Martabak Manis (Indonesian Sweet Pancakes)

Martabak Manis are a sweet street food popular in Indonesia. Learn how to make these delicious sweet pancakes filled with chocolate sprinkles at home.

Something I’ve always enjoyed about martabak manis is that it’s a sweet treat that’s usually only available in the evenings. As a popular street food in Indonesia, it’s rare to find martabak stalls that are even open during the day!

That’s actually one of the things I miss most about living in the East: things to do (and eat!) in the evening, without needing to commit to a full dining experience or going to a bar/club. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things to do here in Toronto after dark, but being able to get some freshly made martabak manis from a street vendor at 9pm on a weekday just hits different.

What is Martabak Manis

Martabak manis (sometimes spelled, murtabak) is a popular street food, and evening snack in Indonesia. The dish is similar to pancakes (though the process to make them is slightly different). These thick Indonesian pancakes sandwich a sweet filling. (There are savory versions of martabak available too, known as martabak telur). 

There are variations across Asia such as Apam Balik and Mi Jiang Kueh in Singapore and Malaysia respectively. 

Origins

While martabak are very popular in Indonesia, it is believed to have originated in the Middle East (though where in the Middle East is debated, with claims from Indian and Tamil immigrant communities as well as Yemen) in the form of mutabbaq. 

Indonesian Martabak Manis stands on its own as a thicker pancake with a sweet filling.

The difference between martabak and pancakes

There are many different types of pancakes around the world from fluffy pancakes to Japanese pancakes to French crepes. The ingredients and process differ slightly in all of them, but what sets Martabak Manis apart is that it’s a thick dessert pancake that’s cooked partially through steaming – these pancakes aren’t usually flipped the pan.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour
• Milk powder
• Granulated white sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Water
• Instant dry yeast
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Butter, melted
• Baking soda

For the topping

• Chocolate sprinkles
• Condensed milk

How to make Martabak Manis

Begin by combining the flour, milk powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk these dry ingredients together. Next, gradually add water to the mixture, stirring with a whisk until you achieve a dough with a nice, thick consistency. Add the yeast and mix until it’s completely smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter sit for about an hour.

While you wait, you can prepare the egg mixture in a medium-sized mixing bowl by whisking together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until well incorporated, two or three minutes. Set this aside for later.

After an hour, uncover your batter and gently fold in the egg mixture you just prepared. Then, add in some melted butter and a bit of baking soda, mixing well to combine everything thoroughly.

Let’s get cooking! Heat a nonstick, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Lightly spray the pan with cooking oil, spreading it evenly with a brush and wiping away any excess with a paper towel. Pour your batter into the pan, tilting it to make sure that the batter gets around all the edges to form a wide martabak skin.

As the batter cooks, keep an eye out for bubbles forming. Once the bubbles appear evenly and start to burst, reduce the heat to low and sprinkle some granulated sugar over the top. Cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook for another two or three minutes until the thick pancake is fully set.

Once ready, carefully remove the martabak from the pan and spread some melted butter over it. Cut the martabak in half and add the chocolate sprinkles. Drizzle some condensed milk on top for extra sweetness. Finally, stack your sweet martabak, cut it into pieces, and serve it warm. Enjoy every bite!

Tips

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What kind of pan to use

Ideally, use a thick heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan. The best option is a high quality, heavy-bottomed cast iron pan (this is similar to what is used by the street vendors in Indonesia).

Let it rest

It’s always a pain when a recipe calls for a rest time. But letting the martabak batter rest is quite important. Letting the batter rest is what allows the gluten to develop, creating a dense but airy martabak manis pancake.

How to create the air pockets

The holes in your Indonesian sweet pancakes are what allow for heat to pass through and cook the top of the pancake. To get the “holey” texture in your martabaks, you want to make sure you’ve let your batter rest and that your pan is hot enough. (Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be super hot!)

Heat management

While you may want a hotter pan to encourage the air bubbles, don’t be overzealous with the heat. If your pan is too hot, you’ll end up burning the bottoms of your thick sweet pancakes.

Filling suggestions

There are so many options when it comes to creating a filling for your Martabak Manis. I use chocolate sprinkles (this brand is popular in Indonesia) and condensed milk here because it’s one of the ways I used to have when I was growing up.

The Classic. The most common filling you’ll see is ground (or chopped) peanuts with condensed milk. Sometimes chocolate sprinkles and grated cheddar cheese will also be thrown into the mix! I like crushed peanuts, but I recommend opting for honey-roasted peanuts for more sweetness. 

Nutella. Another popular option is slathering the inside of your martabak with Nutella or any sort of chocolate spread. 

Birthday Martabak. This is a super fun change I’ve played with in the past. Swap the chocolate sprinkles out for birthday cake sprinkles, but also add some whipped cream.

Make it fruity. Some sliced fruits or berries with whipped cream are a delicious, easy, and fresh tasting filling!

Serving suggestions

If you buy martabak from a street vendor, you’ll find that it’s likely served wrapped in some sort of newspaper (or maybe even parchment paper if you go to a fancier vendor). You can replicate this at home, but I personally recommend serving on a plate as it’s easy for the fillings to spill out as you eat!

Storage suggestions

Martabak Manis are best eaten fresh and warm. You can refrigerate your martabak for up to one day in an airtight container, I’d recommend doing this before adding any toppings.

Unfortunately, I don’t recommend freezing martabak, as it loses some of its chewy texture once thawed.