Danish Aebleskiver: Fluffy Pancake Puffs with Spiced Apple Butter for Cool Fall Mornings

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt together in a large bowl.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup spiced apple butter, for filling and serving
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt together in a large bowl.
2. In a second bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. A few lumps are fine.
3. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until they hold soft peaks, then fold them gently into the batter in two additions so it stays light and airy.
4. Heat an aebleskiver pan over medium heat and brush each well generously with butter. When the butter sizzles, fill each well about two-thirds full with batter.
5. Drop a small teaspoon of apple butter into the center of each one and cover with a little more batter.
6. After about 2 minutes, when the edges look set and the bottoms are golden, use a wooden skewer or chopstick to turn each puff a quarter turn so the raw batter runs down into the well.
7. Keep turning every 30 to 40 seconds until each puff is a complete, evenly browned sphere, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Keep the finished ones warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
8. Dust with powdered sugar and serve hot with extra apple butter for dipping.
9. Aebleskiver have been turned in cast-iron pans across Denmark since at least the 1700s, and the cardamom-scented batter is a staple of autumn and Advent mornings. Danes traditionally serve them with jam and glogg, but the spiced apple butter here leans into the harvest season, when orchards across Jutland and Funen are picking their last crop and every kitchen smells of cinnamon and cooked apples.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 11g
• Fat: 13g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 22g
• Sodium: 520mg