Blintzes with Cheese

A plate of cheese blintzes with thick raspberry sauce and a fork.

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Tender light crepes filled with lightly sweetened ricotta and cream cheese then pan-fried in butter until browned. Top with your favorite fruit, preserves, jam, or a blueberry compote or strawberry sauce.

Prep Time1 15

Cook Time30

Total Time1 45

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings: 2 per person (yield 10)

Calories: 471kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

blender
10" non-stick crepe pan
Fry pan
Fine sieve
Sifter optional
Mini off-set spatula optional, but a great little tool

Ingredients

Crepes

2 cups milk low fat or whole
1 cup flour All purpose or gluten-free blend
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar or monk fruit/allulose blend
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted to grease the pan

Blintz filling

1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
4 ounces full fat cream cheese block style, not tub style
1 large egg yolk
4-5 tablespoons sugar or monk fruit/allulose blend
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small lemon, zest only
1 pinch salt
½ tablespoon unsalted butter to grease the pan for pan-frying

Instructions

Make the crepe batter

Add the milk, flour, eggs, sweetener, vanilla, and salt to a blender. Blend on low for 30-45 seconds until smooth. Do not use high speed. Refrigerate the batter for about 60 minutes. Batter can be made a day ahead.

Make crepes

Remove the batter from the refrigerator and ready a ⅓ cup measure. Heat a crepe pan over medium heat. When it's hot, brush lightly with melted unsalted butter.
Add a scant ⅓ cup of the batter to the pan and immediately swirl the pan to coat the bottom with the batter. Watch your heat, turn it down to medium-low if needed. Cook the first side of the crepe about 60 seconds, just until lightly golden brown. Use a fork or a mini offset spatula to check underneath for the color.
Turn the crepe with your fingers and cook on the other side another 30 seconds until golden. Remove the crepe to a plate and repeat for the rest of the crepes.

Make the filling

Add the drained ricotta, cream cheese, egg yolk, sweetener, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt to a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Without a food processor, mix is by hand or whip with a hand mixer. It will have a more rustic texture but will still taste great.

Fill and roll the blintzes (see photos in post)

Place one crepe on a flat surface. Add about 2 tablespoons of the filling to the bottom third of the crepe. Fold the bottom of the crepe up ⅓ of the way, then fold in the sides, then roll up like a burrito. Place the blintz on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. Repeat with the rest of the crepes.

Rest the blintzes

Place the blintzes in the refrigerator to rest and set up for 60 minutes.

Pan fry the blintzes

Heat a pan over medium heat and add little butter, Add the blintzes seam side down first and cook until browned, about 1 minute. Gently turn and brown on the other side. Remove to a plate and repeat with the rest of the blintzes, depending on the size of your pan.
They are ready to serve or cool and refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

Note - As I personally make both the crepes and the filling with a monk fruit/allulose blend, it saves 72 carbs from the total recipe, or 14 carbs per serving of 2 blintzes.

Storing and freezing

Refrigerate – Store cooked or uncooked cheese blintzes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If stacking, place parchment or wax paper between them so they don’t stick. I like to use a parchment-lined quarter sheet tray covered with plastic wrap.

Freeze – Freeze the blintzes in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate or small sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Label and date them. They freeze great.

To reheat from the refrigerator – Warm gently in a skillet over low heat, in the microwave, or in the oven until heated through.

To reheat from frozen – For already pan-fried blintzes, let them stand at room temperature for about 1 hour, then microwave about 30 seconds, just until warm. They reheat beautifully.

To cook from frozen – If the blintzes have been filled but not yet pan-fried, thaw first, then pan-fry briefly in unsalted butter as directed in the recipe card.

Nutrition