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.
Jump to:
- Recipe Ingredients Notes
- What are Palatschinken?
- What is the difference between Palatschinken and Crepe?
- How to make the Gluten Free Palatschinken Batter
- How to make Palatschinken
- Serving
- Storage & Make Ahead
- FAQ about Gluten Free Palatschinken
- Join my Gluten Free Community!
- Note about Salt in my Recipes
- Baking in grams
- Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
- Substitutions and Modifications
- More Austrian Recipes to try
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
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:
- With Powdered Sugar: Just dust the palatschinken with some fine powder sugar, maybe squeeze some lemon juice on them and enjoy.
- With Fruit: Palatschinken pairs well with a variety of fresh or cooked fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, or stewed apples.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Pour the batter into the center of a hot and buttered pan, then lift and twirl the pan to stretch the batter as far out as possible. This technique is crucial for creating thin palatschinken, which have a better texture. It may sound difficult, but it's actually quite easy once you practiced a few times.
Yes, if you don't have celiac or a wheat allergy you may use 60 grams of regular all purpose flour to make this recipe.
Palatschinken and palacsinta originated in Central Europe, specifically in Austria and Hungary. The German word "palatschinken" is used in Austria, while in Hungary, the dish is known as "palacsinta".
The right consistency of the batter should be thin and runny, with a texture similar to heavy cream. The batter should be able to flow smoothly and evenly across the surface of the crepe pan or skillet when poured, creating a thin and delicate palatschinken.
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Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
More Austrian Recipes to try
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Palatschinken
Learn how to make Gluten Free Palatschinken, a versatile and delicious Austrian version of crepe, with this easy-to-follow recipe.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Palatschinken
- 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
- powdered sugar
- your favorite jam, nutella, fresh fruit
Instructions
How to make Gluten Free Palatschinken Batter
- Melt the 15 grams of butter and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- In a medium bowl combine the eggs, sugar, and cooled, melted butter and whisk together.
- Add the gluten-free flour and kosher salt and whisk until combined. The batter may appear thick.
- Gradually add the milk and whisk until a smooth batter has formed.
- Transfer the batter to the fridge and allow to rest for 15-30 minutes (up to one day)
How to make Palatschinken
- Remove the batter from the refrigerator and add a shot of sparkling water to it. With a whisk carefully whisk the batter until smooth.
- 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*
- 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.
- Once you flipped the palatschinken, cook it over medium-high heat for 30 seconds until set.
- 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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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 150
Calories are a guestimate and randomly generated.
Laura says
WOW! Thank you for posting this - I'm so excited!! my grandmother came from Hungary and we had lost this recipe many years ago when she could no longer remember it. It was her specialty, and of course she never wrote it down. And now I can even have it gf?!! so exciting! I'm making it tomorrow. I saw the note about not using Cup4Cup. Which do you think would be better- Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour or their 1:1 blend? THANKS!
Daniela says
I don't use Bob's All Purpose Flour (the red bag). I only use the blue bag - Bob's 1:1 blend
Laura says
Thank you so much!
Adeena says
Do you think this will work with almond flour or coconut flour?
Daniela says
No, that would not work
Tamara Miller says
Could oat milk be a substitute for the milk?
Daniela says
Hello, as stated in the Recipe Ingredient Notes, any percentage of milk or non-dairy milk works in this Gluten Free Pancake Recipe.
Courtney E says
Yes! These were so easy and delicious! My kids were devouring them as soon as they came off the pan. A keeper for sure!
Trey says
These look amazing! Do you think these could be used to make a crepe cake?
Daniela says
100% !
Marta says
There is a product that is exactly like Quark in the US. The brand is Lifeway and is sold as farmer's cheese. I am from Hungary and been very happy to find it.
Dry curd cottage cheese can be also pretty close, but not exactly the same.
Daniela says
Farmers Cheese is not the same as Topfen/Quark sold in Austria and Germany.
Ingrid King says
I, too, mourn the fact that Topfen or Quark are so hard to find in the US. However, my local Whole Foods, and sometimes Wegman's, carry it. I've tried substituting Greek Yogurt, but it's just not quite the same as a Topfen Palatschinken!
Daniela says
I just don’t get why it’s not a thing in the US? maybe time for me to buy a herd of cows 🤣