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Traditional Pönnukökur: Icelandic Pancake Recipe

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Icelanders began making Pönnukökur when there was a scarcity of flour on the island, so these Icelandic pancakes are like crepes. Roll up and sprinkle with sugar or smother in jam and whipped cream, then fold in quarters!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 300 mL Flour (3 cups)
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract or drops
  • 500 mL Milk (2 cups)
  • 60 g Butter (1/4 cup or 4 tbsp)

Instructions

  1. Choose a large bowl (you'll be adding a lot of milk!).
  2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together with a fork.
  3. Add half the milk and whisk until smooth.
  4. Add eggs and whisk to incorporate.
  5. Add the rest of the milk to the dough and vanilla, mix well.
  6. The mixture should be very runny. When you lift your whisk and drizzle batter off it, there should be no ribbon - the batter should immediately reincorporate.
  7. Use a large ladle (about 3/4 of a cup) and pour the batter directly into the middle of your crepe pan.
  8. Swirl the pan until the batter runs to the edges.
  9. Watch and wait until there are no bubbles and no wet spots on the pancake.
  10. Slide a long offset spatula all around the bottom of the crepe, making sure it won't stick to the surface when you try to flip the pancake. When the pancake is released, from the pan, slide the spatula under the middle of the pancake and flip it over.
  11. Wait until the second side is golden and slide the pancake onto a waiting plate.

Serve

  1. Serve the crepes with sugar and a small spoon as well as jam and whipped cream.
  2. Roll some crepes and sprinkle with sugar.
  3. Top other crepes with a thin layer of jam and a thicker layer of whipped cream. Fold into quarters.

Notes

Check out my post from my trip to Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, and make sure to listen to Chef Stefan's episode, Whale, Puffin, Horse, and Icelandic Fish Stew while you make my friend Gudmunda's Pönnukökur!

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