Gluten Free Palatschinken

Are you tired of the same old pancakes or waffles for breakfast? Why not try something new and delicious? Introducing Gluten Free Palatschinken, a traditional Austrian dish that is similar to crepes or thin pancakes. Palatschinken are easy to make and can be served with a variety of sweet or savory fillings, making them a versatile option for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, you're sure to fall in love with this European favorite.

Recipe Ingredients Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Palatschinken with Bob's Red Mill 1-1, King Arthur Measure for Measure and Cup4Cup. While Bob's and King Arthurs gluten-free flour works wonderfully here, I do not recommend Cup4Cup at all. It produces a very gummy-looking batter that will not spread thin in the saute pan.

Milk: Any percentage of milk or non-dairy milk works in this Gluten Free Pancake Recipe.

Sugar: This recipe is only lightly sweetened. I don't recommend skipping the sugar unless you prepare to use a savory filling or use the Palatschinken to make Frittatensuppe (thin strips of pancake, called frittaten in Austrian German, in a clear beef or vegetable broth)

Sparkling Water: After the batter has been rested, I like to add a little bit of sparkling water to it. The carbon dioxide in the sparkling water creates small air pockets in the batter, which can result in pancakes that are slightly fluffier and more delicate in texture. It also helps to thin out the batter a bit to make it easier to spread around the pan. One can also use regular tap water but it will not provide the same effect.

Fillings: My family serves gluten-free palatschinken with my Grandma's Homemade Apricot Jam or just a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and some lemon juice. For special occasions, we serve them with Nutella. Sadly there is no such thing as Topfen (Quark) in the US because Topfenpalatschinken are the real treat!

Butter for Pan: Personally I like to use butter or ghee when cooking up the Austrian version of pancakes but some people like to use a neutral tasting oil.

What are Palatschinken?

Palatschinken (pronounced pah-lah-chin-ken) are thin, sweet pancakes that are a traditional dessert in several European countries, including Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. They are similar to French crêpes but are typically a bit thicker and softer.

The basic ingredients for Palatschinken are eggs, flour, butter, milk, and sugar. The batter is usually mixed until smooth. Then poured onto a hot, buttered skillet or griddle, where it is cooked on both sides until golden brown.

People can serve Palatschinken in a variety of ways, both sweet and savory. In Austria and many other European countries, they frequently serve them with sweet fillings such as fruit jam, chocolate, or Nutella, as well as with fresh fruit and whipped cream. They also serve them as a main course with savoury fillings such as cheese, ham, spinach, or mushrooms.

A personal favorite are "Eispalatschinken" - still warm gluten free palatschinken served with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream and a generous pour of homemade fudge sauce. And of course sprinkles.

What is the difference between Palatschinken and Crepe?

Crepes and Gluten Free Palatschinken are both thin pancakes that are made from a similar batter of flour, eggs, milk, and salt. However, there are some differences between the two:

Origin: French cuisine commonly associates crepes, whereas Central and Eastern European cuisines, particularly Austria and Hungary, more commonly associate Palatschinken (often called Omletten in certain parts of Austria)

Thickness: Palatschinken are typically thicker than the french version, although the difference in thickness can be subtle.

Filling: The fillings for crepes and Palatschinken can vary, but there are some traditional differences. People often fill crepes with sweet ingredients like fruit jam, Nutella, or whipped cream. In contrast, people can fill Palatschinke with either sweet or savory fillings, such as cheese, ham, spinach, or mushrooms.

Overall, the differences between crepes and Palatschinken are fairly subtle, and the two dishes are quite similar.

How to make the Gluten Free Palatschinken Batter

The batter for Palatschinken is a very basic recipe and straightforward. It does not contain any leaving agents or flavorings (unlike thick American pancakes). You always add a teaspoon vanilla extract if you like. To make the batter you really just need a bowl and a whisk. Allowing gluten free palatschinken batter to rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking can help to ensure that they turn out light, tender, and flavorful.

Step 1: Melt the 15 grams of butter and allow to cool for a few minutes. The butter can help to tenderize the flour, resulting in a softer and more tender palatschinken.

Step 2: In a medium bowl combine the eggs, sugar, and cooled, melted butter and whisk together.

Step 3: Add the gluten-free flour and kosher salt and whisk until combined. The batter may appear thick.

Step 4: Gradually add the milk and whisk until a smooth batter has formed. Use a spatula to stir it a few times to ensure all the ingredients are fully combined. Transfer the bowl to the fridge and allow to rest for 15-30 minutes.

How to make Palatschinken

The key to cooking palatschinken is a good skillet that is not too heavy. I use an 8-inch non stick pan but still butter my skillet between each palatschinken too.

Step 1: Remove the batter from the refrigerator and add a shot of sparkling water to it. With a whisk carefully whisk the batter until smooth. Sparkling water not only helps with creating tender pancakes but also helps to thin out the batter. This makes it a bit easier to spread around the pan. One can also use regular tap water but it will not provide the same effect.

Step 2: Melt around 1 teaspoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Make sure the entire bottom of the pan is well-buttered. Add about ¼ - ⅓ cup batter into the center of the pan and then swirl the pan to create a thin and even layer coating the bottom. *If you use a bigger than 8-inch pan please adjust batter amount accordingly*

Step 3: Cook the Palatschinken over low temperature until appears to be set, making sure not to burn the edges. With a spatula carefully loosen the edges of gluten-free palatschinken and flip it over. You can totally use your fingers to do this. Don't worry if the first pancake looks a bit rough. In my family, we refer to that one as a "Kitchen Snack"

Step 4: Once you flipped the palatschinken, cook it over medium-high heat for 30 seconds until set.

Step 5: Transfer the gluten free palatschinken to a large plate and repeat with the remaining batter. Make sure to butter the frying pan in between each palatschinken. As you cook the remaining batter, the radiant heat from each crepe piled on top of one another keeps them all warm. So there is no need to place the cooked palatschinken in the oven (which normally just tries them out).

Serving

Palatschinken can be served in many ways. Here are some popular ways to serve them:

1. With Powdered Sugar: Just dust the palatschinken with some fine powder sugar, maybe squeeze some lemon juice on them and enjoy.
2. With Fruit: Palatschinken pairs well with a variety of fresh or cooked fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, or stewed apples.
3. With Nutella or jam: With a spoon or an offset knife spread a generous layer of Nutella, peanut butter, or your favorite jam on the inside of the palatschinken before rolling it up (jelly-roll style). Apricot jam makes for a classic Viennese sweet fillings.
4. With savory fillings: Palatschinken can also be served with savory fillings, such as ham and cheese, spinach and feta, or mushrooms and onions. Simply fill the palatschinken with your desired ingredients and fold them up.
5. With ice cream: For a decadent dessert, fill the palatschinken with a scoop of your favorite ice cream and top it with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or caramel sauce.

No matter how you serve them, palatschinken are a delicious treat that can be enjoyed any time of day.

Storage & Make Ahead

Since this recipe only makes 6-8 palatschinken, depending on the size of pan used, I don't think you will have a lot of leftovers to deal with. If you are a "one-person household" you may even split the recipe in half.

Should I happen to have leftovers, I store them on a covered plate in the fridge for up to one day. To reheat them, I gently nuke them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

FAQ about Gluten Free Palatschinken

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 6-8 Palatschinken (Austrian Crepe)

Gluten Free Palatschinken

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Learn how to make Gluten Free Palatschinken, a versatile and delicious Austrian version of crepe, with this easy-to-follow recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time (Resting Batter) 30 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Gluten Free Palatschinken

Toggle ingredient group

• 15 grams unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs, large
• 15 grams granulated sugar
• 65 grams gluten free multi purpose flour
• ⅛th teaspoon kosher salt
• 165 grams milk, any percentage
• A generous dash of sparkling water (20-30 grams?)
• additional butter for the pan

For serving

Toggle ingredient group

• powdered sugar
• your favorite jam, nutella, fresh fruit

Instructions

How to make Gluten Free Palatschinken Batter

1. Melt the 15 grams of butter and allow to cool for a few minutes.
2. In a medium bowl combine the eggs, sugar, and cooled, melted butter and whisk together.
3. Add the gluten-free flour and kosher salt and whisk until combined. The batter may appear thick.
4. Gradually add the milk and whisk until a smooth batter has formed.
5. Transfer the batter to the fridge and allow to rest for 15-30 minutes (up to one day)

How to make Palatschinken

1. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and add a shot of sparkling water to it. With a whisk carefully whisk the batter until smooth.
2. Melt around 1 teaspoon of butter in an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Make sure the entire bottom of the pan is well-buttered. Add about ¼ - ⅓ cup batter into the center of the pan and then swirl the pan to create a thin and even layer coating the bottom. *If you use a bigger than 8-inch pan please adjust the batter amount accordingly*
3. Cook the Palatschinken over low temperature until appears to be set, making sure not to burn the edges. 
4. With a spatula carefully loosen the edges of gluten-free palatschinken and flip it over. You can totally use your fingers to do this.
5. Once you flipped the palatschinken, cook it over medium-high heat for 30 seconds until set.
6. Transfer the gluten free palatschinken to a large plate and repeat with the remaining batter. Make sure to butter the frying pan in between each palatschinken. As you cook the remaining batter, the radiant heat from each crepe piled on top of one another keeps them all warm. So there is no need to place the cooked palatschinken in the oven (which normally just tries them out).

Once you have used up all the batter, serve the gluten free palatschinken with your choice of filling such as jam (apricot jam is a favorite), Nutella or a savory filling.

Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I do not recommend using Cup4Cup for this application since it produced a very thick and gummy battern.

Flour: If you don't have celiac or a wheat allergy you may use 60 grams of regular all purpose flour to make this recipe.

Savory Palatschinken: If you would like to use a savory filling, feel free to omit the granulated sugar added to this recipe.

Keeping Palatschinken warm: As you cook the remaining batter, the radiant heat from each crepe piled on top of one another keeps them all warm. So there is no need to place the cooked palatschinken in the oven (which normally just tries them out).

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• 
  All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Cookware (8 Inch Fry Pan)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 150

Calories are a guestimate and randomly generated.

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