Breakfast Ideas
My family has a long tradition of weekend brunches and special breakfasts for family gatherings and lazy Saturdays. Today I’m excited to share one of our newest favorite breakfast recipes: Ebelskivers, inspired by a charming bed and breakfast we visited in Leavenworth, WA. The European-style inn served traditional Danish pancakes that stole our hearts — they were cozy, comforting, and absolutely divine.
Before trying them, I hadn’t heard of these delightful little pancake spheres — almost like donut holes, but unique in texture and flavor. Once we discovered an Ebelskiver pan at Costco, we had to try making them at home. The pan even came with a booklet full of recipes, which made experimentation easy and fun.
Ebelskivers are versatile and fun to customize. Fillings can range from lingonberry jam, Nutella, chocolate, or cream cheese, to fresh blueberries, apple filling or other fruit preserves. For our first attempt we kept them plain and served them with a cinnamon apple syrup like the one we enjoyed at the bed and breakfast, plus fresh organic blueberries and a dusting of powdered sugar. I used whole wheat pastry flour, so our batch was a bit darker and heartier than the version at the B&B, but they were still delicious. My rounds weren’t perfectly shaped yet — practice makes perfect!
These treats can be made in a few different ways, and some people adapt a regular pancake mix by separating the eggs. The essential tool is an Ebelskiver pan, which has shallow, round wells to shape and cook the batter into spheres. Preheating the pan and using a little oil in each well helps prevent sticking and yields a golden-brown exterior.
Ebelskivers
Ingredients:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs, separated (you will need both yolks and whites)
- 3/4 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- cooking oil for the pan
Directions:
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, buttermilk, flour, vanilla, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and melted butter. Mix until smooth.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
- Preheat the Ebelskiver pan over medium heat. Add about 3/4 teaspoon of oil into each well. When the oil is hot, spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into each well, filling about 3/4 full.
- When bubbles form around the edges and the underside is set, turn each Ebelskiver with a fork or skewer so the uncooked side faces down. Continue turning frequently so they brown evenly on all sides and cook through.
- Remove finished Ebelskivers and keep them warm in a low oven until ready to serve.
Cinnamon Apple Syrup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 can apple juice concentrate
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until the syrup reaches the desired thickness.
Enjoy your Ebelskivers warm with cinnamon apple syrup, fresh fruit, jam, chocolate, or a dusting of powdered sugar. They make a lovely weekend treat or a special addition to any brunch.
We loved our stay at Abendblume in Leavenworth and recommend it if you visit the area.