Yeasted Blini Recipe

Leavened with yeast, these beautifully flavored and airy yeasted blini are the best. Serve blinis with jam or honey, or enjoy them as savory ones with smoked salmon or red/black caviar like in old-times Russia.

Blini are often on my Sunday program! Almost each Sunday morning, my family starts with French crepes, galettes, blini, or pancakes.

They all belong to the same delicious family - the pancake family: flat, paper-thin or thick, sweet or savory.

What is a blini?

Blini is an yeasted pancake similar to a crepe but thicker. It has a beautiful lacy appearance due to the yeast in the batter.

Nowadays, the term is used for pan-sized thin pancakes and smaller leavened pancakes.

Why you should try this recipe

With this easy and foolproof blini recipe, you can be sure to make the best original yeasted blinis.

They are full of flavor and have an authentically known tangy taste that will make your family and friends want more.

The blini batter requires a single proof (fermentation) that saves time.

While blinis are best enjoyed with a sweet or savory topping, it is good to know that they can be served as an appetizer, for example, salmon blini appetizer.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

Milk and water: liquids used to dissolve the baking yeast. Use whole milk or low-fat milk if desired. Make sure to warm up the liquids up to 113 degrees F/ 45 degrees C.  

Baking yeast: the most prized for strength is the best-selling SAF instant yeast. You can also use Red Star yeast or another trusted brand.

Use instant yeast and active dry yeast interchangeably. Please, read more about types of yeast and how to pick the right one.

Flour: the recipe calls for all-purpose flour.

Salt and sugar: they both balance the flavor and taste of blinis.

Vegetable oil: use it to make the batter and to cook blini. You can replace it with grapeseed or sunflower oil if desired.

Egg: use a large whole egg at room temperature.

Vanilla extract: the recipe calls for Madagascar vanilla extract. Omit this ingredient if you serve blini with savory toppings.

How to make blinis

To make the blini batter, pour milk and water into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high to 113 degrees F/45 degrees C (use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature).

Take off the heat and transfer it to a large heatproof bowl. Add baking yeast, salt, sugar, mix with a hand whisk, and rest for about 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.

Sift flour with a flour sifter, add it to the principal preparation and mix. Beat the egg for an omelet, add to the mixture. Pour vanilla extract and oil, and combine (photo 1).

Cover the bowl with plastic film and place it in a warm, draft-free place to rest for 30 to 45 minutes. The batter will approximately double (photo 2).

To cook blini, gently mix the batter with a hand whisk. Heat a crepe pan over medium heat and brush it with oil using a silicone brush.

Pour one ladder of batter into the pan, swirl it to coat the entire surface.

Cook until the bubbles appear on the surface of the blini and its bottom becomes golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes (photo 3).

Flip the blini and cook on the second side for about 1 to 2 minutes (photo 4). Transfer blini to a warm plate.

Repeat the process until the batter is used up, brushing the skillet before adding the batter.

Recipe variations

The glorious, buttery taste of a traditional blini recipe is intact with just the addition of whole milk to make them rich and creamy.

But how do you make your blinis taste different? You can replace the milk with plain kefir or a mix of sour cream with milk or water.

If it is just not enough to satisfy your appetite, go for something extra creamy - mix the whole milk with cream.

Or, the next time you make yeast blinis, try omitting the milk and just using water. You will love how light these blinis are!

Blini toppings

Whether you go with the traditional or try one of the modern toppings like poached eggs or beetroot dip - they will make your taste buds happy.

So, what are the most common sweet toppings for blinis? In Russia, blinis are often topped with butter and jam.

If you are feeling more indulgent, try topping them off with other sweets:

• honey,
• jam,
• sweetened sour cream,
• sweetened condensed milk,
• sweetened cottage cheese.

Despite the lovely way to serve blini with sweet fillings, blinis are traditionally served with savory toppings.

The most common pairing for yeast blinis is smoked salmon or caviar - a tradition that goes back to the XII century in Russia.

Interestingly, at times, the caviar was added to the blini batter. The black caviar became popular on the royal table during Ivan the Terrible's sitting.

However, a special delicacy was the pike caviar. It's believed that Peter I started a large-scale distribution of caviar.

But what are other savory toppings? Top homemade blinis with a delicious crab salad, smoked chicken salad, or poached eggs with salmon.

Or finish them off with avocado cream and crab meat that brings all the flavors together in perfect harmony.

Break up your weeknight dinner routine and serve blinis with crème fraîche and hot-smoked salmon for added protein. Top it off any way you like - salmon salsa if desired too.

Finally, wow your guests with small-sized blinis and serve as canapés with goat cheese or brie, cranberry sauce, and mint leaves.

But most importantly, blinis are more than just a vessel for toppings; they are an experience in themselves.

Storing and freezing

Cover the cooled blinis with plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, bring them to room temperature or warm them up in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

Can you freeze blinis? Yes, you can freeze a batch of blinis with parchment paper between each.

Then wrap them up with double plastic, aluminum foil, and place in an airtight container.

Freeze blinis for up to 2 months. To defrost, bring them to room temperature for a couple of hours or in the fridge overnight. You can microwave for a few minutes to reheat.

Expert tips

1. Check the temperature of liquids with a cooking thermometer. If you do not have one, the milk with water has to be warm to the touch.
2. Make sure to get the smooth blini batter before letting it rest. If there are flour lumps in the batter, pass the batter through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them.
3. To speed up the yeast to proof, place the bowl with batter covered with plastic wrap or a tea towel in the oven with the light on (the heat is off).  
4. Stir the blini batter throughout cooking, so flour is evenly distributed in the batter.
5. Make sure to serve blinis warm as soon as they are cooked or keep them covered with a tea towel in the warm oven until ready.

Frequently asked question

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was originally published on March 18, 2018. It has been updated and may differ from what was originally published. It was revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.