Want to try more breakfast recipes? Try my Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, Yeasted Waffles, or Buttermilk Pancakes! I’m a huge lover of both sweet and savory breakfast foods and cheese blintzes are a newer favorite of mine. I first fell in love with them a few years ago when I had them at great breakfast restaurant on my birthday, and now everyone cheers when I make them for home. They’re easy to make and customize with your favorite toppings, and you can serve them for a special breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!
What are Blintzes?
Blintzes are a traditionally Jewish cuisine that consists of a thin pancake, similar to crepes, that are usually filled with a creamy cheese mixture and pan fried to give a crispy outside. They can be served for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!
Blintzes vs Crepes
The main difference is crepes are only cooked once, and be be served plain, without filings. Blintzes, are always served filled, usually with a cheese mixture, and are cooked twice; once when made, and again after they are filled and pan fried.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: These blintzes can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Just wait to pan fry until right before serving. The berry sauce can also be made up to 1 day ahead of time and kept in the fridge. Make Batter. Add milk, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt to a blender and blend until smooth. Cook Blintzes. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pour ¼ cup of batter into the pan and swirl the pan in a circular motion until the batter is in a thin, circle in the pan. Cook until lightly golden on the bottom, then flip and cook on the other side. Remove to a plate and keep warm covered by a dish towel or tinfoil while you cook the rest. Assemble Blintzes. Place a spoonful of the chilled filling onto the pancake, about 1 inch from the bottom. Fold both sides in, then roll all the way up, like a burrito. Repeat with remaining blintzes. Pan Fry. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, work in batches to toast the blintzes seam-side down in the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, just until until golden brown all over. Serve. Top golden blintzes with berry sauce or your favorite toppings (find my suggestions in the recipe card). To Freeze: For best results, freeze blintzes right after filling them, but before pan frying. Place rolled and filled blintzes on a cookie sheet and “flash freeze” for one hour. Transfer them to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before pan frying.
Recipe Variations:
Blueberry Blintzes: Stir a handful of blueberries into the cheese mixture once it’s made, or use frozen blueberries and follow the instructions to make a blueberry sauce. Potato Blintzes: Peel and slice potatoes into cubes. Cook them until soft then saute them with onions, salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Fill blintzes with potato mixture and pan fry according to recipe.
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