Poffertjes

Name: Poffertjes
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 250 g buckwheat flour (traditional, gives the signature flavour) — OR 100 g buckwheat + 150 g all-purpose flour as a milder substitute; 7 g instant dry yeast (or 21 g fresh yeast); 1 tbsp granulated sugar (1 tsp to feed the yeast, the rest in the batter); 0.5 tsp fine salt; 350 ml warm whole milk (38 °C); 2 large eggs; 30 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm for the batter; 50 g additional unsalted butter for the pan + finishing; 1 tbsp dark rum or vanilla extract (optional, traditional); To serve: 30 g cold unsalted butter cubes for topping, 60 g icing sugar to dust, stroopwafel syrup or maple syrup (optional), fresh berries (optional); Equipment: poffertjespan cast-iron pan with 24–30 dimples (or aebleskiver pan); small wooden skewer or chopstick for flipping

Poffertjes are Dutch yeast mini-pancakes — small, fluffy, with a moist center and golden surface. They are baked in a special pan with hemispherical indentations (poffertjespan), 12-20 at a time, quickly flipped with a skewer. The batter contains yeast (sometimes buckwheat), giving them an airy texture distinctly different from regular pancakes. Served with melted butter and powdered sugar, sometimes with cream or syrup. Poffertjes are the quintessential Dutch street food — at any fair, winter market, or kermesse you will find a poffertjes stand. The baking process, visible through the stand window, is itself a spectacle that draws children and adults alike.

Total time1h 30m

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyEasy

Cost$

Add to my meal plan

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

250 g buckwheat flour (traditional, gives the signature flavour) — OR 100 g buckwheat + 150 g all-purpose flour as a milder substitute
7 g instant dry yeast (or 21 g fresh yeast)
1 tbsp granulated sugar (1 tsp to feed the yeast, the rest in the batter)
0.5 tsp fine salt
350 ml warm whole milk (38 °C)
2 large eggs
30 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm for the batter
50 g additional unsalted butter for the pan + finishing
1 tbsp dark rum or vanilla extract (optional, traditional)
To serve: 30 g cold unsalted butter cubes for topping, 60 g icing sugar to dust, stroopwafel syrup or maple syrup (optional), fresh berries (optional)
Equipment: poffertjespan cast-iron pan with 24–30 dimples (or aebleskiver pan); small wooden skewer or chopstick for flipping

How to make it

1ACTIVATE THE YEAST: warm 350 ml milk in a saucepan to about 38 °C (lukewarm — comfortable on your wrist); pour into a large bowl, sprinkle 7 g instant dry yeast and 1 tsp sugar over the surface, and let stand 10 minutes until a creamy foam appears on top; if no foam, the yeast is dead — start over with fresh yeast.
2MAKE THE BATTER: whisk 2 eggs into the foamed yeast-milk until smooth; in a separate bowl, sift together 250 g buckwheat flour (or the buckwheat+all-purpose mix), the remaining 2 tsp sugar and 0.5 tsp salt; add the dry to the wet in two additions, whisking each time until smooth — no lumps; whisk in 30 g melted cooled butter and 1 tbsp rum (if using); the batter should be the consistency of thin cream that ribbons off the whisk.
3FIRST PROOF: cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm spot for 60 minutes, until the surface is covered with bubbles and the batter has risen noticeably (about 1.5× volume); the yeast develops the signature airy, slightly sour flavour of true poffertjes.
4STIR DOWN AND REST: gently stir the risen batter to deflate large bubbles; transfer to a squeeze bottle, jug or piping bag — the easiest way to portion accurately into the small dimples; let rest 10 minutes while the pan heats.
5HEAT THE POFFERTJESPAN: place a 24- or 30-dimple cast-iron poffertjespan over medium-low heat for 3 minutes until evenly hot (test with a drop of water — it should sizzle and evaporate in 2 seconds); use a folded paper towel dipped in melted butter to grease each dimple generously — every dimple must be coated or the poffertjes will stick.
6FILL THE DIMPLES: working fast, squeeze or pour batter into each dimple until 3/4 full (about 1 tbsp per dimple); wait 60–90 seconds until the edges are set and a golden ring forms around each one, with bubbles forming on the surface.
7FLIP EACH ONE: using a wooden skewer, pull each half-set poffertje up the side of its dimple and flip it upside down — the uncooked top batter will flow into the dimple, filling out a round ball; cook another 60–90 seconds until the second side is deep golden brown; each poffertje should be a fluffy round ball, golden on both sides, about 3 cm wide.
8SERVE IMMEDIATELY: slide 8–10 poffertjes onto each warm plate; top with a small knob of cold butter (it will melt and soak in) and a generous dust of icing sugar through a fine sieve; serve immediately — poffertjes turn rubbery within 5 minutes of being made; optional: drizzle stroopwafel syrup or scatter fresh berries.