This Balkan crêpes (palačinke) recipe is easy, uses basic pantry staples, and is super quick (1 minute of prep time)! The result is beautifully light, thin Balkan-style crêpes (palačinke) that you can fill with whatever your heart desires! Enjoyed sweet or savoury across the Balkans, these crêpes are slightly thicker than French-style crêpes , but thinner than standard pancakes. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, the entire family will love these!
The first time I ever had Balkan crêpes (palačinke), my husband (then boyfriend) made them for me for breakfast! If you’ve been following along my blog, you’ll know that he’s Serbian. And so when he introduced me to the delicious world of palačinke, I was hooked (and requested them from him very frequently!)
With classic Balkan fillings like plum jam, walnuts, or feta cheese, these thin, delicate crepes are so moreish. Like me, you’ll be astonished at how many you can actually eat in one sitting!😋I’ll gladly admit to preferring these over pancakes any day!
Ingredients in this Balkan Crêpes (Palačinke) Recipe
Apart from flour, eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt, there’s one secret ingredient that every Balkan uses in palačinke. And that’s sparkling/soda water! The carbonation and bubbles give you the most airy, light batter, and the most delicate, tender palačinke.
Some people add a small amount of sugar to their batter, but I like to keep things simple! And by keeping the batter neutral, it’s totally up to you whether you want sweet, dessert-style palačinke, or savoury palačinke!
Some people also add some oil to the batter to help with the texture and flexibility of the palačinke. But I’ve found this really makes no difference. This Balkan crêpes (palačinke) recipe still gives you delicate palačinke that roll (or fold) perfectly without tearing!
You’ll also need some butter or oil to coat the pan in between palačinke . I prefer butter for the flavour, but this is up to you!
How to Make Balkan Crêpes (Palačinke)
This almost doesn’t deserve its own section – that’s how quick and easy these Balkan crêpes are! Just throw all your ingredients into a blender, pulse for 20-30 seconds, and start cooking! Told you there was only about 1 minute of prep time!
You can of course use a hand whisk if you prefer. Just make sure there are no lumps in the batter! You are looking for a thin batter that pours very easily. If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk or water. And if it’s too watery, add a teaspoon of flour.
An optional but highly recommended step is to let the batter sit for about 10-15 minutes. This just allows the gluten in the flour relax, and gives you more delicate palačinke!
Then heat up a pan on medium heat, and grease the pan with butter or oil. Ladle in some of the batter into the pan, and immediately start swirling the pan around in a circular motion. The idea is to quickly distribute the batter into the circular shape of the pan. That way, you get a lovely, thin crêpe!
Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on one side until golden, then flip!
Cook for another 30-60 seconds and transfer to a plate. I like to use another plate as a lid to keep the stack of palačinke warm.
Serve with your favourite toppings, and enjoy! It’s totally up to you whether you like to roll up your palačinke, or fold them into triangles. I am personally a roller!
Topping Suggestions
Depending on what mood I’m in, my favourite toppings are either plum jam, or Nutella/chocolate spread and crushed walnuts. I mean just look at how good that looks! Especially with a glass of milk 😍
But here are some popular flavour combos for Balkan crêpes (palačinke) in no particular order!
- Plum jam – an absolute classic! Apricot jam is also a fantastic option, as it sour cherry jam. I sometimes add butter with my jam, but this is up to you. Most plum jams can be too sweet, so the authentic Balkan one I always buy is the ‘Podravka’ brand. It’s more tart, and absolutely delicious. It looks like this, and is available in European or contintental grocers. That brand also has the best apricot jam and sour cherry jam!
- Nutella/chocolate spread and crushed walnuts – up there with my husband’s favourite. His grandmother used to crush walnuts very finely and sprinkle them on his palačinke as though it were snowing! If you can find Eurocrem this is the authentic choc-hazelnut spread that’s used.
- Cottage cheese, or feta cheese – for a savoury, cheesy bite! If you’re going with feta, it’s got to be the creamy Danish feta!
- Ajvar (or ajvar with feta cheese!) – Ajvar is a classic Balkan roasted capsicum spread. Delicious on palačinke on it’s own or with creamy Danish feta cheese sprinkled over it.
- Icing sugar or granulated sugar – for those who love simplicity!
- Butter and honey – or just honey on its own! For that traditional pancake flavour combo.
- Fresh berries and whipped cream – who doesn’t love this combo?! 😍
I love pairing plum jam and fresh berries, with some icing sugar on top. But palačinke are so versatile that you can hardly go wrong!
I truly hope you enjoy this Balkan crêpes (palačinke) recipe! If you tried it and loved it, I would be so grateful if you left a 5-star review and a comment to let me know how it went! xxx
Balkan Crêpes (Palačinke) Recipe
Ingredients
Makes 6-8 individual palačinke based on thickness and size of pan
Method
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Place all ingredients (expect the butter) into a blender and pulse for 20-30 seconds. Alternatively, use a hand whisk and whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until there are no lumps left in the batter.
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Optional but recommend: let the batter sit for about 10 minutes.
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When ready to cook, heat a large pan on medium heat. Place a teaspoon of butter to grease the pan. Once melted, use a ladle to pour in your batter. As soon as the batter hits the pan, begin swirling the pan in a circular motion until the batter has spread the entire surface of the pan. If needed, pour out any excess, or ladle in a tiny bit more batter to fill any gaps.
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Cook for 1-2 minutes or until lightly golden brown. With a palette knife or spatula, lift the palačinke and flip. Be confident - it won't break! Cook for another 30-60 seconds, or until lightly golden brown, and set aside on a plate as you cook the rest. To keep them warm, wrap, or place an inverted plate over the palačinke stack.
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Serve with your favourite toppings, roll them up (or fold them into triangles) and enjoy! See recipe post for topping suggestions.
