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Nearly a year ago I made my first aebleskiver, thanks to the good folks at Aunt Else’s who introduced me to this fabulous culinary orb at the Mill City Farmer’s Market. They gave me a pan and a package of their mix and off I went. Now I make them with my sons on a regular basis. The boys love the process of cooking them almost as much as eating them. We’ve tried stuffing just about everything but the kitchen sink in the centers. Sometimes sweet, sometimes savory. Seriously, if you cook anything in the shape of a sphere my kids will eat anything at all. Although I don’t always stick to the Aunt Else’s mix, I have to say it is better than any of the batters I’ve come up with so far. It is made with local, organic, whole grain ingredients so I can’t feel too guilty about using it on occasion. I’m still looking for the perfect recipe.
Last night was the threat of our first frost, which means winter is on its way and my garden is seeing its final days. Stefan came over to do a big harvest, which was bittersweet. I got such a gorgeous bounty, but it was one of the last. I will miss picking fresh veggies from my backyard farm. I dread going to the grocery store to buy things that I have picked for myself all summer. One of the plants in grave danger of being destroyed by the cold was the basil. I have LOTS of basil and in one cold snap it could all die. That was the inspiration for my pesto and mozzarella stuffed aebleskivers. Not exactly traditional, but a match made in heaven!
To win an Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver package see the directions at the bottom of the post.
Pesto from one of my most used cookbooks How to Eat Supper:
1 large garlic clove
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 tight-packed cup fresh young basil leaves
2 heaping tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Fiore Sardo sheep cheese or American Stella Fontinella: or 3 tablespoons fresh grated Locatelli Romano
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Fresh Mozzerella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Pasta sauce for dipping (optional) – although the Country-Style Ragu from The Splendid Table will change your life.
Aebleskiver recipe: Aunt Else’s Mix or this one that I found on the LA Times Website (not whole grain)
To make the pesto:
In a mortar & pestle
Heat your seasoned pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Fill the wells about 3/4 full, not too much or they will overflow when you add the filling.
Let them cook for about 2 minutes and then give them a turn, about 1/3 of the way around.
Quickly toss together the chunks of cheese with about 2 tablespoons of the pesto. Put in about a 1/2 teaspoon of the filling. make sure that the filling is poked down into the batter so that the cheese doesn’t end up sticking to the pan.
Complete the turns. To do this without burning your fingers or poking too many holes in the aebleskivers I use a pair of tongs to help. I discovered this because my young sons like to flip them all by themselves and I was afraid they’d burn their fingers. It works like a charm.
I served these with a salad from the tomatoes and basil in my garden, along with the fresh mozzarella.
We split the aebleskivers open and filled it with the Country-Style Ragu.
To win this Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver package (Aebleskiver Mix, 9 hole baking pan, turning stick, and pot holder) tell me what kind of aebleskivers you would make. Anything from the traditional ones your grandmother makes to something far out and crazy! If you have a favorite recipe for the aebleskiver batter, please share that as well! I will pick a random winner next week.
Thanks for stopping by. I'm Zoe Francois, pastry chef and cook book author. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. 
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{ 224 comments… read them below or add one }
I would love to make nutella filled sweet ones. For savory, what about goat cheese and herbs? Yours look so yummy!!
I would make nutella stuffed aebleskivers. Though I would love to make the ones you made as well. They look delish!
We must’ve been hiding under the same culinary rock as I have never had one but from your first post, I would probably make a traditional one or one filled with apples as they are all over my kitchen right now.
Hmmm…cheddar and bacon? Proscuitto and some kind of cheese? Brie and apple? The possibilities are endless!
I’ve never made these but I love the idea of a savory filling. I’d probably start with a cinnamon-apple filling, though, or a lemony ricotta?
I’d love to make berry stuffed aebleskivers for my grandkids who love anything with fresh berries.
I love the shape of that pan. I have chololate and peanut butter on my mind right now so I think it will be something with those 2 ingredients.
I admit: I missed your irst aebleskiver post. But now I’m fascinated! I’d probably do something like fig jam, diced cooked pancetta, and a bit of cheese. Goat cheese, maybe? Anyway, they look delicious and fun!
Mmmm, that is such a good question, Zoe. I think I would fill mine with apples, cinnamon, and caramel.
But wouldn’t a blini variation be great? Make them out of buckwheat and fill them with creme fraiche and caviar?
But maybe the caviar would get mushy. Certainly wouldn’t bea ble to see it very well. But who knows?
Yumm! I’ve never had aebleskivers before but I’d probably make some savory ones with ham and cheese w/ herbs to start with – and then some with bacon, tomato and avacodo.
I have never made these before but, would never shy away from something new. How exciting!!!I would love to make some aebleskivers stuffed with apple compote to start!!! Then maybe a cheese, rice and herb mixture. Oh my, I could keep going easily.
Yummy Balls ! I would make one filled with chocolate, just the thought of melting chocolate as I bite served with raspberry sauce….
These would be fabulous with a thick fig jam, goat cheese and walnuts- this being a mixture of sweet and savory!
Homemade ricotta paired with a variety of either sweet (fruit jam) or savory (fresh herbs, sun dried tomatoes) ingredients is another thought. I love your web site. You and your web site are simply the best ever!
I’d start with prosciutto and gruyere, and then I’d have to go with a blueberry ricotta mix, dusted with powdered sugar at the end.
I think I’d go with a bacon spinach filing. Or maybe tiny versions of the ham & sauerkraut balls that they used to make in the food court in college.
I’m so hungry now.
These would be so good stuffed with a sausage cheese filling. Chorizo and Pepper jack. Or maybe nutella, or maybe. Shucks, just plain cheddar cheese would be good.
thanks for the chance.
I would use the pancake batter that I have been adapting for the past two weeks with a cranberry filling as a substitute for the cranberries I have been putting in the cakes.
Batter:
Wet ingredients (kinda):
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup fage 0% (or fat free cottage cheese often gets substituted)
1/2 cup oatmeal (soak in 1/2 cup water overnight or cook briefly in microwave, flavored kinds can spice things up)
2 yokes
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks and folded into above (mix first ingredients, beat egg whites, fold in and immediately add dry in 2-3 additions and wisk only until just combined)
Dry:
1/2 cup bob’s red mill 10 grain pancake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp double action baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch salt
Cranberry compote:
I figure just reduce down 2-3 cups cranberries with cup sugar or so (to taste because the sweetness will help but they must retain their tart flavor because I really like how they balance the pumpkin)
It’s amazing how I keep seeing references to Aebleskiver recipes in the oddest places, and would love to see them make a comeback. Who knows, maybe my favorite bfast place will start offering them before long.
Wow. These look so good! I have never made (or heard of) these before. I’ve got some blackberries in the freezer that would probably make a good sweet treat. I love the cheese and nut ideas above as well.
I just made some scuppernong/muscadine preserves and am thinking that is what I’d fill them with. These preserves are to die for! I used the recipe from the Lee Bros. Cookbook.
I’d make some filled with chocolate & then some with lots of cheese.
I love me the unitaskers. No seriously, I actually do love great kitchen items that have been perfected to create what they were designed to create, a la this pan, gnocchi rolling boards etc. I would definitely say the first aebleskivers would probably be cardamom and orange.
I would try
savory: brie, prosciutto, and fig jam
sweet: banana with dulce de leche
thanks for the contest!
Looks absolutely fabulous! The pictures are beautiful lady! I would LOVE to have the pan to do just plain traditional ones – a thing I have thought of making a tradition up North in the woods of Minnesota!
Otherwise, I guess I should go and buy me a pan from one of the many local shops there, and learn from you when you come up to visit! xo J
I would make plain ones first since I’ve never made them before, and then I’d like to try a chocolate-filled or cheese-filled recipe.
Wow…wonderful! I’m just dying to try Aunt Else’s mix! We are all about local and whole grain =o)
I’d guess we would do a blueberry/cream cheese filled. Yum!
How have I not heard of these before? They look so delicious, totally up my alley! I would try the original version first before I started experimenting, but I do like the idea of a breakfast version (eggs, ham, cheese).
Since my favourite dessert is a good apple pie, I am thinking I would try an apple filling. However, my 10 year old son would probably twist my arm to try nutella first.
Oh my goodness, these look fantastic. All that stretchy cheese is calling my name!
Your basil and tomatoes are gorgeous too. I’m a little envious.
I’ve never had aebleskivers before so I’m not sure which ones I’d make first. Maybe something sweet and or savory for breakfast. mmm!
Okay, you’re brilliant! Because I grew up covering them in powdered sugar and maple syrup, it never dawned on me to go the crepe route and do something savory! We usually serve these with Danish or German sausage, but why not chop some up and put them inside with a yummy gouda? Do you whip your egg whites for Aunt Else’s mix? Because Aunt Meta’s calls for whipped egg whites, and that makes all the difference. =)
They look very tasty. I love the idea someone posted about filling these with egg. Since fall is coming, I’d probably make some with fall fruit compote in the center – something with persimmon and a bit of cream and nutmeg. Or maybe add the spice to the mix. YUM!
I think I would try a chocolate & banana filling! Mmmm…
Mmmmm. Lots of good ideas from everybody! I’d like to fill some with a little cooked breakfast sausage or some crispy bacon. Guess I’m still stuck in an Aebleskivers for breakfast/brunch mode.
I have only made plain vanilla ones up until now in a poffertjies pan, which is shallow. I would fill my aebelskivers with goat milk cajeta and chevre – sweet and tart together!
Breakfast Aebleskivers. The perfect one? Havarti, pesto, and sausage…Mmmmm…for a dessert one, a little Nutella and some dulche de leche…
Mine would definitely involve bacon, dates and bleu cheese!
I would definitely try some sweet fillings like:
dulce de leche
raspberries
ollalieberries
Mmmm homemade bacon, apple, and sage. And then probably a Japanese-style curry chicken with week bits of carrot. Nom!
I’d like to try them filled with a bit of goat cheese and a generous dollop of hot pepper jam. Or filled with pissaladiere topping (carmelized onions, anchovy, and black olives).
While not traditional your aebelskiver combos are genius!
I think blueberry and cream cheese sounds good, or chocolate raspberry, or apricot almond. Those are boring compared to your combos, but they sound good to me!
I can only imagine how delicious Nutella would taste in an ableskiver…yum!
Hi Zoe,
I was your aebleskiver winner last year! I love my pan and am enjoying it. I will admit mine do not look as nice as yours. I am excited to try and make cheese filled aebleskivers…. I never thought of that! Can’t wait to try this recipe…..
Bake on, Jane
so cool! so fun!!
oh my goodness. I would make the ones you posted. and for the crazed ham and cheese stuffed anything 5 year old in my life, ham and cheese of course (I’m sure he’d like the bacon ideas, too!)
nutella and strawberries… pizza style… regular with some powdered sugar… can’t wait to try.
OH MAN!!! Pesto heaven!!! Those look delicious!
I would probably start out with some thing apricot and brie-ish….but the possibilities for savory are a great way to sneak stuff in for the kiddos!
I have a friend that makes aebleskivers… family tradition, complete with a super old pan passed down from generations. I had never had them before this summer when she made them for me and they were so good. I love the more savory twist on them you’ve presented, as she served them for breakfast with fruits and syrups to top them.
I’d make black forest ham, pickled onions and arugula. (Inspired by a pate a choux recipe).
OK, I might try plain nutella; nutella plus frangelica; a big chunk of a porcini mushroom with a little minced garlic; chocolate chips or cream cheese plus any berry or any berry jelly; cream cheese plus a pepper; cream cheese, cumin scalion pomegrante or persimmon; creamor butter, garlic and morels; cream cheese, chicken stock, cumin, thyme and chicken; shrimp with either scampi or marinara sauces; port marinated pears or figs; plain figs; super frozen ice cream; cardamon sticky rice; melon balls; Heath or Twix candy; Peeps!!!; Cadbury eggs; falafel; brie and jalapeno jelly; gruyere, sauteed onions and prime rib; matsutake; scallop, clam or oyster with or without sauce; oreo cookie with or without chocolate chips; I could go on forever!
I’m not in the US so don’t think I apply for this contest. However, to participate for the fun of it, I would love to try this with Indian-style minced lamb kheema for the filling. I have always enjoyed your blog & your creations. Well done !
These would be so good stuffed with spinach, ricotta and parmesan. Mmmmm…
I would definitely make sweet ones–nutella, honey, and powdered sugar all come to mind (not all at once, though!).
I have never had aebleskivers, but have wanted to try them for a LONG LONG time (one of my best friends in the States was Danish and raved about them).
Anyways, I recently saw a tutorial about making aebleskivers with Nutella. How could you go wrong?
i’ve been obsessed with aebleskivers since i first saw them many moons ago. i can’t believe i’ve never seen a savory version–yours look AMAZING!
i’d have to go with a jam filling, for my first batch at least. or maybe peanut butter, since that’s what i always slather on my pancakes. mmm.
Like quite a few of the people above, I had never heard of these until I read this post. I’d like to try an all-aebleskivers menu: first course, filled with a tasty cheese and maybe some bacon; for mains, chicken and spinach in a creamy sauce; and for dessert, a batch filled with my current favorite fruit combination–rhubarb and peaches.
The ableskiver pan is exactly the same we use to make a popular snack called Unniappam in Kerala.
Can add a filling of jaggery, cooked with grated coconuts and powdered jeera and a dash of ginger powder (optional)..the boys might like it.
That looks ridiculously good! The way the filling strings as you tear the aaebleskiver apart. I haven’t had a chance to try these yet, though I’ve seen a few around on the interwebs. I guess I’d have to go with something cheesy to begin with, if and when I get a chance to make them. Then something along the lines of dessert will surely follow
So many ideas, so many wonderful fillings. Smoked salmon comes to mind. Maybe a dollop of smoked salmon combined with some cream cheese to make a nice rich filling and with a glass of Prosecco, it would be perfect.
I’ve actually been wanting to make this ever since I saw a demonstration on Williams-Sonoma’s website for filled mini pancake holes. I know I’d make bunches of raspberry filled pancake holes and freeze them so it’s easier for my family to have quick breakfasts that are not so time consuming to make.
For the savory, I’ve GOT to do a small pizza mixture of chopped pepperoni (cooked to drain fat), chopped canadian bacon, and a few small chunks of cheese. My idea is this, have pizza balls and dip them in marinara sauce or pizza sauce for party appetizers.
Yummy!
My favorite, so far, is the traditional served with lingonberries. Yum! Sweet seems to win out over savory lately.
Gorgeous!!! I would definitely be trying your mozzarella and pesto combo with some freshly mixed pesto. But I know I’d also try a peach crisp filling — peaches, brown sugar, and oats. It’s been my favorite flavor lately!
I’ve wanted to try making aebleskivers for a long time — they’re such sweet little packages. Here’s hoping
God, too many choices! Goat cheese and chive? Sweetened cream cheese and sour cherry? Yum!
Definitely a sweet filling, apples with dulce de leche, some sort of custard!!!
As a savory filling, I would go for a sausage and sun-dried tomato filling. For a sweet treat, I am thinking peanut butter and nutella mixed together. Maybe some banana in there, too. Yum!
I have never made or tasted these but they call out to me as sweet rather than savory.
Maybe a cannoli type filling with ricotta and dried fruit.
Yum!
I love Julie’s peach crisp idea and brie and granny smith apple also sounds lovely. But I think my absolute aebleskiver nirvana would be- don’t judge me- peanut butter, bacon and banana.
Great recipe! I would love to make them with pizza fillings or breakfast fillings.
Definitly something non-traditional… Maybe peanut butter cup, or pumpkin with maple-cinnamon cream cheese, or chocolate raspberry, or…
I would do sweet and savory. I love the pesto filling with cheese. Maybe spinach ricotta? For sweet I have to go with nutella!
Mmmm, I’m suddenly inspired to fill them with my yummy curried cranberry-walnut relish, and some goat chevre!
I have never had these, But they look wonderful. I would try Carmelized Mixed Mushrooms with some kind of cheese,garlic and onions.
I would make caramel apple ones. Or caramel pear. Mmm.
Homemade Red Pepper Jam, goat cheese and cilantro. Yummie
I love Chevre in everything, so a good helping of that, plus maybe some finely diced golden beets and tarragon?
lovage/italian sausage/mozzerella?
These look amazing! It’s a tough call, making sweet or savory aebleskivers, but I’d go with sweet: lemon curd with thyme and blueberries.
wow I never had one but they look yummy I like sweet I would put chocolate chips or ever a hersy kiss in it maybe fill it will a sugar- free pudding by injuction or for savory i would make with herbs mix in the mixture ans cheese for the filling or even maybe with some rosewater some way or another
but they sure do look good oh maybe with lavnder too oh I got to get one of these ideas are popping in my brain!!!
I’ve never made an aebleskiver, or ever had one come to think of it, but surely it would have to include oh…pears with maytag blue cheese, or ham & swiss cheese dipped into my famous mustard sauce…come to think of it, wouldn’t anything be great?
Well, the first thing that came to mind was Nutella, but since so many people said that I had to think of something else. A farm by my house makes a fabulous fig and honey goat cheese that would be good to use – both sweet and savory at the same time!
Oh YUM! Please enter me. I can see caramelized pears and goat cheese in the centers…
wow ive never seen anything like this, you never cease to amaze me Zoe! xx
Ohhhh so clever you!!
I have never made these but I would love to give it a whirl. I think I would try something with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and maybe some teddy grahms. You know, a smore.
Your pesto mozzarella combinations sounds like a winner! I would try mozzarella with roasted red peppers and maybe some olivada.
Oh yum, those look heavenly, and I will try that Ragu! If I were to have a pan to make aableskivers – savory would be carmelized onion and sausage or prosciutto and olives. Sweet would be peach with fresh ginger for a nice kick, or my fave crepe filling – lemon curd, goat cheese and the lignonberry sauce for dipping!
apple and smoked gouda…delish!
So many options! I’d opt for traditional with cinnamon spiced chopped apples, but the Nutella filled ones sound divine! Savory would be chopped ham, chopped swiss cheese, and a touch of dijon mustard.
I’d be filling it with all sorts of things like duexelles and goat cheese, this feta salsa from smitten kitchen http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/feta-salsa/ , and I’d be working on seeing what happened if I dropped a hersheys kiss in there before the last turn. Oh the possibilities.
Nutella is the first one that comes to mind-however with truffle season soon approaching wild mushroom or truffle aableskivers sound rather tasty too.
Oh yum! For sweet I would go with homemade huckleberry preserves and for sweet/ savory fig jam with roasted walnuts and goat cheese. For pure savory- well I can’t think of anything that beats your fresh mozzarella with pesto.
I think I would LOVE chutney and brie or goat cheese and quince paste!!
How about jalapenos and cream cheese, or even jalapenos with cheddar and bacon? Of course you can’t go wrong with chocolate!
I’d probably make cherry with some of my homemade cherry jam. NOM!
I fill mine with Lemon curd. That has been my favorite so far…but look at all the choices!! I will have to put them on the menu more regularly.
Wow, I hadn’t heard of aebleskivers until your post–where have I been?! They look and sound great. I’m a fan of savory, so I’d probably take your pesto recipe and add sun-dried tomatoes. mmm mmm
Cream cheese and strawberry jam. Yummers!!
I’d make some maple peanut butter filling for them. Yum!
Broccoli & feta. Yum! Maybe some with kalamatas, too. For sweet I’d have to go with apple & pecan seeing as it is apple season.
Those look absolutely delicious! Now I’m inspired to try some savory fillings. I usually make them filled them with cherries. My Cherry Aebleskiver recipe appears on
http://www.hungrycravings.com/2008/07/cherry-picking.html.
Apple filling with a pancake type batter.
I have never made any of those in my life and did not know they existed. I have a feeling I would try them with a sweet filling. Nutella, Dulce de Leche or some dried fruits and apple cider syrup…
fill with chilli flavoured chocolate and dusted with powdered sugar for something sweet and spicy!!
or a mixtured of grated coconut cooked in a little sugar with saffron and cardamom…
I’m not sure if this is possible,but I think I’d like to make one that resembled a Monte Cristo sandwich.
I would fill it with a bit of pintos negros and chipotle peppers. Perhaps add a touch of queso fresco too. Mm!
Sausage and onion?
Or chicken pieces with brie and apple butter?
Gotta go with lemon and mascarpone for sweet.
Hello!
I have never made Aebleskivers, they look fabulous though and I would love to try them. I think I would like to make one with some type of cheese blintz filling, and another with a broccoli cheese filling. Pick me!
I’m ashamed to say I’ve never heard of an aebleskiver, but would love to try my hand at a pumpkin cream cheese filled version. Perfect for this time I year I would think!
Just found your blog from MyTartelette…I love it! I can’t wait to read more!
I will try a goat cheese – fresh fig – walnut mix. These tastes mix well especially with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and honey.
Your harvest sounds wonderful! We’ve a small garden in a corner, but have been loving the farmers market, especially this time of year!
Growing up my dad made the aebleskivers in our house, they were a little lemony. I haven’t gotten the recipe from him yet, but those are the ones I’d make.
I would absolutely go for creme patissier in the center. Lightened with a little whipped cream. Perfect.
Anything chocolate is the way to go for me!
I’d try diced apple, McIntosh (I like the give they have in cooking), with a sharp cheddar, mozzarella & asiago blend. I adore the stronger cheeses, especially asiago. I try to tuck it in wherever I can! =)
I would start with savory, with some toasted pine nuts and sundried tomatoes and parmesan.
I would eat the aebleskivers with lingonberry preserves…yum!
My family has a cabin in Colorado (we live in California) and since I was an infant we have been going there every summer. In the cabin on the wall in the kitchen is an aebleskiver pan. I remember always asking my mom about it but I don’t recall ever making them. I can’t wait to try.
possible flavors:
goat cheese, honey & fig
Apple/ brie
brie/ancho chili jam
Grilled onions, Parmesan, bacon
Yum!!
oooh…peach/rasberry ones or guava, my son want chocolate with caramel, or chocolate chip. How about peanut butter/banana…what a classic.
Definitely sweet ones… I have some homemade peach jam that might be delicious, maybe with a fresh raspberry in there too? Or else, something chocolatey. Can’t go wrong with chocolate. Mmmmm.
I’ve never made aebleskivers before! Your savory, pesto-filled ones look great, but I think for my first time out, I’d have to go with a sweet jam-filled version.
OMG! Those look amazing! I have no idea how to pronounce it, nor have I ever seen one before, however I have a 3 year old that ONLY eats things in a round or chicken nugget shaped form, so this would help him branch a bit! I’m going to read up on it now! I feel like I’ve missed out on something somewhere!
I’d fill it with broccoli, cheese and panchetta for savory and chocolate chips and finely diced mint for desert (my son’s favorite thing on this planet is chocolate!). Thanks for the post!
Wow- What a nice giveaway! I have never made aebleskivers, but I have seen the pans around and have wanted one for a while. I do think that I would start with something savory- a vegetable and cheese mix of some sort. I really like the idea of hiding vegetables in there to trick my daughter into eating it.
I also like the idea of some fancy cheese and fruit combo.
Pick me. I am counting the days for your next book. Already preordered at amazon. As always I love your recipes.
I have never made aebleskivers but after reading the article I would love to try them.. I think my 3 boys would love them… I would hunt down recipes and try a lot with yummy veggies in them maybe do some sweeter ones for a desert type.
Aebleskivers! What a fun word, I don’t know how to pronounce it but I’d love to try them! All of them..Yumm.
I think a french onion soup-like flavor would be fabulous, caramelized onion and cheese.
Since fall is finally here I’m thinking something like apples and cheddar or maybe some roasted pumkin w/ some spiced walnuts or pecans!
I would have to start with my mom’s apple aebleskiver recipe. They were such a treat when I was young. I would introduce my kids and husband to those first and then start experimenting!
I think I would love to go the apple and cheese route on these. Maybe brie? Yum!
Hmmm, I’m thinking filled with lemon curd…yum!
Hi Zoe-
Well, dear, I’m a traditionalist at heart…so while all the proposed concoctions sound yummy, I would go back to my grandmother’s recipe which is below. It’s a little more work than a mix, but they are the best I’ve ever had. For those of you wondering how to pronounce it
Mormor’s Æbleskivers
2 C. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 T. sugar
½ t. salt
1 T. ground cardamom (it’s hard to do too much, and it has to be freshly ground-no already ground stuff!)
3 eggs, separated
2 C. buttermilk
1 T. lemon zest (this is not from grandma’s recipe, but adds a nice touch).
cooking oil
knitting needles
Sift the dry ingredients together, set aside. Beat the egg whites stiff (until they hold a peak, but not dry), set aside. Blend the yolks with the buttermilk, add dry ingredients. Fold the egg whites gently into the batter. Heat pan until a drop of water sizzles when it is dropped into the pan. If the pan is too hot, the æbleskivers will be doughy. Fill cups about 1/3-way up the sides or so with oil and heat. Pour just enough batter into the cups to fill the cup, about 1/4 c., and cook for about 1 minute or until the bottom starts to turn golden brown. Turn pancake a 1/2 turn with knitting needles or a wooden skewer so the uncooked batter goes to the bottom of the ‘hole’. and cook til dark golden brown and cooked through.
Serve with powdered sugar, granulated sugar (and cinnamon, if desired), jam, or applesauce.
Let me know if you try the recipe….Enjoy!
I am embrassed also to say,I have never heard of these wonderful looking dishes..
I Beleive I would try cinnamon
crunch with nuts ,butter,cinnamin,nutmeg and add a thick sugar glaze over them. Sounds like fall!!!
hi, zoe! i am so excited to have “met” you through jen (urb) & helen’s (tartelette) blogs…a fellow minnesotan! i’ve caught up on most of your posts & have bookmarked you so i can stay in touch from now on. it’ll be wonderful to read your posts as our seasons & bounties change.
i have never had ableskivers before, but your posts & the comments here have piqued my tastebuds and interests! my mouth is watering to try the pesto-mozz recipe…and with orchards on the brain, apple or pumpkin-varieties sound delightful, too.
i’m loving the savory aeleskiver idea and will have to try them!
my husband make the swedish version, muncas (sp?) all the time with vt maple syrup. i loev them with berry compote too. we still use his swedish grandmother’s original recipe card when we make them.
I would make a corn dog…cornbread batter; add hot dog chunk to center. Maybe a dab of mustard on the dog…
I would make plain ones first since I’ve never made them before, and then I’d like to try a chocolate-filled or cheese-filled recipe.
I like the ones filled with apples, but my kids are partial to ableskiever with chocolate chips. Who am I to argue
Great to finally meet you in person at BlogHer Food. Sorry for acting like a star-struck groupie!
No question about it – I would make a chestnut cream filling, perhaps enhanced with just a tich of nutty Frangelico, drizzled with a thin, intensely chocolatey glaze.
I’ve never had ableskiever, but they all sound great! I think goat cheese and fig jam sound really good.
Oh yum!
I had these once in Chinatown. Their smell lured me down a narrow alley and I ate waaaay too many.
If I won I would make them stuffed with a piece of locally made mozzarella cheese and serve it with my homemade spicy white tomato jelly.
My family is loving everything fall and gingery!
So I would make a pumpkin ginger batter, and for my daughter I might put in a chocolate chip or two!!
Thanks for your wonderful site!
I make jam with my friend 2-3 times a year that we sell at little craft fairs and boutigues. One of my favorite flavors that we make is Chocolate Strawberry. I think I would try that! We make several flavors of jam, so maybe one pan of ableskeivers may be a different one in each hole!
I’d definitely begin with the traditional kind, but I’d probably serve with a fruit compote.
Mango chutney, chopped up finer than it comes out of the jar, small cubes of brie, and perhaps a few toasted almond slices or slivers…
I’ve never had ‘em, but they look delicious! I’d probably make something simple to start: chocolate filled.
Ive never even heard of Aebleskivers, let alone made them! I’d certainly love to try though! I’d use up all the fresh apples I picked recently and do something with apples/cinnamon!
I’ve never made them myself but I was lucky enough to try some at a friends home. I would probably try bits of apple with cinnamon and then dust them with powered sugar. Or stuffed with spicy bits of chop meat and cheddar cheese. The possibilities are endless.
Wow, how brilliant to make a savory recipe with an aebleskiver pan! I grew up eating these little yummies. My aunt used to make the typical sort with chunks of apples within and a dusting of powdered sugar. Wish I had a pan of my own!!
These are awesome! Yours look pretty good ~ hard for me to resist anything with melted cheese. I’d love to do these as a snack for the World Series or Super Bowl. So, thinking along those lines, I’d do a savory filling of pulled pork w/ green chili sauce and cheese. Sweet filling of jam and mascarpone or cream cheese. Yum!
I first tasted aebelskiver in Denmark *way* back in 1969. I never got around to trying to make them myself. I must admit it never occurred to me that you could put anything in them but apples. Silly me! The thought of savory aebleskiver makes my mouth water…yet I’d probably make apple first. Got to keep up the tradition [before you mess with it
].
My husband loves anything with figs so I might try some sort of fig filling. I, myself, am partial to anything with lemon, pecans or peanut butter (not all at the same time!)
Oh, where to start? Apples & cheddar; olives & feta; apples & cinnamon; Nutella….mmmm; I’m getting hungry!
I think that I would make them with different kinds of cheese inside…. And, then maybe serve them with a spicy marinara sauce! YUM!
for sweet, I’d stuff a piece of caramilk inside…
for savoury, I think carmalized onion with a sliver of blue cheese… yummmmm
You know what would be great? Apples, aged cheddar and walnuts mixed together with a bit of maple syrup!
I just tried making those! wanna know the result? It was a disaster! haha I don’t know why! They did not turn out to be round! But they were delicious!
I’d love to try hot fudge and chunks of snickers bars… YUM!
Poppy seed filling might work well. Trying to think of something that hasn’t been suggested already is hard. Great blog and great book!
cheddar cheese, bacon and caramelized onion for me… a classic combination to try them out with for the first time!
I’m thinking artichoke and feta or goat cheese with basil – haven’t had breakfast yet – now I’m hungry!
I’m dying to try making these, and I’m thinking that a little Nutella just might have to sneak into them!
Every Christmas we make Ukranian periske, which are little balls of yeast bread (look like dinner rolls) filled with a sauerkraut or hamburger mix. The hamburger ones are always more popular.
You brown hamburger and onions with salt, pepper, and dried oregano, then after it is cooked you add chopped hard-boiled eggs. They are definitely “stick to your ribs” food for winter.
The yeast dough is the most time consuming part of the recipe (or it was before the five minute artisan bread revolution), so I think an abelskiver adaptation for the hamburger filling would be faster, lighter, and maybe inspire us to make periske more than once a year!
Oh my Gosh zoe,
These look like the perfect thing to have…why do I say that coz I could totally be craving multiple things and satisfy all cravings in one go, I could make mexican aebleskivers with homemade salsa or italian aebleskivers or sweet ones filled with pistachio nuts drizzled with honey syrup to overcome baklava cravings, and some filled with chicken tikka…. I am drooling just thinking of the endless possibilities…. and their size is perfect enough too
These look fantastic and perfect for 2 very active little boys…we would fill them with fresh mozzarella and sausage and dip them in warm pizza sauce OR spinach and feta for mom!
Well, Melinda already suggested cream cheese and strawberry jam, which would have been my original suggestion, good for her. So, my suggestion is for lingonberries stirred in sugar (jam), with a bit of sour cream. Wonderful blog, wonderful books; thanks for all.
I’ve never had these before – but I’d love to try them! Your recipe sounds great. I’d also like to try a sweet version – maybe apples & maple syrup… Yum!
I would make eggplant Parmigiana aebleskivers. I would cut up eggplants into tiny pieces and saute them. Then I would mix the eggplant with homemade sauce and Parmigiana. I would roll it in breadcrumbs before I put it the aebleskiver pan. Yum!
Some of the stuffing I can see trying are:
- little bits of fresh ground pork/apple/sage breakfast sausage
- sweet corn and honey (with the addition of cornmeal in the batter)
- sweet bean paste
- crab, cream cheese, salt, white pepper and chives
- little bits of hot dog and baked beans (for the kids, the ultimate corn dog)
- I’d probably try a brownie type batter with a sour cherry coated in a thick paste of powdered sugar and corn starch. If that didn’t work I’d probably use the same batter and try little bits of ice cream and then freeze them afterwords.
I would make a cream cheese filling with fruit preserves and/or some pecans or walnuts.
Cheese and home made pepper relish! Sounds like a great app to me!
In the spirit of Thanksgiving right around the corner and leftovers galore…I would add small pieces of chopped turkey and cranberry sauce to the batter while cooking. When done I would drizzle with homemade gravy.
Broccoli in a thick cheesy white sauce with potatoes! Oh, yum! Yes please!
We put all sorts of wonderful goodies inside our aebleskivers ~ my favorite is a blueberry, my husband’s is a tiny piece of sausage.
My recipe for aebleskivers: http://frenchknots.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-festivities.html
What a tough question!! I have to say nutella does sound great… But I think I’d go for lemon curd with some fresh raspberry sauce (berries from Mill City market, of course).
maybe banana and cream cheese
I have always wanted to try these and would start with blueberry and cream cheese for sure, then perhaps apple with a carmel sauce.
Wow, those are really fun! I think I would have to fill those with some apple spice mixture. So perfect for Fall.
Mine will definitely be cheese, cheese and more cheese
I think the question is more what kind WOULDN’T I make. I have five boys, Zoe. I think EVERYTHING would go into abelskivers. First order of business would be some sort of cornbread/taco meat filled variety. After that, perhaps a peanut butter filled one with a chocolate ganache topping…
Maybe I’m boring but I love them with fruit filling so I’d probably use my jams to fill it, maybe green tomato jam
I’d probably fill them with apples and cinnamon – YUM!
This has been a summer of trying out new things. So far, I’ve made cheese (fresh mozzarella), jams and pesto at home – all for the first time. This process looks incredible and I’d love to incorporate the other skills I’ve learned. So on the savory side, fresh mozzarella (some with fresh pesto – like yours) and some with jam. Whether I win or not, thanks for the exposure to a new technique.
Never tried stuffing them before..how fun!
Looks amazing. I love goat cheese and would likely make a combo of savory and sweet using some homemade chevre from my sister-in-law. Looks delish.
I would love to make a samosa type Aebleskiver with potatoes, peas, and spices. Of course I wouldn’t stop there, but it’s a good start!
This just looks like a wonderful breakfast fun treat. Love bread-fast… he he he Definitely stuffed with some with honey hame, roasted vegie mixture and drizzled with honey. Then some stuffed with a little apricot preserves & sprinkled with toasted slivered almonds chopped finley with a drizzle of maple syrup. Please can I give it a go? I don’t own one yet? Excited to hear about the winner. That’s fun. Thanks for the opportunity.
AmyRuth
I’ve never had aebleskivers but I imagine they would be perfect for breakfast with apples and cinnamon.
Can I come over & share them with you Zoe? Will do the dishes!! These are absolutely fab. Never heard of them, but they are right up my street! I would make roasted bell pepper, walnut & mozzarella ones. Love what you made..scrumptious!
I’d love to make cornbread style ones with a black-eyed pea relish filling.
I saw you at BlogHer Food but didn’t find an opportunity to introduce myself. So, hello!
I had these in Solvang and always wanted to try them at home, but lack the equipment, so to speak. Besides all the wonderful jams I have on hand I’m intrigued by the savory option. I would like to try fig jam, goat Gouda and chopped almonds, a combination I hit on for filing puff pastry but I think would be much easier in these.
See you on Twitter!
@HeatherHAL
I’ve always loved the sweet ones! However I’ve never tried making them on my own. I would definitly try them with berry preserves and dusted with powdered sugar. Yum!
Cordon Bleu Aebleskivers! – chopped ham, chopped chicken, shredded swiss cheese and a little honey dijon mustard to bind it. Mmmmmm………
Oh, now the ideas are flowing – Cuban – chopped cuban roast pork, chopped ham, shredded swiss cheese, yellow mustard and minced dill pickle. Or Stroganoff – beef, mushrooms, sour cream….
Oh I am desperate to try making Russian Aebleskivers! I’m making my family’s recipe for borscht and piroshki for dinner tonight (as luck would have it) and I think the piroshki fillings of beef, cabbage or potato would be awesome.
Oooh, maybe Apple Strudel Aebleskivers for dessert…
Chocolate, or apple cinnamon?
I used to work in a gourmet kitchen store and we sold these. They always intrigued me but I never purchased one. Being a pastry chef now and it’s fall I would try something sweet with apples or pumpkin or something spiced with ginger or cinnamon. The possibilities are endless!
Your sentiments on the last garden bounty really struck a chord with me. I too am sad to think of buying rather than picking my dinner!
In light of this I would use my last tiny homegrown butternut squash, diced small and sauteed in brown butter and sage in my aebleskivers!
I have not ventured much past the traditional ones. Can’t wait to try these! Apple strudel aebleskivers sound intriguing.
I’d love to make Nutella ones!
These look like so much fun! I would put in mushrooms, Gorgonzola cheese, prosciutto and sage. Yum!
I wonder if a muffin tin would work?. . . I would love to try a sun dried tomato and artichoke pesto recipe from Farmgirl Fare; sweet potato, cardamom and cream cheese sounds nice too. To celebrate local food, I might have to try something with dates and camel-milk cheese, hmmm, I’ll have to think about that one!
I’d fill it with things like pork adobo, or oxtail tomato ragu (I just made a giant pot of it) w/cheese. Or salted caramels.
…my mouth is watering.
Bacon, cheese and chives. The best!
Simple melt in your mouth raspberry preserves and dust with powdered sugar. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.
Congratulations on the Foodbuzz awards nomination!
I have a pan but would love to give one to my boys so they can make these, great for snacks,breakfast…sweet or savory!
maybe dark chocolate and coconut?? or perhaps cream cheese and crab or shrimp (kind of a savory cheese cake mixture)
I would have to consider myself a traditionalist as well. I have only had them at a friends house as a traditional Easter breakfast treat. Easter morning we would make fresh aebleskivers and serve them with some powdered sugar or jelly. I am getting hungry just thinking about them. Glad to see some recipes in the comments. I will have to give them a try.
I don’t believe I’ve even heard of an aebleskiver before. The concept looks delectable though. Several of the ideas that others have posted sound wonderful, too. During the fall and winter months, we get a great deal of squash in our CSA box. I wonder if a roasted squash filling would work. Chard, caramelized onion and feta sounds interesting too, but maybe that’s just me looking for ways to use the chard.
I would make a pumpkin batter filled with sweet, cinnamon pecans. Or perhaps a corn batter filled with pepper jack cheese or sharp cheddar!
I am thinking brie with roasted garlic, or perhaps a black rasberry jam with the brie.
I didn’t look through all the comments, but did someone say this pan would be great to make uppo (appo)? They are rice cakes that are pan fried instead of steamed. The batter is rice and dal…I need to look for the recipe…
So many great ideas! We will definitely be referencing this list for inspiration! Thank you all and congrats to Jaime!
I would make brie with apple and crushed pecans to celebrate autumn! I am so excited I found your blog thru your book and can’t wait to try all the new inspirations!
Having tasted a Japanese snack food called takoyaki, led to look for a takoyaki pan. Searching on the internet led me to this multi-tasker/multi name pan. I can’t find it here in Canada, so here is hoping I win. If I win, I would make a pumpkin spiced aebleskiver and nutella filled aebleskiver.
Hello,
Could someone help me out? Is a cast iron aebleskiver pan better than a cast aluminum non-stick pan such as the one sold at williams Sonoma? What kind of pan does Zoe show in the photo give away? It appars different from the one that Zoe uses in the cooking pictures? Thank you so much! I LOVE your site.
Hi Susan,
It is a cast iron pan from Aunt Else’s that had not been seasoned yet.
I’ve never used an aluminum pan for aebleskiver.
Thanks, Zoë
Zoe,
Thank you ever so much for your prompt reply. By the way, I bought your Artisan Book several months ago and love it. You rock!
Susan
My husband just bought me a pan in Solvang over the weekend. I can’t wait to start making my way through the list of ideas above!! I might have to have an aebleskiver party!! I love your site! Thanks!
I would love to win this, my Mother in law’s family has made these for years. They are a family favorite but of course I cannot have the pan, only to borrow it on a rare occasion. So for my little guys I would have to start off with our traditional apple filled, then if they have room left there is always chocolate mousse filled too. Mmmmm, cannot wait!
oh my gosh, the possibilities are endless! maybe a pizza combination with mozzarella, tomato sauce, herbs and veggies? or goat cheese. or maybe ricotta with honey and orange zest? yum!
I want to try making them stuffed with pumpkin butter or some type of a pumpkin filling and then dip them in a warm maple syrup that has been spiced.
I’d make them sausage & mozzarella pizza stuffed.
However, our family loves the good old fashioned plain version with a touch of cinnamon & extra sugar. With a delicious apple syrup to dip in. YUM!
I am all about ebelskivers right now! It was tradition in our house to make them on Christmas, and I am searching for a good pan to continue that tradition w/ my family! I love the traditional applesauce/powered sugar combo. I hadn’t even considered all these other amazing recipes! Wow! Thanks for the chance to win!
I am thinking a filling of spicy sweet potatoes or yams, roasted with garam masala, ground cayenne and maple syrup. Then pop them open warm and adorn with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a mint sprig.
I love aebleskivers! A friend introduced them to me a few years ago, but never with filling. With this particular group of friend he is the only one that makes them and they are a special birthday (or other special occasion) breakfast.
Let’s see, stuffing them I would probably start with cranberry, walnut and brie, like a brie en croute, but different.
Or carmalized onions,spinach and feta.
Maybe even use up some leftover roasted garlic potatoes as a stuffing, with a small amount of cheddar, or other sharp cheese.
On the sweet side, spiced pecans with a little bit of brown sugar.
Something basic like strawberry preserves. Oooh, or since holiday baking is coming up, use up the dry ends trimmed from fudge to fill the middle.
My roommate grew up in Africa and has me hooked on the traditional curry chicken her family serves, this usually includes the chicken in a curry sauce and then toppings that include bananas, tomatoes, peanuts, coconut, raisins and probably something I’m forgetting, on top of rice. I think I would probably try a shredded curry chicken and rice inside with a tad of extra curry chicken and toppings around.
On the other hand, I also am a big fan of spiced drinks such as chai, or spiced apple cider or spiced cranberry juice. I grew up with my mom serving the aebleskivers with powdered sugar and maple syrup or lemon juice, but to go with bit more of a spiced fall-ish feel I would probably try for a cinnamon spiced vanilla creme (like they put in vanilla filled chocolates) with light powdered sugar on the outside.
I have a sweet tooth so I think I would first try some Cinnamon-bun filled pancakes. There is a great Recipe for them on the William Sonoma site. I was also thinking that Num Kroot Nung with pork or shrimp sounded fabulous since I do love Asian food! I have wanted one of these for years but it always seems like there is no $ left once the necesaties are taken care of. The possibilities are endless….
I love to make these with my daughter. She likes hers plan on the inside, with syrup poured over them. I would like to try them with fresh blueberries inside. I love your blog!