Our palacsintas or Hungarian pancakes are paper thin crepes served with a sweet plum filling and topped with a sour cream sauce.
To begin, let me say that we make no claims of authenticity. Meaning, we’re not saying these are authentic Hungarian palacsintas.
Because, we don’t have access to authentic Hungarian ingredients. This recipe is a modified version of my Grandmother’s palacsintas.
So, if you’re looking for a recipe that’s Hungarian-inspired, then you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re looking for an authentic recipe, then I’d advise you to look elsewhere. Moving on.
How about we make some tasty cakes?
How to make Hungarian pancakes or palacsintas?
First things first, you need to make the thin palacsinta batter. Grab a large mixing bowl and a whisk.
Using the whisk, combine the flour, milk, sugar, vanilla, cracked egg, salt, and club soda.
Next, place a large skillet over low-medium heat and add a dab of unsalted butter.
Spread the butter around the pan as it melts. Once the pan is hot, pour in 1/4-cup of the pancake batter.
Now, tilt the pan around to spread the batter out into a large cake. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes.
Flip the cake and let it cook for another minute or so. Remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Continue cooking the palacsintas until all the batter is gone. You should have around 8 pancakes depending on the size.
It’s time to make the plum filling! Start by rinsing and peeling the plums.
Afterward, place the diced fruit into a small saucepan along with the sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Then, place the pan over medium heat. While stirring occasionally, allow the filling to cook for 7-10 minutes.
After that, when the fruit has softened, use a potato masher to crush the plums.
You don’t have to mash the fruit, but we prefer a smoother filling. All that’s left to do is mix the sour cream sauce and assemble.
Okay, grab another small mixing bowl and whisk. Whisk together the sour cream, milk, and powdered sugar.
After that, place a warm palacsinta on a serving plate, spread the plum filling evenly over the cake.
Starting on one side, roll the pancake up and repeat the process until all the palacsintas are filled.
Last, drizzle the sour cream sauce over the dessert and serve while warm.
That’s it, your Hungarian pancakes recipe is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy them and wish you all the best 🙂
Recipe Tips:
- The palacsinta batter should be thin enough to gently coat the wires of your whisk. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk and stir. On the other hand, if it’s too thin, add a tablespoon or two of flour and stir.
- Jarred fruit fillings will save a ton of time in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to use one instead.
- Another variation of this recipe is to fill the crepes with a mixture made of farmer’s cheese, egg yolk, and sugar. Typically, we do a cheesecake filling consisting of cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla. However, you have to bake the palacsintas once they’re filled with cream cheese mixture.

Hungarian Pancakes or Palacsinta Recept
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Equipment
Ingredients
Palacsintas
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole milk whole
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup club soda or soda water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for cooking or non-stick cooking spray
Plum Filling
- 1 pound plums diced, peeling optional
- 3 cup granulated sugar depending on sweetness
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Sour Cream Sauce
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar or granulated
Instructions
Palacsintas:
- In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, egg, salt, and club soda. The batter will be thin and bubbly.1 cup all-purpose flour¾ cup whole milk¼ cup granulated sugar½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 large egg¼ teaspoon kosher salt¼ cup club soda
- Place a large saute pan over low-medium heat and add a small amount of butter. Let the butter melt and then pour in 1/4 -cup of the cake batter.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Spread the batter evenly in the pan to create a thin pancake or crepe. Cook the pancake for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Repeat the cooking process over and over until all the batter has been used. You should have 6-8 cakes depending on size.
Plum Filling:
- Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add in the diced plums, sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest.1 pound plums3 cup granulated sugar¼ cup water1 teaspoon lemon juice½ teaspoon lemon zest
- Stir the ingredients and let them cook down for 7-10 minutes.
- Once they’re soft, use a potato masher to mash the filling together. Set aside.
Sour Cream Sauce: (optional)
- In a small bowl combine the sour cream, milk, and sugar. Use a whisk to whip the ingredients into a smooth sauce. Set aside.¼ cup whole milk⅓ cup sour cream¼ cup powdered sugar
Assembly and Serve:
- Place one cake on a plate and spread about 2-tablespoons of the plum filling on the pancake.
- Starting on one side, roll the pancake up. Repeat the process until all the cakes have been filled.
- Drizzle the pancakes with the sour cream sauce and serve warm.
Debra
Sunday 18th of October 2020
So fabulous...tastes kinda like a crepe but I found them so much easier to make. Loved the plum filling too. I used the extra on toast which was also superb.
John
Monday 19th of October 2020
Thank you Debra! I'm glad you enjoyed the palacsinta recipe and the plum filling. Have a lovely day :)
Sues
Sunday 18th of October 2020
I haven't heard of Hungarian pancakes, but this are seriously gorgeous and sound so, so tasty!
John
Sunday 18th of October 2020
Thank you Sues! They're a treat my Grandmother used to make for me when I was child. Have a great weekend :)
Andrea Howe
Friday 16th of October 2020
I've never heard of these type of pancakes and I can't wait to try them! We make pancakes as a family every Saturday. These will be fun to switch things up!
John
Friday 16th of October 2020
Thank you, Andrea! They're pretty tasty, we hope you enjoy them :) Have a great day!