Paleo Aebleskiver (with Cassava Flour)

I used to love indulging in aebleskiver. Also known as ebelskiver, Danish pancakes, appleskive, or European pancake puffs, these puffy sphere-shaped pancakes (typically topped with powdered sugar and jam) are a beloved Scandinavian dish. Years ago, they were also one of my favorite guilty pleasures. After having to turn to a grain-free lifestyle to manage my Crohn’s disease, I thought I’d never get to enjoy aebleskiver again. While I’m still unable to eat traditional aebleskiver, I think this recipe for Paleo aebleskiver is the next best thing. These Paleo aebleskiver, made with cassava flour, capture the essence of the real thing, with a soft and fluffy texture.

Love at First Bite

Years ago, I worked in Century City, and every Thursday, I would use my lunch break to attend the farmers market down the street. There was a booth where a nice Scandinavian couple sold aebleskiver which they would make fresh to order, topped with powdered sugar and jam. Instead of eating a normal lunch on Thursdays, I’d head straight to that booth and indulge in those little delectable pancake puffs each week.

Was it healthy? No (duh). I’d end up with what felt like a ball of lead in my stomach every time. But I didn’t care, because they were soooo delicious. (And I was a glutton for punishment. And complex carbs.) When I wasn’t partaking in the local farmers market offerings, I could also find authentic aebleskiver in Solvang, California.

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Aebleskiver: The Paleo Way

Fast forward to today, and I would be sent straight to the hospital after a “meal” like that. While I can no longer indulge in authentic aebleskiver, this recipe provides me a pretty darn good replacement. Made with Otto’s cassava flour, these Paleo Aebleskiver are grain-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free, yet they still deliver in taste and texture. Instead of powdered sugar and conventional jam, I top them with a little bit of real maple syrup, fresh fruit, or naturally-sweetened jam. Sometimes I even eat them plain (because they are just that good).

Best of all, they satisfy my aebleskiver cravings without the debilitating health reactions (and I’m no longer left with that feeling of lead in my stomach…yay!).

Like their traditional counterparts, these Paleo Aebleskiver are meant to be enjoyed as a treat, the same way that you might enjoy an occasional pancake breakfast. Even as a treat, it’s comforting to know they are made with healthier, easily-digested ingredients that won’t leave me with that heavy feeling (and won’t send me straight into a Crohn’s flare). They are still a guilty pleasure, I suppose, but with more of the pleasure and less of the guilt.

What Materials Will I Need to Make Paleo Aebleskiver?

You’ll need an aebleskiver pan (I prefer cast iron) and a pastry brush like this one to grease your aebleskiver pan. It’s also helpful to have bamboo skewers on hand, as you’ll need to rotate your aebleskiver as they are cooking (but don’t fret if you don’t have skewers, I’ve also successfully used two forks in a pinch).

If you’ve never made aebleskiver before, I suggest watching this video to see the proper way to rotate them while cooking. It may take a couple tries to get a perfectly round aebleskiver, but don’t worry: even the less perfect spheres are still delicious. Have fun and enjoy!

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Paleo Aebleskiver

(gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free)

Servings: 16 pancake puffs (approximately)

Ingredients

• 3 pasture-raised eggs
• ¾ cup full-fat additive-free coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil, melted
• 2 Tbsp raw honey
• ½ tsp raw apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup Otto’s cassava flour
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill)
• 2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (optional, for extra protein)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• pinch of mineral salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut milk, coconut oil, honey, and ACV.
2. Fold in cassava flour, coconut flour, collagen peptides, baking soda, and salt.
3. Mix until batter is smooth. Let batter sit for about 10 minutes.

4. Heat an aebleskiver pan on low-medium heat. With a pastry brush, grease each crevice in the pan with coconut oil.

5. Pour batter into each crevice, filling each one almost to the top.

6. As batter starts to bubble, use 2 skewer sticks to slightly rotate each pancake puff in a "turn and twist" fashion.
7. Continue to rotate 4 or 5 times until the puffs are closed into round spheres.
8. Once fully cooked, remove from pan and serve with real maple syrup, fresh fruit, or naturally-sweetened jam. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you’ve never made aebleskiver before, I suggest watching this video to see the proper way to rotate them while cooking.