Scallion pancakes (蔥油餅) is one of those traditional Chinese dishes that will please a crowd. In general, they are pan fried so that they get nice and crispy on the outside. The sign of a good scallion pancake are the flaky layers of dough. When I say flaky, I don’t mean buttery pie crust kind of flaky. Rather, when you rip open a scallion pancake, you should see thin, overlapping layers of dough. It gives the pancakes a light airy quality in the center.
It took me a while to figure out the best method for making scallion pancakes. In the past, I rolled out small balls of dough into a relatively thin circle, rolled that circle up into a tight log, and curled that circle into a snail-like shape. Then, I would roll out that curled dough into a thin circle again, and pan fried the pancakes (see my post here for the full recipe). Although the pancakes tasted fine, I still believed that I could come up with a better recipe. After watching many, many YouTube videos, I finally developed a better method for the recipe!
KEYS TO MAKING EXTRA FLAKY SCALLION PANCAKES
- Roll out the dough as thinly as possible: When you first roll the dough, you want to make sure to roll it out as thinly as possible. You almost want to be able to see through the dough to the surface underneath the dough. This helps create the thin, airy layers inside the pancake when you rip it open.
- Oil your work surface: Most recipes call for rolling out the dough on a floured surface, and that’s what I had done as well. However, I found that I can roll out the dough more thinly on an oiled surface. I found that the oil helps the dough grip onto the work surface, allowing you to roll out a thinner pancake.
- Gather the rolled out dough into a rope versus rolling it into a tight log: Many, many recipes that I’ve seen (including the one I previously created) direct readers to roll up the dough into a tight log after the initial rolling. I actually think this creates pancakes with a denser center. In this recipe, I want you to gently fold the dough into thirds, lengthwise, and then fold everything over again once more. You don’t need to be too precise with this. Then you gather all the dough as if it was a long rope that you then curl into a snail-like shape. You don’t need to curl the dough tightly either.
- The final rollout: Right before cooking the pancakes, you’ll take the curled-up dough and roll it out into a big thin pancake. Again, I find that rolling this out on an oiled surface will yield thinner pancakes.
ADDITIONAL COOKING NOTES
- Making the dough ahead: I usually prep the dough a day ahead. I place the kneaded ball of dough into a lightly greased bowl, and cover the bowl with 2 layers of plastic wrap: one layer that sits snugly right above the dough and another layer that covers the bowl on the top. This helps keep condensation from developing around the dough. You can keep the dough in your fridge for 1 to 2 days before you make the pancakes.
- Rolling the dough on a marble pastry board vs wooden board: I found that I can roll out the thinnest layers on a marble pastry board. However, the surface is very slippery, particularly at the beginning. It is much easier to roll out the dough on a wooden board because the dough grips onto the board more. I haven’t tried rolling it out on my countertop, but I imagine that it would be similar to my marble slab.
- Do not transfer the cooked pancakes to paper towel-lined plates: I know it’s customary to transfer fried foods to plates lined with paper towels, but don’t do it here. If possible, transfer them to a wire cooling rack or a plate. Placing hot pancakes onto a plate will cause the bottoms to steam up and soften.
MORE SIMPLE CHINESE RECIPES
VIDEO: WATCH HOW TO MAKE SCALLION PANCAKES
Servings: 4 Pancakes
Flaky Scallion Pancakes with Shallots
When testing the recipe, I weighed out the flour and water. The dry weight measurements listed below are close approximations. If you feel that the dough is very sticky as you knead it, add about a tablespoon of flour and knead again. Continue adding more if the dough still feels very sticky. If you are doubling the recipe, use several tablespoons less water. If the dough is feeling dry after kneading for several minutes, gradually add a small drizzle of water.
Ingredients
Scallion Pancakes
- 300 g (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 185 g (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) water, (see note 1)
- peanut oil or canola for rolling dough and frying, (see note 2)
- 1/2 cup (85g) finely diced shallots
- 1/2 cup (35g) thinly sliced scallions
- 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons five-spice powder, (see note 3)
Dipping Sauce Recommendations
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually pour in the water, stirring everything together with a fork or wooden spoon.
- Once the water is all absorbed by the flour, start kneading the dough together with your hands. When you have incorporated all the loose flour into the dough, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for another 6 to 7 minutes. The dough should be elastic and quite smooth on the top. To see if the dough has been kneaded enough, rip out a golf ball-sized piece of dough, and pull it apart gently, as if you are tugging the dough at 4 corners. You should be able to stretch the dough out enough so that the center is translucent without the dough ripping apart. One or two minor tears around your fingers is okay. Shape the dough into a ball.
- Lightly grease a bowl with oil and place the ball of dough inside. Cover it with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the Shallots
- Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, until they start to soften.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the cooked shallots into a bowl.
- Shape the Pancakes (use photos above for reference)
- Take the rested dough out of the bowl and divide it into 4 pieces, about 120g to 125g each. Shape each piece into a ball. Cover the balls of dough with a dry towel or piece of plastic wrap.
- Lightly grease your work surface with oil (can be a large wooden board or marble slab). Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. The dough should be thin enough that you can almost see the surface underneath. I never roll out a perfectly shaped rectangle, so do not worry if yours look lopsided. Also don’t sweat about any small tears you might create when rolling out the dough.
- Pour about 2 teaspoons of oil over the rolled out dough and use your hands to rub over the surface. Lightly dust the dough with about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder (I used this dusting wand). Sprinkle a quarter of the cooked shallots and sliced scallions over the dough. Fold the dough into thirds: grab the bottom length of the dough and fold it over the center of the dough, leaving a third of the dough unfolded. Next, grab the top third of the dough and fold it down over the center. Give everything one more fold. Don’t fold the dough too tightly—a little bit of air in between the folds is perfectly fine. Gather the dough together and give it a little tug on the ends to stretch out the dough just a little.
- Starting from one end, start curling the dough, creating a snail-like shape. You can either tuck the other end underneath the curled up dough or lay it on top. Repeat for the other remaining balls of dough, making sure to grease the work surface again if necessary.
Cook the Pancakes
- Lightly grease the work surface again. Take one of the curled up balls of dough and roll it out into a thin circle. The rolling might force out some of the shallots and scallions, and that’s okay. It happens to me all the time.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat. Transfer the pancake to the pan and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pancakes are golden brown, flipping about halfway through. Transfer the pancakes to a wire cooling rack. If you don’t have a rack, transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate.
- While one pancake is cooking, roll out the next one. Add more oil to the pan and cook the remaining pancakes. These scallion pancakes are best consumed while they’re still warm. You can tear them apart or cut them into small wedges. Serve on their own or my soy and vinegar dumpling sauce, sweet chili sauce, or chili oil.
Notes
- If you are using room temperature water, let the dough rest for 45 minutes. If using lukewarm water (75ºF to 85ºF/24ºC to 29ºC), you can shorten the resting time to 30 minutes
- You can also used toasted sesame oil to grease the dough in step 3 (under “Shape the Pancakes”). However, I don’t like frying the pancakes with sesame oil because I think the flavor of the oil will be too overpowering. Feel free to try it if you want to.
- My favorite brand of five-spice powder is the Taiwanese Wu Hsing brand, which I find only in Asian supermarkets. You can use another brand that you prefer.
- I often make this dough with my stand mixer. I usually use my dough hook attachment for mixing and let the mixer run on low for about 6 to 7 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Pancake | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.5g | Protein: 8.4g | Fat: 14.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 586.6mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 2g
Did you make this recipe?Tag @hellolisalin or leave a star rating and comment on the blog!
Dephinah Sirako says
Looks yummy. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Jodi Fortner says
Hi Lisa —
Can I make a double recipe? I can’t wait to do these and stop spending the money at my Asian store for the frozen pancakes. I know they’re going to be so much better, and I’ll let you know how they turn out!
I just found your Instagram and website, not sure how — it was a video of you and your mom making dumplings. Thank you so much for providing not only written recipes but the method, which usually makes a big difference. I wish I could cook Asian noodles and dumplings as intuitively as I can cook Italian! I’m almost 68 and still trying to perfect what I can (which usually happens when take out money is not on the budget at!)
Thanks again!
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Jodi. Thanks for your kind words! You should be able to double the recipe. However, you probably don’t need to use as much water. I recommend adding about 3/4 of the water first and mix with the flour. If you need more, just ask 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Hope this helps!
Britta says
These look so good and authentic! When I lived in China we would get a whole plate of these for 二元. I’m excited to try to make these! Are you planning to have more Chinese recipes?
Jenn says
Made these last night and they were so yummy – I was lucky my family left me some! They were better than the ones I order from my favourite Chinese restaurant and I don’t have to pay $10 for three pancakes.
Robert Haas says
Just as a heads up, your recipe multiplier doesn’t work… It multiplies the weights but nothing else, so 300 gr (2 cups) of flour turns into 600gr (2 cups) of flour when you change the recipe to 2x. This also happens with the water, but not with the salt. Basically anything that has two measurements only adjusts one of them
Lisa Lin says
Hi Robert. Thanks for letting me know. The plugin that I use automatically creates those batch numbers, so I think I’m going to ask the developers to remove them. Thanks again for the note.
Vicki says
Your multiplier still doesn’t work. We ended up with super salty scallion pancakes, and I just read through these comments and realized that the multiplier works on everything but cup measures. So we doubled everything but the cups of flour and water, and we actually made a quadruple recipe. 🙁
Lisa Lin says
I am so sorry that happened to you, Vicki! Yea, this recipe card plugin that I use is not great for doubling recipes (it’s there by default and I don’t have any control over what the system reads to double my recipe). I brought this issue up to the developers and there was no great solution for this. I think I’m going to convert this into a different recipe card.
Maggie says
Hi, I am just wondering if I could roll them all out into small balls and freeze them? Then when I want to have them, I’ll just take 1 out from freezer into fridge till I am ready to fry, them I’ll just roll it out and fry? Thanks!
Lisa Lin says
Hi Maggie, I think it might work. If you are looking to make this dish ahead, some people have told me that they fry it all in one go and freeze the cooked pancakes. Then, when they are ready to eat it, they’ll pan fry the pancakes directly on the pan, and they say that it works! Not sure if this advice helps you any further…
Ana says
I’ve been dying to make homemade scallion pancakes, and these looked so beautiful on Instagram I had to give it a try! I ended up kneading the dough for closer to 10-12 minutes to get it really smooth and bouncy. After resting for a hour, it rolled out like a dream. I sprinkled some extra salt on at the end and served with some chicken curry. SO GOOD.
Lisa Lin says
Ana, thank you so much for making this!! I’m so glad it worked out well for you. Serving the pancakes with chicken curry sounds SO delicious. I need to do something similar this week!
Marcus says
This was a great recipe. One tip that Lisa emailed to me was to try using a 50/50 mix of boiling water and room temp water. Also, if you pull the dough out of the fridge, let it come to room temp before working with it.
Lisa Lin says
Thank you so much for giving the recipe another shot!
Amanda says
So yummy and easy to make! Had it with some homemade chili sauce and it was perfect 🙂
Lisa Lin says
Amanda, thank you so much for trying the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it!
Noknoi says
This recipe was amazing and so easy to follow! I loved the accompanying photos showing how to roll and fold etc.
I’ve been trying to get the consistency right for ages without following a recipe but it was never quite right. Definitely recommend using these measurements for a flaky and delicious snack!
Lisa Lin says
Noknoi, thank you so much for making this recipe!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Claudia says
I loved the pancakes. The secret to a thin dough is the oil. Actually you can use this dough right away after kneading. If you divide it in balls, press them and put oil on them, in a few minutes you are able to stretch it very thinly. The more oil, the easier 🙂 I made them with some salty cheese and dill inside. The kids loved them!
Lisa Lin says
Claudia, thank you for trying this and leaving your notes! I really appreciate it!
Megan says
I’ve been following Lisa on IG for a while and was always a bit intimidated to try any recipes. This recipe is sooo easy and to make and uses ingredients you most likely have in your pantry. I love how versatile it is– I used green onions and shiso instead of shallots because I didn’t have any shallots. I kneaded my dough for a little longer for good measure until I was certain it was really smooth. Everything else was a piece of (pan)cake. So happy I decided to try this recipe. Served it with my go-to gyoza dipping sauce (2 parts rice wine vinegar, 1 part Shoyu, a little bit of chili oil) and it was to die for.
Lisa Lin says
Megan, thank you so much for trying the recipe and for leaving all your helpful cooking notes!!
brittany says
It was my first time making scallion pancakes and they turned out awesome! they were crispy, flaky and delicious! I cannot wait to make them again, next time I will do 2 or 3 batches! the recipe is very easy to follow! great recipe for people who don’t have a lot of experience working with dough!
Lisa Lin says
Brittany, thank you so much for trying the recipe!!! I also need to try frying these up, freezing the pancakes, and reheating them. I believe that works well too!
Kit says
Can you replace all purpose flour with wholemeal flour or regular plain flour?
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Kit! I’m so sorry that I just saw this comment. Plain flour is a good replacement for all-purpose flour.
cadence says
This was my first time attempting anything like this, and actually my first time making a dough of any kind! I made the dough and left it in the fridge for 2 days until I had time to make them. I put the bowl of dough on my counter for a few hours to let it come to room temp, then went at it! The process of rolling them all up was fun and easy! I don’t own any 5 spice so I just used garlic powder and a little salt! For me personally, making the dough was the hardest part (kneading is a workout, I had no idea!) and everything else was enjoyable, quick, and easy. And the results were delicious. Will definitely make again!
Sami says
I loved this recipe! It was so budget friendly and a great use of pantry staples. The instructions were so easy to follow. I’ve never made scallion pancakes before and they came out perfect. Loved the Chinese five spice and caramelized shallot (I used red onion) for added flavor and texture. I used half AP flour and half whole wheat pastry flour because I enjoy using whole wheat wherever possible. Would definitely make again.
Lisa Lin says
Thank you for leaving the note that half AP flour and half whole wheat flour works with this recipe!
Sophie He says
Loved this recipe! I’m not an experienced baker or cook by any means, but this recipe was super easy to follow and the end result was amazing and delicious. I used half AP flour & half whole wheat flour, but I’m eager to try all whole wheat next time!
Emma says
so delicious! I used a little less oil than listed, and while my layers weren’t quite as flaky or totally crispy all the way around, it was still really really tasty! i was doubtful about the five spice powder but it wasn’t at all overwhelming. just like i remembered from chinese takeout so long ago…. 🙂
Sarah says
Absolutely loved this recipe! I always loved scallion pancakes, but never thought about making them myself. This recipe was super easy to follow and I felt really proud to have made something so delicious 🙂
Vanessa says
So good! Will definitely make again
Jordan says
I made these pancakes for the first time with this recipe and I found it to be quite easy! I love that there was a video to go along with the step-by-step instructions and notes. I’ve always wanted to make Chinese pancakes but I was too scared because I thought it would be too difficult. How wrong was I?! My pancakes were fluffy, flakey and delicious! I will be adding this recipe to my list of regulars and will be making many more pancakes in the future. Thanks so much for the great recipe!!
Clara says
This is a great recipe, it was easier that I thought to prepare and roll the dough! While eating this my memories took me back instantly to Shanghai!
Can’t wait to try new ones! Thank you !
Magen says
These were easier than I thought and turned out very tasty. My 17 year old son said they tasted just like at the restaurant, and proceeded to eat 10 slices. That’s about as glowing a recommendation as I can get or give.
Wendy says
I finally made these this week and they were amazing! And fun to make as well as pretty easy too. I let the dough rest in the fridge for two days and I think that made it easier to work with. I was low on shallots (quarantine) so I also sautéed the whites of the scallions to make up the difference. I also didn’t use five spice because…quarantine…but these were better than scallion pancakes I’ve had at restaurants!
Taylor Chow says
I loved how these turned out! They have so much flavor and they’re so crispy and flakey! I made the dough ahead of time and left it in the fridge for 2 days so it felt like less work than trying to do it all in one day. Definitely want to make these again 🙂
Lisa Lin says
Taylor, thank you so much for making these and for your cooking notes!!
Erika says
Made these for dinner the other day. Minus the shallots and five spice because I didn’t have any. I kneaded it for like 12-15 minutes because I wanted to make sure I kneaded it right. The whole family loved them. Great recipe, especially for right now because It doesn’t need much ingredients.
Lisa Lin says
Erika, thanks for making the scallion pancakes! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Nikki says
Thanks for this delicious recipe! My 5 years old daughter loves making them with me. The step by step video was really helpful. Looking forward to try other recipes from your blog.
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Nikki! Thank you SO MUCH for making them! So glad you daughter enjoyed making these too!
KT says
These were just phenomenal! So fun and easy to make. The hardest part was being patient enough to let the dough rest for 45 min…and the workout I got kneading the dough for 6-7 minutes. They came out perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I got so many compliments on them and will be making them again over and over! Cannot say enough good things. Also- the dough is just beautiful and I’m not sure what else I would use it for but I’ll be forever searching for ways to incorporate it into other dishes. Thank you!!
Lisa Lin says
KT, thank you SO MUCH for making these scallion pancakes. I’m so glad that everyone loved it. I really appreciate you leaving these detailed feedback on how you worked the dough!
Bianca says
Excellent recipe! It was simple to make and really delicious! I rested the dough overnight and it rolled out magically thin without tearing.
Thank you so much for this one
Lisa Lin says
Bianca, thank you so much for trying the recipe!!
Evan says
Hey there! Do you think I could roll them out into the pancake shape, wrap them with parchment in between each pancake, place them in the refrigerator and then cook them the following night? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Lisa Lin says
Yes, you can! You don’t even need to roll them out beforehand (unless you don’t want to do it the next day). Usually, I just roll them up into a coil, put all the coils into a tupperware container, and refrigerate.
Iro Koutsouri says
I have to say, I’m so glad I came across Lisa’s posts on Instagram! I made these delicious scallion pancakes a few days ago and I confirm that they are extra flaky! But they’re also extra tasty and crispy on the outside with all the soft layers inside! They were amazing warm right after cooking but the second one I devoured without remorse even though it had gotten cold – it was still so so good! I followed the recipe exactly and the dough was very easy to work with and making them start to finish was quite fun actually! Next time I will try the dough-in-fridge method, as I hadn’t the time to do it this one. I accompanied my ramen and chicken soup with them and it was heavenly! Thank you Lisa for this delicious easy to follow recipe, I have a new favourite!
Lisa Lin says
Iro, thank you so much for trying this scallion pancake recipe! I love them warm and fresh too!
Toine C. Leerentveld says
We had tried many other recipes for scallion pancakes, and they all were just “ok.” When we saw this on your Instagram feed, we immediately decided to make your version.
We used our standmixer and made the dough very quickly and easily. Rolling the dough out in a perfect rectangle like you do was not that easy for us… it was weirdly shaped. However, it still was able to fold it into a “rope,” and roll it up.
Rolling the rolled up “ropes” to pancakes was a bit more challenging. The wooden rolling pin didn’t really have a good hold on the slightly greasy dough, and it would take frequent wipes with a paper towel on the rolling pin to get them flat.
Frying them up was easy, and cooling them on the rack was great.
We loved the flavor and the texture of the pancakes. We only ate one, and stored the others in the fridge. Would you reheat in the oven, or in a frying pan?
Also, your recipe says 3-4 minutes total, flipping halfway, while the video says 3 minutes each side.
Lisa Lin says
Toine, you can use either the oven or frying pan to reheat the pancakes. I typically use the frying pan because I don’t like firing up the oven just to heat a few small things. Also, thanks for catching the discrepancy in the cooking time. I need to double check my notes.
Julia Buckton says
I really enjoy making this recipe and Lisa makes it super easy to follow along. I was able to make an entire batch of dough, freeze half of it, and use the remaining dough when I needed another scallion pancake! During self isolation, a scallion pancake has become a well earned treat after a long day. I will be making this recipe again very soon! Delish! 🙂
Parris Benight says
These Scallion Pancakes are absolutely delicious! The detailed recipe (along with the video) made it super easy for a novice like me to make these at home. Highly recommend also making the dumpling sauce to dip them in!
LC says
Hi Lisa,
Love this recipe! It’s simply delicious and easy to make, thanks to your tutorial video. I will definitely be making these again 🙂
Lynsey Beth says
I’ve followed a few scallion pancake recipes in the past, and they didn’t turned out as well for me as this one from Lisa did! Granted, my grocery store ran out of scallions, so I used onions and garlic to fill, and I don’t own a proper rolling pin, so I had to use a simply syrup bottle — but, all in all, it turned out amazing! The final product was flakey, savory, sumptuous pancakes. I used a hot pot sauce I made the night before, which included: Shoyu, Garlic, Ginger, Vinegar, Sugar, Sesame Oil, Chili Oil and Mirin. Will definitely be using this recipe to make these again. SOON!
Sandra says
Recipe was easy to follow. The dough was so soft and easy to work with! I added extra scallions. The texture of these pancakes were perfect. Thank you Lisa!!!
Suzy says
Great recipe. Made it last night with no worry; all excitement!
The mixing and kneading were done in my stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes. Took it out and kneaded it by hand on a counter for another full minute with a tiny bit of bench flour. Back into the mixer bowl to rest.
Just a few tiny notes for newbie dough makers:
It should go without saying that after the coils are rolled up, they should rest for another 5-10 minutes; but by the time you have your last one coiled, your first one is rested enough to roll out and begin cooking. If when you roll it and it doesn’t hold a flat circle, leave the dough alone for a few minutes more.
I forgot about the oil brushing on the inside prior to onion and powder sprinkling, but that did not effect anything. I will say that the oil on the smooth counter and enough oil to evenly coat both sides while pan crisping is key. Use cooking spray, it’s fine.
Amazing chewy to flaky combination! Will be keeping this recipe in my arsenal!
Gracelyn says
Yesterday it was my first time making these scallion pancakes! It took me a while to get that flaky texture because I think I ended up frying my first pancake a bit too long till it became crispy. Crispy = equally delicious too! When it came to rolling and frying the third pancake, I have successfully achieved the fluffiness perfection! Yay!
This has to be one of the simplest and reliable scallion pancake recipe out there in the internet. Do give this recipe a try during this quarantine period 🙂
Tiffany says
I have been wanting to make scallion pancakes for years but it has been something I’ve put off because it intimidated me. I finally did it yesterday! This recipe was amazing. So easy to follow and execute. I could not keep up with my family who dived into each pancake as it came out of the pan. Definitely a hit!
Candace says
I made this recipe using half and half ap and whole wheat flour. Next time I’ll use ap only, or a dough hook, as I suspect the whole wheat made it a bit dry and harder to work with (needed to knead a bit longer, added more water than recipe called for). Tasted great, made the sauce and will definitely make again!!
Rachel Lan says
I finally got to try this recipe. It was harder than it looked! I could not get the dough to roll out and not stretch back in. Final product might not have looked pretty but they were delish! I will try again, it was probably user error on the dough!
Sam says
Amazing recipe!!! Our family absolutely loves! Any tips on how to make sure all the inner layers cook through and turn out flaky without burning the outsides?
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Sam! I would say maybe cook it on a slightly lower heat but for a few minutes longer.
Sam says
Worked like a charm!! Thanks for bringing us some delicious quarantine joy!
Sherry says
When I had a craving for scallion pancakes and ran out of my stock of frozen ones from the Asian grocery, I knew to turn to Lisa. This recipe was easy to follow, and her video was especially helpful as I rolled the dough out to an imperfect (a few rips and tears) thin layer. So was her IG Stories highlight on scallion pancake wraps (pinned to her profile)! I made 2 of the 4 the same day and the other 2 the next day; I’m not sure if it was more practice or if it was the overnight refrigeration improved my second batch, but all of them were delicious. I used Sichuan pepper powder and regular pepper since I didn’t have 5 spice powder. They were flaky, salty, crunchy, chewy, and I will definitely make them again! Served with a chicken and veggie stir fry and tomato + egg stir fry 🙂
Pco says
Oh my goodness these were amazing!!!! I’ve been wanting to make onion pancakes. My husband asked me what I put in them and I said just the invite in the recipe- which aren’t that many!!!
Is it possible to roll out the dough and fold the ingredients and then leave in the fridge overnight for the next morning?
Lisa Lin says
Absolutely! When I make these ahead, I complete all the steps in the “shape the pancakes” section, with the dough all coiled up. Then, I transfer that to a tupperware and refrigerate overnight.
Sandy says
My dough remained super sticky no matter how long I kneaded. I could never get it anywhere close to smooth looking, and it stuck a lot to my fingers. I even tried adding a little additional flour. Help! What am I doing wrong?
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Sandy. Are you using room temperature water for this? If it’s very sticky, add additional flour. Before you go back to kneading, rub your hands to release all the sticky dough from your fingers. Then, knead again. It could also be that your kitchen is slightly more humid than mine.
Ainsley says
These look delicious! I’m very keen to make them. Was wondering if you could use coconut oil or macadamia oil instead?
Lisa Lin says
You can use those oils. You’ll need to use quite a bit of oil (for rolling out the pancakes and pan frying). So if you have plenty of those oils to spare, go for it.
Emily says
Thank you for the recipe! Just made this and it was fantastic! I used the dough hook on a kitchen aid to knead and it took about 8 minutes and after resting for an hour is rolled out perfectly thin. Definitely making this again!
Lisa Lin says
Thank you for the notes about using the stand mixer!
Meg says
Hi Lisa!
What type of pan should these be fried up in? My non stick skillet is too small for this pancake size so my other options are a 12” stainless steel or a 12” cast iron skillet. Which would you recommend?
lorraine says
I made this last night! only disappointment : my cong yul bing wasn’t as flaky as your video shows. It still tasted great. I also had such a hard time rolling out the pinwheel into a thin sheet. any rollling tips? my set up was a lightly oiled bamboo cutting board and a rolling pin. will post photos on IG.
Lisa Lin says
Hey, Lorraine! You can try greasing the board more so that the dough doesn’t just cling onto the board once it’s rolled out. The more oil you use, the easier it will be to roll them out thinly. Hope this helps!
Hannah says
Hi Lisa,
These scallion pancakes were a dream! Even my parents couldn’t stop indulging in them!
I saw a few other comments with the same problem that I encountered: It was quite hard to roll out the curled balls, it wasn’t clinging on to anything, rather, the dough kept bouncing back and wouldn’t stay in a rolled-out thin layer. Any advice on how to make this last step slightly easier?
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Hannah! I have found that if you just let the curled balls sit there for 10 minutes, they’ll be easier to roll out. I don’t now why this works, but it worked for me when I was doing a live class!
Salma says
I tried these this morning but didn’t add shallots because i didn’t have time, it tasted so good though! My family loved it! Next time i will try it with shallots. Thank you Lisa!! 😊
Troy says
Hi Lisa.
I’m looking forward to making this recipe. It looks amazing. Quick question: Can you bake them in a conventional oven instead of frying? If so, what temperature and for how long? I’m trying to stay away from frying as much as possible.
Thank you for sharing! 😊
Vi says
This review is a bit overdue, but my friend and I tried our Lisa’s recipe a few months ago & it did not disappoint. We didn’t have scallions, so we substituted it with green garlic & it turned out amazing. The recipe was very easy to follow. Also, these pancakes taste best right away. I will be making them again today & pairing them with some type of curry!
Lisa Lin says
Vi, thank you so much for making this! Love that you used green garlic!
Mary says
I had this in Taiwan a few years back, didn’t really think of it until I saw one your instagram reels. I decided to make it and IT’S ACTUALLY FLAKY, I’m impressed by myself (for someone who doesn’t cook) I’m pretty bad at rolling it out after making them into lollipop shape, there were major tears all over my poor pancakes hahaha. I had fun! It tasted a lot like flaky roti canai too!
Shilpa says
I love the flavor of the final pancake, but my dough consistency was very difficult to work with. I made it in the stand mixer and made the dough 1 day ahead. It was very difficult to roll out and kept springing back together. Once I folded the filling in and rolled out the coil it fell apart into a wet gooey mess. I had to press it back into a circle with my hands and quickly transfer it to the pan. It still tasted good though and some parts of it were flaky.
Ying Chua says
Excellent recipe! Love it the instructions are so clear.. I made them with Mint, chives spring onions and Chinese celery. 4 kinds.
Thanks Lisa Lin!
Lisa Lin says
Thank you so much!!!
Lisa Lin says
THANK YOU!!!
Austin says
your instructions are confusing. the link “(see my post here for the full recipe)” listed” hot (just boiling) water” but here you listed water at room temperature”
your note: “I often make this dough with my stand mixer.” but the instructions were mixing by hand. the only reason I came to this site is that I googled to search for the dough using a stand mixer, but you didn’t give any instructions on it. please make sure the consistency of your recipes/ instructions
Dena says
Another excellent recipe. You definitely cracked the code! I always appreciate how detailed and clear your recipes are. This is no exception. These are just as described: flaky and perfect. Thank you!
Sonia says
Made these today without the shallots or five spice powder and it was still amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Lisa Lin says
Thanks for trying the recipe, Sonia!
Giovanna says
Hi, I just have a couple questions: Do you prefer using room temperature water versus 50% boiling water 50% temperature water as noted below in the comments? Also what brand of flour do you use?
Lisa Lin says
I have found that I like the texture of the pancakes when I use room temp water, but some people like to use warm water so the dough is more pliable. Both types of water will be fine.
AP says
This was the easiest recipe to follow! Thank you so much for taking the time to make each step so detailed. I have never made anything like this before and it came out just like the picture! And it was DELICIOUS!! I did sub 5 spice for a couple pinches of apple pie spice 😬 I was desperate lol half way through rolling out the dough, I realized I was out of all other options. I’m sure it would have been odd to a trained pallet, but not to me! I look forward to to trying this recipe again with ALL the intended ingredients.
Lisa Lin says
Oh, I’m glad the apple spice worked out for you!!
Lorraine says
Second time making this recipe. Omitted scallions since I did not have I hand. It’s a a simple recipe and yields phenomenal results. Please make the video available on YouTube
Lisa Lin says
Haha Lorraine, THANK YOU for reminding me to make a YouTube video. I have been wanting to do a comprehensive one that goes over various methods of making it, but maybe I should start with the basics first…
Deanna says
Hi Lisa! I’ve been taking this recipe for awhile and I can’t ever seem to roll out the pancake wide enough. Once I pick it up, it shrinks and my pancakes are never thin. Any tips?
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Deanna. This happens to me sometimes too, and it’s usually because I didn’t let the dough rest long enough. Also, I use a lot of oil to grease the rolling surface. You do need the oil to help stretch out the dough more. Another thing you can try is using warm water to make the dough. The heat relaxed the dough a bit more. Hope this helps!
Annaliese M says
Hi! I want to make these for a big group and make them ahead of time. Can I cook them all (likely 3 batches) earlier in the day then reheat on a pan right before serving? Or would they stay crispy if they sit in a low oven for awhile?
Gina Lee says
I had never made/cooked/baked anything in my entire life, I just made these a few minutes ago and they are delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Jason Stegall says
my dough did not come out flaky at all. it appeared too thick at the beginning after kneading. after i cooked it was just doughy like pizza dough. do i need to add more water to the original flour mixture until i get a dough that will stretch translucent after kneading? what do i need to do to get it really flaky? that is what makes these taste so good.
Lisa Lin says
Hi Jason, the real key is how thinly you roll out the dough when you incorporate the scallions. It should be so thin that it’s nearly translucent. It’s not really how the dough looks after kneading. The dough is tight immediately after kneading. You really need to give it time to rest before rolling it out. Were you able to roll out the dough into a very large rectangle? If that was difficult, consider using hotter water.
jason says
Thank you i did let it rest for 1 hour but still woudlnt roll out translucent. i mixed and followed recipe carefully but not a baker by any means. i think i need to use hot water and slightly more of it maybe when making the dough??? it basically tasted like pizza dough after i cooked it and not the super thin flaky way i like. it woudl not roll out thin. Do you cook the onions ffirst? they were watery and tore the dough too so wasnt sure if i used too many or need to cut the micro thin. i did cut the thin as i could. thx for reply!