Swedish Pancakes Recipe

Combine dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt until evenly combined and free of lumps.

Whisk eggs and milk

In a separate large bowl or large measuring jug, lightly beat the 3 large eggs. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Make a thin, lump-free batter

Add about one third of the milk-and-egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk briskly to make a smooth paste. Gradually pour the remaining liquid while whisking constantly to form a very thin batter. If lumps remain, strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or use an immersion blender for 5–8 seconds. The final consistency should be much thinner than American pancake batter — almost like heavy cream or thin custard.

Rest the batter

Let the batter rest at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and helps yield tender, ultra-thin pancakes. If you must, batter can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours—bring back to room temperature before cooking.

Heat the pan

Place a 9–10 inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. When hot (a drop of water should sizzle), add about 1 teaspoon of unsalted butter and swirl to coat the surface evenly. Wipe out any excess with a paper towel so the pan is lightly buttered but not greasy.

Cook the pancakes

Pour or ladle approximately 2–3 tablespoons (about 30–40 ml) of batter into the center of the pan, immediately lifting and tilting the pan in a circular motion so the batter spreads into an even, very thin round (about 7–8 inch diameter). Cook 30–45 seconds until the edges look dry and the underside is pale gold. Use a thin spatula to lift and flip; cook the second side 10–15 seconds until it has faint gold spots. Transfer to a warm plate and keep loosely covered while you cook the rest. Re-butter the pan with a small amount of butter (about 1/2 teaspoon) as needed between pancakes.

Finish and serve

Stack or roll the pancakes. For traditional serving, brush or dot with additional unsalted butter and drizzle warm Vermont maple syrup over the pancakes. Optionally serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon or a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately while warm.

Yield and storage

This recipe makes about 12–14 Swedish pancakes (depending on pan size and batter amount). Leftover pancakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen between sheets of parchment for up to 1 month. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave before serving and rewarm the maple syrup.