This traditional Russian pancakes (blinchiki) recipe is a pearl of Russian cuisine. I use this recipe for over 15 years and my pancakes have always come out great. The ingredients of wheat flour, milk, and eggs, though humble, create the foundation of something incredible. Fill Russian pancakes with sweet or savory fillings and eat to your heart’s content.
This post was originally published on Sept 23, 2015 and was updated on Feb 11, 2020 by Elena Szeliga.
Russian pancakes (blinchiki), also known as blini or blinis, are near and dear to the people of Russia and the former USSR. Because they’re so tasty and versatile they absolutely need to be shared with the world! Breakfast, lunch or dinner, they are sure to become an instant favorite for any meal.
Sweet and Savory Fillings for Russian Blinchiki
I promise you, this blinchiki recipe will become an instant hit because they are much wider and thinner than American-style pancakes but not as thin and wide as crepes. It allows you to stuff them with anything you’d like.
Just try out a few of these traditional fillings and ideas:
- minced meat,
- cheese,
- ham,
- mushrooms,
- or anything savory you like and then fry them a second time, like chimichangas.
Or kick it up a notch, dress them up and fill them with:
- caviar
or
- smoked salmon
and serve with sour cream or cream cheese.
Perhaps you have a sweet tooth that needs to be satisfied? The great news is that blinis can also be filled with anything sweet!
Try out any (or all) of the following:
- your favorite jams,
- chocolate cream (hello Nutella!),
- poppy seeds,
- condensed milk (sgushenka),
- berries,
- honey,
- sweetened cottage cheese,
- apples and cinnamon
- or any other sweet.
They are a blank page that you can fill according to your culinary preferences. Fulfill your craziest culinary cravings like stuffing Russian pancakes with sausages or wrap yesterday’s chicken salad in them.
You can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never get tired of them. The possibilities are endless. As you can see, because of their versatility they are a delicious staple in my Russian culture.
A History of Russian Pancakes
As I said above, Russian pancakes along with the classic Borsch are pearls of Russian cuisine. So much so, that we even have a holiday dedicated just to pancakes called Maslenitsa!
It comes from an old Slavic tradition to worship the beginning of spring with pancakes, symbolizing the Sun. It was even adopted by the Orthodox church. Maslenitsa lasts for a week. You are supposed to make and eat tons of blinchicki during that time.
Wherever I am in the world, I celebrate this week. It would feel outright wrong if I didn’t!
What are Russian Pancakes Made of?
Classic blinchiki use very basic ingredients that pretty much every household has: wheat flour, milk and eggs.
But, because of their simplicity, there is room to play! You can experiment with rye or oatmeal flour instead of wheat flour. I like to use a 1:1 ratio of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.
Instead of milk, try using beer or kefir or add some yeast to the batter. Once you have the basic recipe down, feel free to make it work for you.
Warning! It’s pointless to only make a serving or two of blinchiki. Rather, if you start to make them, you should make the right amount (which is at least 40!). Don’t worry about leftovers because they are still tasty on the second day and freeze perfectly.
Bonus fact: The singular for pancake – “blin” is used instead of cursing in Russian language. Cute, right?
How to Make Ultimate Russian Pancakes
This blinchiki recipe is really so simple. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients, make sure the consistency is correct and get ready to fry.
Though frying Russian pancakes is easy, you have to be careful not to burn them, as they are done pretty quick. Before you start frying the first pancake, the pan should be really hot. You can test it by sprinkling a drop of water on it and if it starts vaporizing immediately, it’s time to start frying.
There is a Russian saying: “The first pancake always comes out a lump”. So be warned!
I recommend using two pans simultaneously, for the sake of time. Below you’ll find my favorite recipe that always works out (and I’ve tried a bunch of them). To me, this is exactly how Russian pancakes should taste.
Believe me, this will be your “go to” Russian pancake recipe from now on. It’s a basic recipe with plenty of room for experimentation and fantastic fillings.
Cook’s Tips
- Store blinchiki covered in the fridge for about 3 days.
- You can freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, bring to a room temperature and microwave or heat stalked blinchiki in the pan, 5-6 pancakes at a time.
- Use 2 or 3 frying pans if you are tight on time.
- Some of the traditional savory fillings include minced meat, cheese, ham, mushrooms, smoked salmon, caviar and sour cream.
- Sweet fillings include but are not limited to jams, chocolate cream, poppy seeds, condensed milk (sgushenka), berries, honey, sweetened cottage cheese, apples and cinnamon or any other sweet.
Recipe Variations
- To make Russian pancakes gluten free, use the same amount of buckwheat flour.
- To make blinchiki more nutritious, use a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
- Beer or kefir can be substituted for milk.
- Use same amounts of dairy-free milk and a flax egg to make blinchiki vegan.
- To make this Russian blini recipe lighter, skip the cream and butter and add same amounts of warm water instead.
Since the pan is hot, you could try out this traditional farmer’s cheese pancake “Syrniki”.
Another favorite fried pancake of Russian cuisine, though thicker and fluffier it’s typically eaten with a sweet topping and a dollop of sour cream.
To venture further into the Russian culinary adventure, try out my grandma’s delicious, and healthy Russian pickled tomatoes.
Traditional Russian Pancakes (Blinchiki)
Ingredients
- 350 grams or 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour See notes below for substitutions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs (see notes below for substitutions)
- 800 ml or 3 1/3 cups milk warmed (see notes below for substitutions)
- 100 ml or 1/2 cups cream for lower calories intake use warm water
- 5 tablespoons melted butter for lower calories intake use warm water instead
- sunflower oil or canola oil to fry
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. Add eggs, milk, cream and melted butter. Use a whisk attachment of your mixer or food processor to mix the batter until smooth. The consistency of the batter should be a bit thicker than cream with no lumps.
- Heat two pans over high heat. Pour a tiny bit of sunflower oil in both pans (you can use a silicon brush to spread it). Use a scoop or a ladle to pour the batter in the middle of the pan. Acting quickly, tilt the pan from side to side while pouring, forming a circle with the batter.
- Flip the pancake over with a thin spatula, after the surface looks porous and sides are golden. Fry for half of the time you fried the first side. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- You might want to put them in the warm oven (not warmer then 70 °C/160 °F) to keep them hot before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook’s Tips
- Store blini covered in the fridge for about 3 days.
- You can freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, bring to a room temperature and microwave or heat stalked blini in the pan, 5-6 pancakes at a time.
- Use 2 or 3 frying pans if you are tight on time.
- Some of the traditional savory fillings include minced meat, cheese, ham, mushrooms, smoked salmon, caviar and sour cream.
- Sweet fillings include but are not limited to jams, chocolate cream, poppy seeds, condensed milk (sgushenka), berries, honey, sweetened cottage cheese, apples and cinnamon or any other sweet.
Recipe Variations
- To make Russian pancakes gluten free, use the same amount of buckwheat flour.
- To make blini more nutritious, use a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
- Beer or kefir can be substituted for milk.
- Use same amounts of dairy-free milk and a flax egg to make blini vegan.
- To make this Russian blini recipe lighter, skip the cream and butter and add same amounts of warm water instead.
Angela
Friday 21st of April 2023
Gosh looks like I'm writing from the future...2023 : ) These pancakes are also made in UK before Lent to use up eggs, milk etc before the Lenten fast....don't know if any/many people do that any more. Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday as it's called in UK - we used to eat ours with lemon juice and sugar. Love from the future X
Elena Szeliga
Friday 21st of April 2023
Thank you for stopping by, Angela! Hope you enjoyed the pancakes :)
Gina Tu
Friday 4th of November 2022
Hi, can this recipe be made with almond flour? Keto diet? Thanks
Elena Szeliga
Friday 4th of November 2022
I haven't tried it with almond flour, but I guess it might work if you increase the amount of eggs to maybe 4 and use less flour. If you try it, please share your feedback!
Arisa
Tuesday 11th of October 2022
im doing a research project on foreign foods, this was very helpful and im so exited to make them! thank you!
Elena Szeliga
Saturday 22nd of October 2022
@Arisa, Thanks for your feedback! :)
Paul
Sunday 9th of October 2022
Delicious, thank you so much Elena for sharing your recipe! I traveled around Russia and lived back and forth in Kazakhstan for 20 years and love the cooking. I made a filling using 1 diced apple, 1/4 C sharp cheddar, 1/4 c white cheese (I used mozzarella since it was in my fridge), a couple T crumbled blue cheese, a teaspoon 10x confectioners sugar and 2 T sour cream. Really good on an autumn day in Virginia. Topped the blini with a spoon of Greek yogurt with marmalade. Thank you again!
Elena Szeliga
Saturday 22nd of October 2022
@Paul, The filling with apples and cheese sounds amazing! Thank you so much for your feedback :)
Elizabeth Halen
Monday 5th of September 2022
Sorry I just re read the instructions 😂 nvm