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–+ servings
a close up of cheese pancakes on a plate topped with berries

Easy Lemon Syrniki - Cheese Pancakes (video)

10 minutes prep + 8 minutes cook + 30 minutes Chill Time:
16 pancakes
Learn how to make the most delicious Ukrainian breakfast cheese pancakes - sirniki - served with blueberry preserves.

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

  • 600 g tvorog (farmer's cheese), 3 1/2 cups slightly pressed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 6 tbsp sour cream
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp wheat farina, cream of wheat
  • zest from 3 large lemons
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil, such as avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • fruit preserves and/or sour cream, for serving

Instructions

Making the Pancake Batter:

  • Place the tvorog or farmer’s cheese into a large mixing bowl. Add in the sour cream, egg and egg yolk, vanilla, sugar and wheat farina.
  • Zest 3 large lemons and add the zest to the mixing bowl. No lemon zest? Use 2 teaspoons of lemon extract instead.
  • Using a spatula to mix everything together. You should have a thick mixture of cheese in the end. Cover the mixing bowl and set into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You can also set it into the fridge overnight.

Cooking the Sirniki:

  • Once the cheese pancake dough/batter has chilled, it’s time to make some sirniki!
  • Using a quarter-cup measuring scoop, portion out the dough for each pancake (1/4 cup for each one). Next, roll each scoop into a nice ball and sprinkle generously with the all-purpose flour. Press each ball into a flat disk.
  • Preheat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add in several tablespoons of cooking oil and butter. Once the butte ris hot and melted, add in the sirniki in batches without overcrowding the pan.
  • Cook the cheese pancakes over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping very gently with a rubber spatula once the edges are golden brown.
  • Transfer the cooked sirniki onto a tray lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Add more oil and butter into the pan, then continue with the next batch.

Serving Suggestions:

  • These delicious lemon sirniki will be extra hot and fragile when they come off the pan! Allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying them.
  • I recommend serving these warm with a spoonful of blueberry, apricot or raspberry preserves on top. You can also add a bit o fsour cream and sprinkle them with confectioner’s sugar.
  • Reheat any leftovers in a non-stick pan over medium heat.

Note:

  • Nutritional facts calculated for 1 pancake without any toppings; this recipe makes approximately 16.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg