Malaysian Peanut Pancake, also known as Apam Balik, is a snack that features thick pancakes with a sweet filling. This golden-brown, crispy-on-the-outside pancake that is shaped like a half-moon is made with flour, coconut milk, and eggs. These quintessential Malaysian snacks embody the country’s vibrant street food culture with their satisfying balance of crunch and sweetness from the toasted peanut and coconut sugar filling. Enjoy these slightly caramelized pancakes thick or thin and crispy as a snack any time of the day!
One of my first Southeast Asian culinary experiences in Singapore was the Malaysian Peanut Pancake. My husband introduced me to these delicious pancakes at one of the ubiquitous hawker’s centers. I was enthralled by the wide variety of foods that the hawker centers offered. We stopped at a stall at the extreme opposite end of the wet market which was both dry and airy.
The peanut pancake is essentially a folded pancake that has a chewy honeycombed center, filled with a variety of toppings encased in a crispy exterior. This has been one of the most delicious desserts I have ever had – warm, chewy honeycomb center smothered with sweetened ground peanuts.
What are Malaysian Peanut Pancakes?
When I asked my husband about this snack, he told me that it was called by various names, but the one that most people call it is Apam Balik. Apam is the Indian-origin Malay word for pancake, and Balik means to return or in this context, turned over or folded. I later discovered that this dish was first introduced in Penang, Malaysia, by Chinese immigrants (as Min Chiang Hueh) but is also prevalent in the Philippines and Indonesia. The key difference between the regular pancake and the Malaysian Peanut Pancake is its characteristic honeycombed structure which is the result of using coconut milk in the batter.
Other fillings:
While the traditional pancakes are made with peanuts, there are other toppings both traditional and relatively modern. It is a misnomer to suggest that this pancake can be savory. It’s essentially a dessert pancake, and while one can add creamed sweet corn, courtesy of the Colombian Exchange (jagung in Malay), this pancake can also be served plain with palm sugar, jaggery, or grated coconuts.
Southeast Asia is an Asian culinary melting pot. Specifically, Malaysia and Singapore are heavily influenced by both the Far East and South Asian cooking. It is also influenced by local Malay and Indonesian traditions and colonial history. It is only natural for the confusion over the names. For example, a ‘Martabak Manis’, is an Indonesia sweet pancake that is similar to the Malaysian Peanut Pancake, both in method and taste.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How can I make these Malaysian Peanut Pancakes thin and crispy?
I made thick pancakes, but you can make thin pancakes. Spoon half the batter as you would for the regular pancakes and use a crepe batter spreader or the back of a ladle to make thin pancakes. Pour the batter into the center of the griddle, and use circular motions of the wrist to go around. Fill the pancakes with the sweet peanut filling and fold them when they start to curl up on the edges. Look for browning on the bottom when folding them.
2. Can I use all-purpose flour?
These pancakes are commonly made with all-purpose flour. I wanted to give them a healthy twist, so I used whole wheat flour. Combine bread and all-purpose flour to get fluffy pancakes.
3. How can I customize these pancakes?
The traditional filling for the Malaysian Peanut Pancake is toasted peanuts with sugar. Other variations are toasted coconut, sweetened condensed milk, butter, jaggery or palm sugar, and honey.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
If you’ve tried this recipe or have questions, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to share (below) your thoughts, comments, or any questions that you might have. If you like my recipes, you could subscribe to my mailing list for the latest recipes that will be delivered to your inbox. From my pen to your table, Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
For the pancake:
- Flour: whole wheat bread flour (or use bread flour), golden or white whole wheat flour (or use all-purpose flour)
- Leavening agents: yeast, baking powder, and baking soda
- Oil: peanut oil
- Coconut milk: fresh coconut milk (or use canned coconut milk)
- Egg
- Caster sugar For the filling:
- Sugar: coconut palm sugar and dark brown sugar (or use cane sugar)
- Nuts: peanuts toasted and crushed
- Butter for greasing
How to make the Malaysian Peanut Pancake:
- Make the batter: Beat the oil and sugar for a few minutes using the whisk attachment in a stand mixer. Gradually, add the flours sifted with the leavening agents and salt.
2. Add the coconut milk and beat again for a minute. Finally, add the eggs and whisk well to form a smooth and thick batter. Cover the batter with a damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
3. Make the peanut pancake: Heat a griddle. Use a teaspoon of butter and kitchen paper to grease the griddle. Spoon out enough batter onto the griddle to make a thick pancake. Cook the pancake until there are holes on top and then cover with a lid and cook on low heat. Once the top of the pancake is not jiggly with batter, spoon some of the filling and cook for a few seconds. Then, gently lift the pancake from one side and fold it in half (half-moon shape).
4. . Serve the Malaysian Peanut Pancake as a snack or with coffee.
1. Use a 9″ pan with sides to get a thicker and more rounded pancake.
2. Grease the pan with butter prior to spooning the batter to get a caramelized crispy exterior.
3. Cook on low heat to allow time to cook the batter and not burn the bottom of the pancake.
4. To make thin and crispy pancakes, spoon half the batter as you would for the regular pancakes and use a crepe batter spreader or the back of a ladle to make thin pancakes. Pour the batter into the center of the griddle, and use circular motions of the wrist to go around. Fill the pancakes with the sweet peanut filling once the pancakes become firm to the touch, and fold them when they start to curl up on the edges. Look for browning on the bottom when folding them.
Serving suggestions:
Serve the pancake with hot tea. Enjoy them as a snack, for dessert with ice cream, or for breakfast with coffee.
Storage:
The batter can be refrigerated for a week or frozen in airtight boxes for a month.
Other Malaysian-Singaporean desserts that you might like:
Malaysian Peanut Pancake
Equipment
- stand mixer, stovetop
Ingredients
For the pancake batter:
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup whole wheat bread flour
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup fresh coconut milk
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
For the filling:
- ½ cup roasted peanut coarsely ground
- ½ tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tbsp coconut palm sugar
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter for greasing
Instructions
How to make the batter:
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Beat the oil and sugar for a few minutes using the whisk attachment in a stand mixer. Gradually add the flours sifted with the leavening agents and salt.
- Add the coconut milk and beat again for a minute. Finally, add the eggs and whisk well to form a smooth and thick batter. Cover the batter with a damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
How to make the peanut pancake:
- Heat a griddle. Use a teaspoon of butter and kitchen paper to grease the griddle. Spoon out enough batter onto the griddle to make a thick pancake. Cook the pancake by placing a lid and cooking on low heat. When the center of the pancakes is no longer jiggly and is firm to the touch, remove the lid and spoon some of the filling on top. Cook for a few seconds. Gently lift the pancake from one side and fold it in half.
- Serve the Malaysian Peanut Pancake as a snack or with coffee.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute the white whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour and the whole wheat bread flour with bread flour.
- Use a 9" pan with sides to get a thicker and more rounded pancake.
- Grease the pan with butter prior to spooning the batter to get a caramelized crispy exterior.
- Cook on low heat to allow time to cook the batter and not burn the bottom of the pancake.
- To make thin and crispy pancakes, spoon half the batter as you would for the regular pancakes and use a crepe batter spreader or the back of a ladle to make thin pancakes. Pour the batter into the center of the griddle, and use circular motions of the wrist to go around. Fill the pancakes with the sweet peanut filling once the pancakes become firm to the touch, and fold them when they start to curl up on the edges. Look for browning on the bottom when folding them.
- I made 6" in diameter pancakes and used 3-4 tablespoons of batter. This is entirely a personal preference.
Nutrition
I absolutely love this recipe! So simple to follow and the results are excellent!
Thanks!