Syrniki — Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Fluffy Ukrainian cottage cheese pancakes with berry compote. A 290-calorie breakfast that tastes like dessert. Traditional, high-protein, naturally filling.
- low-fat cottage cheese (dry-curd) 250g
- egg 1 large
- plain flour (or oat flour for gluten-free) 3 tbsp
- vanilla extract 1 tsp
- honey or erythritol 1 tbsp
- salt pinch
- olive oil (for the pan) ½ tsp
- fresh or frozen berries (for compote) 150g
- honey 1 tsp
- 1
Make the compote: heat berries with 1 tsp honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until jammy. Set aside.
- 2
In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, flour, vanilla, sweetener, and salt. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If too wet, add flour 1 tsp at a time.
- 3
Dust your hands with flour. Shape dough into rounds about 1.5cm thick and 6cm across. You should get 6–8 patties.
- 4
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add oil. Cook syrniki for 6–8 minutes per side until deep golden. Do not rush — low heat prevents burning while the interior cooks through.
- 5
Serve warm with berry compote and a dollop of Greek yogurt if desired.
Syrniki are Ukraine’s answer to breakfast pancakes — but made entirely from cottage cheese, so they are high in protein and naturally filling. The texture is somewhere between a pancake and a cheesecake: soft inside, golden outside.
These freeze beautifully. Make a double batch, freeze on a tray, then bag. Reheat from frozen in a 160°C oven for 12 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my syrniki fall apart?
The cheese is too wet. Drain it 30–60 minutes in a sieve — dry-curd cottage cheese is the whole secret.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes — oat flour swaps 1:1 for the plain flour in this recipe.
Do syrniki freeze well?
Very well. Fry, cool, freeze flat, then reheat in a dry pan or 160°C oven straight from frozen.
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