Naleśniki (Polish Crepes) Recipe

You can't beat crepes; these Polish crepes, Polish pancakes, or naleśniki are the best around. Made with a few ingredients and filled with sweetened farmer's cheese, they make for an unforgettable breakfast or brunch. In the end, all you need is a cup of Earl Grey tea or a mug of hot chocolate.

Almost each Eastern European country has its version of pancakes or crepes, a staple of everyday cuisine.

Jump to:

• What is naleśniki?
• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• Recipe variations
• How to make naleśniki
• Expert Tips
• How to serve Polish naleśniki
• Storing and freezing
• Recipe FAQ
• Love crepes or pancakes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

These crepes or pancakes are just as good, if not better, than traditional French crêpes. Naleśniki z serem, meaning Polish crepes with cheese, are filled with homemade farmer cheese and fresh strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar.

Interestingly, the terms Polish crepes and Polish pancakes are used interchangeably; they both mean naleśniki. But thanks to the addition of sparkling water - they are lighter and more delicate than typical pancakes.

What is naleśniki?

Naleśniki (pronounced as naleshneekey) are Polish thin breakfast crepe-like pancakes. Filled with sweet or savory fillings, they can be served for breakfast, brunch, as an appetizer, or afternoon snack.

Polish crepes are similar to Jewish blintzes, Hungarian palacsinta, Croatian palačinke, Serbian palacinke, Lithuanian naliesnikai, Ukrainian nalysnyky, and Romanian clătite.

The original nalesniki recipe is dated from 1871. The author of Polish cookery books, Lucyna Ćwierczakiewicz, separated the egg whites from the egg yolks and added the beaten egg whites to the pancake dough.

Modern Polish crepes are far from their early counterparts, made with whole eggs. The present recipe is updated for today's tastes.

Why you should try this recipe

• The basic ingredients needed for these delicious pancakes are something you probably already have in your kitchen.

• Polish nalesniki make the best breakfast option ever.

• You can have your pancakes plain, but they are perfect for wrapping different fillings, from farmer or cottage cheese, Nutella, and fruit, to savory mushrooms, ham, or cheese.

• You can make Polish crepes from this recipe for both dessert and savory crepes.

Ingredients

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

Read about crepes ingredients before you start.

• Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour. If you use measuring cups, sift the flour after measuring it.

• Vanilla sugar is an optional ingredient, but you can add vanilla sugar or granulated sugar to your pancakes to make them taste better. You don't need it in the savory ones, so just use this as an option for making sweet pancakes.

One of the most useful tips for making dessert crepes is to replace vanilla sugar with granulated white sugar and add just a few drops of vanilla extract.

• Salt enhances the flavors of the batter and finished pancakes.

• Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature.

• Milk: The recipe calls for whole milk, but you can replace it with low-fat or plant-based milk like almond or oat milk.

• Sparkling water: The authentic Polish nalesniki recipe uses sparkling water to make soft and delicate pancakes, but you can use plain water instead.

• Butter: Melted butter makes the pancakes more pliable; as a result, a crepe pan doesn't need to be greased. You can replace the batter with vegetable oil or melted and cooled coconut oil.

• Farmer cheese: classic recipe uses Polish twaróg cheese to garnish crepes, but you can use store-bought or homemade farmer's cheese (aka dry-curd cottage cheese) instead.

It is not the same, but you can replace twaróg cheese with cottage cheese, Italian ricotta, or cream cheese.

• Yogurt: Use plain Greek yogurt or replace it with sour cream.

• Fruit: The recipe uses fresh strawberries, but you can use canned peaches or thin banana slices.

Recipe variations

A delicious and versatile Polish pancake recipe is perfect for serving with both sweet and savory fillings.

• For sweet naleśniki, add some sugar and even use your favorite fruit soda drink instead of water. 

• For savory Polish pancakes, use beer instead of water (serve to adults only).

How to make naleśniki

To make the batter, sift flour with a flour sifter in a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and vanilla sugar (optional) and mix with a hand whisk.

Place eggs in the center of the dry ingredients and mix with the whisk. Gradually add milk and water and stir well.

The pancake mixture will be thin enough to resemble the consistency of heavy cream (photo 1).

Pro tip: Check the batter's consistency by lifting a spoonful and letting it run off. It should smoothly cover the surface of the spoon.

Pass the batter through a fine-mesh sieve, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Pro tip: If you are short on time, cook pancakes immediately after mixing the ingredients.

Heat a crepe pan well: set it over medium to high for the even distribution of the heat.  

Stir the batter. Lift the pan over the burner, and with a ladle in another hand, pour the batter into the center of the hot skillet.

Immediately move the pan to allow the dough to spread over the entire surface of the pan. 

Next, bring the pan over the heat and cook the pancake for about 40-50 seconds (photo 2).

Once the pancake edges become brown, use a flexible turner to flip it. Cook another side of the pancake for a few seconds (photo 3).

Pro tip: The first crepe or pancake is often unsuccessful due to poor heat spread over the pan. Don't worry: the next pancakes will get the desired texture, color, and taste.

Proceed with the remaining batter in the same way until it is used up. Place the cooked pancakes on top of the other on a serving plate.

Cover pancakes with another plate, a lid, or aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out and keep them warm.

To make the filling, place the farmer's cheese in a medium bowl, add yogurt, vanilla sugar, and powdered sugar, and mix with a fork or potato masher (photo 4).

Wash and dry fresh strawberries on paper towels. Cut them into thin slices (photo 5). Spread about 1-2 teaspoons of the filling on each pancake, place a few slices of strawberries, and roll the pancake into a roll (photo 6).

Cut each pancake into three parts using a very sharp knife. Remove the ends. 

Arrange the small rolls upright in a serving dish. Sprinkle with icing (powdered) sugar and decorate with pieces of fruit.

Expert Tips

1. Read on making basic crepes to learn all the tips and tricks.
2. To make the batter, you can use a blender: blend the batter for a few minutes until smooth. 
3. If you plan to make Polish croquettes (krokiety in Polish), pour a little more batter into the pan to cook thicker pancakes. 
4. You can place the rolled pancake cuts on skewers for a fun presentation.
5. Fold pancakes (with the cheese filling) and pan-fry with little butter until golden brown, if desired.
6. Omit sweet cheese filling and serve pancakes plain if preferred.

How to serve Polish naleśniki

Naleśniki (plural) are best eaten warm. The typical fillings for Polish nalesniki are twaróg cheese that resembles farmer’s cheese. Such pancakes are also called Polish blintzes or naleśniki z serem (Polish crepes with cheese).

There are many more combinations than those listed below, but here are some ideas.

Authentically, once filled, fold your pancakes into triangles (fold them in half, then in half again), and pan-fry with some butter or clarified butter until golden.

Should you always fry the filled naleśniki? The answer is no. You can roll or fold your pancakes as you desire and serve them without frying. The pancake platter looks so pretty.

Storing and freezing

Store Polish crepes covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Can you freeze nalesniki? The best way to freeze them is by separating each with parchment paper and double wrapping them with cling film and aluminum foil. Then, freeze your crepes for three months.

You can also freeze the filled nalesniki wrapped individually or placed in an airtight container or plastic bag for a month.

To thaw crepes, place them in the refrigerator overnight. You can also heat the defrosted crepes quickly in the oven or microwave:

• Place thin crepes (unfilled or filled) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bring to the preheated oven at 355°F (180°C) for 5 to 10 minutes.

• In the microwave, set it on high and use 20-second intervals.

Recipe FAQ

Love crepes or pancakes? Try these next!

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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.