Blini (Russian Crepes)

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Blini (Russian crepes) are thin, delicate pancakes, enjoyed both savory or sweet, served with an assortment of toppings for breakfast or dinner.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Rest Time20

Total Time45

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Russian

Keyword: blini, crepes

Servings: servings (crepes)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Whisk in the salt, sugar, and flour until well combined and no lumps remain; set batter aside to rest for 15 minutes. Whisk once more before cooking.
Warm up a nonstick 10-inch pan over medium heat. Melt about 1 teaspoon of butter; when it starts to foam, ladle in 1/4 cup of batter in the center of the pan.
Immediately lift the pan from the burner and swirl it so the batter coats the bottom of the pan. Replace the pan on the burner and cook the crepe until the batter is just set and the underside is lightly golden, about 1 minute.
Using a spatula or your fingers, loosen the sides of the crepe and gently flip in the pan; cook for another 45 seconds.
Transfer crepes to a plate. Repeat until all batter is gone.
Roll up or fold into quarters.
Serve immediately with a few teaspoons of jam or honey, and fresh berries!

Don't skip the 15-minute rest. It's what keeps the crepes tender instead of tough, since it gives the flour time to fully hydrate.
Use room-temperature milk and eggs. Cold batter is what causes it to spread unevenly in the pan and cook in patches instead of one smooth, thin layer.
Kefir or buttermilk can replace the milk for tangier, lacier edges. Store-bought works fine here; there's no need to make your own.
For savory fillings, you can drop the sugar to 1/4 tablespoon or omit it entirely. The batter still cooks up thin and tender without it.
No blender required, but if your batter keeps coming out lumpy by hand, blend everything for 10–15 seconds instead of whisking.
This recipe is naturally low in sodium and sugar (153mg sodium, 2g sugar per crepe), so there's no need to adjust unless your toppings add extra.
To make ahead and store, cool completely, stack with parchment between layers, and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. When reheating frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before peeling apart so they don't tear, then microwave 10–15 seconds.