Grandma Nikander’s Swedish Pancakes have been one of my favorite delicacies since the late ’60s. Naively, I assumed it was a secret family recipe brought across the pond by scarf-donning ancestors, handed down and down and down to my Grandma in Eastern Oregon. It probably was handed down, but I learned later in life that other people call them crepes… and eat them for every meal of the day…. and they aren’t very secret. I vaguely remember visiting my Grandma in her later years, when she was no longer able to make her Swedish pancakes. I thought the world had come to an end. Little did I know that I would be standing over the stove flipping them for another 70 years.
My youngest son requests these drool-producing paper-thin pancakes at least once a week. They are also a family favorite of the next generation, and to no surprise….. they are mouth-wateringly delicious. They are a tad on the sweet side, yet airy and light…. I prefer them slathered in melted butter and sprinkled in powdered sugar. We leave them rolled up…. always. My boys pour maple syrup on them, but my daughter follows my powdery taste for sugary goodness.
I’ll even share the secret Swedish Pancake recipe!
In a blender mix: 3 eggs (without shells), 2 cups of milk, 2 Tbsp Sugar, dash salt, and 1 cup of flour. I have used whole wheat flour, but honestly, they taste better with the white not-as-good-for-you-bleached-flour.
Heat a non-stick frying pan to med-high heat. I use #6. Butter the pan before each pancake. My soup ladle measures out the perfect amount of batter to cover the bottom of the pan. I have to pick up the pan and swirl it to get a perfect circle. When the surface of the batter is no longer shiny, flip the pancake. When lightly browned, roll up and serve…. quick.
A perfect pancake for Thanksgiving morning. Try it. You’ll like it.
Tags: cooking, crepes, grandma, mom mothering, pancakes, raising boys, recipe, secret family recipe, swedish pancakes, Thanksgiving
My Sister's Jar 
November 23, 2009 at 10:35 am |
The favorite item that my Swedish Grandma made was hardtack, but your Grandma’s pancakes sound scrumptious.
November 30, 2009 at 4:03 pm |
Cousin, I wish I lived next door to you, well maybe a couple of miles away anyway. I’d be over helping you! Love to cook them and love to eat them! Powdered sugar and maple syrup is the perfect combo! Thanks a lot! Now I want them, hot off the pan. Do you stack them on wax paper? With a big family, usually they never accumulated until everyone was full!