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!

* * * * *

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

10.07.2021 revision update

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Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (19)

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.

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 do you put cream of tartar in pancakes? ›

Without cream of tartar, the meringue wouldn't be as strong, which may result in pancakes that aren't as tall and fluffy as they could be,” she mentions. “Or you'd have a batter that weeps or begins to separate while it waits for its turn on the griddle.”

Why are they called German pancakes? ›

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).

What is the story behind Kaiserschmarrn? ›

One of the many legends about the origin of Kaiserschmarren says that Emperor Franz Joseph I liked to have Palatschinken (pancakes) for dessert. If the cook made them too thick or torn, they were served to the staff as "Kaiserschmarrn", because they were not good enough for the Emperor.

What were pancakes invented for? ›

Pancakes were also associated with the Christian Lent. It was a way for people to use up their eggs, fats, and other ingredients that they weren't permitted to eat during the time of Lent. Pancakes eventually made their way to America.

What are some fun facts about Swedish pancakes? ›

A Swedish pancake is a thin, crepe-like, pancake is that is lacy and tender and traditionally served with lingonberries or lingonberry jam. In fact, they are even sometimes called Swedish crepes. They can be rolled up for folded into quarters and eaten with whatever toppings you love.

Why are my German pancakes not fluffy? ›

The center of a German Pancakes is supposed to be flat. If the edges are flat, then it likely is a result of either the oven or the pan not being hot enough. It the dish isn't hot, then steam won't be created when the batter is poured into the pan, and instead, the batter will set and bake evenly.

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.

Does milk instead of water make pancakes better? ›

Add Dairy for Richness

If your pancake mix simply calls for water, substitute the same amount of milk and enjoy an airier texture. For guaranteed moisture and richness, add some melted butter to your batter. A few tablespoons of Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese will give your pancakes a richer flavor.

What happens if I use baking soda instead of baking powder in pancakes? ›

However, if you're in a pinch, the substitution is one teaspoon baking soda equals three teaspoons baking powder. Baking soda is also much stronger than baking powder and, by trying to provide enough leavening, you may wind up with an unpleasant metallic, salty taste in the final baked product.

Why do you put coins in pancakes? ›

However, it's not as tasty as you think, as they add small objects (after they've been thoroughly cleaned of course) such as buttons, rings, and coins. Each object has a special meaning, for example, if you find a shiny coin in your pancake, you're deemed very lucky and will end up rich!

What is Japanese pancake made of? ›

The batter is made with flour, tempura scraps (tenkasu), grated yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), and eggs. It's then mixed with shredded cabbage and sometimes additional ingredients like shrimp and squid. A classic topping is pork belly slices, placed on top of the savory pancake while grilling.

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.

What is a Dutch baby pancake made of? ›

Dutch Baby Ingredients

Eggs and milk: This light and fluffy Dutch baby recipe starts with two eggs whisked with milk. Flour: All-purpose flour lends structure and helps hold the batter together. Seasonings: These sweet Dutch babies are flavored with nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

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