Traditional Kaiserschmarrn Recipe: Austrian Pancakes
There are days when you want a meal that feels like a warm hug. And for me, that usually comes in the form of a traditional Kaiserschmarrn recipe. Think: sweet fluffy pancake, torn into golden brown bite-sized pieces, dusted with icing sugar, and served with plum compote or applesauce. Pure heaven. As a working mum who’s juggling meetings, washing, and small humans asking for snacks every 12 minutes, these Austrian pancakes with applesauce have become my go-to comfort fix. Easy, nostalgic, filling, and just the right amount of indulgent for a midweek dinner or lazy Sunday brunch.
Now, if you’ve never tried Kaiserschmarrn before, imagine the lovechild of a fluffy pancake and a bread pudding, ripped into smaller pieces like a toddler got to it first (fitting, right?). Legend has it the original Kaiserschmarrn recipe was whipped up by a royal chef for Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, who wanted something light and sweet for his wife, Elisabeth of Bavaria – who, let’s be honest, had a rather austere husband and a minimal waistline to maintain. The chef botched the pancake, tried to fix it by fluffing and caramelizing it, and voilà, the emperor’s mess, or kaiserschmarrn, was born.
Fast forward to today, and here we are, still flipping this traditional Austrian kaiserschmarrn recipe in our kitchens, side-eyeing our kids who claim they’re “not hungry” after having been “starving” just a minute ago, but will happily devour this pancake dessert in seconds. Whether you call it a shredded pancake, a sweet treat, or just “that Austrian dessert mummy makes”, it’s a keeper. And hey, if the Europeans swears by it, who are we to argue?
I like to serve my Austrian pancakes with applesauce or a deep, spiced plum compote, depending on the season. But you can absolutely go rogue with fruit preserves, plum jam, or even a scoop of ice cream if the mood calls for it (which, let’s be real, it often does). And if it’s just for the grown-ups, add some rum-soaked raisins, too.
What is the difference between Kaiserschmarrn and pancakes?
Unlike your typical regular pancake, a traditional Kaiserschmarrn recipe starts with a fluffier, sweet batter that includes beaten egg whites for volume. It’s cooked on medium heat until golden, then shredded into bite-sized pieces. So instead of neat stacks, you get a glorious mess of fluffy, caramelized pancake bits. Easy, Austrian cuisine at its finest!
How to serve Kaiserschmarrn?
The best way? Warm, dusted with icing sugar, and served with a side of fruit compote like plum sauce or apple sauce. For full flair, plate it up in a cast iron pan or large skillet, and offer vanilla sugar and maybe a drizzle of maple syrup or little sugar for the sweet tooths in your house.
Can you make Kaiserschmarrn in advance?
Technically yes, but it’s so much better fresh from the hot pan. If you must prep ahead, make the kaiserschmarrn batter and store it in the fridge, then pour batter into a large frying pan when you’re ready to cook. You’ll still get that crisp bottom of the pancake and soft interior with a bit of planning.
Ingredients for Austrian Pancakes with Applesauce
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 egg whites
- 300g flour
- 500ml milk
- 1 packet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 2 tbsp rum to soak 80g raisins (or plain drained raisins)
- 3 tbsp butter
- To serve: plum compote, my old fashioned apple sauce, plum jam, or fruit preserves
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Traditional Kaiserschmarrn Recipe
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla sugar, and milk until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour and a pinch of salt, stirring to make a smooth batter.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter using a rubber spatula.
- Melt butter in a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-low heat.
- Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle with half the rum-soaked raisins if using. Cook until the bottom of the pancake is set and golden brown.
- Flip and use two forks to immediately tear the pancake into smaller pieces. Keep in the pan until cooked through.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve with your choice of plum sauce, apple sauce, or a side of fruit compote.
Why You’ll Love This
This traditional Austrian kaiserschmarrn recipe ticks all the boxes for busy mums: it’s quick, cozy, and made from ingredients you probably have on hand. It’s also wonderfully forgiving – whether it comes out in neat small pieces or gloriously messy pancakes, it always tastes divine. I love that it’s filling, too. What better lunch to serve on a day where everyone is grumpy and in a rush? However your day looks, traditional kaiserschmarrn recipes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or light dessert after a main dish.
Tips & Tricks
- For that perfect flip, wait until you see little bubbles on the top of the pancake and the edges start to firm up.
- Want a deeper caramelized finish? Sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar on the bottom of the pancake before flipping.
- Cooking for a crowd? Use the oven method: pour the batter into a buttered baking dish and bake at 180°C until puffed and set. Then shred.
Other Desserts you may like
Easy Substitutions
- Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 GF flour blend. Just keep an eye on the texture of the pancake batter.
- Dairy-free? Swap in your favourite plant milk and use vegan butter or coconut oil in the hot pan.
- Egg-free? Sorry, friend, this one leans heavily on egg yolks and beaten egg whites. You could try an aquafaba experiment. If you do, let me know how it turns out 🙂
- No vanilla sugar? Sub in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tbsp sugar.
So next time you’re craving a sweet fluffy pancake but want to feel just a bit fancy, whip up a batch of Austrian pancakes with applesauce. Trust me, once you’ve tasted the original Kaiserschmarrn recipe, there’s no going back to basic pancake life.
Now go on, grab that large bowl and give this classic dessert the royal treatment it deserves.
Traditional Kaiserschmarrn Recipe: Austrian Pancakes
The lovechild of a fluffy pancake and a bread pudding.
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 egg whites
- 300g flour
- 500ml milk
- 1 packet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 2 tbsp rum to soak 80g raisins (or plain drained raisins)
- 3 tbsp butter
- To serve: plum compote, apple sauce, plum jam, or fruit preserves
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla sugar, and milk until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour and a pinch of salt, stirring to make a smooth batter.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter using a rubber spatula.
- Melt butter in a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-low heat.
- Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle with half the rum-soaked raisins if using. Cook until the bottom of the pancake is set and golden brown.
- Flip and use two forks to immediately tear the pancake into smaller pieces. Keep in the pan until cooked through.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve with your choice of plum sauce, apple sauce, or a side of fruit compote.
Notes
- For that perfect flip, wait until you see little bubbles on the top of the pancake and the edges start to firm up.
- Want a deeper caramelized finish? Sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar on the bottom of the pancake before flipping.
- Cooking for a crowd? Use the oven method: pour the batter into a buttered baking dish and bake at 180°C until puffed and set. Then shred.
