Blini (Russian Pancakes)

4.8
(49)

This blinchiki or blini recipe is a popular Russian dish widely consumed during the Maslenitsa festival. All kinds of sweet and savory fillings are possible. Don't worry if the first few don't turn out right; you'll get the hang of it.

A plate of Russian blini pancakes, served with fresh raspberries and topped with powdered sugar
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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
30 mins
Additional Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
20 blinis
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 4 ¼ cups milk

  • 5 large eggs

  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

  • teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • teaspoon citric acid powder

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 cup boiling water

  • cup butter, divided

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Ingredients to make Russian blini pancakes

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  2. Beat together milk and eggs in a large bowl until combined.

    A large glass bowl with eggs and milk being whisked together

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  3. Beat in sugar and salt. Mix in baking soda and citric acid until incorporated.

    A glass bowl with eggs, milk, salt, sugar, baking soda, and citric acid being whisked together

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  4. Blend in flour, a little at a time, until combined. Beat in oil. Pour in boiling water, stirring constantly, until batter is thin and watery. Let rest for about 20 minutes.

    A glass bowl of thin pancake batter being whisked together

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  5. Brush a small frying pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter over medium-high heat. Pick the pan up off the heat. Pour in a ladleful of batter while you rotate your wrist, tilting the pan, so batter forms a circle and coats the bottom. The blini should be very thin.

    A greased pan with a thin round of blini pancake batter

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  6. Return the pan to the heat. Cook blini for 90 seconds. Carefully lift up edge of blini to see if it's fully cooked: edges will be golden and bottom surface should have brown spots.

    A spatula lifting up a corner of a blini pancake in a greased pan

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  7. Flip blini over and cook for 1 minute more.

    A greased pan with a cooked Russian blini pancake

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  8. Transfer blini to a plate lined with a clean kitchen towel.

    A cooked Russian blini pancake on a kitchen towel

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  9. Continue cooking remaining batter, adding 1 tablespoon butter to the pan for every 4 blinis. Stack blinis and cover with another kitchen towel to keep warm.

    A stack of cooked Russian blini pancakes wrapped in a kitchen towel

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  10. Spread desired filling in the center of each blini.

    A spoon spreading raspberry jam onto a Russian blini pancake

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

  11. Fold 3 times to make a triangle shape or fold up all 4 sides, like a small burrito.

    A cutting board with a folded Russian blini pancake filled with raspberry jam

    Rachel Marek / Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans

Recipe Tip

You can fill blinis with berries, chocolate sauce, cooked ground meat, or mashed potatoes with onion.

133 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

525 Calories
26g Fat
57g Carbs
14g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 525
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 153mg 51%
Sodium 378mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 14g 29%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 181mg 14%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 303mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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