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Nut Free
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Vegetarian
Oladky Ukrainian Pancakes
Ukrainian pancakes, also known as oladky or oladyi, are the perfect way to start your day! Made with kefir and baking soda to create their thick and fluffy texture, these little single-serve pancakes are about to become your new favorite breakfast!
Why You’ll Love These Ukrainian Pancakes
These delicious little Ukrainian pancakes – known as oladky – are another one of my childhood favorites! Also known as oladyi or oladushki in Russian, these pancakes are a thick and fluffy breakfast treat that you can serve with just about anything.
These easy-to-make pancakes are amazing with a cup of coffee or tea to start your day. You can also serve them in such a variety of ways that you’ll never get tired of them!
How To Serve Ukrainian Pancakes
- Oladky are often topped with some sort of fruit jam. Try cranberry citrus sauce, apple jam, strawberry jam, or sugar-free cherry jam.
- Drizzle with maple syrup for a simple sweet treat!
- Add a dollop of Greek yogurt on top with some of your favorite berries.
- Keep it simple with sliced fresh fruit.
- Top your pancakes with sour cream, smoked salmon, and dill for a savory version.
- Similar to blinis, you can also serve these oladky with caviar.
- Do a drizzle of honey over your pancakes.
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top!
Key Ingredients to Make Ukrainian Oladky Pancakes
The key to making oladky – or Ukrainian pancakes – is the ingredient with the fermentation. In today’s recipe, we use kefir which is a fermented milk. Some recipes call for Greek yogurt, so while I prefer kefir, you can use that as a substitute in a pinch.
- Eggs
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Kefir
- Baking Soda
- All-Purpose Flour
- Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
How To Make Oladky Ukrainian Pancakes
Step 1: Room Temperature
Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.
Step 2: Combine Egg Mixture
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt until it’s well combined.
Step 3: Add Kefir + Leavening
Add kefir to the eggs and mix them together. Then, add baking soda and stir to combine.
Step 4: Add Flour + Rest
Start to gradually add flour to the mixture, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth batter. The batter should be thick, but still pourable. Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes after mixing.
Step 5: Heat Pan
Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat and add a tablespoon of light olive oil to coat the surface.
Step 6: Fry Pancakes
Once the pan and oil are hot, take a heaping tablespoon of the batter and drop it into the pan. You can add multiple tablespoons, but make sure you leave enough space between the oladky so they don’t touch.
Step 7: Cover and Flip
Cover the pan with a lid and allow the pancakes to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip them and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side.
Step 8: Enjoy!
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and cover them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter – adding more oil to the pan as needed. Add your choice of topping and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Oladyi (and oladky) are thick pancakes while a blini is a thin crepe-like recipe.
If you have some leftover oladky, put them in a ziploc bag, wrap them in tin foil, or put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for a couple of days. Eat them cold or heat them up in the microwave.
You can keep the leftover batter in the fridge for a couple of days (in an airtight container), but keep in mind that the pancakes will come out less fluffy since the leaving agent (baking soda) will lose its full effect. Freezing is also an option, but it’s easiest done if you can freeze individual portions in an ice tray or something similar. You can also re-use the batter by making muffins, fritters, biscuits, etc.
More Pancake and Crepe Recipes to Try
- Try this Easy German Baby Pancake (Dutch Baby) if you want to just whip something up and pop it in the oven.
- The Best Fluffy Pancake Recipe won’t steer you wrong!
- If you’re looking for something on the savory side, Savory Chicken Crepes are the way to go.
- This Easy Crepe Recipe is a classic, but check out our Simple Crepe Recipe with Cream Cheese and Berry if you want to elevate it a little bit.
Other breakfast recipes
If you tried this Oladky Ukrainian Pancakes or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Oladky Ukrainian Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tbsp salt
- 2 cups kefir
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3-4 tbsp light olive oil for frying
Instructions
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All ingredients should be at room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined.3 large eggs, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ tbsp salt
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Add kefir to the eggs and mix. Then add baking soda.2 cups kefir, 1 tbsp baking soda
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Gradually add the flour to the mixture, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth batter. The batter should be thick but still pourable. Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes.4 cups all-purpose flour
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Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil to coat the surface.3-4 tbsp light olive oil
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Once the pan is hot, take a heaping tablespoon of the batter and drop it onto the pan, ensuring that you leave enough space between each pancake so they don't touch.
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Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side.
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Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and cover it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
