Swedish Pancake vs Crepe: What’s The Difference?

Pancakes are a popular breakfast food that you can find all over the globe because they’re easy to cook and have a delicious taste. So, you’ll find that a simple pancake also has many varieties, including the French crepes and Swedish pancake.

Crepes have similar ingredients to that of a Swedish pancake. After all, both of them are sub-types of pancakes themselves. However, if you ask a food connoisseur, they can make out the differences between them.

So, what is the difference between Swedish pancakes and Crepes?

It’s tough to tell the difference visually. However, the primary difference is that crepes are chewier and denser than Swedish pancakes, which are on the fluffier side.

In today’s article, we’ll talk more about Swedish pancakes, crepes, and the differences between them, so let’s get started.

What is Swedish Pancake?

Sweden is known for its pancakes. The Swedish Pancake or pannkaka was not originated by the Swedes, but they have certainly made it their own.

Pancakes have been a staple of Swedish cuisine since the 1500s and have inspired proverbs and ancient parables. But the Swedish people once regarded pancakes as a posh dish due to high-end components such as white flour and sugar.

Swedish pancakes are sweet, buttery, and have consistency between an American pancake and a French crepe in terms of thickness.

What Is Crepe?

You can consider crepes a thin pancake, and that’s what it is! Moreover, you can place savory or sweet ingredients inside and then fold them over the top of the crepe.

Sweet crepe and savory galettes are the 2 main varieties of crepe. Many different fillings can be used in crepes, from plain sugar to flambéed Suzette crepe to savory galettes filled with various ingredients.

The crepe that we know today originated in the Brittany area of western France. But people from all over the world eat it today due to its deliciousness. 

Swedish Pancake vs Crepe: Comparison Chart

If you want a quick glance at the differences between Swedish pancakes and crepes, the below-mentioned table will help.

What’s the Difference Between a Swedish Pancake and a Crepe?

Although both Swedish pancakes and crepes are types of pancakes, there are still differences in taste, origin, preparation, and recipes.

Origin

One of the most significant technical differences between a Swedish Pancake and a crepe is their origin. There is a vast difference in the origins of these two pancakes.

Swedish pancakes have been around probably since ancient times in Sweden, whereas the crepe, originated in Brittany, a western part of France.

Ingredients

There isn’t much of a difference in the ingredients between the two.

Both pancakes and crepes consist of basic ingredients including eggs, milk, flour, salt, and butter. However, note that the ratio and measurements differ significantly. 

Preparation

The most significant distinction between Swedish pancakes and crepes is the making method.

The Swedish pancake batter is somewhat less liquid than the French crepe batter. Also, the Swedish pancake requires only unsalted butter, whereas the French recipe calls for water.

The richness of Swedish pancakes is well-known. However, these pancakes are lighter, fluffier, and airier than other pancakes due to their high egg and butter content and low flour content.

The batter for Swedish pancakes is thicker, and it is placed into the skillet and halfway cooked before being flipped. On the other hand, crepes have the distinguishing feature: when the batter is placed onto a skillet, it runs across the pan’s surface.

Then, it typically spreads uniformly provided the batter is produced in the proper proportions.

Main recipe

The main recipe for both the pancakes is different, as mentioned earlier. Let’s understand how the recipes differ. 

Swedish pancakes:

Beat the eggs with a fork and add approximately a quarter cup of milk. Then, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. You can do this in a bowl with beaters or a blender.

Then, add additional milk and melted butter. Mix in the remaining flour and milk well.

When the skillet is hot, wipe it off with butter or oil. Next, pour a small layer of batter onto the pan and move it about until the batter is evenly distributed. It’s time to flip when the edges have bubbled and browned.

Crepes:

Whisk the flour and eggs together in a large mixing basin. Then, stir in the milk and water in a slow, steady stream. Finally, combine the salt and butter in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Oil a frying pan or skillet over medium to high heat. Using 1/4 cup of batter each crepe, add the batter onto the griddle. Then, tilt the pan in a circular motion to uniformly coat the surface with batter.

Cook for 2 minutes, or until the bottom of the crepe is light brown. Turn and cook the opposite side after loosening with a spatula. Serve immediately.

Hence, you can make out that the recipe is slightly different too!

Serving

Another difference is the way people serve these two.

Swedish pancakes are known for their sweetness. People often top them with lingonberry preserves or even yogurt. Traditionally, people serve them with a yellow split-pea soup.

On the other hand, crepes are often not sweet. So, you can fill it with a variety of flavors, both sweet and savory. For instance, stuffing with ham, cheese, spinach, and mushrooms are also popular options like banana and chocolate!

What’s the Difference Between Swedish Pancakes and American Pancakes?

Swedish pancakes have the same components as traditional American pancakes. However, they are usually thinner. In addition, they don’t have any leavening agents like baking powder/soda in them. 

American pancakes contain leavening agents most of the time. So, they are fluffier and sweeter than Swedish Pancakes.

What’s the Difference Between Norwegian Pancakes and Swedish Pancakes?

Pancakes in Norway are more similar to crepes. However, Norwegian pancakes are thicker and contain more eggs than Swedish pancakes. 

Related Questions

Are crepes French or Swedish?

Crepes are a French delicacy.

They originate from Brittany, a region in western France. Also, they are widely consumed and most popular in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, and many other countries.

Why are crepes better than pancakes?

Crepes are better than pancakes as they are thinner and softer. So, you can eat as much as you want. They’re also healthier than pancakes because they contain fewer calories.

Are crepes just thin pancakes?

You can say that crepes are a type of thin pancake. Sweet crepes (crêpes sucrées) and savoury galettes (crêpes salées) are the two most common types.