Buttermilk Pancakes- USA
Image Source: Reddit
Okay, so these types of pancakes are actually eaten all the way around the world, but I think the best ones you'll be able to get your hands on are here in the good ol US. We have those thick pancakes that we all love and we often add a load of good toppings to make them even better than they already are. What's your go to? Are you a plain old syrup person? Or do you like to go savoury?
Hotcakes- Mexico
Image Source: Reddit
These Mexican hot cakes are very similar to the buttermilk pancakes we use here in the US and they're made in pretty much the same way too. They appear a little thinner and that just comes from the way they're cooked. What changes the most is the ingredients they use as toppings which is traditionally known to be Cajeta which is a goat's milk caramel with a bit of added spice.
Pikelets- Australia
Image Source: Reddit
The Australians might be better known for their BBQ meats and their meat pies than they are breakfasts, but that doesn't mean they don't have their own pancakes either. You might think they look exactly the same as the pancakes we have here and you wouldn't be too far off! They're pretty much just small buttermilks, except they're served like British scones with jam and cream.
Kaiserschmarrn- Austria
Image Source: Reddit
I suppose this is quite a different way to get your pancakes in the morning, but if they're made well in the first place I'm sure they'd probably still taste great! Translated, this actually means 'scrambled pancake) so you can probably imagine how they look! You make the pancakes as you would here, but with the addition of rum-soaked raisins and its then caramelized. Sounds pretty good right?
Cong You Bing- Taiwan
Image Source: Reddit
I don't tend to turn towards savoury pancakes when I want something for breakfast, but over in Taiwan that's exactly what you'll get if you ask for cong you bing. You can probably notice the scallions within the pancake which you might be surprised is made out of a dough instead of a batter! Supposedly, they taste great though, especially if you dip them in the traditional dipping sauce.
Crepes- France
Image Source: Reddit
Crepes have become one of the most famous varieties of pancakes around the world, originating from France. The batter is pretty basic made with just flour, sugar, eggs and milk, but it's the toppings and fillings that really make the crepes what they are. Just like us they switch between sweet and savoury pancakes, although chocolate and fruit are the most popular choices.
Blini- Eastern Europe
Image Source: Reddit
It's hard to nail down exactly where these types of pancakes actually originated, but its widely known that you'll find them across eastern Europe in countries like Belarus and Serbia. They're kind of like a crepe you might spot if you headed to France but slightly thicker and they're usually made with a wheat flour instead of the traditional white flour we might use in our own. They tend to be served with caviar too, not to sure about that one!
Nalesniki- Poland
Image Source: Zofia's Kitchen
Although these are traditionally a breakfast food in Poland, they have been known to be used at various parts of the day too. They look slightly different and that's because they are served folded in to a triangle and are usually filled with jellies or in some cases they might turn to the popular smoked cheeses and meats that are widely available in stores all across the country.
Sugar And Lemon Pancakes- UK
Image Source: Reddit
As with everything the UK do, it's slightly different to pretty much everyone else; they make their pancakes with just three ingredients: milk, eggs and plain flour. They're very thin, kind of like a traditional crepe, and they tend to use plain white sugar and some lemon juice to top their breakfast OR dessert pancakes. They aren't opposed to adding some syrup or Nutella either.
Scotch Pancakes- Scotland
Image Source: Reddit
Scotch pancakes take on an almost exact image of the buttermilk pancakes we're used to here in the US, however they're actually sweeter in themselves. This is because they often contain some sugar or even syrup in some occasions within the batter. That doesn't stop them from absolutely pouring the syrup back on top of the pancakes after they're out the pan either.
Ponnukku- Iceland
Image Source: The Wellness Explorer
As with many of the pancakes on this list, they take much of their inspiration from the traditional French crepe. They tend to use them as meals throughout all of the meals of the day. Traditionally they come as a sweet treat and many people choose to add jelly and whipped cream. I would probably suggest filling them instead of smothering them though in order to stop them going soggy.
Raggmunk- Sweden
Image Source: Reddit
If you had to pick one of the pancakes on this list to sound very unappealing it would probably be these, Raggmunk doesn't sound like something you'd want to have for breakfast does it? You might think that these look slightly different and that's because they're completely savour and are actually made using a mashed potato instead of a traditional pancake batter.
Cachapas- Venezuela
Image Source: Reddit
Cachapas are extremely popular as a roadside treat in Venezuela and are made using a batter of ground corn; this is known to make them quite lumpy. Unlike most pancakes these are typically eaten as savoury foods and are usually folded on top of a mozzarella like cheese or with some chicharron (which is basically fried pork). Definitely give them a go if you're a savoury fan!
Arepas- Colombia
Image Source: Reddit
Okay so this point and the previous could pretty much interchange between countries, but I felt this worked best. I suppose arepas aren't particularly pancakes but they are often stuffed and filled in the same way that you might find a pancake to be. They're most like pancakes when they are fried but they are also known to be grilled, baked, steamed and fried too!
Tiganites- Greece
Image Source: Mia Kouppa
Tiganites became popular in Greece as they were easily made for people that were poor and only had limited ingredients available to them. Although they can look fairly similar to the American buttermilk pancakes they are made fairly differently as they contain yeast. Originally they were solely served with walnuts but these days they're typically served with some form of honey too.
Pannukakku- Finland
Image Source: Reddit
So this is quite a different looking pancake to most of the others on this list and that's because they're actually baked within a pan, either circular or rectangular, until it appears puffy. Realistically, if you decide to make this for yourself then you have to be prepared to eat something that isn't really anything like your traditional pancake, it's more like a thick crust-topped egg custard.
Okonomiyaki- Japan
Image Source: Reddit
Trust the Japanese to come up with some of the strangest pancakes to feature on this list, and the name translated to English really says it all. Essentially it means 'what you want' and 'grilled' so you can probably imagine they put everything on these grilled pancakes. One of the most popular recipes that people follow contain pork belly slices, cabbage and Japanese mayo!
Pannenkoeken- Netherlands
Image Source: Reddit
Although these Dutch pancakes are made in a pan much like all of the others in this list, they actually look and taste a lot different. They are pretty much in the middle in terms of width between a buttermilk pancake and a crepe. You'll most often find them covered in a dutch delicacy known as stroop which is essentially a thick apple syrup, although some ingredients are also added to the batter before cooking.
Pannakoeke- South Africa
Image Source: Reddit
You've probably noticed that these South African pancakes have pretty much the exact same name as the Dutch ones. That's because they are pretty much the same dish, inspired as a result of the Dutch occupation centuries ago! Although they look like crepes (they pretty much are) they are usually eaten with a traditional SA dessert known as Milk Tart which is a cinnamon custard covered in a spiced crumble.
Anjero- Somalia
Image Source: Reddit
Although these thin 'cakes' look just like pancakes, technically they're more of a bread than something sweet you'll have for breakfast. Over in Africa, these pancake type breads usually offer the base of pretty much all of their dishes. They might sound to appealing to western ears though, as they are fermented for a small period after they've been made. They have been known to cover them with ghee and sugar though!
Kimchijeon- Korea
Image Source: Reddit
Kimchi has garnered something of a reputation as being quite a divisive food since its made its way from Asia to the US and other countries, it can take a bit of getting used too. These pancakes are usually used as a side dish and contain chopped up, fermented kimchi in a crispy and somewhat spicy pancake which gets softer and softer as you get to the middle.
Palacsinta- Hungary
Image Source: Reddit
The traditional Hungarian pancake is pretty much exactly like the French crepe with the only difference being they're even thinner! You might wonder how you can make the batter any thinner and the only change is right at the end they choose to add soda water! Like most pancakes they try out a whole range of fillings from ice cream and honey to fruit and sugar.
Uttapam- India
Image Source: Reddit
Indian cuisine is one of the most popular to expand its inflluence around the world but Uttapam, a savoury pancake is one that hasn't really become popular with other cultures yet. I suppose savoury pancakes aren't so popular and that's why these pancakes that contain a mixture of lentils, rice, onions and spices hasn't quite caught on with the rest of the world yet.
Apam Balik- Malaysia
Image Source: Reddit
These Malaysian pancakes are the first to be served in a way differently to just on a plate, usually being stood upright upon a banana leaf. You might think that they'd be sweet then, but they're actually savoury and the batter is made using rice flour! Traditionally, these upright pancakes are then filled with a smooth (ish) peanut filling, made from peanuts and sugar.
Farinata- Italy
Image Source: Reddit
The Italians are very famous for their great foods, but this is one that must've gone under the radar as I've never heard of them before. It doesn't look or taste anything like your traditional pancake, instead being made from a chickpea flour and baked in a pan covered in olive oil. No toppings or fillings either, and they're just served as they are straight from the pan.
Martabak- Thailand
Image Source: Reddit
Martabak is a very popular street-food over in Thailand and Indonesia and is actually made from a dough. This dough is flash-fried in a pan smothered in coconut oil and then filled with a spiced meat and folded. It's then fried again and cut up into slices so that it can be served to many people on the streets. They can be made with a sweet filling too in some scenarios.
Msemen- Morocco
Image Source: Reddit
North Africa countries aren't well known for their crepes, but maybe these Moroccan varieties should be! They are made from a yeast and semolina dough and tend to be filled with a spicy meat filling or in some cases just honey! They actually even tend to roll out the pastry before its then fried to ensure that it has the perfect amount of layers when they eat them.
Oladi- Russia
Image Source: Reddit
Although the Russians aren't particularly known for their strong influence in food culture, these Russian yeast pancakes have become somewhat popular around the world. To make them perfectly, you have to work out the technique to allow the yeast to puff up the pancakes correctly! If you head to Russia you'll probably see these served with honey or condensed milk.
Aebleskiver- Denmark
Image Source: Reddit
I know what you're thinking, that isn't a pancake is it? Well, although it might look more like a doughnut, they are made using a pancake batter and taste exactly like one too. Don't tell the Danish they aren't pancakes either if you don't want to get under their skin! They're cooked using circular moulds and are usually served with a jelly and a coating of sugar atop them. Sounds good right?
Roti- India
Image Source: Reddit
Although they are traditionally known to be more of a flatbread, these roti's are actually pancakes! They're made from a dough instead of a batter and are usually used in India and its surrounding countries in a similar fashion to a naan bread, as they wrap them around curries in order to pick them up and eat them. They taste amazing though, with or without anything on them.