Pancake types you never knew existed

By Afiur
April 03, 2026

Æbleskiver

These spherical pancakes are cooked in a special pan to create round, fluffy balls. Traditionally served during Christmas with powdered sugar and jam, they are crisp outside and airy inside.

Blini

Thin and delicate, blini are often served with sour cream, smoked salmon, or caviar. They’re traditionally eaten during Maslenitsa, a Russian festival marking the end of winter.

Injera

Injera is a large, spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff flour. It doubles as both plate and utensil in Ethiopian cuisine, soaking up rich stews and curries.

Kaiserschmarrn

This “shredded pancake” is thick, fluffy, and torn into bite-sized pieces while cooking. Served with fruit compote and powdered sugar, it’s more dessert than breakfast.

Okonomiyaki

Often called a “Japanese savoury pancake,” okonomiyaki is made with cabbage, batter, seafood or pork, and topped with mayo and special sauce. It’s more like a hearty street food meal than breakfast.

Poffertjes

Tiny, fluffy mini pancakes made with yeast and buckwheat flour, poffertjes are served warm with butter and powdered sugar at Dutch markets and fairs.

Scallion Pancakes

These savoury, flaky pancakes are made from dough layered with oil and chopped scallions. Crispy on the outside and chewy inside, they are a popular street snack.

Serabi

A traditional Indonesian pancake made with rice flour and coconut milk, serabi can be sweet or savoury. It’s often cooked in clay pans and topped with palm sugar syrup or coconut.

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