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The Perfect Summer Fare
Pannekoeken and German pancakes are perfect for summer. It’s a great way to take advantage of the seasonal harvest from berries through apples—even though putting syrup on them like pancakes is delicious.
They’re quick so you’re not stuck in the kitchen long. In our kitchen, a pannekoeken bakes in eleven minutes. And you don’t have the oven on long enough to heat up the house.
But most of all, they’re luscious. Your family love them. Guests will be delighted. And you can make a different variation every time so no one gets tired of what you serve. (The German pancake above is a simple dish that baked in 15 minutes, was drizzled with lemon syrup, and loaded with chunks of strawberries.)
What’s the Difference Between German Pancakes and Pannekoeken?
I’ve often referred to pannekoeken as a Dutch version of a German pancake. That is, until some nice man said, “There is nothing German” about a pannekoeken!
They are different but similar. We use the same mix. The directions are different. On our packaged mixes, we have instructions for both.
Folks tend to use the tw
o names, German pancake and pannekoeken, interchangeably. But a German pancake is made in a casserole dish or baking pan, not a specialty pan as used for pannekoeken.
A pannekoeken rises in a giant bowl. Typically, but not always, the fruit is loaded in after the pannekoeken comes from the oven. A German pancake buckles and folds and most often, the fruit is baked in batter.
To the left is a pannekoeken about to come from the oven. That’s an eleven-inch pan. The sides of the pannekoeken are rising six- to eight-inches above the pan.
Below is a pannekoeken with the fruit, thin apple slices, baked in the batter. Because it was loaded with apples, it didn’t rise like most pannekoeken. Instead of eleven minutes, it was baked in fifteen. It was very good; just different.
1.1 German Pancakes
The strawberry German pancake above is typical but was not baked with fruit. Without fruit in the batter, it baked very quickly even in a 9 x13-inch pan.
Below is a German Pancake with apples baked in the batter. You can see how the batter folded over the apple slices. Debbie made that but I suspect it took 18 to 20 minutes to bake. 
The whipped cream is a caramel whipped cream made with brown sugar instead of white and caramel flavor instead of vanilla.
Usually German panckes have brown sugar sprinkled through the melted butter on the pan. That creates a crusty caramel crust. You can see that best on the strawberry German pancake at the top of this article.
Next is a huckleberry German pancakes with the berries baked in the batter.
1.2 Pannekoeken
The pannekoeken below is loaded with peaches, drizzled with a buttermilk syrup (caramel flavored), and topped with whipped cream, probably caramel. This is typical of many pannekoeken, though again, they are often served without the fruit, just syrup.
When we lived in Minnesota, there was a chain of restaurants that served pannekeoken breakfast, lunch and dinner. A breakfast pannekoeken might be made with scrambled eggs, a lunch version with veggies and a cheese sauce, and the dinner version made with taco fillings or like a shepherds pie.
Above is one made with scambled eggs and ham and the one below is made with taco fixings. 
1.3 For A German Pancake
You can use an appropriately sized pan. On the back of our mix is a table for anything from an 8×8-inch to a 9×13-inch pan.
Of course, you’ll need a mix or a recipe.
Save 50% on the mix. You can use this same mix for pannekoeken.
1.4 For a Pannekoeken
You don’t have to have a pannekoeken pan; the right nonstick skillet will work. The pan must have a very good nonstick surface—the batter must climb the walls of the pan as it bakes. The transition between the bottom of the pan and the sides must be rounded. If it is not, it will buckle instead of climb.
We have this super, crazy pannekoeken pan deal going on now.
Get a pannekoeken pan for $25 and over $23 in freebies to go with it:
- A large mix to make nine pannekoeken
- Two syrup mixes
- A Strawberry, Mushroom, and Egg Cutter worth $7.49.
Save 50% on the mix. You can use this same mix for pannekoeken.
I have this nifty 8 inch frying pan—a heavy, nonstick pan with a rounded profile from the bottom to the sides.
While an 11-inch pan makes a three egg pannekoeken, this little pan makes a super tall three egg pannekoeken. It’s a great utility pan. I use it for much more than pannekoeken. I recommend this pan.
See all of our Pannekoeken supplies here
About the Author
Dennis Weaver has burned food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He and his wife Merri Ann are the founders of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho and he is the author of How to Bake: The Art and Science of Baking available as an E-book.
Dennis and Merri Ann live in Rigby, Idaho. They have five wonderful children and six beautiful granddaughters