Polish crepes, or naleśniki, are delicate, thin pancakes that can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients. Whether you love them with sweet cheese and powdered sugar or stuffed with cheese and mushrooms, these versatile crepes are a staple in Polish cuisine. Let’s get flipping!
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Authentic Polish naleśniki recipe
Naleśniki are the ultimate Polish comfort food—because who wouldn’t want an excuse to eat dessert for lunch or dinner? In Poland, both kids and adults devour these crepes, and they’re just as common as pierogi, kielbasa or rosół (chicken soup).
In fact, naleśniki are so beloved that many Polish towns have entire restaurants (naleśnikarnia) dedicated to them, serving up endless fillings—think sweet cheese, fruit preserves, custards, or savory combos like spinach and cheese, meat, or mushrooms. Basically, if you haven’t tried naleśniki yet, you’re missing out!
For more Polish recipes, try my mushroom noodle soup or this easy Polish apple cake (szarlotka).
Polish naleśniki vs. French crêpes
Naleśniki and French crêpes may look similar, but they have their own quirks. French crêpes tend to lean richer, often made with butter and milk.
Naleśniki are slightly thicker, more flexible, and often made with seltzer water for an airy texture, while French crêpes are ultra-thin and delicate. Plus, naleśniki hold up great when reheated—no delicate, fussy drama here!
Ingredient notes
- Flour – All-purpose flour works best. You can also sub for gluten-free flour or white whole wheat flour.
- Milk & Water – The combo of milk and cold seltzer water makes the batter airy and smooth. Any milk will work but regular whole milk works best.
- Eggs – use fresh large eggs. I like to get my eggs at local farms or from Vital Farms.
- Oil – A neutral oil like avocado or vegetable oil keeps the batter smooth and prevents sticking.
- Sugar & Salt – Just enough to enhance the flavor without making them overly sweet. For savory fillings, skip sugar in the batter.
- Butter or Non-Stick Spray – To grease the pan and prevent crepes from sticking to the pan.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-step Instructions
- In a blender, combine flour, milk, seltzer (or water), eggs, oil, sugar, and salt.
- Blend for about 10 seconds until smooth. The batter should be thin and mostly lump-free.
- Use a 10-inch non-stick skillet or a crepe pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease it with a cold butter stick or spray with oil. Pour ⅓ cup of batter into the pan and quickly tilt to spread it evenly.
- Cook undisturbed for about a minute, until the edges look dry and lacy and the bottom turns golden brown.
- Use a long spatula to carefully flip the crepe. Cook for another 20 seconds, then transfer to a plate. Repeat until all batter is used.
- If using my sweet cheese filling (see how below), spoon ⅛ of the filling filling onto each crepe, then fold into quarters or roll them up.
- Warm the crepes in a lightly greased pan or serve cold. Dust with powdered sugar and top with fresh berries.
If you're using seltzer water, take it easy when opening the blender—especially a bullet-style one! Super fizzy seltzer plus a sealed blender can lead to an unexpected batter explosion (and trust me, wearing your crepes isn’t the goal). Just open it slowly to avoid any messy surprises!
Sweet cheese filling
Traditional Polish sweet cheese filled crepes (naleśniki z serem) are made with twaróg (Polish farmer's cheese) blended with sugar, a bit of cream, vanilla and sometimes egg yolks. Some people also add raisins to it, too.
For my recipe I went with sweetened blended cottage cheese, which is much easier to find outside of Poland, and it's actually a great replacement.
To make the filling, place cottage cheese, powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla in a tall bowl or jug. Blend with an immersion blender until mostly smooth. For super silky cheese filling, you can also use a small food processor. Follow my blended cottage cheese tutorial for best results.
Filling Variations
Classic sweet fillings include sweet cheese (twaróg or blended cottage cheese), jam, custard (vanilla pudding), or Nutella with bananas (a kid favorite!).
For savory fillings try ham, cheese & greens, pork bolognese, taco meat + beans or ricotta and spinach.
Equipment
A crêpe pan makes flipping easy but don't worry if you don't have one! A good non-stick skillet will work just fine. I usually have two pans going at the same time, which cuts cooking time in half. I use my 10-inch crêpe pan and a 10-inch non-stick ceramic skillet.
Storage
Storing leftover naleśniki is easy, and they taste just as good the next day! Stack them with a piece of parchment paper in between to prevent sticking, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Want to keep them longer? Freeze them in a sealed bag for up to 3 months—just thaw in the fridge and reheat in a pan for that fresh-off-the-skillet taste!
You can also store filled naleśniki in an airtight container (or covered with plastic wrap) for up to 3 days in the fridge. When ready to eat, heat them gently in a greased skillet on both sides, just until warmed through.
Recipe tips & tricks
- Use a hot, non-stick skillet before greasing and cooking your first crepe.
- Flipping can be tricky—use a long spatula to loosen the edges before flipping. Wait until the edges look dry and pull away from the pan.
- For savory naleśniki, skip the sugar in the batter and fill with spinach, cheese, or meat.
- Seltzer water = light & fluffy crepes, but tap water works just fine too!
FAQ
Naleśniki (Polish Crepes): Slightly thicker and more flexible than French crêpes, often made with seltzer water for a lighter texture. Can be served sweet or savory.
French Crêpes: Ultra-thin and delicate, typically made with milk and butter for a richer flavor. Often served with sweet fillings like Nutella or fruit, or as savory buckwheat galettes.
Blintzes: Similar to naleśniki but always filled, usually with sweet cheese, then pan-fried or baked for a crispy exterior. Popular in Jewish and Eastern European cuisine. Blintzes are typically made with water, instead of milk.
If your crepes are sticking, your pan might not be hot enough—always preheat before adding batter. Use a good non-stick pan and lightly grease it with butter or oil before each crepe. A too-thick batter can also cause sticking, so make sure it’s thin and smooth. Finally, don’t flip too soon—wait until the edges look dry and lift easily from the pan.
If your crepes are tearing, they might be too thin or undercooked. Make sure your batter isn’t overly watery, and wait until the edges look dry and lift easily before flipping. Use a wide, thin spatula to gently loosen the crepe before flipping in one smooth motion. A good non-stick pan and proper greasing also help prevent tearing!
More Polish recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Polish Crepes (Naleśniki Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 10-inch crepe pan or a non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup seltzer water or tap water, cold
- 2 eggs large
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral tasting plant oil, such as avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- cold butter or non-stick spray, for greasing the pan
Sweet Cheese Filling
- 10 oz cottage cheese 2 standard packages, I like low fat Good Culture
- 5 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a jug of a bullet-style or standup blender combine flour, milk, seltzer (or tap) water, eggs, oil, sugar and salt.
- Blend for 10 seconds or until completely smooth. You can also do this in a bowl using a hand mixer or a whisk. Batter will be thin and should be mostly lump-free.
- Place a 10-inch non-stick skillet or a crepe over medium heat and wait until it gets hot. Grease it with a cold stick of butter or spray with oil.
- Pour ⅓ cup of batter into the greased pan and immediately tilt it to the side to coat the bottom.
- Cook undisturbed for about 1 minute or when you see that the edges are sticking away from the pan.
- You'll know it's time to flip the crepe when the edges appear dry and lacy, and the bottom turns a golden brown.
- Flip on the other side using a long wide spatula and cook briefly, 20 seconds or so.
- Transfer to a plate and continue until you run out of batter. You should end up with 8-9 crepes.
Sweet cheese filling
- Place cottage cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a tall dish or bowl. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
- Place ⅛ of the filling onto each crepe and fold the crepe in 4 (like in my photos) or roll it up.
- When ready to serve, place the folded or rolled naleśniki in a hot lightly greased skillett and heat up for about 1 minute per side, just to warm them up. You can also serve them cold, if you prefer.
- Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, fresh fruit, whipped cream or whatever sweet topping you like (strawberry sauce, chocolate sauce etc.).
Notes
Nutrition
Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Tran says
The best! Now do savory, please!
Bogusia says
Tasty like in our Tatra Mountains