Naleśniki (Polish Pancakes or Crepes)

You can't beat pancakes, and these Polish pancakes or naleśniki are the best around. They are easy to make; just mix a few ingredients for an unforgettable breakfast or brunch.

Tea anyone? All you need is a cup of Earl Grey tea or a mug of Hot Chocolate.

These are just as good, if not better than traditional French crêpes. They come filled with farmer cheese, and fresh strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar.

Naleśniki (pronounced as naleshneekey) are Polish-style thin crepe-like pancakes.

But thanks to the addition of sparkling water - they are lighter and more delicate than typical pancakes.

Interestingly, the terms Polish crepes and Polish pancakes are used interchangeably; they both mean naleśniki.

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

Almost each eastern European country has its version of pancakes or crepes which are a staple of everyday cuisine.

The original nalesniki recipe is dated from 1871. Polish 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 pancakes are far from their early counterparts: they are made with whole eggs. The recipe was updated for today's tastes.

Jump to:

• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make naleśniki
• Recipe variations
• Equipment
• Storage instructions
• Expert tips
• Frequently asked questions
• Love crepes or pancakes? Try these next!
• Need to adjust your baking pan size?
• Recipe card
• Comments

Why you should try this recipe

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

If you want to make your breakfast delicious, then the best way is by making Polish naleśniki.

You can have your pancakes plain, but they are perfect for wrapping different fillings.

For example, use farmer or cottage cheese, Nutella, fruit, and whipped cream for a sweet overload, or mushrooms, ham, or cheese to satisfy savory cravings.

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

If you want to take it one step further, try making Polish croquettes (krokiety in Polish).

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

Also, read about crepes ingredients.

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. You can add vanilla sugar or granulated sugar to your pancakes to make them taste better.

You don't really need it in the savory ones, though, so just use this as an option for making sweet pancakes.

Perhaps 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 milk or plant-based milk like almond milk or oat milk.

Sparkling water: the authentic Polish naleśniki 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 the melted and cooled coconut oil if you desire.

Farmer cheese: classic Polish naleśniki recipe uses Polish twaróg cheese to garnish crepes, but you can use farmer 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.

How to make naleśniki

To make the batter, sift the 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).

Extra tip: To check the right consistency, lift a spoon with the batter and let it runoff. The batter should run off and 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.

Extra 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).

Extra tip: often, the first crepe or pancake is 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 one 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 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.

Recipe variations

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

If you prepare sweet naleśniki, you can add some sugar and even use your favorite fruit soda drink instead of water. 

If you make savory pancakes, you can use beer instead of water (serve to adults only).

The most important thing to remember when making pancakes is that they should be slightly browned on both sides.

If you want to make and use them for croquettes, only lightly cook them.

The best part about making pancakes or crepes is deciding what flavors go well together.

Of course, there are lots more combinations than those listed below, but here are some ideas anyway.

The typical fillings for Polish naleśniki are Polish twaróg cheese that resembles farmer’s cheese; such pancakes are also called Polish blintzes.

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.

Equipment

Crepe equipment is a topic of great interest and there is so much useful information to cover. Please, read more in the post devoted to basic crepes.

The best Polish pancakes are made with a special crepe pan that has low edges.

Another good option is any non-stick frying pan, but if you have an old-fashioned one from decades ago then that would probably work too.

Storage instructions

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

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

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

The easiest way to thaw crepes is by placing them in the refrigerator overnight.

You can also heat 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 degrees F/180 degrees C for 5 to 10 minutes.

When you want to reheat your crepes in the microwave, set it on high and use 20-second intervals.

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, 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.

Frequently asked questions

Love crepes or pancakes? Try these next!

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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.