Blini – Thin Russian Pancakes with Sweet or Savory Fillings

Ingredients:

Preparation mode:

👉 Blini are the thin pancakes of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus – golden, slightly lacy and soft enough to fold around almost anything. They are the symbol of Maslenitsa, the week-long festival before Lent, when their round shape stands for the returning sun, but families make them all year round: for breakfast with sour cream and jam, rolled around sweet cheese or minced meat, or with red caviar and butter for the New Year table.

How to Make Russian Blini

1. Mix the batter. Whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt. Add half of the milk, then whisk in the flour until smooth. Add the rest of the milk and whisk again until there are no lumps.
2. Add boiling water and oil. Pour in the boiling water in a thin stream, whisking all the time, then add the oil. The batter should be thin, like light cream. Rest for 15–20 minutes.
3. Heat the pan. Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned crepe pan over medium-high heat and brush it lightly with oil before the first blin.
4. Cook the blini. Pour in a small ladle of batter (about 50 ml) and quickly tilt the pan so it covers the bottom in a thin layer. Cook for about 1 minute until the edges turn golden, flip and cook 20–30 seconds more.
5. Butter and stack. Slide each blin onto a plate and brush with melted butter. Stack them and keep warm under a lid or towel.
6. Serve. Serve warm, folded into triangles or rolled, with sour cream, jam, honey, condensed milk or red caviar.

Tips for the Best Russian Blini

• The first blin is often not perfect – Russians even say “the first blin is always lumpy”. Adjust the heat and carry on.
• If the blini tear, the batter is too thin – whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of flour.
• Brushing each blin with butter keeps them soft and gives the classic flavour.

FAQ

What is the difference between blini and crepes?
They are very similar. Russian blini are usually a little thicker and richer than French crepes and are always brushed with butter. Small, thick yeast blini served as canapés are also called blini.

What do you eat with blini?
Sour cream, jam, honey and condensed milk for sweet blini; red caviar, smoked salmon, minced meat, mushrooms or farmer’s cheese for savory ones.

Can I make blini ahead?
Yes. Stack, cool and wrap them; keep in the fridge for 2 days or freeze for up to a month. Reheat in a dry pan or microwave.

👉 More pancakes: Ukrainian syrniki, Polish placki ziemniaczane and the Russian New Year menu.

Footnotes:

Buckwheat blini: replace half of the flour with buckwheat flour for the older, nutty-tasting version – delicious with sour cream and caviar.
Makes about 18–20 blini in a 22–24 cm pan.