Pannkakor |Cooking With Amanda

When I was a kid we visited my grandparents often, heading down past countless farms to reach their house in Madison. Like any other kids on a familiar trip, we learned to mark distance by the roadside attractions, and when it came to my grandparents' house we knew we were close when we drove by the International House of Pancakes.

Back in the '80s IHOP wasn't as well known as it is today — at least to kids — and I was always awed by this place we drove past but never ate at. A house of pancakes? From the entire world? My preteen mind boggled.

It was years before I actually set foot in an IHOP, and was extremely disappointed by the lack of international options. There was, however, one choice I couldn't resist: the Swedish pancakes otherwise known as pannkakor.

Pannkakor are very similar to crêpes, such as my gluten-free crepes, but vary in liquid content in the batter. A classic Swedish dish, pannkakor recipes vary from family to family. Mine includes vanilla and a common spice of Swedish foods, cardamom. They're very lightly sweet and delicate in flavor, and can be enjoyed simply with powdered sugar and fruit, or drenched in flavored syrup or chocolate.

Pannkakor can be a bit tricky to make as they are larger and thinner than American-style pancakes, but you only need a bit of practice to get these special pancakes ready. A rimmed crepe pan is useful, but any frying pan with a rimmed edge will work just as well. Be sure to use a larger, flexible spatula to help you flip it over, and don't be afraid to gently lift the edge with your fingers to ease it along.

Whether you serve up pannkakor for breakfast or dessert, the whole family will love these easy pancake treats.

Try adding cocoa powder to make a chocolate variety, as in Sarah's chocolate crepes with peanut butter marshmallow filling!

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Pannkakor Recipe

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, plus more for the pan
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of salt

Directions

Melt butter and let cool slightly. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter to the pan and swirl to coat (or use spray oil).
Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into pan and swirl to coat bottom of the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until edges are dry and bubbles appear all over the top.
Carefully slide a spatula under the pancake, flip, and cook the other side 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat until all the batter is used.
Serve rolled or folded with fruit, chocolate, syrup, nuts, whipped cream, or peanut butter.