This easy homemade cheese blintz recipe has a light, tender crepe and a creamy high-protein cottage cheese filling. Perfect for brunch or dessert, and make-ahead friendly!
Cottage Cheese Blintz Recipe
If you’ve never tried a warm cheese blintz, you’re in for such a treat. Blintzes (sometimes called blintz or blintzes) are delicate crepes filled with a sweet cheese mixture, folded up like little packages, and gently pan-fried until golden. I played around with my blitnz recipe using part-skim cottage cheese for extra protein and some whipped cream cheese for a creamy filling that’s delicious and not too heavy. They came out perfect, great for breakfast and brunch, or even dessert—just dust with powdered sugar and add fresh berries or my easy warm berry sauce. This easy recipe walks you through each step so you can recreate classic Cheese Blintzes in your own kitchen, only healthier than most!
Why This Recipe Works
These homemade cheese blintzes are easy to make at home and are lighter and healthier than most recipes. When I was testing them, I shared them on social media, and you all asked for the recipe! Here’s why you should try them:
- Higher-Protein Filling: Using part-skim cottage cheese instead of farmer’s cheese or ricotta adds more protein and keeps the filling light but creamy.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep and roll them in advance, then pan- fry and bake when you’re ready to serve.
- Less Calories: My homemade crepes are lighter, sugar-free and higher in protein than traditional crepes. I also skip the butter that adds a lot of calories, but you won’t miss it.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, vegetarian, high- protein
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients for these homemade blintzes. First up are the batter ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Milk: I used Fairlife’s fat-free milk to increase the protein, but regular milk will also work.
- All-Purpose Flour is the base of the batter.
- Cold Water: Start with 2 tablespoons of water and add an extra tablespoon if needed. The batter should be thin enough to easily pour into the pan.
- Eggs provide additional protein.
- Vegetable Oil: If you don’t have vegetable oil, use any neutral oil, such as avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Sugar: Monk fruit is my go-to sweetener when I want to reduce the sugar, carbs and calories. However, you can use granulated sugar if you prefer.
- Kosher Salt improves the flavor and texture.
- Vanilla Extract enhances the flavor and adds a subtle sweetness.
And here’s what you’ll need for the blintz filling:
- Cottage Cheese: Strain part-skim cottage cheese to remove any liquid. Good Culture is my favorite since it’s thicker than most other brands and has the best flavor. They also sell a lactose-free version.
- Whipped Cream Cheese is lighter than regular cream cheese and makes the filling creamy, light and delicious. Let it come to room temperature so it’s easier to blend.
- Egg helps bind the filling so it doesn’t leak out of the blintzes.
- Monk Fruit sweetens the filling without adding sugar, carbs or calories.
- Lemon Zest for bright citrus flavor
- Salt: Just a pinch balances the sweetness.
- Toppings: Dust the blintzes with powdered sugar and top with my homemade berry sauce, if desired. I’ve included an easy berry sauce recipe at the bottom, which I love to serve with these.
How to Make Blintzes
Here’s how to make these simple blintzes with cottage cheese. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- How to Make the Crepe Batter: Blend all the batter ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- How to Make the Cheese Filling: Whisk the filling ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
- Cook the Crepes: Pour the batter into a hot, oiled nonstick skillet and swirl it around to coat the bottom. After 30 to 60 seconds, flip the crepe over, cook for an additional 30 seconds, and transfer it to a plate.
- How to Fold Blintzes: Spoon the filling onto each crepe and fold the side nearest to you over the cheese mixture. Then, fold the two sides in and roll the crepe into a small rectangle.
- How to Cook Blintzes: Cook the blintzes in a large skillet for a minute on each side. Then, transfer them to an oiled baking dish, and bake at 325°F until the filling is firm.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cream Cheese: If you can’t find whipped cream cheese, regular will work.
- Toppings: If you don’t want to make the berry sauce, top the blintzes with your favorite berry jam or fresh berries. They’re also good with a drizzle of honey.
How to Store and Freeze
- Make-Ahead Tip: Fill and roll the blintzes. Then, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to serve them, follow the directions for browning and baking.
- Refrigerate cooked blintzes for up to 3 days.
- How to Freeze: You can freeze blintzes before pan frying and baking, or after these steps. Either way, it’s best to freeze them in a single layer or with parchment paper in between so they don’t stick together. Store in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: If your blintzes were fully cooked, thaw them in the fridge and then reheat in a skillet or oven until warm. If they weren’t cooked, bake the frozen blintzes in a 325°F oven for 20-25 minutes until warm in the middle.
What to Serve with Blintzes
Yield: 5 servings
Serving Size: 2 blintzes
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Combine milk, flour, water, eggs, oil, monk fruit, salt, and vanilla in a blender.
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Blend until completely smooth without over-mixing, 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside to rest.
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Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk cottage cheese, cream cheese, egg, 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener, or sugar, lemon zest, and salt together in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. You can also blend this in a blender for a smoother texture. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
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Heat a 10-inch, nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot spray with cooking spray and pour in a generous ¼ cup or scant ⅓ cup batter. Immediately swirl batter around to coat the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the surface looks dry, and the bottom sets, about 30 to 60 seconds.
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Flip the crepe and briefly cook the other side, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat to cook and stack remaining crepes.
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil.
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Spoon about 3 tablespoons filling onto each crepe, about 1 inch from the edge nearest you. Fold the edge over filling and flatten slightly. Fold in both sides, then roll crepe into a small filled rectangle (blintz), ending with the seam on the bottom.
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Spray a large skillet with oil (or butter) over medium heat. Working in batches, cook several blintzes at a time until golden brown, turning gently, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
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Bake in the preheated oven to firm up the filling, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool blintzes abut 5 minutes, then dust lightly with remaining powdered sugar and serve.
Last Step:
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Recipe Tip:
To make these ahead, refrigerate the rolled-up blintzes until you’re ready to serve them, then follow directions for browning in butter.
Optional Berry Sauce:
To a medium saucepan add 1 ½ cups fresh of frozen berries (mixed berries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries), the zest of 1 lemon, and ¼ cup monk fruit sweetener. Bring to a low boil and simmer 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in additional 1 cup berries and remove from heat. Spoon the sauce over blintzes, and serve.
Serving: 2 blintzes, Calories: 257 kcal, Carbohydrates: 33 g, Protein: 18 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 168 mg, Sodium: 349 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g
FAQ
A blintz is a thin crepe filled with sweetened cheese or fruit, folded into a little envelope, and pan-fried until lightly golden and warm inside.
Crepes can be eaten plain or filled with sweet or savory ingredients, while blintzes are traditionally filled with cheese. Additionally, blintzes are always cooked twice, whereas crepes are often cooked only once.
If you’re interested in making homemade crepes, try my Crepes with Berries and Cream and Chocolate Crepes with Strawberries.
Blintzes originated in Eastern Europe, particularly in countries like Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, and Russia. They are also popular among Ashkenazi Jews often made for holidays like Shavuot, which traditionally features dairy-based dishes.
Farmer’s cheese, a fresh, soft cheese, is used in traditional cheese blintz recipes. It’s “a pressed cottage cheese that is slightly more acidic and has a firmer texture, thanks to a lower moisture content.” My version uses a combination of cottage cheese and whipped cream cheese which worked great here.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
If you love traditional breakfasts, try my Easy Crepes Recipe or these Sheet Pan Pancakes. For more high-protein cottage cheese recipes, check out these five cottage cheese recipes to inspire your next meal!
If you try this Cheese Blintz recipe, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! I love hearing how your blintzes turn out. Or tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook! And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
