Blintz
Thin pancakes rolled around sweet cheese or fruit filling
Blintz is a thin, rolled pancake filled with sweetened cheese or fruit preserves, part of Ashkenazi Jewish cooking from Eastern Europe. The pancake is wrapped around the filling and lightly sautéed before serving, often with sour cream or fruit compote. Blintzes are especially served during the Jewish festival of Shavuot.
- Blintzes are rolled pancakes with sweet cheese or fruit inside
- They are a traditional food for the Jewish festival of Shavuot
- The pancake is sautéed after being filled and rolled
- The name comes from a Slavic word for pancake
- For Passover, matzo meal replaces flour in the batter
What is Blintz?
A blintz is a thin pancake, similar to a crêpe, that is filled and rolled up. The classic filling is sweetened farmer's cheese, sometimes with raisins mixed in, or fruit preserves. After being filled, the pancake is folded into a neat parcel and lightly sautéed until golden. The outside is soft and slightly crisped from the pan, while the inside is creamy or fruity. Blintzes are usually served hot, topped with sour cream or a spoonful of fruit compote.
Where does Blintz come from?
Blintzes come from Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. The name 'blintz' comes from Yiddish, which borrowed it from a Slavic word for pancake. Jewish cooks adapted the dish from similar pancakes eaten by their Christian neighbors, such as Russian blini and French crêpes. Over time, blintzes became a typical food in Jewish homes, especially for holidays. During Passover, flour is replaced with matzo meal to fit dietary rules.
How is Blintz made?
To make blintzes, a thin batter is cooked in a pan to create delicate pancakes. Each pancake is filled with a mixture of sweetened cheese or fruit preserves, then rolled or folded into a rectangular shape. The filled pancakes are sautéed gently in butter or oil until lightly browned. They are often served hot, finished with a topping such as sour cream or fruit compote.
How and when is Blintz eaten?
Blintzes are enjoyed hot, often for breakfast, as a snack, or with tea. They are a special treat during the Jewish festival of Shavuot, when dairy foods are traditional. Blintzes may also appear at other celebrations or as a comforting food at home. They are usually served with sour cream or a sweet fruit sauce, and eaten with a fork and knife.
Kinds of Blintz
While the classic blintz is filled with sweetened cheese, some versions use fruit preserves or add raisins to the cheese. In Russia, similar pancakes called blinchiki may be filled with cottage cheese, preserves, or even meat. For Passover, the pancake is made with matzo meal instead of flour. The basic idea of a filled, rolled pancake appears in many Eastern European cuisines.
What Blintz means
Blintzes are closely tied to Jewish holiday traditions, especially Shavuot, when dairy dishes are customary. They reflect the blending of Jewish and Eastern European foodways, showing how Jewish cooks adapted local dishes to their own customs. Blintzes are seen as a symbol of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and are a familiar comfort food in Jewish communities around the world.
When Blintz is on the table
Questions people ask about Blintz
What is a blintz made of?
A blintz is made from a thin pancake filled with sweetened farmer's cheese or fruit preserves, sometimes with raisins, then rolled and sautéed. It is usually served with sour cream or fruit compote.
Where does the blintz come from?
Blintzes come from Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. The dish was adapted from similar pancakes found in Russian and other Eastern European cuisines.
When are blintzes usually eaten?
Blintzes are often eaten during the Jewish festival of Shavuot, when dairy foods are traditional. They can also be served for breakfast, as a snack, or with tea.
Are blintzes always filled with cheese?
While sweetened cheese is the classic filling, blintzes can also be filled with fruit preserves or have raisins added to the cheese. Other versions in Eastern Europe may use different fillings.
How are blintzes served?
Blintzes are served hot, typically topped with sour cream or fruit compote. They are eaten with a fork and knife, often as part of a festive meal or snack.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Blintz", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
More from Russia
All the food of Russia
Pancake
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreFlat cakes made from batter, cooked on a griddle or pan and served sweet or savoury
Main dish, Breakfast, Snacks
KhachapuriVegetarianხაჭაპური
🇬🇪 Georgia and 4 moreLeavened bread filled with cheese, sometimes egg, from Georgia
Bread, Breakfast, Lunch
KamaVegetarianталқан
🇪🇪 Estonia and 5 moreRoasted grain and legume flour mixed with milk or buttermilk
Main dish, Breakfast, Snacks
Its cousins elsewhere
All pies and savoury pastries
PapanașiVegetarian
🇷🇴 Romania and 1 moreCheese-based doughnuts or dumplings topped with cream and fruit preserves
Pie or savoury pastry
Zagorski štrukliVegetarian
🇭🇷 CroatiaThin pastry filled with cottage cheese, baked or boiled in northern Croatia
Main dish
St. Martin's croissantVegetarianrogal świętomarciński
🇵🇱 PolandA sweet, crescent-shaped pastry with white poppy seed and nut filling from Poznań
Pie or savoury pastry
Angel wingsVegetarian
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreCrisp, deep-fried ribbons of dough dusted with powdered sugar
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time