List of pancakes facts for kids

Pancakes cooking on a griddle

A pancake is a yummy, flat, round cake made from a mix of flour, eggs, and milk. You cook them on a hot surface like a griddle or frying pan.

Pancakes are enjoyed all over the world, but they can be very different! In Britain, pancakes are often thin, like a crêpe. In North America, they are usually thicker and fluffy because they use a special ingredient called baking powder to make them rise. These fluffy pancakes are a bit like Scotch pancakes or drop scones.

Pancakes From Around the World

Pancakes are super popular and come in many shapes, sizes, and flavors! Here are some famous types of pancakes from different countries:

• Æbleskiver: These are traditional Danish pancakes shaped like small, round balls. They are often served with jam and powdered sugar.

Æbleskiver is a traditional Danish dessert. If served in December, it is often accompanied by Gløgg.

• Apam balik: This is a sweet, thick pancake from Malaysia and Indonesia. It's often folded in half and filled with things like sugar, peanuts, and corn.

Giant apam balik pancakes at a hawker stall in Malaysia

• Blini: These are thin, small pancakes from Russia, often served with sour cream, jam, or even caviar.

• Cong you bing (Scallion Pancake): This savory pancake from China is made with green onions (scallions) mixed into the dough. It's crispy and chewy!

A scallion pancake

• Crêpe: These are very thin pancakes from France. They can be sweet, with fillings like chocolate or fruit, or savory, with cheese and ham.
  • Crêpe Suzette: A famous French dessert crêpe, often served with a sauce made from orange juice and liqueur.

A stack of plain crêpes

• Dosa: A thin, crispy pancake from South India, usually made from fermented rice and lentil batter. It's often served with savory fillings and sauces.
  • Masala dosa: A popular type of dosa filled with spiced potatoes.

• Dutch baby pancake: This is a large, puffy pancake baked in an oven, often served with fruit, powdered sugar, or syrup. It's also called a German pancake.

A Dutch baby pancake served with lemon slices, powdered sugar and butter

• Dorayaki: A sweet Japanese pancake that looks like two small pancakes wrapped around a filling, usually sweet red bean paste.

• Injera: A spongy, sour flatbread from Ethiopia and Eritrea. It's used as a plate and utensil to scoop up stews and other dishes.

• Jeon: A general term for savory pancakes in Korea. They can be made with various ingredients like vegetables, meat, or seafood.
  • Kimchijeon: A spicy Korean pancake made with kimchi.
  • Pajeon: A Korean pancake made with green onions.

• Johnnycake: A cornmeal pancake from North America, especially popular in the Caribbean and New England.

• Kaiserschmarrn: A fluffy, shredded pancake from Austria, often served as a dessert with fruit compote.

• Latke: A potato pancake popular in Jewish cuisine, especially during Hanukkah.

• Murtabak: A savory stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It's often filled with minced meat and eggs.

Murtabak cooking on a griddle

• Okonomiyaki: A savory Japanese pancake made with flour, eggs, and shredded cabbage, with various toppings and sauces.

• Palatschinke: A thin pancake popular in Central and Eastern Europe, similar to a crêpe.

• Poffertjes: Small, fluffy Dutch pancakes, often served with butter and powdered sugar.

Poffertjes

• Roti canai: A flatbread or pancake from Malaysia, often served with curry.

• Syrniki: Fried quark (a type of cheese) pancakes from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, often served with jam or sour cream.

• Takoyaki: Small, ball-shaped Japanese snacks made from a wheat-flour batter and filled with diced octopus.

• Thalipeeth: A savory, multi-grain pancake from Maharashtra, India, often eaten for breakfast.

Thalipeeth

• Tortilla: A thin, flatbread from Mexico and Central America, usually made from corn or wheat flour. While often called a flatbread, it's similar to a pancake in preparation.

• Uttapam: A thick, savory pancake from South India, often topped with vegetables.

Uttapam as a street food in Varanasi, India

See also