Blini Recipe

Looking for a fabulous finger food for your next party? A new favorite way to canape? Look no further than blini. These small savory pancakes are made to be topped with all your favorite ingredients, from caviar—if you’re feeling fancy—to pickled veggies. Our blini recipe is traditional, with buckwheat flour as the main ingredient.

What are blini?

Blini are small, unsweetened pancakes served throughout Eastern Europe, though they enjoy particular popularity in Russia. Typically, blini are made small, measuring between 2 to 3 inches across. They look like pancakes and have a similar texture. These bite-sized buckwheat pancakes can be topped with everything from honey to smoked fish.

Editor’s Note: Technically, blini is plural. A single pancake is called a blin. If you’re looking for a “blinis” recipe, you’re still in the right place (no judgement).

Ingredients for Blini

TMB STUDIO

• Buckwheat flour: Traditional Russian blini use buckwheat flour. This grain (technically a pseudo-grain) has an earthy flavor and slightly coarse texture.
• All-purpose flour: To avoid gritty blini and add softness, the buckwheat flour is cut with the all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder: Some blini recipes are leavened with yeast, others with baking powder. Our Test Kitchen prefers the baking powder method for easy results. Before you begin, be sure to test your baking powder to make sure it’s still fresh enough to give the blini the right lift.
• Milk: We thin the batter with 2% milk, but buttermilk or heavy cream work too.
• Egg: You’ll only need one egg for this blini recipe! Bring it to room temperature by placing it in a bowl and covering it with warm water for 10 minutes.
• Butter: Melt two tablespoons of butter and let it cool to room temperature so it doesn’t cook the egg when the two are whisked together.

Directions

Step 1: Whisk up the blini batter

TMB STUDIO

In a large bowl, whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together. In another bowl, whisk the flours, salt and baking powder.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk them well until the batter is fairly smooth. A few small lumps are OK here.

Step 2: Cook the blinis

TMB STUDIO

Place a greased large nonstick skillet over medium heat. In batches, pour the batter by the tablespoonfuls onto the skillet. Cook the blini until bubbles on top begin to pop and the undersides are golden brown, about two minutes. Then flip and cook until the second side is golden brown, one to two minutes longer. Wipe the skillet clean, then repeat the process with the remaining batches until you’ve used all the batter.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you’re making blini for a crowd, break out your electric griddle! You can portion out a dozen or more of these tiny pancakes all at once.

Blini Toppings

TMB STUDIO

Just like crepes or latkes, blini are all about the toppings. These small pancakes can be served sweet or savory, so your options are nearly limitless:

• Apples: Spoon some warm homemade applesauce over blini. Top them with an extra sprinkling of cinnamon and honey.
• Blueberries: Spoon blueberry preserves (or your favorite homemade jam) over the blini. Top them with goat cheese and a sprinkling of lemon zest.
• Caviar: Caviar and creme fraiche are a traditional topping for these tiny pancakes. Making a batch is a great excuse to splurge on this spendy ingredient.
• Goat cheese: Spread blini with fresh goat’s cheese. Then drizzle them with some of the best honey and garnish them with fresh orange zest.
• Spicy shrimp: Dollop a bit of creme fraiche in the center the blini. Then add cooked shrimp, drizzle them with chili crisp and garnish them with sliced green onions.
• Smoked salmon: Top the blini with pieces of smoked salmon or lox. Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of fresh dill to each blin.
• Tzatziki: Spread a teaspoon of tzatziki sauce over the blini. Then top them with sliced cucumber and sprigs of dill.

Recipe Variations

• Change the buckwheat flour: Buckwheat flour is very traditional in most Russian blini recipes. This flour isn’t necessary to make the recipe, though. You can use whole wheat or rye flour instead. These types of flour will imbue the recipe with a similar nuttiness. And if you just have all-purpose flour in the pantry, feel free to use that in lieu of buckwheat.
• Make them dairy-free: Replace the milk with your favorite non-dairy milk alternative. Oat or almond milk are great choices. Then, replace the butter with your favorite vegan butter or use canola oil.

How to Store Blini

Once the blini have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. They can last in the fridge for up to four days.

To heat up premade blini, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake them at 300ºF for 5 to 10 minutes. The time will vary depending on the size.

Can you freeze blini?

Blini freeze very well. You’ll first want to flash-freeze the blini, so lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and stick them in the freezer for one hour. Transfer them to an airtight container and put them back in the freezer for up to six months. Reheat them from frozen in a 300º oven until they’re warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes.

Blini Recipe Tips

TMB STUDIO

Should blini be served hot or cold?

Blini are typically served at room temperature. That makes these bite-sized treats the perfect party food. You can make and even top them in advance. Just be wary of wet ingredients that may make the blini soggy as it sits.

This being said, blini can also be enjoyed hot out of the pan. Be mindful of how you top hot blini, though. Toppings like creme fraiche and sour cream will melt if the pancake is too hot.

Are blini only served as appetizers?

Blini are most commonly served as appetizers. These single-serve blini are often small—about 2 to 3 inches across. However, blini shouldn’t be limited to a snack. You can make larger blini and serve them as a main course. Top them however you choose and serve them with a green salad.

What’s the difference between a blini, blintz and a crepe?

Blintzes are made with a thinner batter, which creates a much thinner end product. Blintzes are topped with assorted fillings and then rolled into small bundles. They have a soft, fluffy structure while still being very thin.

Just like blintzes, crepes are much thinner than blini. Crepes are incredibly thin and are served either folded and topped with assorted ingredients, or rolled and filled as you see fit.