch dishes. It is fun to see.
    Now I am going to explore the rest of your site. I think it is going to be fun.

    Kind regards,
    Corine.

    Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Karely! Unfortunately, the Poffertjes require the special pan on the stove to make their shape. Previously cooked Poffertjes can be reheated in the oven though.

      Reply

  19. Donald Jones

    Hey thanks for the recipe, I have tried making this numerous times using a poffertjes pan also.
    I cant seem to get it right, the outsides are cooking however the insides are still gooey.

    I have tried different temperatures at different times and nothing seems to be working.

    Do you have any advice?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Donald! If the insides are still not cooked, then either the pan is overfilled or the temperature is too high. Adjust the heat lower to give the inside a chance to heat through before the outside browns.

      Reply

  21. Nela Collazos

    Thank you for the recipe! Just got my pan and I’m extremely excited to try these out! I can’t find instant yeast anywhere. I was only able to find regular large flake nutritional yeast. Can I use this ?

    Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Nela! Unfortunately, nutritional yeast is a deactivated form of yeast so it won’t make the batter rise. Do you have baking powder (I know this has been difficult for me to locate recently as well)? It can be used in a pinch- about 2 teaspoons baking powder and cook the batter right away without the rise. It just won’t be as light and airy as with activated yeast.

      Reply

    • Tara

      Hi Jack! I use the milk to activate the yeast first, then pour it with the frothy yeast into the flour mixture.

      Reply

  23. Silvy

    Hi ! I made these for the first time and used buckwheat as suggested and because I didnt have a suitable pan to cook them on the stove top, but I did have a mini patty pan which is similar, I went for oven- baked version of these and it worked ! Perhaps because of buckwheat the taste was a little unusual , but the texture was amazing! Crispy on the outside, fluffy and moist on the inside – really something different. I will try to get hold of the proper pan for future use .
    Many thanks for the recipe.
    X

    Reply

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