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Russian Blini (Yeasted Buckwheat Pancakes)

The pancakes at the heart of Maslenitsa, Russia's butter-rich farewell to winter: thin, lacy, yeast-raised rounds with a faint tang, served in stacks with butter, sour cream, jam, or — for a feast — smoked salmon and caviar.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 20, 2026

A stack of golden, lacy Russian blini on a plate with a bowl of white sour cream, a dish of red caviar, and smoked salmon and dill alongside.

Blini are the edible symbol of Maslenitsa (Butter Week), the riotous Slavic festival that sees out winter in the last week before Lent. Their round, golden shape is said to honour the returning sun. Eaten by the dozen with sweet and savoury toppings, they're both everyday food and the centrepiece of one of Russia's most joyful celebrations.

Yield
Makes about 16 blini
Prep
20 min (plus 1.5 hr rising)
Cook
25 min
Total
45 min (plus rising)
Difficulty
Intermediate

Blini are Russia’s beloved pancakes, and during Maslenitsa — Butter Week, the joyful, indulgent send-off to winter before Lent begins — they are eaten by the dozen. Round and golden, they’re said to symbolise the returning sun, and they bridge the everyday and the festive: a humble breakfast on an ordinary morning, the star of the table during the holiday.

Real blini aren’t fluffy stacks. They’re thin, lacy, and faintly tangy — and the secret is yeast.

Yeast is what makes them blini

What separates a true blin from an ordinary pancake is the yeasted batter. Proving the yeast and letting the batter rise for an hour and a half develops the holes and the gentle sourness that define them. Many quick recipes skip this with baking powder; they’re fine, but they’re not the real thing.

Fold the whites in last

For lightness, the eggs are separated. The yolks go into the batter to enrich it, and the whipped whites are folded in just before cooking — a last-second lift that keeps the blini tender and airy instead of heavy.

Butter, and plenty of it

Cook them small in a buttered pan until the surface fills with bursting bubbles, then flip. Stack them under a cloth and brush each with melted butter — fitting, for Butter Week. Then set out the toppings: sour cream, jam, and honey for sweet; smoked salmon, caviar, and dill for a feast. Everyone builds their own.

Looking for more festive bakes? Browse the World Festive collection or the full recipe collection.

Ingredients

Makes
16

For the batter

  • 250 ml warm milk
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 7 g (1 sachet) dried yeast
  • 100 g buckwheat flour The traditional flour, for an earthy, nutty tang. Use all plain flour for milder, paler blini.
  • 100 g plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 30 g butter, melted, plus more for cooking

To serve

  • sour cream (smetana), melted butter, jam or honey
  • smoked salmon and caviar (for a savoury feast)

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Stir the sugar and yeast into the warm milk and leave 10 minutes until foamy.

    Why: Proving the yeast first confirms it's alive and gives it a head start, so the batter rises reliably.

  2. Whisk in both flours, the salt, the egg yolks, and the melted butter to a smooth batter. Cover and leave somewhere warm for about 1.5 hours, until bubbly and risen.

    Why: The yeast ferment is what gives real blini their lacy holes and faint sour tang — the difference from a plain pancake.

  3. Just before cooking, whip the egg whites to soft peaks and fold them gently into the risen batter.

    Why: The whipped whites lighten the batter at the last moment, making the blini tender and airy rather than dense.

  4. Heat a little butter in a small non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in a small ladle of batter, swirl to a round, and cook until the surface is full of holes and the underside is golden, about 1 minute.

    Why: Small pans make the traditional palm-sized blini; the bubbles bursting on top tell you it's set and ready to flip.

  5. Flip and cook the other side briefly, then stack on a warm plate under a cloth. Brush each with melted butter as you go.

    Why: Stacking and covering keeps them soft and warm; brushing with butter (it is Butter Week, after all) keeps them from drying out.

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Variations

  • Quick (unyeasted)

    Short on time? Skip the yeast and make a baking-powder batter — not traditional, but fast. You'll miss the tang and lace, but they're still good.

  • All plain flour

    Use only plain flour for milder, paler, more delicate blini if buckwheat's earthiness isn't for you.

  • Cocktail blini

    Make them tiny (a teaspoon of batter each) for canapés topped with sour cream and caviar or smoked salmon.

Serving & Storage

Serve warm in a stack, with bowls of sour cream, melted butter, jam, and honey for sweet, or smoked salmon, caviar, and dill for savoury. Diners spread, top, and roll their own.

Pairs with: Sour cream (smetana), Smoked salmon and caviar, Black tea, A shot of chilled vodka (for the feast).

Storage: Best fresh and warm. Keep cooked blini 2 days refrigerated, interleaved with paper, and reheat in a dry pan; they also freeze well for a month.

Nutrition

Per serving (3 blini, no toppings)

Calories
230
Protein
8 g
Carbs
30 g
Fat
9 g
Fiber
3 g
Sugar
4 g
Sodium
260 mg

Notable micronutrients: Magnesium, Iron

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between blini and regular pancakes?

True Russian blini are yeast-raised, which gives them a lacy, hole-filled texture and a faint sour tang — closer to a thin, soft crumpet than a fluffy American pancake. Many modern recipes skip the yeast for speed, but the yeasted version is the traditional Maslenitsa one.

Do I have to use buckwheat flour?

No — but a portion of buckwheat is traditional and gives blini their characteristic earthy, nutty flavour and darker colour. You can use all plain flour for milder, paler blini, or all buckwheat for a stronger, more rustic taste.

Can I make the batter ahead?

You can mix the yeasted base and refrigerate it overnight; bring it to room temperature and fold in the whipped whites just before cooking. Cooked blini also keep and reheat well, which suits a festive crowd.

What to drink with this

All drinks →

Hand-picked pours to match this dish. Alcoholic pairings are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US) — please drink responsibly.

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