Traditional German Pancakes (Pfannkuchen)

Name: Traditional German Pancakes (Pfannkuchen)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 2 eggs (separate whites from yolks); 1 pinch salt; 5 grams brown sugar (substitute with white cane sugar if you don't have brown sugar); 2 grams baking powder; 120 grams all-purpose flour; 120 milliliters milk (Substitute with plant-based milk if you would like. I use 2% cow's milk.); 120 milliliters sparkling water (No sparkling water? Simply leave it out and use either more milk or regular water.); 15 grams butter (for the skillet to cook your pancakes in); powdered sugar; cinnamon sugar; jam; Nutella (or your preferred brand of chocolate hazelnut spread)

Instructions

Prep:10minCook:5min

This traditional German pancake recipe (called Pfannkuchen there) is the one I grew up with in Germany. While it has nothing to do with the popular oven-baked 'Dutch baby pancakes,' each is delicious and has its place. My pancake recipe is the middle ground between American pancakes and French crêpes and gets fluffy from beaten egg whites and sparkling water mixed into the pancake batter.I love eating Pfannkuchen (also called Palatschinken or Eierkuchen) either rolled up and filled with Nutella or jam or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.For the savory pancake version, try my popular German potato pancakes. These German quark pancakes (packed with protein) and my cousin's German yeast pancakes (similar in taste to sourdough pancakes) are also so good!Fun fact, Pfannkuchen in Berlin are Berliner donuts, another super popular German recipe that I have perfected over the years!Featured in my cookbook German Home Kitchen — a taste of my German childhood.

Updated at: Mon, 14 Sep 2026 21:18:12 GMT