There is nothing like waking up to the sound of blintzes sizzling on a frying pan. Golden brown and freshly made, they are the brunch of your dreams.
There is nothing like waking up in the morning to the sound of butter sizzling on a frying pan. Because you know that what follows next is a generous ladle of batter going in, and beautiful, golden-brown blintzes coming out. Because you know that from that moment on, nothing could spoil your morning. Because you know that in the kitchen, someone who loves you is making you Russian blintzes.
Or at least, that’s the case in my house.
On Thursday, I shared with you my recipe for Russian sour cherry sauce. Well, I wasn’t completely forthcoming with you when I said you could ladle it on cake, or stuff it in vareniki, or eat it with a spoon. I mean, you CAN do all these things… But what you really should do is ladle them on just-fried, hot-off-the-griddle, steaming golden blintzes.
And because we’re all in holiday mode and any browsing you’re doing right now is likely done in a mad dash to think of last-minute things to serve on the Christmas table, I thought I’d put forth my suggestion for your Christmas day brunch: Russian blintzes with sour cherry sauce.
This is my mother's long-standing, tried-and-true traditional Russian blintzes recipe. It uses butter and eggs and white flour and a bit of sugar, and it's perfect just the way it is. And if you aren't suffering from any food sensitivities, you really should try it the way my family has been making it for generations.
But if, like me, the joys of white flour and eggs are beyond your reach, check out my buckwheat crepes for a gluten-free, vegan version of these blintzes. That way, you'll have something to compare it to!
Traditional Russian blintzes
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cups liquid milk, water, or combination of 2 glasses of milk and one glass of water
- 1 Tbsp. Grapeseed oil or olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. sugar more for sweet blintzes
- A pinch of salt
- 2 cups flour + more as needed (start with 1 cup if using only water)
- Butter as needed
Instructions
- Bring eggs to room temperature.
- Whisk together eggs and liquid until well combined. Add oil, sugar and salt. Continue whisking, gradually adding up to a cup of flour in small portions. Continue whisking until mixture is perfectly even and the consistency of yogurt or low-fat sour cream (should be easily pourable, but not watery).
- Place just a touch of butter at the bottom of a large plate. Set aside.
- Preheat a pan to medium-high heat – the pan should sizzle when you add in the oil! Add a teaspoon of oil, and pour in a ¼ cup of the the batter, tilting the pan to spread it thinly and evenly. The blintz should start cooking immediately! When the edges of the blintzes curl, use a thin spatula to flip it. Cook briefly on the other side, and remove from pan onto the buttered plate. Top the cooked blintz with a touch of butter.
- (Please note that the first blintz rarely turns out; use this one to taste and correct the amount of sugar, flour or salt in your batter. If mixture is too watery to cook properly, add a bit more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time).
Lyn says
These look perfect!!!! Thanks
kseniaprints says
I thought the Russionphile in you would like them 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Mom says
It' really testy!)
kseniaprints says
They're your recipe, of course they are!!
Sally says
My dear grandma was from Russia..gone now..would love to duplicate her blinchacke recipe..anyone have one..these crepes were stuffed and sour cream and butter topped and baked in the oven till bubbly and golden brown..
kseniaprints says
Hi Sally! So glad you stopped by. Basically, your grandmother's blinchiki recipe would involve making the blintzes in this recipe, then making a filling of tvorog/tworog/farmer's cheese (if it's too wet, drain it overnight in a cheesecloth) and one egg, a pinch of salt (if you want it sweet, you can add a teaspoon of sugar to the filling as well). You would put a bit of filling in each blintz, then fold it kind of like a burrito. Arrange your folded and stuffed blintzes in an oiled oven pan, add a few pinches of butter and bake in a 375F oven until bubbly and golden brown.
I should make it one day and actually post it, but how this helps for now! Let me know if you have any additional questions.
Katia says
There's nothing like Russian blini! This recipe looks even easier/quicker than recipes I've made in the past. Thanks for sharing!
kseniaprints says
I know, it's incredibly easy. If you've read other posts about my mom, you would see she doesn't make anything that's complex or involved! Haha. And that's why her recipes are always winners.