Chag Sameach and Happy Shavuot to all of you! Continuing with our dairy theme, here is another Shavuot favorite–the blintz. A blintz is a thin crepe-like pancake filled with cheese. Blintzes are pretty easy to make, and they’re one of the most delicious things EVER (in my humble opinion). If you’ve never made a blintz, this blog will walk you through the process.
My blintz recipe includes vanilla in both the blintz and the filling, which gives it a delectable flavor and aroma. You can actually eat these blintzes without the cheese filling (if you cook them on both sides), they are pretty tasty on their own. I prefer them stuffed with cheese! For the blintz filling I use a blend of ricotta cheese and cream cheese. If you’re watching your fat intake, try subbing nonfat ricotta and Neufchatel cheese. You can also use farmer’s cheese. The blintzes are sweet, but not overly sweet. They’re perfect for breakfast or brunch.
For my Strawberry Topping recipe, click here. These blintzes are great both with topping and without. Enjoy!
Note: When I originally published this post, a reader gave me a tip to only cook the blintzes on one side before stuffing, which saves a substantial amount of prep time. I’ve been making them that way ever since! I’ve updated the blog with new photos to reflect this process. Thanks for the tip Phyllis! Also, I have added a step for draining the ricotta cheese, which helps the filling to thicken and not spread.
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Cheese Blintzes
8 servings
15 minutes
15 minutes
Dairy
Description
Recipe for cheese blintzes stuffed with ricotta and cream cheese. Includes step-by-step photos. Jewish, kosher, dairy, deli foods.
Ingredients
Blintz Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch salt
- Nonstick cooking oil spray
- Vegetable oil with a high smoke point for frying (grapeseed or peanut oil works best)
Filling Ingredients
- 1 cup lowfat ricotta cheese (you can use farmer's cheese if you prefer, which Is drier and thicker)
- 8 oz cream cheese (1 package)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch salt
Recipe Notes
You will also need: Standard 10" nonstick skillet
Serving size: 1 blintz
Instructions
The night before: Place the ricotta cheese from the filling ingredients into a strainer lined with cheesecloth placed on top of a bowl. Let the ricotta drain overnight in the refrigerator to remove excess liquid. Note-- this step is optional, it will help the filling to thicken so it won't be quite so soft and goopy in the center.
Blend all of the blintz ingredients together using a food processor, blender, immersion blender or electric hand mixer. Consistency of the batter should be smooth (no lumps). Alternatively, you can use a fork to mix all ingredients together until the batter is smooth. Make sure you get rid of all the lumps.
Warm up a nonstick skillet on medium heat until hot. The skillet is ready when a drop of water sizzles on the surface of the pan. If the water pops or jumps out of the pan, the skillet it too hot—let it cool slightly before starting. If the water sizzles, it’s at the perfect temperature. Grease the entire surface of the hot pan generously with nonstick cooking oil spray (keep the oil spray away from gas stovetop flame).
Pour the blintz batter by 1/3 cupfuls into the pan, then tilt the pan in a circular motion till the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan in a large, thin circular shape.
Let each blintz cook for 60-75 seconds until the edges of the blintz brown and the bottom of the blintz is lightly golden. You can tell it's ready by touching the center of the pancake's surface-- it should be dry and slightly tacky to the touch. Do not flip the blintz to cook the other side. Use a spatula to take the blintz out of the pan and place it on a plate.
Keep the blintzes separated by pieces of parchment paper, wax paper, or paper towels. This will help keep them from sticking together.
When all of the blintzes are cooked, create your filling. Put all of the filling ingredients into a mixing bowl, then use a fork to mix them well. Filling should be well blended but slightly lumpy.
Now you’re going to stuff and wrap up your blintzes! Put 3 tbsp of filling on the lower part of the blintz, about an inch from the edge.
Fold the lower edge of the blintz up over the filling.
Fold the sides of the blintz inward, as though you’re folding an envelope.
Roll the blintz up and over the filling like a burrito, tucking the edges in as you roll.
When the blintzes are stuffed and rolled, you are ready to fry them. Pour ¼ cup of vegetable oil into the skillet and heat over medium until hot. Do not let the oil turn brown or start smoking—if this happens, discard the oil and try again. Cook the blintzes in batches of 3--this will give you space to turn them easily in the pan. Carefully place the stuffed blintzes flap-side down into the hot oil. The blintzes should fry for 1 ½ to 2 minutes until they’re brown and crispy.
Turn the blintzes carefully using a spatula and/or tongs, then fry for an additional 1 ½ - 2 minutes. Blintzes should be evenly browned on both sides.
Serve blintzes warm. They can be served as-is or topped with fruit topping, sour cream, applesauce, whipped cream or maple syrup.
Lenny says
Tip: before frying filled blintzes,while rolling them brush with left over egg whites to seal the flap so they dont open during frying.
Diana says
These were phenomenal and we didn’t even eat them fresh. I made for Shavuot and reheated in the oven for brunch the next day. I served with homemade whipped cream and a mixed berry sauce I made. I will definitely be making every Shavuot. Thank you!
Chery Berent says
Technique in video step by step, thanks “Ma”! Substitutes and nutrition info important to us. Excellent!
wendy shean says
I haven’t made them yet, but they look yummy and easy to do. Before I try I had a question. You state not to turn them over to fry them. But the pictures look like they have been flipped when you put the filling in. Am I putting the filling on the side that has been already been fried? What is the best way to do that without ripping them?
Deedee says
The crepes worked well, but the filling was runny and not very good. I followed the recipe exactly, including draining the ricotta overnight to remove moisture, but they don’t firm up at all. Need to be cooked a lot longer (Other recipes call for baking them after frying to set filling), or a different filling recipe, the consistency was not good at all.
Tori Avey says
So sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you Deedee! It is a softer filling than some other blintz recipes, that is how we prefer it. You might try this recipe next time, which has a firmer, more traditional filling: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/ratners-cheese-blintzes/
DB says
Can these be frozen? If so, are they frozen before or after frying? Any how-to tips on freezing? Thanks.
Tori Avey says
I would not freeze these due to the soft filling.
Rich Shepard says
Tori,
What size skillet do you use? I have cast iron skillets from small to large, including two Griswolds (#5 and #6). The 1/3-cup of batter you suggest will make different thicknesses of blintz depending on the area of the skillet bottom.
Tori Avey says
It’s a standard medium sized 10″ skillet.
Johanna says
Hi Tori,
I made your recipe for cheese bourekas and they were delicious! I will try the cheese blintzes.
Great comfort food for these crazy times right now!
Be well
Johanna
Bernadette M Roden says
I am trying to figure out how many this makes. Is a serving size 2, 3?
Tori Avey says
Serving size is 1 blintz.
Scott says
The blintzes were delish! I fried in coconut oil, which gave a pleasant hint of coconut flavor. And I had some leftover prune butter so I used it as a topping and was surprised at how good it was. Yours is one of my main go-to sites for recipes.
Chelsea says
I love this recipe. I’ve used it every holiday brunch for the past 4 years with great success. I have a question now, we recently became all gluten free and I’m wondering if I can substitute a “measure for Measure” gluten flour blend? Has this been tried? Thanks in advance for a wonderful recipe with great instructions!
Tori Avey says
I haven’t tried this yet. Would love to know if it works for you! Please report back if you’re able to try it.
Allen says
Horrible recipe. Filling is way to thin, and crepes are not supposed to be fried in a traditional blintz recipe. I threw the entire batch in the garbage after following the recipe to a tee.
Tori Avey says
Sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you Allen. I have to wonder if you follow the instructions exactly, as many other readers have had a great result with this recipe. Did you skip step one of draining the ricotta? That thickens the filling considerably. The crepes are not fried on both sides, only one – the un-fried side should face outward when you wrap them. No matter what happened, sorry you didn’t have a better experience!
Sylvia says
Excellent recipe. I have made blintzes for years and this is the best filling I have ever made. Thanks so much!
Tori Avey says
Happy to hear that 🙂
Catherine says
Excellent!!! My family loved the recipe and your instructions worked perfectly. In the past, I have fried them in butter but your suggestion of oil is probably better because butter burns so readily. I didn’t notice any difference in taste using oil; they were just so yummy. I topped with sour cream and made an easy blackberry jam. How soon can I make these again???
Tori Avey says
Yes! Butter has a super low smoke point, oil yields a much cleaner crisper result. So glad you enjoyed it!
Joanne Pelc says
yes, there is a difference between butter to fry in and oil.. oil greasy. butter better taste
Suzanne says
You could always fry in ghee, butter taste but a higher smoke point
Bettye Chambliss says
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I read about blitzes in one of Sandra Browns books, “Smash Cut”. Sounds easy enough to make.