Naleśniki (Polish Sweet or Savory Crepes)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/12/23
Folded filled Polish crepes with blueberries on a plate

The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 12 servings

Polish naleśniki (nah-lesh-NEE-kee) are crepe-like pancakes that can be made thin, as in this recipe, or as a thick Polish crepe. They can be enjoyed with either sweet or savory fillings. Every Eastern European country has its version of pancakes or crepes, such as Croatian palačinke, Serbian palacinke, Polish naleśniki,​ and Hungarian palacsinta.

Once filled and rolled, they can be baked or pan-fried. Another variation is to dip them in beaten egg and breadcrumbs before frying or baking.

Fillings can be as simple as your favorite jam, preserves, or fresh fruit such as berries. Spread them with some Nutella and add banana slices. You can also make a sweet cheese filling using farmer cheese and cream cheese sweetened with sugar and vanilla. You can top them with a fruit compote or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce. Cream cheese also lends itself to savory fillings, especially when flavored with onions, garlic, or herbs.

Enjoy these crepes for breakfast or brunch. Making a platter of them will please your guests.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for frying, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Polish crepes recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  2. In a blender or food processor, combine flour, milk, water, eggs, butter, and salt and process until smooth.

    Smooth crepe batter in the food processor

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  3. Transfer batter to a pitcher. Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes so liquid can be absorbed by the flour.

    Slightly bubbly batter in a pitcher, covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  4. Heat a crepe pan or small skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with butter. Using a 2-ounce ladle, spoon 1 portion of batter into pan.

    Crepe batter filling the bottom of a cast-iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  5. Immediately rotate pan and swirl batter until it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Cook until crepe is lightly brown or spotted brown on underside. Flip and cook second side until it is light brown.

    Browned thin crepe in a cast-iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  6. Remove crepe to waxed paper or parchment paper and repeat with remaining batter. You may need to recoat the pan with butter as you cook crepes.

    Thin crepes stacked on parchment paper

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  7. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of savory filling or sweet filling on each naleśniki. Fold sides in first and then fold bottom up, rolling away from yourself, similar to an egg roll or burrito.

    Folded filled crepe on a plate, flat crepes on parchment paper, and jar with jam

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

  8. Filled naleśniki should then be pan-fried in butter over medium-high heat or baked in a buttered casserole dish at 350 F until the filling is set.

    Folded crepe in butter in a cast-iron pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Estrada

Tips

  • Save time and make ahead by preparing the crepe batter and the filling, and storing them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days.
  • Cooked crepes can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
  • Unfilled pancakes can be wrapped and frozen for up to one month.

Variations

  • For a sweeter crepe for desserts, add 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and reduce the salt to a pinch.
  • Some prefer to dip their naleśniki in beaten egg and then in fine, dry breadcrumbs. They are then fried in butter or a small amount of hot oil until golden on all sides.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
53 Calories
3g Fat
5g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 53
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 105mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 32mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)