Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (2024)

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Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (1)

by: Gerhild Fulson / Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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Kaiserschmarrn, aka Torn or Scrambled Pancakes, are among those homemade pancake recipes that will remind you of Oma's kitchen. This is actually an Austrian dessert, but it's become a traditional German pancake dish. Many serve it as a dessert, while many also enjoy it for Sunday brunch.

It isn't hard to find Kaiserschmarrn around Germany, especially in Bavaria where it is most popular. Look for it particularly at the outdoor vendors during Oktoberfest, but you'll also find it served in restaurants.

Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (4)

Above are the Kaiserschmarrn my granddaughter, Lydia, made as she was staying over for a sleepover ... many, many years ago. We had so much fun making these. Watching her creatively decorate them with fresh fruit and teaching her how to dust them with powdered sugar (using a sieve) was almost as much fun as we had devouring them. Precious memories.

More Schmarrn ...

  • There's one made with bread called "Semmelschmarrn"
  • One made with Cream of Wheat called "Grießschmarrn"
  • Being German, of course there's one made with potatoes called "Kartoffelschmarrn"

All these Schmarrn are true comfort food! So perfect for imperfect times, such as these.

Kaiserschmarrn Fun Facts

Schmarrn is a 16th century German word meaning "to smear" or "to pain". Now-a-days, it means "rubbish". It's difficult to figure out the connection of those meanings with this delectable treat! And "Kaiser" means "emperor". So, the name Kaiserschmarrn means, "Emperor's _?_ ". :)

Kaiserschmarrn first made an appearance during the time just before the 20th century. Another name for this is The dessert of the Emperor. It is also called Emperor’s Mess! I guess one could say it looks like a mess with all those small pieces of pancakes. But, such a delicious mess!

It seems we have a great imperial chef to thank for inventing such a spectacular treat! It was first made and served to the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. I'll bet his royal chef had no idea this sweet fluffy pancake would become such a hit across his country, and then the world!

Need that “all’s good with the world” feeling? Comfort food will do that. Get your copy of Oma's German favorites in herComfort Foods e-Cookbook.

Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (5)

Take a peek at all Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!

How I discovered Kaiserschmarrn

Since my Mutti was from northern Germany, this dish was unknown to us. Several years ago, one of our readers, Roger, was looking for a recipe forCrostedi. I was finally able to track it down as Kratzeti which is the Austrian name for these pancakes.

Lydia Remembers...

I have so many Wunderbar memories in the kitchen with my Oma, and have had MANY of her most popular and traditional recipes, like this kaiserschmarrn!

Kaiserschmarrn has by far become one of my favorite recipes I've made with Oma, and is one that I certainly don't make enough.

I remember making this recipe for the first time with Oma at one of our sleepovers, and my favorite part was getting to tear it up, of course. There aren't many recipes where you get to rip it apart into smaller pieces after you make it. It's always, "Don't play with your food, Lydia.".... Well, that's the best part about kaiserschmarrn!

Seeing as I'm not much of a morning person, it's got to be a pretty Wunderbar recipe for me to want to cook so early. ;) This recipe is sooo worth it! Between this one and theGerman apple pancake,even the not so early-birds will love this breakfast recipe! But the great thing about kaiserschmarrn is that it can be served anytime! Breakfast, lunch, or dinner! I've certainly had it for all three.

Dusted with a little confectioners' sugar on top of the kaiserschmarrn and my favorite fruits on the side...YUM! You can serve it with whichever fruit you'd like! Or try it with syrup, even whipped cream, and make it a dessert!

With a recipe so versatile, there are no rights and wrongs, just have fun!

Learn a little bit about me,Lydia, and my kitchen adventures with Oma!

What to serve with Kaiserschmarrn

The traditional side for this is a plum compote. Alternatively, baked plums or plum jam would be delicious. Apple sauce is also often served with this or a side of fruit compote.

I think a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be awesome as well, after all, this isn't just a regular pancake.

Ready to make Kaiserschmarrn?

Is the recipe below locked?Here'swhy.

Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (7)

Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes

Kaiserschmarrn, aka Torn or Scrambled Pancakes, are among those homemade pancakes recipes that will remind you of Oma's kitchen. Served at breakfast, lunch, or a light supper, you'll find it a reminder of Oma's kitchen. Yummy, yummy!

This is real traditional German pancake dish that actually stems from Austria, but ... shhhh ... we won't tell.

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • ¾cup (98 grams) all purpose flour
  • ½cup (120 milliliter) milk
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons (26 grams) granulated sugar
  • 4 ounces (113 grams) raisins
  • 4 tablespoons(56 grams) butter, divided
  • powdered sugar to sprinkle over pancakes

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together egg yolks, flour, milk, salt, baking powder and sugar till well mixed. Let batter stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
  3. Gently fold the stiff egg whites into batter.
  4. Gently fold in raisins.
  5. In a large frying pan, melt 2 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Pour in the pancake batter into the hot pan and fry until golden brown on the bottom.
  6. Flip pancake, adding 2 tablespoons of butter, and continue to cook on other side until browned.
  7. Using two forks, tear pancake into bite-size pieces and continue cooking briefly.
  8. Serve, dusted with powdered sugar. Tastes great served with fruit or fruit sauce.

Notes/Hints:

  • You can omit the raisins
  • Or, you can soak those raisins in rum first, then add the drained raisins to the batter.
  • Add 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, if desired
  • Another perfect "pancake" dish for breakfast, lunch, buffets and supper is the German apple pancake that's made in the oven. So goood as well!

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

10.07.2021 revision update

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Kaiserschmarrn - German Pancake Recipe made Just like Oma

By Oma Gerhild Fulson
Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (20)
Kaiserschmarrn are among those homemade pancake recipes that will remind you of Oma's kitchen. A traditional Austrian & German light and fluffy shredded pancake.

Ingredients: eggs,all-purpose flour,baking powder,milk,salt,sugar,raisins,butter,powdered sugar,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

Words to the Wise

"Don't waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice."

Proverbs 23:9 (NLT)

Top of Kaiserschmarrn

Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (2024)

FAQs

What is Kaiserschmarrn made of? ›

Kaiserschmarren is a light, caramelized pancake made from a sweet batter using flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, fried in butter.

Which of these best describes the Austrian dish Kaiserschmarrn? ›

Kaiserschmarrn [literally, Emperor's mess] is a quintessential Austrian dish that can be best described as a hybrid between a pancake and a fluffy omelette.

What is a fun fact about Kaiserschmarrn? ›

The name means “imperial mess” in German. The story goes that a frazzled farmer created the dish in a tizzy when Austria's Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife showed up hungry at his home. As a last-ditch attempt to save face, the farmer shredded his disastrous pancake and topped it with sugar and marmalade.

Why are they called German pancakes? ›

A German Pancake or a Dutch Baby? German pancakes and Dutch babies are essentially the same thing, but the dish is said to have originated in Germany, not the Netherlands. The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German).

How is Austrian food different from German? ›

Traditional Austrian dishes include Wiener Schnitzel (fried, breaded veal cutlets), Sachertorte (chocolate cake) and Apfelstrudel (apple strudel). Prominent elements of German cuisine include dishes like Bratwurst (grilled sausage), Sauerkraut, pretzels and Black Forest cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte).

What is the most famous food in Austria? ›

The famous food of Austria 'Vienna Schnitzel' is made of a layer of thin bread along with a pan-fried veal cutlet. It is also considered as the national dish of Austria.

What meat is eaten in Austria? ›

The most popular meats in Austria are beef, pork, chicken, turkey and goose.

What were pancakes invented? ›

600 BC - The first recorded mention of pancakes dates back to ancient Greece and comes from a poet who described warm pancakes in one of his writings.

What are some fun facts about Swedish pancakes? ›

Swedish pancakes are very thin, more similar to a French crêpes than a fluffy American pancake. They have a spongy texture and are not naturally very sweet, which is why they are topped with whipped cream and jam! Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or cloudberry jams might be served, but my favorite is strawberry.

Where did pancakes originate from Wikipedia? ›

History. The Ancient Greeks made pancakes called τηγανίτης (tēganitēs), ταγηνίτης (tagēnitēs) or ταγηνίας (tagēnias), all words deriving from τάγηνον (tagēnon), "frying pan". The earliest attested references to tagenias are in the works of the 5th-century BC poets Cratinus and Magnes.

Why are my German pancakes not fluffy? ›

If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough. If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise.

Is a German pancake the same as a Yorkshire pudding? ›

Dutch babies, popovers, German pancakes, Yorkshire pudding are all the same thing just different names. Technically these are all baked puddings and delicious. Try serving them with my delicious strawberry syrup.

What is the difference between a crepe and a German pancake? ›

Traditional German pancakes are cooked in a skillet on the cooktop, and are not as thick as American pancakes, and not as flat as crêpes. They are not the same as oven-baked Dutch baby pancakes (also ironically called German pancakes).

What are blood pancakes made of? ›

Blodplättar (in Swedish; blodpannekaker in Norwegian, veriohukainen, verilätty or verilettu in Finnish; verikäkk in Estonian), or blood pancakes in English are a dish served in Finland, Estonia, Sweden and Norway made of whipped blood (typically reindeer blood), water or pilsner, flour and eggs.

What are purple pancakes made of? ›

These vibrant purple pancakes get their color from a natural source: ube, also known as purple yam. This ingredient is common in Filipino desserts, but can be difficult to find in the United States.

What is Japanese pancake made of? ›

What Are Japanese Pancakes? Taller and fluffier than their American counterparts, Japanese pancakes get their airy texture from the same technique used to make soufflés. You whip egg whites into meringue-like stiff peaks, then fold them into a batter primarily made of butter, milk, sugar and flour.

What is Vietnamese pancake made of? ›

It is a savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, water, and turmeric powder. It can also be called a Vietnamese crêpe. Some common stuffings include pork, prawns, diced green onion, mung bean, and bean sprouts. Bánh xèo is often served with sides.

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