If you like regular pancakes, wait till you try Oladi! The sweet smell of cooking, the extra crispy fried edges and the fluffy, chewy inside is only a small part of what makes Russian Pancakes awesome. Once you sink your teeth in, you will not let them go.

Oladi is a family tradition that was passed on by my mother who also made them every morning before school. We were raised in a village and had plenty of milk coming from two cows, so buttermilk was always available for this pancake recipe.
Oladi are the Russian version of American buttermilk pancakes. They are light, fluffy, and so similar. The only difference is that we cook them in a pan with more oil for those crispy edges.
Russian Pancakes are also called Blini. Blini is a small pancake that is made from buckwheat flour. Blini are traditionally served with melted butter, sour cream, and either smoked salmon or caviar.
How to Make Russian Pancakes
- Make the Pancake Batter – Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, salt, and sugar. Mix in the flour and baking powder until combined.
- Heat the Pan – Heat a skillet with oil until the oil is sizzling hot. Lower the heat to medium.
- Cook the Pancakes – Working in batches, use a tablespoon to pour a little batter to the hot oil. Cook the pancakes on each side until golden brown. Add a little oil in between each batch. Serve while warm.




Hot Tip: Use a large skillet so you can cook more pancakes at a time.
Freezing Buttermilk Pancakes
To freeze buttermilk pancakes, first flash freeze them by placing them on a baking sheet in one layer and freezing until completely frozen (about an hour). Once frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight container. By flash freezing the pancakes first, they won’t stick together.
Buttermilk pancakes can be frozen for 2 months. You can reheat the pancakes from frozen either using the microwave or in the oven (375°F for about 10 minutes).

FAQ
What does buttermilk do in pancakes?
Buttermilk does multiple things in pancakes. It reacts with the baking soda or powder for extra fluffy pancakes and helps break down the gluten to give a more tender pancake. Finally buttermilk gives pancakes a slight tang that is a classic flavor.
Can you substitute buttermilk for milk in pancakes?
Yes, you can substitute buttermilk for milk in pancakes. You can use the same amount of buttermilk that the recipe calls for.
What is the best buttermilk substitute?
The best buttermilk substitute is making buttermilk on your own. It’s very easy to do. All you need is lemon juice or white vinegar, and regular milk. To make 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and add milk to the 1 cup line. Allow to sit for a few minutes before using. I recommend using 2% or whole milk when making the buttermilk substitute.

Serving Buttermilk Pancakes
You can serve buttermilk pancakes with so many different toppings! For a sweeter spread top, use fresh berries or serve with our raspberry jam. For more savory pancakes, serve with sour cream and a glass of milk.
More of Breakfast Recipes
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes – The perfect balance between healthy and delicious.
- Crazy Easy Sourdough Pancakes – Classic pancakes with a sourdough kick
- Buttermilk Waffles – Melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
- Perfect Crepes – Breakfast from France!
- Banana Pancakes– Naturally sweetened, fluffy flapjacks!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- canola Oil for frying
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs together with the buttermilk, salt and sugar.
- Add the flour and baking powder and mix to combine.
- Heat up a pan with the oil until sizzling hot. Lower the heat to medium and use a tablespoon to pour small amounts of pancake batter into the hot oil.
- Saute the pancakes on each side until golden brown. In between every batch add a little more oil to the skillet.
- Serve them while they are still warm. They will be a little crispy on the sides.
Super easy and so delicious!
was always intimidated to make these although I grew up eating them all the time. Finally decided to make them today and they were such a hit! Thank you for such a simple recipe!
Hi Kate, Nostalgic food is the best! I'm glad you decided to give them a try!
The way my mother always did it was to use our expired yogurt or milk or cottage cheese instead of the buttermilk. Came out to a similar result.
Dave, thats funny because in Ukraine mom used spoiled milk for this recipe. Loved reading this feedback, took me back the 90s in Ukraine.
Just wow ! So tasty ! Thank you for the recipe!!
Luba, this makes me so happy, thanks for taking the time to write feedback!
Very delicious 😋 I also like that you can combine all the ingredients in one bowl, very quick, easy and delicious, thank you for the recipe. I used coconut oil to fry mine, I feel like it crisps more that way, I read that once and now use it for most of my pancake recipes.
Hi Lana- thank you for the feedback! The coconut oil is a unique idea as well, glad you enjoyed this recipe!
For anyone needing to eat gluten free, these turn out amazing with King Arthur Measure for Measure flour. Love the crisp edges!!
Thank you for the tip, Diana!
Absolutely loved the crispy edges on these pancakes. The kids loved them too!!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
These pancakes were awesome! made them for breakfast and they were such a hit. Thank you for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed them, Eden!
The fluffy texture and the crispy edges are my favourite parts of this recipe. So delicious!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Julia!
Literally, just like mom used to make!
Now that is the sweetest compliment, mom's food is always best 😊 I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe!
These pancakes are amazing. I put cinnamon in the batter....absolutely delicious...highly recommend!!!!
I'm so glad you enjoyed them! I love the addition of cinnamon!
Best pancakes ever, thank you Natalia !
I'm glad they worked out and you enjoyed them. Thank you for your feedback Yelena!
how many pancakes does this recipe make?
Maddie, depending on the size you make them, about 35.
These are so good!! Made them for the first time today and told my husband I won’t be making regular pancakes ever again 😅
Hey Anna, I am glad. They are definitely perfectly fluffy, remind me of childhood! 🙂
I dont have buttermilk. Can i use sour cream instead?
you can make buttermilk substitute by using 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk!
I used almond milk.
Hey Jasmine, thank you for that tip!
Hey Lidiya, Unfortunately, sourcream alone wouldn't work. The liquid wouldn't be runny enough. There are ways you can create a buttermilk substitute, you can search on google for different options.
oladi are made with kefir and not buttermilk.
Buttermilk has a similar science behind it so the turnout is the same. 🙂
These pancakes are just the best !!!!!!!! Very big Thank You for the recipe!!! Everyone needs to try them!!!! ??????????
Oh you are so sweet!! I thanks for sharing feedback 🙂
oh !!!!!U have very tasty pancakes !!!
Oh, I am so happy to hear!
hey, looking for this recipe for a long time. do you know why they are falling and not stay flaffy after i take them out of the pan? thank you!
Too much eggs i believe.
I am not sure why that would happen, mine kept their shape.
What sour cream is it? I happen to be in Canada and have a Costco nearby!!
I think it the only one they sell in their refrigerator section. IN USA sour cream taste way different. 🙁
I (an American) lived with a Russian family for 3 months in Moscow. My Russian "mom" made these for me at least three or four times a week...served with sour cream!! But not like the sour cream we get here in America...AN AMAZING SOUR CREAM that made these one of my favorite things!! Sometimes she would add little green grapes to them as well. Thanks for posting the recipe 😉
Hi Shiela, that must be really cool experience to live in Russia for some time. I totally know what you mean about sour cream. When we came to USA, we were hunting around to find the same sour cream 🙂 Some Russian stores may have it and Costco in Canada does too. 🙂
What kind of sour cream in Canada? I live in canada
Canada has a different sour cream than US does. The flavor is so delicious.
I made these pancakes and they are delicious!!!! so soft and yummy!!! but i always add a lot more sugar cuz we like them really sweet!
You sound like my hubby! He loves sugar 😉 Glad you loved them
These look so good!
Thank you!
What's so "russian" about this recipe besides u calling it "Oladi"? This is just basic pancakes recipe.
Actually, they are Ukrainian in origin.
What are you talking about? Pancakes are made with milk, butter and a lot more baking powder. They taste nothing like Oladi
This is exactly how my mom made them, so I call them Russian. 🙂 But typically pancakes aren't fried in oil.
You can add yogurt with a bit of milk.
Can you use yogurt instead of buttermilk?I am out of it and want to make it .I also have seen pumpkin puree added to Oladi.
My mom uses yogurt instead and I think some milk! Turns out even better with the flavor like blueberry
Hey Zoya, thank you for sharing that tip. It will be useful for many!
Yes sour cream will work but add little bit of milk to have enough liquid.
Hi Natalya. Can I substitute buttermilk with something? Sour cream maybe?
Thank you!
very nice tutorial
Wow, awesome. Thanks for sharing your picture!!! I love it 🙂