Syrniki

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/15/21
syrniki served with blueberry preserves and sour cream on a plate

 The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 12 pancakes

Syrniki are sweet, cheesy Russian pancakes that are soft on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside. They're especially delicious when topped with homemade blueberry syrup and sour cream, but also good with your favorite maple syrup, butter, or whipped cream. They’re easy to make but feel like a breakfast treat, and are a great way to mix up your classic pancakes.

The pancakes are made with farmer’s cheese, which is the closest thing we have in the U.S. to a Russian cheese called tvorog. It’s similar to ricotta cheese but has less water content, making it is drier. You can usually find farmer’s cheese in the deli section or where the ricotta and sour cream are stocked. You can also try your hand at making your own farmer’s cheese if you're feeling ambitious.

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces farmer’s cheese

  • 3 eggs

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    syrniki ingredients displayed on a marble platter
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  2. Break up the farmer’s cheese into small crumbles in a large bowl.

    farmer's cheese crumbled in a bowl
      The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  3. Whisk in the eggs and the vanilla extract.

    farmer's cheese and eggs whisked in a bowl
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  4. Add in 1/2 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. The batter will be thick and more like a cookie dough batter than a normal pancake batter. Put the remaining 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish.

    syrniki batter whisked in a large white bowl
      The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  5. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the balls of dough. Place the ball of dough into the shallow dish filled with flour.

    ball of syrniki dough on top of a floured plate
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  6. Dredge the pancakes with the flour to coat both sides and then flatten with a spatula.

    syrniki dough flattened and dredged in flour
      The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  7. Heat the oil on medium-low heat in a cast iron pan or large sauté pan. Once hot, place the pancakes in the oil. Fry on both sides for 3 minutes a side, or until golden brown.

    syrniki fried in oil in a pan
      The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  8. Serve immediately with your favorite syrup, fruit or whipped cream.

Recipe Variations

  • Many traditional recipes add raisins to the batter. You can add in a 1/2 cup of your favorite raisins if you like.
  • You can also make these sweet pancakes savory. Try adding chopped chives or scallions, fresh herbs, shredded cheddar cheese, and a sprinkling of cracked black pepper.
  • If you are looking for a fancy party appetizer, you can make bite-sized syrniki and serve them topped with crème fraiche, herbs, and caviar.
  • You can cook the syrniki in clarified butter or coconut oil instead of oil. Avoid using olive oil unless you are making the savory variety. The flavor of olive oil will overpower the sweet pancakes.
  • It's easy to make these pancakes gluten-free. Just sub in gluten-free flour for the regular flour.

Tip

  • Do not skip the dredging in the flour step. The pancakes will stick and won’t get that classic crispy coating.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
636 Calories
44g Fat
31g Carbs
28g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 636
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g 57%
Saturated Fat 17g 84%
Cholesterol 218mg 73%
Sodium 1327mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 667mg 51%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 224mg 5%
*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.)