Finnish oven pancake, or pannukakku, is a traditional Finnish pancake baked in the oven on a sheet pan. It is a familiar dessert in Finnish homes and restaurants and is especially well known as the sweet finish to a serving of Finnish pea soup, a traditional Thursday meal in Finland.
A Traditional Finnish Dessert
Pannukakku has long been part of Finnish home cooking. Families serve it as dessert throughout the week, often with jam, berries, or whipped cream. It is especially associated with pea soup, traditionally served on Thursdays. If you are in Finland or visiting, look for this combination on restaurant lunch menus on Thursdays. You can also find pannukakku on menus on other days, of course.
In my family, oven pancake was a common dessert when I was growing up. It is straightforward to prepare, and this recipe makes a large pancake that serves about 8–10 people.
How to Make Finnish Oven Pancake
The batter is made with everyday ingredients: milk, eggs, flour, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla sugar, and baking powder. After mixing, the batter rests in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes before it is poured onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and baked.
The batter is quite thin, and the pancake puffs up as it bakes. It will usually settle a little as it cools, which is completely normal. Different ovens and baking sheets can affect the exact baking time, so look for a golden surface and a pancake that is set in the centre.
I usually add three teaspoons of vanilla sugar to the batter, but two teaspoons is also very common. Either amount works well, so you can adjust it according to your taste.
What to Serve with Pannukakku
You can find that there are many ways to serve Finnish oven pancake. Different kinds of jam are traditional, and raspberry jam is one of my favorites. Fresh berries also work well, especially when served with whipped cream.
You can also serve pannukakku with vanilla custard or ice cream. Whether you keep it simple with jam or add whipped cream and berries, the pancake makes a generous dessert that is easy to share.
If you are looking for more Finnish recipes, check out my Finnish recipes for more traditional dishes from Finnish home cooking. If you would like to make the traditional pea soup and oven pancake combination at home, you can find my recipe for Finnish Pea Soup here.
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Finnish Oven Pancake (Pannukakku)
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (for melting butter)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 100 g butter 7 tbsp
- 800 ml (3 ⅓ cups) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 400 g (about 3 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 2-3 tsp vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Mix the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
- Pour the milk into a large bowl and whisk in the dry ingredients.
- Add the slightly cooled melted butter, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate the batter for 20–30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour in the batter.
- Bake on the middle rack at 200°C (400°F) for about 30 minutes, until the pancake is golden and set.
- Let it cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Serving:
Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream flavored with vanilla sugar and your favorite jam. The batter is quite thin, which is normal for Finnish oven pancake.Letting the batter rest in the refrigerator before baking allows the flour to hydrate and helps give the pancake its characteristic texture.
The pancake may puff up in the oven and settle slightly as it cools.
