A plate of poffertjes, a knob of butter in the middle and lots of powdered sugar on top. You can hardly make a child (and many an adult) happier than with this delicious old Dutch delicacy. Especially if you bake them yourself in a good poffertjes pan. We found out for you which pan to buy.
By Frank
We bought ourselves a cast iron mini pancake pan. In our house, every first Saturday of the month is poffertjes day. We eat them then sometimes as described above, but often we invent all kinds of variations together with the children.
My “poffert-piccalilli” was rejected, but so far many creations have been well liked: delicious poffertjes with vanilla ice cream (an exceptional dessert), poffertjes with sprinkles, with pineapple, apple, you name it.
Every pancake day is a celebration. Especially in the summer, when the barbecue can be lit. The kids then bake their own poffertjes and dad puts a sausage next to the pan, just because they can. How happy we are with our mini pancake pan.
Baking poffertjes, what is the best mini pancake pan for you?
The best mini pancake pan to buy depends entirely on your situation and your needs. To help you choose, we put together a Top 10 of the best mini pancake pans for various situations.
The best pancake pan overall
Ronneby Bruk Maestro poffertjes pan
The very best came out of our test as the Ronneby Bruk Maestro mini pancake pan. A Maestro for good reason! The beautiful cast iron mini pancake pan is already burnt in by the manufacturer and thus ready for immediate use. Despite its compact size of 25 cm in diameter, you can still use it to fry 15 large poffertjes at a time.
The Ronneby Bruk Maestro fits on all heat sources and thanks to its size also on any barbecue. In addition, it is a beautiful pancake pan to look at, with its stainless steel handle (which does not get hot) on one side and the molded handle on the other. Highly recommended, of course, also because it simply bakes the best poffertjes.
- Fits all heat sources, including induction, ceramic hob and barbecue
- Already burned in by manufacturer, so ready to use
- Compact size with beautiful design
- Bakes 15 4-inch poffertjes at a time
- hefty price
- May not be dishwasher safe
The best buy
Relance pancake plate
We think the pan with the best price/quality ratio is the one from Relance pancake plate. This poffertjesplaat made of cast iron allows you to bake 19 poffertjes at a time. It is rock solid, looks good and is not expensive. Actually, we also fell for the trendy color of the enamel that this pan features. Thanks to its flat bottom, the mini pancake pan is stable and can be used on any heat source, including induction and the barbecue.
The Relance mini pancake pan does need to be burned in before use. This takes some time, but after that it will make perfect poffertjes for a lifetime. Be careful when moving the pan: the handles get hot. After use, simply wipe the mini pancake pan clean with a piece of kitchen roll.
- Affordable pan
- Sturdy cast iron, will last a lifetime
- You can bake electric, gas, ceramic and induction with this mini pancake pan
- Diameter 24 cm, so fits on the barbecue
- Enameled, so easy to clean, but should not go in the dishwasher
- Cast iron must be burned in before first use
- Handles get hot
The best cheap
Kitchen Green poffertjes pan
Looking for an inexpensive mini pancake pan that will make perfect poffertjes? This Kitchen Green mini pancake pan will not disappoint you. It is a solid cast iron pan with a diameter of 24 cm, suitable for making 19 poffertjes at a time. Thanks to its flat bottom, the Kitchen Green pan is suitable for all heat sources, including the oven, ceramic hobs, barbecue and induction.
You even get a brush and a handy fork for turning the poffertjes. According to the manufacturer, the pan is already burnt in, but we recommend doing so yourself before use.
- Economical pan
- Suitable for all heat sources
- Cast iron ⌀ 24 cm, good for 19 poffertjes
- Comes complete with brush, fork and e-book
- This cast iron pan needs to be fired by yourself before use
- Handles get hot
The best cast iron pan
Rick’s Pans
The tastiest poffertjes are baked in a cast iron mini pancake pan. A good mini pancake pan made of cast iron is the one from Rick’s Pans. Just as primal Dutch as the primal Dutch delicacy you prepare with it. Thanks to the flat bottom, you can use induction for this mini pancake pan, as well as all other types of heat sources. The Rick’s Pans cast iron poffertjes maker allows you to make 19 poffertjes at a time.
Handy are the separate silicone handles that you get included, because the handles of a cast iron mini pancake pan also get hot. Apart from those handles, you also get a dosing bottle with filler funnel, a baking brush and bamboo prickers to easily flip poffertjes. In short, a handy mini pancake pan made of cast iron, complete with all accessories.
- Diameter 24 cm, good for 19 poffertjes
- Cast iron, suitable for all types of heat sources
- Supplied complete with handles, dispensing bottle, funnel, baking brush and toothpicks
- Easy to clean under the tap
- Before the first use, you must burn in the pan
- After use, grease cast iron pans against rusting
The best pure steel
De Buyer Mineral B Element
Use the pure steel De Buyer Mineral B Element mini pancake pan induction just like any other heat source. Essential is, that you burn in this pan well, just as you should do with cast iron pans. A pity that afterwards the beautiful stainless steel shine of the pan is gone, but it is really necessary for a good result.
The pan is quite large, 27 cm in diameter, and you can bake 16 delicious poffertjes at a time. Be careful when frying: the handle gets hot. Pure steel has the advantage over cast iron that it heats up quickly. So you are frying very quickly once the pan is well burned in. Cleaning is very easy: you let the pan cool down and rinse it under the tap (not in the dishwasher).
- Heats up quickly
- Suitable for all heat sources
- Makes 16 poffertjes at a time
- Easy to clean
- You have to burn in the pan
- Handle gets hot
The best with non-stick coating
Patisse poffertjes pan
The best non-stick mini pancake pan came out as the Patisse mini pancake pan. This aluminum pan is a lot cheaper than a cast iron mini pancake pan, but unfortunately also limited in use.
Because the pan has a hollow bottom, you can really only use it on a gas stove, unlike most mini pancake pan. Still, this is a special pan, thanks to its excellent non-stick coating. In the blink of an eye you make 19 poffertjes, good for two generous, bite-sized portions.
- Very inexpensive mini pancake pan
- Light weight
- Can handle high temperatures, up to 230 degrees
- Does not fry
- Can be washed in the dishwasher
- Can be washed in the dishwasher
- Cannot be used on induction, electric or ceramic hob
- Be careful not to damage the nonstick coating when turning the poffertjes
The best aluminum mini pancake pan
Scanpan poffertjes pan
If you are looking for a lightweight mini pancake pan, then the Scanpan is the best option. It is made of recycled aluminum and nice and compact. You’ll bake 9 hefty poffertjes at a time with it. The specially designed bottom ensures good heat distribution and the handle is heat resistant.
So the pan can go in the oven and also on all heat sources except induction. The square Scanpan mini pancake pan has a non-stick coating, so the poffertjes release easily and you can bake with it grease-free.
- Lightweight
- Capacity 9 poffertjes
- Non-stick coating
- Oven resistant to 260 degrees
- Not suitable for induction, but can be used on a ceramic plate
The best mini pancake pan induction
Topylife poffertjes pan
The cast iron Topylife mini pancake pan is suitable for all heat sources, including an induction hob. Due to its size of 24 cm, it also fits well on the barbecue. You bake as many as 19 small poffertjes at a time with this pan.
One disadvantage is that this mini pancake pan is not delivered burnt in. So you have to do that yourself before using it. But once that’s done you do have a pan that doesn’t burn easily and is relatively easy and soap-free to clean after use.
- Suitable for induction cooking
- You bake 19 poffertjes at a time
- Can also be put on the barbecue
- This cast iron pan is easy to clean after burning in
- Cast iron must be burned in before use
- Cannot be dishwasher safe
The best for the barbecue
Rednas Gift Set
On the barbecue, it is more convenient to use a poffertjes plate with two handles than a mini pancake pan with a handle. In our opinion, the Tenify mini pancake pan is the ideal barbecue mini pancake pan, although it is suitable for all heat sources. It is a heavy, cast iron pan with non-stick coating that allows you to fry 19 poffertjes at a time. Its flat bottom makes it stable and distributes heat well.
In addition, with its diameter of 24 cm, the pan fits on most barbecues. With the Tenify mini pancake pan you ensure perfect poffertjes. The cast iron pan comes with dosage bottle, baking brush, piercing fork and heat-resistant silicone handles. Such a complete set is also nice to give as a gift.
- Cast iron, suitable for all heat sources
- Stands stably on the barbecue
- Fits most barbecues
- Heat is well distributed due to the flat underside
- With non-stick coating, so easy to clean
- Good for 19 fresh poffertjes at a time
- Cast iron is not dishwasher safe
- After cleaning, you should apply a thin layer of oil to the pan before storing it
The best gift set
Rednas Giftset
Looking for a great gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday or house warming? With the Rednas mini pancake pan set, you’re guaranteed to bake some. Packaged in a beautiful box, this cast iron pan comes with silicone handles, a dispensing bottle, a baking brush and a handy, extendable fork for turning the poffertjes.
The pan is already burned in by the manufacturer, so it is ready to bake immediately. Cast iron mini pancake pans are suitable for all heat sources, including induction, and can even be used on the barbecue. However, we do recommend repeating the firing occasionally to maintain the natural non-stick coating of the cast iron.
- Complete set to start right away
- suitable for all types of heat sources
- Already burned in by manufacturer
- Beautiful packaging
- Diameter 23 cm, good for 19 small poffertjes
- Burn-in must be repeated occasionally
- May not be dishwasher safe
The ten best pancake pans in a row
As you can see, there is plenty of choice in mini pancake pans. To make choosing a little easier, here are the best 10 mini pancake pans.
A note: in this overview you will find the best pans by category, but the numbers two and three in our test are also worthwhile. Imperial Kitchen’s pans, for example, came in second in several categories and yet you won’t find it among the best pans here.
Buying a mini pancake pan, what do you need to know?
You want to buy a mini pancake pan and, of course, bake the most delicious poffertjes with it. But which pan will you choose? Will it be a cast iron mini pancake pan, a steel or an aluminum mini pancake pan? Enameled, with non-stick coating or untreated? Or maybe you’re thinking of an electric mini pancake pan. In the latter case, we have to disappoint you, because the electric mini pancake pan is not part of the scope of this test. If you are not looking for an electric mini pancake pan, but still want to bake delicious old-fashioned poffertjes, read these tips:
- The material cast iron is porous. Therefore, an untreated mini pancake pan does not yet have the natural non-stick coating, which develops through use. A cast iron pancake pan must therefore be fired. You can see how to do this in the frequently asked questions.
- If you want to use induction as a heat source for your mini pancake pan, buy one with a flat bottom. Aluminum is not magnetic, therefore you cannot use induction with an aluminum mini pancake pan.
- If you cook on induction, make sure you have a sturdy pan that will not deform. A pan with a hollow bottom will not work well on an induction cooktop.
How does roasting a cast iron mini pancake pan work?
A cast iron mini pancake pan should be fired before use. With that firing, you create a natural non-stick coating in your mini pancake pan and also ensure that your mini pancake pan will last longer and not rust. Follow these steps when roasting:
- First clean the mini pancake pan thoroughly. to do this, use a soft sponge and hot water with a small amount of dish soap. Note: after burning in, never use dish soap to clean your mini pancake pan!
- Dry it with kitchen paper. If the mini pancake pan is clean, then dry it well with a tea towel or kitchen paper.You can then grease the clean and dry mini pancake pan with oil. Use a neutral vegetable oil that can withstand high temperatures. So no olive oil, but use, for example, groundnut, sunflower or linseed oil. Grease the entire pan, including the bottom. Use a brush or a piece of kitchen paper.
- Then place the mini pancake pan upside down on a piece of aluminum foil in the oven (the foil keeps oil from dripping into oven). Put the oven as hot as possible and leave the mini pancake pan in it for about an hour, until no more oil is visible.
- Note: Sometimes cast iron mini pancake pans have wooden or plastic parts, which cannot go in the oven. In that case, you can let the mini pancake pan get hot on the stovetop until the oil begins to smoke. Then let it stand for a while and then cool down. Brush off any leftover oil with kitchen paper.
- For best results, do burn-in five times in a row.
Conclusion: buy a cast iron pancake pan
Fresh poffertjes are fine made with steel, aluminum and enamel mini pancake pans. If that is your preference, you can buy them with confidence. But with a cast iron mini pancake pan, in our opinion, you still make the tastiest poffertjes, the closest thing to authentic Dutch poffertjes you buy at the fair or braderie. Once the cast iron poffertjes plate or pan is well fired in, you will make the most delicious poffertjes and enjoy this Dutch delicacy over and over again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most mini pancake pan allow you to bake poffertjes just fine on an electric stove. However, a plastic or wooden handle is recommended. For induction, you must have a mini pancake pan that contains iron. Pans made of cast iron and steel are suitable for this, provided they have a flat bottom.
To bake this typically Dutch delicacy at its very best, you need two things: a good poffertjes plate or good mini pancake pan and a good recipe. We will help you find the ideal mini pancake pan in this article. Recipes are plentiful on the Internet, and often when you buy a mini pancake pan you get a book or e-book with recipes made specifically for those poffertjes. Feel free to experiment to ensure that your own poffertjes become an unforgettable snack.
A mini pancake pan made of cast iron weighs on average between 2500 and 3500 grams. The weight of the mini pancake pan depends on the size of the pan and, for example, whether it has a cast iron or wooden handle. A mini pancake pan made of cast aluminum is a lot lighter.