Finnish pancakes are thin and not fluffy as American pancakes are. They are more crepe-like and can be enjoyed both sweet and savory. They are traditionally eaten with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
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These pancakes are called in Finnish:
- Lettu
- Lätty
- Räiskäle
- Ohukainen
In singular form, in plural they are letut, lätyt, räiskäleet, ohukaiset.
Do not confuse these with the oven pancake, pannukakku, (or kropsu), which is famous, but the batter is baked in the oven on a sheet pan as a thick rectangular pancake.
Pancakes are a staple food in many Finnish households. Kids love them and always ask to eat pancakes as a snack, lunch, dinner, or evening meal. Pancakes are even served in Finnish schools. Thursdays are traditionally pea soup days, and pancakes are served as a dessert with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
One traditional Finnish dish is also spinach pancakes. Some frozen thawed spinach is mixed in the batter and served as lunch with lingonberry jam and mashed potatoes. Spinach pancakes are also a favorite lunch among students in Finland. -and yes, a free lunch is served in schools.
Ingredients and replacements
- Flour. Regular medium wheat flour is best. Some Finns like to use half the amount of barley flour. For more fiber-rich pancakes, you can also use half the amount of whole-grain wheat flour.
- Milk. Whole milk makes the best-tasting pancakes. For a milk-free version, use plant milk.
- Eggs.
- Sugar. Sugar can be left out if you want to eat these as savory. Sugar can be replaced with maple syrup or other sweeteners.
- Salt. A pinch of salt elevates the flavors.
- Other. If you eat these as sweet, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, or 1 teaspoon of cardamom to the batter. Or all of these... My favorite is to have some vanilla and cardamom.
Instructions
- Make sure you have a big enough bowl. Break the eggs and whisk them around for a minute. Add half the amount of the milk.
- Add in the dry ingredients and stir around. Then add the rest of the milk and mix to get a smooth consistency. Let the batter rest for at least 10 minutes. 30 min is preferred.
- Warm up your pan to medium heat. Add about ½-1 teaspoon of butter or oil to the pan and pour ⅓ cup of batter into the pan.
- Flip the pancake when it has a good brown color, and the top is firm.
Recipe in European measurements
In the recipe card, you can find the amounts in cups. Here is the recipe in deciliters.
- 3 eggs
- 6 dl milk
- 3 dl flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
What to serve with
Sweet fillings
- Strawberry jam
- Other berry jam
- Fresh berries
- Whipped cream or a plant-based cream
- Vanilla sauce
- Vanilla Ice cream and jam/berries
- Syrup, like maple syrup or another type of syrup.
- Sprinkled sugar.
Savory toppings
- Skagenröra, made from mayo and prawns
- Vegan Skagen
- Smoked salmon filling
How to make healthier pancakes?
Increase the fiber content by using half the amount of the flour as whole grain. You can replace all, but this will affect the taste, and they will not be as good.
Added fiber also comes from:
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon crushed linen seeds (same as flax meal)
- ½ cup chopped spinach
- 2 tablespoons of bran
You can also add fiber-rich toppings like raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
Often asked questions
Use a gluten-free flour mix.
You get lovely bubble patterns by frying the dough at a pretty high temperature and putting a generous amount of butter, like one teaspoon, on the pan. Smaller ones are made in a Teflon pan with a smaller amount of fat.
Store them in the refrigerator covered for up to three days.
Pancake batter is perfect for making ahead. You can store a ready-made batter in the fridge for a couple of days covered. Make sure to give it a quick whisk before using it. Add in more milk if it is too thick.
It is good to let it rest for at least 10 minutes. If you want to use less flour, you need at least 30 minutes.
Other Finnish pancake recipes you might like
Finnish pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 1,5 cups wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon butter or oil for frying
Instructions
- Break the eggs in a bowl. Whisk them a moment.
- .Add in half the amount of milk, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix these together.Add in the rest of the milk and mix.
- The batter can look clumpy at first but it will become smooth when you stir it around. Do not whisk it too much so it does not become chewy when frying.
- Let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes. The longer the better
- Heat up your pan and put a small amount of butter or oil. Pour about ⅓ cup of batter into the pan to make medium-sized pancakes. To make thin pancakes tilt the pan after you have poured your dough
- The pancake is ready to flip when it has some brown color and the top has firmeded up
Notes
You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, cardamom, or cinnamon to the batter as extra flavor.
If you want just a slight fluffiness to the dough, then add 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Serve with a berry jam and whipped cream.
The batter can be made ahead of time, up to 2 days ahead. The flour will swell up, so add some more milk if it feels too dense.
You can store ready-made pancakes for up to 3 days in the fridge, well covered, so they don't dry.
Nutrition: 145 calories, 4,1 g fat, 20,4 g carbs, 5,8 g protein, 0,9 g fiber. (Made in whole milk.3,5%fat)
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