Hanukkah Syrniki

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Syrniki are a traditional cheese pancake, often served to celebrate the bravery of Judith and typically made with Tvorog (a crumbly, dry farmer’s cheese), but you can also use drained ricotta. Try this with Black-Eyed Susan Sheep Dairy’s Sheep Ricotta for extra decadence.

SYRNIKI

16 ounces fresh ricotta drained in a mesh strainer for 2 hours, or Tvorog
2 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon heavy cream (plus more if needed)
scant ½ cup sugar
¾ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil
sour cream and blueberry jam (such as Side Hill Farm Wild Blueberry), for garnish

Add the egg yolks, cream and sugar to the cheese and beat until well-blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the cheese mixture. Beat the reserved egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold into the batter, adding more cream if needed to achieve a spoonable texture.

On a lightly floured surface, form 2 tablespoon scoops into 2- to 3-inch patties. Chill the patties 15 minutes.

Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Add butter and oil to coat the pan. Cook the pancakes until lightly browned on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Serve hot, topped with sour cream and blueberry jam.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2026 issue as part of a larger story: The Winter Cheese Cycle.