German Pancakes (Eierkuchen)

Name: German Pancakes (Eierkuchen)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Germany
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 3 large eggs; 1 1/3 cups (320 ml) whole milk; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional); 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter, plus a little extra for the pan; Cinnamon sugar, jam or applesauce, to serve

Eierkuchen Say it: EYE-er-koo-khen

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 6, 2026.

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Eierkuchen are the big, thin pancakes of Berlin and eastern Germany — wider and flatter than a puffy American stack, sturdier than a French crêpe and a little richer with egg. They are everyday home food, cooked in a wide pan and eaten sweet with cinnamon sugar, jam or applesauce. The batter comes together in minutes, the pancakes taste mild and eggy, and the edges crisp while the middle stays soft and foldable.

German Pancakes (Eierkuchen)

Eierkuchen

Pronounced EYE-er-koo-khen

Serves: 4
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Level: Easy

Vegetarian

Also nut-free.

Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

Batter

2 cups (250 g)250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups (320 ml)320 ml (1 1/3 cups) whole milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

For frying and serving

3 tablespoons (45 g)45 g (3 tablespoons) butter, plus a little extra for the pan
Cinnamon sugar, jam or applesauce, to serve

Method

Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar and salt in a large bowl until completely blended and slightly frothy.
Add the flour in two or three additions, whisking well after each, until the batter is smooth and pourable — thin, like heavy cream, with no dry lumps left.
Stir in the cinnamon if using, then let the batter rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes so the flour hydrates and the pancakes cook more evenly.
Heat a wide non-stick or cast-iron skillet, about 10 to 11 inches (25 to 28 cm), over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter until it foams but has not begun to brown.
Pour in a scant 1/2 cup (120 ml) of batter and immediately tilt and swirl the pan so it runs into a thin, even round.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the surface looks set and matte, small bubbles appear and the edge lifts from the pan and turns lacy and golden.
Flip with a spatula and cook about 1 minute more, until the underside is golden with a few darker spots. Slide onto a plate and keep warm.
Wipe the pan if needed, melt another piece of butter and repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the finished pancakes loosely.
Serve warm, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or spread with jam or applesauce, folding or rolling each pancake as you eat it.

Regional variant: Apple Eierkuchen (Apfeleierkuchen)

Peel, core and thinly slice 2 tart apples, then fry them in the butter in the hot pan for 2 to 3 minutes with 1 tablespoon sugar and a pinch of cinnamon until just softening. Spread them evenly over the pan, pour the batter on top and cook as above, turning carefully so the apple layer stays intact. Serve apple side up with extra cinnamon sugar.

Cook's notes

Let the batter rest — even 20 minutes makes the pancakes more tender and less likely to tear.
Keep the heat at medium: too hot and the butter burns before the middle sets, too cool and the pancakes turn pale and rubbery.
The first pancake is always the test one; loosen the batter with a splash of milk if it feels too thick to swirl.

Serve with

Cinnamon sugar, plum or cherry jam, applesauce, and a cup of coffee or black tea.

Make ahead and storage

The batter can be mixed up to 12 hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge; cooked pancakes keep 2 days refrigerated and reheat in a dry pan for 30 seconds a side.

German Pancakes (Eierkuchen)