About two years ago I found a dead simple recipe for Russian pancakes (blini). They’re thin, stretchy, and perfect for wrapping jam. I never thought I’d write about cooking here, but I make these on a lot of slow weekends, so it’s nice to keep the details somewhere I can find them.

Why this recipe stuck

  • I always have the ingredients.
  • The batter takes maybe five minutes.
  • Even a regular Saturday feels a little special when the kitchen smells like hot butter.

Ingredients

  • 2 large (or 3 medium) eggs
  • 1/3 tsp fine salt
  • 2–3 tbsp sugar plus 1 tsp vanilla sugar
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil for the batter, plus a thin layer for the pan
  • 150 g all-purpose flour
  • 500 g milk at room temperature

I stick to grams so the batter behaves the same every time.

Step-by-step ritual

  1. Whisk eggs, salt, both sugars, and 3 tbsp oil until the sugar is gone.
  2. Add the flour and mix it in before any milk hits the bowl.
  3. Pour in the milk in three rounds while whisking so the batter stays smooth.
  4. Let it sit for 15–20 minutes. This keeps the pancakes soft instead of rubbery.
  5. Heat a non-stick pan, oil it once, and cook quick thin pancakes—about 45 seconds on the first side and 15 on the second.

Serving ideas

  • Roll them with your favorite jam—currant, strawberry, apricot, whatever is open in the fridge.
  • Slice fresh berries right on top and finish with a drizzle of condensed milk for dessert-level comfort.

Melted butter dunk

I melt a big chunk of salted butter in a tiny saucepan. Each pancake gets folded into a triangle and dunked into that pool. Eat, dunk, repeat until the butter is pretty much gone.

If you prefer a visual reference, the original video walkthrough is right here:

That’s the whole ritual. Simple batter, short rest, lots of butter. If you try it, tell me what you put inside the pancakes.