Super crispy and flaky on the outside and slightly chewy inside, my dim sum favorite, scallion pancakes, make a wonderful snack that you’ll love! {Vegan}
Chinese scallion pancakes are always such a hit at dim sum. You’ve likely seen them as an appetizer or side dish to go with all those stir-fry dishes that you love. But did you know you can make an even tastier version at home?
The secret to scallion pancakes is the crispy, flaky exterior that gives way to a slightly chewy interior of thin layers. When fresh-off-the-stove, it is extra crunchy and addictively fragrant. They are such a treat that you can enjoy them on their own, and they’re perfect for snacking. And your kids will adore them!
Once you’ve tried the homemade version, there’s no going back to takeout scallion pancakes.
Why this recipe
I shared a recipe a few years ago and since then I’ve been perfecting the method. Today I want to share an updated version that uses even simpler ingredients to yield a better result.
- A dough that’s easy to work with and takes minimal time to prepare and rest.
- Delightfully crispy and flaky texture with thin layers inside.
- Extra green onion stuffing, giving it a more aromatic flavor.
- Skipped the animal fat while maintaining the flavor and the texture of the dish.
After many tests, we found out the perfect flour-to-water ratio to create a dough that is elastic and not too soft. So you will be able to work in more layers and create a better texture.
My previous scallion pancake used chicken fat. It was super delicious but it did require an extra grocery run. Plus, I’ve received many requests for a vegan/vegetarian version. Using this recipe, you can simply use regular vegetable oil with more green onion to create a very delicious result.
Ingredients
All you need are some basic pantry ingredients to make great scallion pancakes – all-purpose flour, water, salt, vegetable oil, and green onion.
To further boost the taste, you could add some ground Sichuan peppercorns to the filling, but it’s totally OK to skip them.
Extra green onion
How you cut the green onion can greatly affect the outcome of your scallion pancakes. Instead of thinly slicing it into round shapes, I prefer to:
- Halve the scallion lengthwise.
- Thin slice them into very small half-moon pieces.
The smaller the green onion pieces, the easier it will become when you roll them up in the dough. This cutting method creates fewer air pockets and allows you to stuff more green onions.
What oil to use
Traditional Chinese scallion pancakes use lard, which makes it easy to work in the layers, and it adds a fragrant taste. I used to enjoy using chicken fat, because it creates an even more fragrant taste.
Over the years, I’ve tried to make my diet healthier, so I’ve tried using plant-based oil instead of animal fat. I found out that many oils work. My favorite is peanut oil, which adds a nutty taste to the pancakes. Olive oil and coconut oil work great too, if you enjoy their unique taste. If you use a neutral vegetable oil, you can blend in 1 tablespoon sesame oil to add fragrance.
Cooking process
Cooking scallion pancakes might look daunting at a glance. My detailed step-by-step photos will help walk you through how to prepare the dough and shape the pancakes like a pro.
Part 1 – Prepare the dough
If you’re making a big batch of scallion pancakes, you can use a stand mixer to make the dough. But I found it easy enough to knead the dough by hand.
- Slowly add the hot water to the flour and mix it at the same time.
- Mix until the hot water is fully absorbed
- Slowly add the cold water and continue mixing
- Dough flakes should form once all the water is added
- Start to press everything together with your hand
- You can add a bit more water if there’s too much dry flour left. Or you can slightly add a bit more flour if the dough is very sticky. Once you’ve pressed all the dough flakes together, you should have little or no dry flour left.
- Knead about 5 mins until a tough dough is formed.
- Let rest for 20 mins, then knead for 1 minute to form a smooth dough.
Part 2 – prepare the filling
The best way to make the scallion pancake filling is to make an oil flour paste (not simply brushing oil onto the dough). This way you can work in layers easily without pressing out the oil as you roll out the pancakes.
To make the filling, simply mix the dry ingredients with the oil until it forms a smooth paste.
Part 3 – Forming the scallion pancakes
- Cut the dough into 6 pieces and work on the pieces one at a time. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangular shape.
- Roll the dough
- The dough should form a very thin rectangle.
- Add the flour oil paste
- Spread out the paste, leaving about 1” (2.5 cm) on both a long and a short end without the filling (your top and left)
- Add the green onion, concentrating most of it towards a long and short end with the filling
- Gently roll up the dough, as tightly as possible
- Press the air bubbles out of the dough strip
- Further roll up the long dough strip
- Tuck the end on the bottom
- Gently press the tall pancake
- Let it rest while you work on the rest of the pancakes
PS. I prefer to rest the formed pancakes for a few minutes before rolling them out, to let the gluten relax, so you can roll them out easily.
NOTE: the photos were shot on the opposite side of the table from where the pancakes were made. If the recipe description looks upside down or confusing, check the video at the bottom of the recipe so you can get a better idea.
Part 4 – Roll and cook the pancakes
- Roll out the pancakes when you’re ready to cook
- Heat up a pan with a layer of oil on the bottom, add the pancake, and wiggle the pancake a few times so it won’t stick
- Let the pancake cook covered first
- Flip the pancake and cook covered again
- Then cook uncovered, until both sides of the pancake are browned
- You can use a spatula to press the pancake, to help with even browning
NOTE:
- You can either use a cast iron skillet or a nonstick pan. Either will work. If you use a cast iron pan, you will need a generous amount of oil to prevent the pancakes from sticking.
- It’s possible to use less oil to cook the pancakes. But for the best result – golden brown surface and extra crispy texture, you will need a thin layer of oil to cover the bottom of the pan (not just a few drops).
- It’s important to cook the pancakes covered at first, to cook through the interior.
How to store scallion pancakes
The best thing about these pancakes is that they can be stored raw or cooked.
If you’d like to get the best fresh result, freeze the scallion pancakes raw after you roll them out. Carefully stack them with a piece of parchment paper in between, then transfer everything to a large ziplock bag. Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Freeze the pancakes for up to 3 months.
To cook the frozen pancakes, simply let them thaw at room temperature for 8 minutes and cook them using the same method.
If you cook all the pancakes and have leftovers (very unlikely!!), you can put them in a bag and store them in the fridge for a few days. You can either reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop. Note, if you reheat a cooked pancake, it will still be quite crispy but the texture will turn a bit chewier.
Afterthought
Chinese scallion pancakes do take a little time to prepare and the recipe might look ridiculously long. But compared to other classic Chinese dim sum, this one is actually easier to make. If you’re new to dim sum making but love bread, this is a great place to start.
These scallion pancakes taste so good that I would refrain from making them often, because I’ll just eat them all (lol). But these are my favorite and they taste so much better when you make them at home. Since you can make them ahead and freeze them for later, they are perfect when friends or family come by. If you’ve never had them before, you’re absolutely going to be in love at first bite!
Dishes to serve with
Complete your Chinese restaurant style dinner with these dishes below:
- Mapo Eggplant
- Salt and Pepper Pork Chops
- Chinese Egg Drop Soup
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Sweet and Sour Pork
- Chinese Chili Garlic Shrimp
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Chinese Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼)
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup cool water
Filling
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup peanut oil (or your favorite oil like olive oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter, or melted chicken fat etc.)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 to 10 green onions , split down the middle and chopped (yield 1 cup)
Cooking
- Vegetable oil for pan frying
Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Make the dough
- OPTION 1 – USING YOUR HANDS: Combine the flour and salt in a big bowl. Stir to mix well. Slowly drizzle in the hot water while mixing it with a pair of chopsticks (or a fork), until the water is fully absorbed. Slowly drizzle in the cool water, continuing to stir until many dough flakes form. Press the dough together, and try to combine the wet dough with the dry flour. Drizzle in a little extra water if there is any dry flour remaining. Knead until a firm ball is formed, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- OPTION 2 – USING A MIXER: Combine the flour and salt in the mixer bowl with the dough hook attachment. Turn it to the mix setting and slowly drizzle in the hot water followed by the cool water. After a minute of mixing, drizzling in a little extra water if there is any dry flour remaining. Turn to setting 4 and knead until a ball of dough is formed, about 3 minutes. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Make the filling
- While the dough is resting, combine the flour, oil, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until a smooth paste is formed.
- If making the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved.
Form the scallion pancakes
- When the dough is done resting, knead for another minute until it is smooth. Cut the dough into 6 even pieces, about 76 grams per piece. Form the dough into balls using your hands.
- Work on one dough ball at a time, covering the rest with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Roll each dough ball into a thin rectangle with a rolling pin, aiming for around 6×10” (15×25 cm). Lift and turn the dough regularly as you roll it to prevent sticking. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling onto the dough and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon, leaving about 1” (2.5 cm) on top and the left end without the filling. Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons of green onions onto the paste, concentrating most of it towards one side of the length and one side of the width, creating a loose L shape (see the blog post above for the step-by-step pictures).
- Begin rolling the dough from the longer side of the dough where the green onions are concentrated, until you have one long tube. Lightly flatten the tube using your hand. Pinch the side with more green onion to seal it. Take the sealed side and gently pull and roll it towards the unsealed side, using your hand to smooth out the dough to push any large air bubbles out. Tuck the loose end under the rolled bun. Gently press down on the round disk with your hand to seal the pancake.
- Set the formed pancake aside and cover it with plastic wrap. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until each pancake is ready.
Roll out the pancake
- Roll each prepared pancake into a circle, about 7-8” (17-20 cm) wide. Flip and move it as you do to prevent sticking. Don’t worry if air bubbles burst through or some green onions fall out.
- If you plan to store the pancakes and cook them later, place each pancake onto a piece of parchment paper and stack them. Transfer the pancakes to a large ziplock bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal the bag. You can freeze the pancakes for up to 3 months.
Cook the pancakes
- Heat a 9” (23 cm) cast iron pan (or a nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat and add enough oil to fully coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add a pancake. Use a pair of chopsticks (or a spatula) to swirl the pancake around to spread the oil and prevent sticking, for a few seconds. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Let the pancake cook, covered, for 1 minute. Remove the lid and flip the pancake, cover, and cook for another minute. Remove the lid. Use a spatula to press the pancake, to ensure even browning. Continue to cook, flipping regularly, until both sides are crisp and browned, about 3 minutes. Turn to medium-low heat if the pan gets too hot. Transfer the pancake to a cooling rack or a cutting board to cool. Repeat to cook all the pancakes you plan to serve.
- Once the pancakes are slightly cooled enough to handle, cut into 6 pieces and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot with the dipping sauce as an appetizer.
Cook frozen pancakes
- Let the frozen pancakes thaw for 10 minutes then proceed from step 8.
Store and reheat cooked pancakes
- Place the leftover pancakes in a ziplock bag by stacking them together. Store in the fridge up to 3 days. To reheat, add a pancake to a pan and heat over medium heat, cook, flip occasionally until the pancakes turn warm throughout.
Video
Nutrition
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Other classic dim sum recipes
- Pineapple Buns (Bolo Bao)
- Chinese Steamed Custard Buns (nai wong bao, 奶黄包)
- Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork, 叉烧肉)
- Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Buns) 叉烧包
- Chinese Chive Pockets (韭菜盒子, Chinese Chive Dumplings)
- Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝卜糕)
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
I love Chinese food. My husband always trying to cook Chinese food. My favorite dish is mongolian beef.
Pancake looks so delicious ?.
I am going to try this definitely.
Thanks
I’m glad to hear you like Chinese food Kumari! Me too, I like Mongolian beef. I hope your cooking turns out great 🙂
Hi Maggie!
These look delicious.
When my children were at home and now for my grandchildren I made/make creamed chicken on waffles. (They love them).
These would be so great to substitute for the waffles. Much lighter and more flavourful.
Have to give them a try.
Thank you for sharing
God Bless
Hi Charlie, I’m glad to hear you like this dish! It is one of my favorite breakfast items, but I’ve never served it with chicken. It sounds so delicious and I can’t wait to try out 🙂
These look absolutely delicious! I wish we could get chicken fat in Luxembourg, but I’ve never seen it! Do you think it would taste good with goose fat instead? I might give it a try… Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’m glad to hear you like the dish Anne! I’ve never used goose fat before but I believe it will be delicious as well!
Happy cooking 🙂
If you ever cook a whole chicken, of course do not remove any of the fat or skin, when it’s cooked, let it sell a few minutes and cool a little and just skim the fat of and store in a jar in the fridge. That;s the purest and finest chicken fat, no additions to it. I always save a little for when I make a vegetable soup or stew.
Now that is a challenge! These little scallion pancakes always seemed like a huge amount of work to me too. Great video! Looks so crispy and delicious! My favorite! So many congratulations to you dear Maggie! Yeah on getting featured in Austin American-Statesman! Also another good job well done on completing your online course. I would celebrate by eating more of your delicious scallion pancakes. Sharing everywhere!
Great to see you here and thanks for all the kind words! Hopefully we could get together and cook some time. It will be a delicious meal I’m sure 🙂
Sorry I haven’t got back to your last email yet. Will be in touch soon. Have a wonderful week ahead Bobbi!
I actually enjoyed using this recipe! My friend recommended it to me and it turned out so crispy and flaky! My recommendation is to add some Chinese 5 spice to give it that extra umph to the flavor. I would definitely be using this recipe again!
Oh Maggie! I don’t even know where to begin! I think I’m in love! Seriously, this looks absolutely AMAZING! I can see why you miss it since moving to Austin. Sharing everywhere!
I wish you live next door so we can share these pancakes together 🙂 I seriously think you’ll love its taste!
Have a great week ahead Kathleen 🙂
awesome chef you done your challenge very well and its look too much delicious
I’ve not heard of Chinese flour, with less gluten I’m sure it’s one we could incorporate into recipe successfully
This recipe is amazing! flaky, delicious and simple too! The dough was so easy to work with.
I tried it after trying and being disappointed with two other recipes (one of them was the serious eats recipe from Kenji Lopez). The modification to the flour, and paste (instead of oil) really makes a difference. The other recipes also want you to repeat the entire process of rolling flat–>oil–>rolling up two times instead of once and I think that probably stretches out and mushes all of the layers into one oily mass instead of increasing the number of flakes. It’s also so much more work.
I do have a question though, I noticed that every time I fry the pancakes there is a little bit of doughiness in the middle–is there anyway to get it flaky throughout or is it impossible? I roll the pancakes out pretty thin and have tried lower heat+longer cooking time but there’s always some doughiness that remains!
Hi Victoria, I’m so glad to hear you tried my recipe and liked it! Yes I came across the same problems before I came across this recipe.
To answer your question, no I haven’t found a great solution yet. Because the way you roll up the pancake, the center part is the most dense and more difficult to cook through. The only solution might be – roll the pancakes super thin, and then fry them in a lot of oil. I’ve sampled super crispy pancakes in restaurant (in China). It’s almost like a fried dough. So delicious without the doughiness in the middle.
Btw, I don’t recommend to turn the heat too low. It tends to dry out the dough if you don’t use enough oil.
this is really interesting information (for ex: animal fat in this recipe vs sesame oil and pastry flour substitute), so thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Lovely! Today is Chinese new year and i am looking for something to cook for my family instead of letting my mother in law do it all. This is a perfect recipe as i was gifted a bag of beef lard (strange gift, i know!) so i am going to try that this afternoon while watching 春节晚会. Happy New year to you!
Hi Christi, I’m happy to hear you decided to try out this recipe! It’s a perfect dish to celebrate Chinese New Year. Beef lard for gift? That’s not so strange in China 😉 It makes amazing pancakes, fried noodles and fried rice!
Happy Chinese New Year!
Thank you so much!!
I was looking for a good scallion pancake recipe, and all of the ones I had seen didn’t look as good as the ones I normally eat. Tweaked the recipe a bit, I used 6 stalks of scallions and a mixture of chicken and pork lard. It’s so good and so simple! I even impressed my mom which says a lot cause she’s a harsh judge when it comes to Chinese food. I’ve made this recipe 3 times already within a week.
My favourite way to eat it is with leftover chinese braised beef brisket, cilantro, extra scallions, chilies and hoisin.
Thanks again!!!
Hi Kirsty, wow, I can’t believe you’ve cooked the dish so many times in a week! You’re a great cook 🙂
Just like you said, I also found many scallion pancake recipes out there are not as great as the ones I ate in China. I was so happy when I discovered the method in the cookbook All Under Heaven. And I’m glad to hear that your mom likes it too! My mom is very harsh about my cooking too, so I totally get you 😉
Braised beef brisket + scallion pancake, YUM! Think I’m going to cook a new batch soon.
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment Kirsty! Have a delicious week ahead 🙂
Thank you for the write up. Delicious! The video showing the texture of the dough helped a lot. I did not have the Chinese all purpose flour, nor did I have pastry flour on hand, so I substituted the regular AP flour (I am in Canada) with a bit of wheat starch I had in the pantry, from the Chinese grocery store (I used 1 1/3 AP flour plus 2 Tbsp to make up about 1 1/2 C, and about 1 Tbsp for the 1/3 C of AP flour to make the paste. Along the lines of what is suggested here: http://www.recipies.50webs.com/undestanding%20flour.htm.
Great recipe! Easy to follow and came out tasting fantastic!
I want to try this but am a little bit confused. Ingredients calls for 1 and 1/2 cup chinese all-purpose flour. But in footnote 1, you say we need a total of 2 cups chinese flour (1 1/2 for dough and 1/2 for paste). This I understood. But then you go on to say to make the flour, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup pastry flour (3 cups) and scoop out 1/2 cup for paste . This leaves behind 2 1/2 cup. this is 1 cup more than what the ingredients show. Which one is correct?
Hi Meldie, the recipe calls for 2 cups Chinese flour in total (1 1/2 for dough and 1/2 for paste). I did call for blending 3 cups simply because it is easy to measure. And yes, you will end up with 1 cup extra. I usually use the extra flour to dust the working surface. I hope this clear up the confusion.
Happy cooking and can’t wait to hear how your pancakes turns out 🙂
I finally made this. Although it seems to me the ratio of water compared to flour was a lot, I started following your recipe with 1.5 cup flour and 1 cup boiling water and 1/4 cup cold water. The batter turned out more like pancake batter than dough. I ended up adding more flour in which in the end totaled 2.5 cup flour. But the Green Scallion pancake turned out wonderful at the end. It was delicious.
Hi Meldi, thanks so much for reporting back and I’m glad to hear the pancakes turned well.
After another thorough checking and comparing to the original recipe, I found out you were right about the flour measurement afterall! The grams measurement was correct in my recipe, but the cups are off. It should be 2 1/2 cups instead of 1 1/2 cups, as you indicated in your previous comment. I just updated the recipe with the correct measurement. Sorry about the confusion but I’m happy that you made the right call while making the pancakes 🙂
Wonderful recipe! Can I use the dough cycle of bread machine to make the dough?
Thanks!
Katy
Hi Katy, I’m not so sure about it because I’ve never used a bread machine to knead this dough. I think it might be a bit tricky because the recipe calls for the hot water first, then you need to blend in cold water into the dough. If you can add water two times into the machine, I assume that it will work.
Thank you for the recipe. The pancakes came out perfect. They are so good that they reminded me the ones that I had in Taiwan.
Tried your recipe. they are pretty good. Ive been making them with sourdough yeast though instead of flour and I think they just come out better. Esp if you time the feeding right… like when i do regular pancakes i want the yeast very active but when I do the scallion pancakes i take it from when the yeast is hungry and theres sour water pooled on the top, I just add a little tiny bit of flour and give it like 10 minutes to start bubbling then throw it on. It gets a nice chewy sour texture in the center and crispy on the outside with just a little tiny bit of rise since the yeast is not most active yet and I really like them like that. I think I’ll stick to the sourdough ones, but if I didnt have sourdough being fed all the time to make bread, I would certainly use this recipe. it was good too and far different than how i make it.
Try some time using an all purpose flour fed sourdough starter and when you mix the starter with more flour to turn it into a dough add a gluten free flour like buckwheat or rye. It will bring down the gluten content and the sourdough starter also gives it a tiny bit of fluffy rise and crispy exterior along with a slightly chewy core and a nice savory flavor that is delicious when it’s seasoned. Maybe not traditional but really good and a good use for your throwaway starter every morning. I like it far more! I also top it when an egg and a little red wine vinegar mixed in soy sauce with a few spurts of my favorite hot sauce or Korean chili flakes if I have them (because I prefer the sun dried taste of them over regular chili flakes). The flour is a bit hard to work with the first few times because it’s sticky and the low gluten makes it fall apart quickly if you over handle it. You get the hang of it after a few attempts though.
Hi I made these today as a treat and I ate one whole I was cooking them they smelt so lovely! My paste was a bit thicker than yours, I used a mix of shortening, sesame oil and a bit of beef fat but they tasted nice though probably not as light and fluffy as they should be! Thanks for the recipe. I found these more challenging than dumplings and noodles but as always, worth the effort.
I’ll need rondo a sourdough version but otherwise fantastic. Thank you from Melbourne Australia.
This recipe is quite easy, the instructions are great and outcome is fantastic! Crispy chewy and delicious!!
I really enjoyed watching this beautifully laid out video, and including the crunchiness of the cooked pancakes was spectacular! You hit the spot – mouthwatering moment.
The pancakes turned out amazing and I’m excited that I can freeze the extras to have these as snacks on hand 🙂 Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Hi Maggi… Watching your video is so therapeutic! I tried this recipe once and swore I will not try it again. Yet, here I am reviewing your video again and planning to get 8 big spring onions. I was sweating buckets especially when it comes to the rolling, shaping. Quite a lot of work. I also found the pancake kind of rich. It could be because I used butter instead of oil??? I will try using oil this time. When I used butter, the paste did not have the same consistency as your video. It was way too thick and unspreadable. Maybe butter is not the best option?
Hi Gayle, I’m glad to hear that you decide to give this dish another try.
Re butter – did you fully melt the butter before making the paste? I’ve never used butter personally but I’ve used chicken fat, which has a similar thick texture. You might need to slightly reduce the flour or add more fat to get the spreadable texture. However if you think butter is too rich, I highly recommend using regular oil. It is really delicious and it let the green onion flavor shine through.
Good luck and I’m looking forward to hear your feed back!
I have tried a fair number of recipes for scallion pancakes but until now, has not found one that is comparable to a family favorite at a restaurant. Unfortunately the restaurant closed down recently. This recipe bought so much joy to my boys who misses the restaurant chongyoubing. Thank you for sharing it! The oil+flour filling is magical!
These were amazing and simple to make!
Hi Maggie,
I enjoy your blog and regularly get inspiration for the next meal or snacks!
Thanks for a well-described recipe (Scallion pancakes) and video! I made this last night as part of a veggie-inspired dinner. I used goose fat for the filling but had to add canola oil as the paste was too thick (glad I watched your video and saw how the filling/paste looked like).I was disappointed at the results though. The pancakes turned out flaky/crispy on the outside but didnt taste very much. My husband who loves to try new foods missed the savoury flavour that comes with Chinese food – spices, black pepper, salt. I followed your recipe to the letter except that I used more green onions. Perhaps I should have added more salt and turned on the black pepper mill and some 5-spice powder to the filling to get some flavour?
Hi Marirow, I’m sorry to hear the recipe didn’t work out for you.
I did reduce the salt level after many testing. Because you can serve the pancakes with a dipping sauce, I was afraid some people would think they’re too salty.
I used to add ground Sichuan peppercorns (you can also replace them with black peppers) with my pancakes. But I decided to skip it to let the scallion shine through. You can definitely add some peppercorns if you prefer. I wouldn’t use 5-spice, which is quite pungent. If you want to add it, I would use a very small amount (like a pinch) and mix it in the filling paste, so it will be distributed evenly.
Hi Maggie,
Thanks for replying! I’m not sure what went wrong with my pancakes. Looking back, I thought the scallions were not strong enough but I used more than what was asked for in the recipe and still it didn’t help. I did use a lot of freshly ground black pepper and added some salt to the fried pancakes and these helped. My husband thought that the pancakes were good enough without the dipping sauce but needed the extra spices to stand on its own.
Btw, I made your Chinese Tea eggs and they were yummy! They looked exactly what you showed on your video! I kept the eggs for some days in the marinade to let the flavor of the marinade come through the yolk. Thanks for this lovely recipe!
I recently made your cumin lamb noodles and they were a hit. This prompted me to try something else yesterday during a storm. I made these following the recipe exactly. Definitely had some air bubbles and took me a few pancakes to get the rolling down but they came out delicious! Super crispy and flavorful. Added a bit extra water to the dipping sauce as my husband is a vinegar phobe and that made it perfect for his tasting. Another 5/5. Thank you!
Very clear instructions. Definitely will try to make it. Thank you
Simple recipe, few ingredients, and easy to make. The sauce is to die for perfect as well – just make it ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld.
it has come out great both times I’ve made it, thanks for the recipe. I made the same mistake both times, I mixed the scallions into the filling goo, which makes it harder to spread. So if anyone reads this far, leave out the scallions until you spread the filling mix
I made this recipe today, it came out great! Very beautiful looking pancakes. Thank you.
Great recipe. Easy to make. Dough came out perfect. I think the trick of using boiling water really made a difference to creating an excellent dough. I did use a pasta roller to make the initial rectangle. That saved some work.
Part 1. Number 5. What does it mean to Start to press everything together without hand?
It’s bad typing and auto correction. Sorry about that! Just updated. It should be “press everything together with your hand.”
I made these last night and they were DELICIOUS! The filling past quantity didn’t seem enough so I did need to make a little extra but otherwise this turned out perfectly.
Made the pancakes today as I was craving for it. Steps are easy to follow. The video is a bonus. I’m definitely a fan of your recipes.
I have made this recipe a few times already and every time it comes out a little different the scallion pancakes always come out great. The variation probably comes from the different brands of flour that I have used – they each have had slight different levels of germ or whole wheat so the moisture in the dough changes. I have begun to look out for the proper texture for the dough to get the final texture right. Also, the use of chicken fat provided the best flakiness (I have used vegetable oil as well as lard for comparison).
I admit I was afraid to make this recipe but the ingredients and Step by Step with pictures and Video were so Helpful !! My only comment was that the filling came out a little thicker than yours so I added more olive oil.
Recipe came out Delicious and I was super happy to finally be able to try something that is my Sons Favorite !
THANKS !!!
So amazing, the tip to cut the scallions lengthwise and then chop made all the difference. I also had some leftover bacon fat which I mixed with vegetable oil and sesame oil to make the oil mixture. Will definitely make this recipe again.
Great recipe, very easy to follow and the pictures were very helpful. I loved them so much I’m making them again tonight!
Been making my way through the recipes in this blog and just found another winner. So good!
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes! I tried this one and the flavors were great however the consistency of my dough and oil mix were dryer / thicker than what appears in the video. I used the gram measurements and AP flour. Are your cup to grams conversion as written? I’m a bit confused since now when I look back at it it seems like 1 cup of AP flour normally converts to 120grams? Thanks.
Really sorry about this! I just realized that I converted the grams incorrectly and I just updated it.
Turned out perfectly, instructions were very clear. Thank you for another great recipe!
I just made these last night, and everyone loved them! I froze the rest, followed the instructions for thawing/cooking, and they turned out perfectly again. This recipe took some time (mostly rolling out the dough), but was worth it.
I’ve never had Chinese scallion pancakes before. These tasted great. I’m always a little hesitant when it comes to making doughs, but these turned out beautifully.
I loved this recipe! I’ve made it a few times now and I love it every time I fry them up.
Hi Maggi… I love this recipe. However, I am confused about the APF in the filling. When I measured by cup, ie 1/4 cup + 2bsp, it came up to 38g and not 95g as stated in your recipe. Is there a typo in the recipe? Or cup measurement in America is not the same as in Asia? (I live in Jakarta). Also I find that chilling the dough does improve its elasticity and makes dough handling easier. Love the one cup of chopped green onions inside the filling. Bold and flavorful!
Hi Gayle, thanks for leaving a good review and I’m glad to hear you like the pancakes.
And yes I did made a mistake! Thanks so much for catching it. The 1/4 cup + 2 TSB is 50 g when I measured it. Definitely not the 95 g. I just updated the recipe.
I tasted my first scallion pancake at ChunBo restaurant in Newton, NJ eons ago. Over the course of few decades I could not fine recipes nor restaurants that could emulate the flavor. Your recipe finally did! It was so flavorful, the texture perfect, the crispiness divine and the layers wonderful to behold. I can’t believe how easy it is to make. I thank you very much for sharing this fantastic recipe. I did not make any adjustment to the pancake recipe but I did add mirin, chopped ginger, and scallion to the sauce. Yum yum yum…
I love these, but my dough is hard to roll so they end up very thick and not so good :(, any recommendations ?
These require a bit of effort, but they are so worth it. My wife (born and raised in Beijing) claims these are the best she has ever had. Definitely not good for the waistline, but oh WOW were they good. No need to worry about leftovers and reheating because if you leave them on a plate in the kitchen I guarantee that by morning they will all be gone. Actually, I saved a few triangles to fry with eggs for my son’s breakfast the next day. Wow, these are really, really good.
Thanks Maggie!
I made them last night when a friend came over (yay for vaccine and having friends over again!). They turned out great! The dough was super easy to work with and I could roll out without sticking (not like pie dough!). I used 1/4 whole wheat flour. Served them with pan seared green beans in a soy sauce/garlic/ginger marinade. So satisfying!
THE BEST RECIPE EVER! So tasty and flaky. My family said it tasted just like the ones from a restaurant/shop. Really appreciate there is a video which is super easy to follow.
I’ve tried other recipes which are highly rated but nothing is as good as this one.
I saw the comment from a lady who gave it a bad review for taste and I disagree with her, she clearly has never tried the original pancake before.
Definitely will be making this again, thank you Maggie!
Great instructions! Have you ever tried making a gluten free version? I love scallion pancakes but I developed gluten sensitivities the last 15 years or so and have not been able to enjoy scallion pancake the same. I tried different gluten free flour and recipes but none of them quite taste like the real thing particularly with the texture. Can you develop a gluten free version ? 😊
YUM! your videos and images are beautiful. thank you!!!
Hello, the written instructions say to use 50g of all purpose flour for the filling, but in your video it says 95g. How much should it be? Thanks!
Oh nevermind, I saw someone asked the same question above and you answered it already.
Sorry!
These were excellent and not too hard for a beginner! I noticed my pancakes were very crispy and looked almost deep fried on the edges- does this mean they were rolled out too thin?
Not at all depending on how you like the texture. I love the crispy edges and there’s nothing wrong to have a bit of dough that’s extra crispy. But if you prefer the chewier texture, you can roll them out a bit thicker the next time 🙂
My daughter and I made your recipe. We love it. We we’re glad for your video. We live in Florida and no one makes them.
I loved loved love this and am already looking forward to making it again and refining my technique! THANK YOU for sharing such detailed instructions, the pictures in particular really helped! I will say the time estimates were pretty off for me… it took me about 70 minutes with almost no downtime to prep the six pancakes, freezing 5 and cooking 1. I think this will get faster with practice, but I don’t think I’ll ever get it down to 10 minutes prep。 ；-）
I have just made this recipe to accompany my orange tofu dinner, and I must say, this has to be one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Dramatic, maybe, but from the very first bite, I was sold. It is a lot of work to prepare, I will not lie, but the result is absolutely worth it. The dough is great to work with, the kitchen smells of delicious scallions and the saltiness and crunchiness of it is a delight. I will absolutely do these regularly. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Very nice recipe, it makes a lovely flaky pancake. I used finely diced perennial leeks and chicken fat for my filling. I had a bit of trouble rolling out the coiled pancake without the filling bursting out, but that was probably because I added quite a bit of leek filling.
I rarely comment on random recipes I google and try, but I just have to say this: this recipe is the bomb! For some reason I had a craving for scallion pancakes for brunch (super weird, as I have actually never eaten them before). I almost gave up when I read how many steps there were, but I am so glad I didn’t. It isn’t actually that difficult and this recipe produces the flakiest, crispiest, tastiest treats. Follow the recipe to the T and you will have excellent results!
I made these last night and they came out amazing, and believe me I am not great at making dough, OR rolling it out! Thanks, I loved these
I remember making this recipe a few years back and it has definitely improved with your revisions. This time the water to flour ratio yields a dough that is easier to work with. The dough is not as sticky and retains the layers we worked so hard to achieve! I also appreciate adding the oil as a paste since it keeps from spilling out. Most importantly, my parents approve! I would imagine this is a approachable and likeable dish for most, since who doesn’t like scallions and fried dough? This a great recipe for when your family has a surplus of scallions 😀
Made these today. Great recipe and instructions. It was the first time I’d had them but have seen them in food videos online and always wanted to try it out. Thank you for sharing. Will try the Szechuan pepper corn next time I make them to see how that tastes.
This is by far the best recipe for scallion pancakes online. I have several mods to offer: 1) you can use a food processor for the dough. Pulse in the hot water, then slowly add the cold water and process until it balls up. 2) use a pasta machine to roll out each sheet like you were making pasta, i roll to a setting off 7 out of 9 on my machine. 3l to fold the pancakes and get extra layers, i add the”roux” and scallions on the long pasta sheet, then do a trifold, to form a short rectangle. Brush more roux and roll this into a tube and the tube into the final spiral. 4) use a tortilla press to flatten the spiral between saran or parchment tip form pancakes just before frying.
We just made these and they are/were amazing! I used Nutiva vegan ghee for the filling and threw in some minced fresh cayenne. We didn’t even bother to set the table – just ate each one as it came out of the pan
Cant wait to make them. They are one of my faves and no restaurant is near me serve them. I LOVE the music, who/what is it?!?
It’s a royalty free music I purchased from https://artist.co/. I’m afraid I cannot remember the name of the song since I’ve used it long time ago…
I’ve made this recipe about 5 times now and I love it! It’s definitely a lot of work, but so worth it. I make these with scrambled eggs, leaving the pancake whole and folding it over like a taco. It’s a delicious breakfast treat! They freeze really well making it super easy to reheat when I want a quick meal. Love it!
This recipe was super great for the house !
loved this! great thing to make for a big group of people!
I made this with a substitution because I had a ton of millet to use up – I boiled a cup of millet, mashed it in a mortar and pestle, then added enough wheat flour and cold water to make a nice dough. It was delicious and worked beautifully. Thank you for the recipe, the technique worked great.
Just tried this recipe and the food came out delicious!! The photos really helped :))
Hi. Thanks so much for this recipe. It was delicious and relatively easy to make. I’ve used a few different recipes to try to make these and yours is the best so far. 🙂
I used plant butter for the fat. Tastes amazing! Exactly how it’s supposed to.
This is a fabulous recipe, I’ve made it a couple of times. Is it possible to make the entire scallion pancake a few hours before frying them if I cover them with waxed paper until then? Thanks in advance.
You totally can. I would store them in the fridge depending on your room temperature. To prevent the dough from drying out, I would also use a piece of plastic wrap to cover the whole stack or place the stack in a sealed container.
I have tried a few different scallion pancake recipes over the past couple of years, but this one produces the tastiest!
I have not tired the recipe but can’t wait to do so. I just wanted to share how much I loved reading through this bc it was very clear, easy to follow, great pictures and not filled with a bunch of useless information like many posts. Reading thru this and seeing the pics made me feel like I can do this without too much difficulty. If you hadn’t done in the way you did I probably would have been like, no way am I doing this!, lol. Thank you and I will be following!
Hi, I followed the recipe exactly, using all-purpose flour and following the mixing time and water/oil amounts, but my dough was hard to roll out (likes to shrink back) and the filling was too pasty. I’m thinking I should reduce the flour next time in the filling, but could you please advise me on the dough? Thank you!
If the dough is hard to roll out, the easiest way is to cover it up with plastic wrap (to prevent it from drying out) and let it rest for another 30 minutes or 1 hour before rolling it out. The gluten will relax and it’s much easier to roll after the resting.
What brand of flour to you use?
Pretty much any brand works. I use Gold and Bob’s Red Mill a lot.
Very nice recipe instructions. Beautiful piano music on the video. Who wrote the music ??
Glad to hear that you like the recipe! The music is by Philip Daniel Zach.
They were tasty, but a lot of work. It took me almost two hours. The dough was super sticky and not easily rolled into the rectangle. While I’m glad I tried it, I will not make these again.
Thanks a lot, Maggie–just made these, and they came out great! I did indeed add some roasted and crushed Szechuan peppercorns to the filling, as I love that flavor. What a great dish on a cold winter night.
This was my first time making these and this recipe is a keeper! So easy and so good! I’d used coconut oil and bacon fat in the filling.
This was the best scallion pancakes. My family said it was better than anything we got from the restaurant. Flavorful crispy and flaky.
I was really excited to make these at home given my tendency to always order Chinese scallion pancakes. I tried this recipe today and I wasn’t pleased with the lack of flakiness and the way it seemed under oiled (inside). I was convinced it had to do with how I did the dough by hand and perhaps not adding the correct amount of water. Would the flour/water ratio need to be exact? Does the dough tend of be very firm? Maybe it wasn’t moist enough to settle and rest? Or is it during the kneading portion? What could I have done to make it more flaky with the layered texture? Lots of questions !!
Sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe! For this one, my goal is to create a result that’s similar to the American Chinese takeout pancake, which is more chewy and crispy on the outside. And this dough is easier for beginner to handle because it’s quite firm.
If your goal is to make a super flaky and soft pancake (more like those we have in China), you will need to use more water in the dough for a softer dough. Rest the dough longer in between so it’s easier to roll out. Plus, you need to try to not tear the dough at all when rolling (a skill using the right amount of pressure) so the oil will be fully wrapped in to create the flaky croissant-like layers. If the dough is ripped and the oil seeping out, then the layers will stick together and less flaky.
Thank you for the lovely and precise demonstration. You’ve given me the confidence to try to make one of my favorite things.
Thanks for the kind words! Happy cooking and can’t wait to hear your feedback 🙂
I love scallion pancakes, but I also love garlic chives. My local market sells the chives in bigger bunches than any recipe I have would use, would that make a good substitute for scallions?
Yes you certainly can! It makes the pancakes even more fragrant and it’s a great substitution.
This is so good! The homemade version is definitely better than the one we got from the restaurant. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I made this recipe at home tonight after having them at a restaurant. Expensive but omg so more is!!. Finding this recipe online and having a very critical Chinese mum… it is no easy feat to cook something she likes. The only complaint? There isn’t enough!!!. She wants me to make more!. Absolutely amazing. Thank you for making this recipe.
Perfection in every way. This is precisely the recipe I have been dreaming about for a zillion years. I will no longer search for substandard scallion pancakes recipes now that I am armed with this recipe.
Delicious recipe and easy to follow! Tastes very much like the green onion pie from our local Taiwanese restaurant.
Thank you for uploading the video as well, it makes forming the pancakes very stress free
Sorry if asked already…can I make these a day ahead without cooking and keep refrigerated?
Pretty sure you can. Just keep them separated with parchment paper when you stack them. Also maybe do not stack too high if you’re not freezing them.
Super detailed recipe! The scallion pancakes taste was delicious, the look and the texture were perfect!
Hello, I made this with coconut oil and it was delicious! However, mine is not flaky. Any tips to make it flaky? Thank you.
As I was rolling the pancakes with the filing inside, all the filing came out. I’d say it’s a hard recipe to make. Also my dough was quite tough. Did I not kneed it enough? I find that the whole technique was complicated and I didn’t see the point in it. E.g. why not just add green onion right into the dough to start with? It was tasty in the end but so much effort!
Perfect recipe! Like another reviewer, I had tried the Serious Eats recipe before but this one was much better. The pancakes were perfectly crisp and flaky, and the dough was easy to work with. I used lard for the filling and fried in canola oil. I didn’t have a lid big enough to cover my cast iron pan, but they still turned out great (I just didn’t lower the heat while frying).
I really liked the tips for saving the pancakes (while raw) to cook later. I’m only cooking for myself so 6 pancakes is alot, but by freezing them with the parchment paper, I can just take them out to cook as needed. I also didn’t think the recipe was that much work, I was able to put them together in under 2 hours easily, which might sound long for a pancake but really short for laminated pastry or breads.
Enjoyed these so much! very simple ingredients and cost friendly for sure! I cut each pancake up in little triangles and IT MADE SO MUCH! even have some to spare. perfect appetizer! good when you gotta use up your scallions (even threw in some left over cilantro)
Tried this last night, it was the best. I had a friend that just cooked the rooled version without flattening it. But this is better, tasted great and worked a treat.
Thanks again for your great recipes
My mother used to make these about twice a year with the cookbook my father brought back from China in 1978. We would make them together and they are one of my favorite things she would make. I haven’t tried them by myself since she passed. I will make them ASAP, and I am sure they will bring back many memories. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Very crispy, a delicious savory treat.
Hi Could I freeze these in the hockey puck form before I would roll them out to save room how long would they need to thaw?
I think you totally can. I would thaw it in the fridge overnight. You can also thaw it at room temperature (I think 3 hours should be sufficient).
I just finished making this recipe and I followed the instructions exactly and they came out DELICIOUS!! This is my first time trying to cook ANYTHING like this and I’m so surprised I didn’t mess up the dough part. Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’ve tried about 6 different recipes for scallion pancakes and this is, without contest, the best one I’ve tasted. I used unsalted butter as my fat, with a few drops of sesame oil mixed in. I used a cast iron griddle pan lightly wiped with an oiled cloth. They cooked about 3 minutes per side (without covering) on medium heat and they turned out perfectly golden, flaky, and satisfyingly chewy. So happy I can stop hunting for scallion pancake recipes now.
Every single recipe that I have tried so far has been amazing! Live your new cookbook too
I love the recipe. Definitely I am going to try it. Thanks!
This is the best, most reliable recipe I have found! I double the batch and freeze them to have throughout the week. I have sent this recipe to countless people. I make them smaller so I have have more. This recipe is so versatile you can pretty much do anything with them!
This was super yummy! I had tried other recipes but none of them told me to use an oil/flour filling. I used butter instead of oil and I really liked it, it made it super crispy. The only thing is that I’m still a beginner so I am having trouble rolling it out once I’ve rolled it into a spiral shape. The filling kept oozing out. I know I must be doing something wrong. However, with each new pancake I made, it did get easier to make/it looked nicer. I also ended up making the sauce too but I kinda tweaked it by adding some korean chili flakes for a little bit of spice. Super yummy. I think I just need to work on my technique a bit but the recipe itself is great.
Hi Nicole, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the dish! And thanks for leaving a great review.
The rolling is quite hard even with a lot of practice. The good news is the recipe still works even if the filling ooze out 🙂
This recipe was amazing! One of my favourite dishes have always been Chinese Scallion Pancakes, and I thought if I found a good recipe I could make them. The steps were super easy to follow, and they turned out flaky and delicious, better than the restaurant. Thank you .
This is a fabulous recipe, I’ve been trying to find time to make these for probably a year, seen tons of videos on the technique. We’re stuck in the mountains in Northern California due to storms and redwoods down, no power but we have a gas stove, so here was my opportunity to try them!! I appreciate the detailed information about kneading and your suggestion to swap in a little sesame oil. Turns out I ran out of sesame oil so I used about a tablespoon of Chinese chili crisp oil, the rest plain veg oil. Wow the flavor and flakey texture is to die for. I’ll find more time for this recipe now that I know how to do it!
A little Chinese chili crisp oil sounds heavenly! So happy to hear you tried this one out and enjoyed it. And thanks for leaving a positive review 🙂
My search for the best scallion pancake recipe is over! Infinitely better than the one posted by Woks of Life. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
This pancake recipe looks amazing! I am also passionate about Chinese cuisine, having inherited the taste of tradition from my grandmother, years ago. I now study cooking and work as a chef, with my blog at chinafoodonlinemenu.com 🙂
I had a bunch of leftover scallions so I looked up a recipe for scallion pancake. The pancakes turned out so well. Thank you for the recipe!
Just made them for my son’s school closing party * they were studying China! How did I not think of making them before? A bit of work, but your recipe is foolproof, absolutely love the result. Nice layering and crunch. Thank you!
Hi
Can I make this with no oil or butter please?
I have an oil intolerance.
I’m afraid not. The pancake needs the oil to create the layer. For a no-oil bread, I recomand making these flatbread: https://omnivorescookbook.com/how-to-make-flatbread/
From one Maggie to another, this recipe was amazing! Will definitely be making these as snackies more often <3
Seriously delicious! I decided to use lard, like the original recipe mentioned, and it came out delicious! Definitely had trouble getting the dough thin enough without splitting and getting the oil mix everywhere. My solution was to not thin it out after rolling, then just put the dough puck in the pan, cook for a moment, then flip and press it once a light crust has formed. It doesn’t get quite as thing, but it’s still very tasty!
These were delicious — perfectly crisp and flaky. I have tried a couple other scallion pancake recipes, and none has ever turned out this good.
These turned out excellent both times I used this recipe, and I even froze a few to cook up later and they turned out equally great with no ill effects from the freezing. I love this recipe in particular because of the photos, they were a great reference to follow. A little fiddly in terms of the steps, but a fun recipe to make an activity of on the weekend or something similar.
I made these to have with a Chinese dinner. Fish Fragrant Eggplant, your miso carrots and your easy Swiss chard and some plain rice but, l think l’m going to have to pretend I didn’t make any. They’re so good, I’ve already eaten 3, while the other dishes finish cooking and l think l’m going to hide the other 3 and eat them for breakfast tomorrow. Sorry not sorry. 😁 They aren’t as good looking as yours but, they were easy, tasty and best of all, flaky so, l’m pretty happy for only my second attempt at making them. Your recipe is definitely easier and better than the other one l tried.
I have not yet cooked these scallion pancakes but I will this Saturday. My 5+ stars are for the explanation and photos about how to make them. THANK YOU! I feel empowered to try these and your other recipes. I have been too intimidated to try Chinese cooking at home because it seems so precise and complicated. I LOVE Chinese food. I will write again after trying this recipe and others.
I absolutely love this recipe! It looks daunting because of the length but it’s actually really simple. I’ve been making it for several years now (sorry for the late review, haha) and it’s one of the few that NEVER goes wrong!
Great recipe but a really long video.
These are just amazing and the dough is great to work with. The combination of double dough (made with hot and cold water) is what I think really makes these, also the oil-flour paste and frying the pancakes in some oil to make them crispy. Not for those scared of a bit of fat but will totally knock the socks off your guests! Super flaky and crispy and great flavour. I scaled back the scallions (fussy kids) and used some blended Sesame and Soy oil I accidentally bought when looking for pure Sesame oil. A total hit with the fussy kids and the adults alike!
Exceeded expectations. My 10yo told me repeatedly I had to make them again. I used pork lard and just regular all-purpose flour, and the pancakes were very flaky and crispy, as promised, and the dough was very easy to work with. I would cut the salt in half next time.
I can’t rave enough about this fantastic recipe. I made the very wise decision to freeze half of the pancakes—my family swarmed the platter and 3 people ate 3 pancakes like it was nothing…omg!! :))) Seriously—I got told that these were “way” better than the ones at our favorite Chinese restaurant and that is high praise. I’m flying. I used the last of my chicken fat for the slurry/filling, and I think that had a lot to do with it. I also fried them in just enough peanut oil to float them and we experienced no doughy centers. They were perfection. I feel like I might be wearing a cape right now… ;)))))))) So so happy I found you! Thank you for sharing this wonderful dish with us!!
Delicious!!
A little time consuming for my first try, but worth the effort! So flaky and delicious!! Will definitely keep this recipe and get rid of the others I’ve tried.