Japanese Souffle Pancakes

February 20, 2026

Fluffy Japanese Pancakes © kvalifood.com

The first time I had these pancakes was when my mother made them for me as a child in the 60s or 70s. So whatever they say about this being a new Japanese invention - my mother was there first :-) I had completely forgotten about them until they popped up on my social media. So don’t tell me TikTok is good for nothing.

Ingredients

Serves 2–3 | Approx. 30 minutes

Pancake Batter

3 egg whites
1 tsp clear vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 egg yolks
1½ tbsp milk
10 g butter, melted

Seeds from ½ vanilla pod (or vanilla paste)

¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp all-purpose flour

For Frying

25 g butter

For Serving

200 g fresh fruit (or berries )(e.g. orange segments, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
2½ dl crème fraîche (or Greek-style yogurt )

Directions

Prepare the Batter

Whip the egg whites until they form firm peaks.
Add the vinegar and gradually sprinkle in the sugar while continuing to whisk until glossy and stiff.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks with milk, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Stir the flour into the yolk mixture until fully combined.
Gently mix a spoonful of the whipped egg whites into the yolk batter to loosen it.
Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites using light movements to keep the mixture airy.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag for easier shaping in the pan.

Cook the Pancakes

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and melt half of the butter without browning it.
Spread the butter evenly across the pan surface.
Pipe small rounds of batter (about 5–6 cm wide) into the pan.
Cover with a lid and cook for about 3 minutes to allow them to rise and set.
Remove the lid, flip the pancakes carefully, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed.