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Copycat IHOP Swedish Crepes
IHOP's Swedish Crepes are thin, delicate pancakes rolled around sweet lingonberry filling and topped with whipped cream — a Scandinavian-inspired breakfast treat.
copycat · ihop · casual-dining · breakfast
🕑Prep10 min
🍳Cook20 min
⏱Total30 min
🍽Serves4
⭐DifficultyMedium
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup lingonberry jam (or strawberry preserves)
- 1 cup whipped cream
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Butter, for the pan
Instructions
- 1.Make the batter. In a blender, combine the flour, eggs, milk, water, melted butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Blend for 15-20 seconds until completely smooth. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes — this allows the gluten to relax and makes thinner crepes.
- 2.Heat the pan. Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Add a small pat of butter and swirl to coat.
- 3.Cook the crepes. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan. Immediately tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter into a thin, even circle. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden and the edges begin to curl.
- 4.Flip carefully. Loosen the edge with a spatula and carefully flip the crepe. Cook for another 30-45 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, re-buttering the pan as needed.
- 5.Fill the crepes. Spread about 1 tablespoon of lingonberry jam down the center of each crepe. Roll them up tightly into cylinders.
- 6.Serve Swedish style. Arrange 2-3 rolled crepes on each plate. Top with a generous mound of whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately.
Copycat IHOP Swedish Crepes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings (2-3 crepes each)
IHOP’s Swedish Crepes are a menu item that flies under the radar but has a devoted following. They’re thin, delicate French-style crepes filled with lingonberry jam and rolled into tight cylinders, then topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar. The lingonberry jam is the star — it’s a tart, slightly sweet berry preserve that’s common in Scandinavian cooking but unfamiliar to most Americans.
The crepe itself is essentially a very thin pancake batter — flour, eggs, milk, and butter — cooked in a hot pan until barely golden. The key is getting the batter thin enough. You should be able to see the pan through the crepe when it’s cooking.
Crepe-Making Confidence
- Let the batter rest. Resting allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax. Rested batter makes thinner, more tender crepes. Skipping this step gives you thick, chewy crepes.
- Medium heat, not high. High heat browns the crepe before you can spread the batter thin enough. Medium heat gives you time to tilt and rotate the pan.
- The first crepe is always bad. This is a universal truth. The first crepe seasons the pan and tests the heat level. Don’t stress about it — eat it as a chef’s snack.
IHOP Breakfast Value
IHOP’s Swedish Crepes cost about $10-12. This recipe makes 8-10 crepes for about $5 total, including the lingonberry jam. If you can’t find lingonberry jam, strawberry preserves are the closest substitute, though the flavor is sweeter and less tart.
