# Russian Blini, Thin Pancakes

> Blini tear because the batter is too thick or the pan is not hot enough. The batter must be **as loose as light cream**, and the pan hot enough that a drop of water evaporates instantly — and it rests 30 minutes before use.

**Russian Cuisine · 70 min · 5 servings · 180 kcal per serving**

Blini are thin Russian pancakes eaten at Maslenitsa and all year round. Filled sweet (jam and cream) or savoury (meat, mushroom, cheese). Thinner than a pancake and slightly thicker than a crêpe.

## Ingredients


### Dough
- 2 cups — flour
- 3 حبات — eggs
- 2.5 cups — warm milk
- 0.5 cup — boiling water
- 2 tbsp — sugar
- 1 tsp — salt
- 3 tbsp — oil or melted butter

### الحشوة الحلوة
- 1 cup — clotted cream or cream cheese
- 0.5 cup — jam or honey

### الحشوة المالحة
- 300 g — minced meat browned with onion
- 200 g — browned mushrooms

### To serve
- 0.5 cup — sour cream

## Method

1. **The base batter** — Whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt, add half the milk, then the flour gradually while whisking until smooth and lump-free.
2. **Thin it** — Add the rest of the milk, then **the boiling water while whisking** (it gives thinner, softer blini), and finally the oil. The consistency must be **as loose as light cream**.
3. **Rest** — Cover the batter and leave it **30 minutes** — the flour hydrates and the gluten relaxes so the pancakes do not tear.
4. **Heat the pan** — Heat a 22 cm non-stick pan over medium-high heat and wipe it with an oiled cloth — **wipe, do not pour**.
5. **Pour** — Take a small ladle and pour into the middle of the pan, then lift the pan and swirl it so the batter spreads thin immediately.
6. **Flip** — When the edges dry and the surface loses its shine (about a minute), flip with a thin spatula and give it 30 seconds on the second side.
7. **Stack** — Stack the pancakes on a plate **and cover them with a cloth** — the trapped steam keeps them soft and pliable.
8. **Fill** — Put the filling at one end, fold the sides in and roll. For savoury ones: brown them in butter for two minutes before serving.

## Tips

- Boiling water in the batter gives thinner, softer blini — an old Russian trick.
- The 30-minute rest prevents tearing entirely.
- Wipe the pan with oil rather than pouring it — too much oil gives blotchy pancakes.
- Cover the stack with a cloth — they stay soft and rollable.

## FAQ

### What is the difference between blini and crêpes?
Blini are slightly thicker with more milk and sometimes yeast, and taste richer. Crêpes are thinner and closer to a sheet. The method is very similar.

### Why does the first one always fail?
The pan has not yet reached a stable temperature. This happens in every kitchen in the world — treat it as the heat test and discard it.

### Can I make them ahead?
Yes — the batter keeps a day in the fridge, and cooked pancakes freeze between sheets of baking paper and reheat in the pan.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/russian-cuisine/russian-blini-thin-pancakes
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12