Syrniki | Russian Cheese Pancakes
Syrniki are Russian cheese pancakes made from fresh curd cheese (tvorog), egg, flour, and sugar, fried until golden. The batter is shaped into thick little rounds, dusted in flour, and pan-fried, so the outside crisps while the inside stays soft and tender. They work in both sweet and savory versions and come together in minutes.
I first made these when I accepted the challenge to take part in the #MakeLifeDelicious with Electrolux at #TasteOfMoscow campaign. It pushed me to discover some really amazing Russian recipes I could not wait to test. I already knew a few, since Russian cuisine is very similar to Romanian cuisine, but most of them were either soups and salads or meat-based. I wanted to try something new.
At the time I was living in Milan, with no oven and a very limited collection of food props, so I needed something I could make in a single pan. That is how I landed on these Russian cheese pancakes called syrniki (сырники) or tvorozhniki (творожники). This campaign challenged me to discover Russian cuisine and to “vegetarianize” some of its most popular dishes, and syrniki turned out to be one of the easiest places to start.
Key ingredients
Tvorog (curd cheese) is the heart of syrniki. It is a fresh, slightly tangy curd cheese, and the drier it is, the better your pancakes hold their shape. If you cannot find tvorog, farmer’s cheese, ricotta, or dry cottage cheese all work. I used ricotta because it was the most suitable cheese I could find where I was, just keep in mind that wetter cheeses need a little extra flour to firm up the batter.
Egg binds the batter and helps the pancakes set as they fry. One egg is enough for this amount of cheese, more than that and the batter turns loose and harder to shape.
Flour does double duty here. A few tablespoons go into the batter to give it structure, and more is kept on a plate for coating each pancake before it hits the pan. That flour dusting is what gives syrniki their lightly crisp crust.
Sugar keeps these on the sweet side, which is how I prefer them. For a savory version you can reduce or skip the sugar entirely and lean into the tang of the cheese.
Toppings are where you get to play. Sour cream, jam, fresh fruit, and honey are all classic. I opted for the sweet version, with a berry jam topping and fresh strawberries.
Tips for getting it right
Mash the cheese until it is creamy before adding anything else. A fork works, but a food processor gets you a smoother batter faster and breaks up any stubborn curds. The smoother the base, the more even your pancakes fry.
- Watch the moisture. The most common mistake is using cheese that is too wet, which leaves you with batter that spreads in the pan instead of holding a round shape. If it feels loose, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it is workable but still soft.
- Coat every pancake in flour. Dropping a spoonful of batter onto the flour plate, dusting it, and shaping it into a ball before flattening is what keeps them from sticking and gives that golden crust.
- Keep them thick. Aim for around 7mm, similar to American pancakes. Too thin and they dry out, too thick and the centre stays raw while the outside burns.
- Use medium heat. You know they are ready to flip when the underside is deep golden and the edges look set. Rushing on high heat colors the outside before the inside cooks through.
- Do not crowd the pan. Give each pancake room so the oil stays hot and they crisp instead of steam.
Leftovers and make-ahead
Syrniki are best eaten fresh and warm, when the crust is still crisp, but they keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat to bring back some of the crispness rather than microwaving, which softens them. You can also shape the batter ahead and keep the rounds covered in the fridge for a few hours before frying.
If you enjoy these, you will likely love a few other cheese-forward recipes on the blog. Try my grandma’s spaghetti and cheese pudding for cozy comfort food, or the potato and cheese tart. And if you are after more pancakes, my gluten-free vegan pancakes are a great everyday option.
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Syrniki | Russian Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 250 g tvorog alternatives: farmer’s cheese, ricotta, or dry cottage cheese
- 5 Tbsp flour plus more for coating
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- oil for frying
- sour cream for topping; jam, fruit, honey, etc. also work
Instructions
- Add the cheese to a bowl. Mash it with a fork until creamy, or use a food processor.
- Add the egg, sugar, and flour. Mix well.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan.
- Place 2-3 Tbsp of flour on a plate for coating.
- Take one Tbsp of batter and drop it onto the flour plate. Dust it with flour and shape it into a small ball, then flatten it into a thick, round pancake, similar to American pancakes (~7mm thick).
- Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Place each pancake into the pan and fry on both sides until golden.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Tvorog is a fresh, slightly tangy curd cheese used across Eastern Europe. It is the traditional base for syrniki. If you cannot find it, farmer’s cheese, ricotta, or dry cottage cheese all work as substitutes. Drier cheeses give the best results because they help the pancakes hold their shape.
The usual culprit is cheese that is too wet, which makes the batter loose so it spreads instead of holding a round shape. Add flour a tablespoon at a time until the batter is workable, and always coat each pancake in flour before frying. Keeping the pan at medium heat also helps them set properly.
Yes. Syrniki work in both sweet and savory versions. For a savory result, reduce or skip the sugar entirely and lean into the natural tang of the cheese. Savory syrniki pair well with sour cream or fresh herbs instead of jam and fruit.
Aim for thick rounds about 7mm, similar to American pancakes. Too thin and they dry out, while too thick leaves the centre raw before the outside is golden. Shaping the batter into a small ball and then flattening it gives you an even thickness.
Store cooled syrniki in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, warm them in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat to bring back some crispness. Microwaving works but softens the crust, so the pan is the better option.
The egg binds the batter and helps the pancakes set as they fry, so this recipe relies on it. If you want to skip the egg you will need a binder that firms up the batter, but the texture and shaping will change, so it is worth testing a small batch first.
Wow, this recipe reminds me of my childhood! They are just like my grandma used to make them. Sweet nostalgy 🙂
Thank you for sharing your version of the recipe, Ruxandra!
Glad you liked it! 😀