Dense, beautiful, and very tasty: recipe for perfect syrniki from a Murmansk woman

A Murmansk woman shares her secret for making dense, beautiful, and delicious syrniki that hold their shape without falling apart.

Nov 26, 2025

This recipe from a Murmansk cook uses egg yolks to prevent syrniki from falling apart during frying.
Source:
Alexandra Balaba

Syrniki are a favorite dish of many Russians, associated with a cozy breakfast or tasty snack. However, some home cooks face problems when making classic syrniki: the dough spreads out, the syrniki fall apart and lose their shape. To solve this problem, we offer you a simple and time-tested recipe for perfect syrniki using egg yolks instead of whole eggs.

Ingredients:

Selecting fresh and uniform cottage cheese is crucial for achieving the perfect syrniki texture.
Source:
Alexandra Balaba

Cottage cheese — 500 g (preferably uniform, 9% fat)
Chicken egg yolks — 2 pcs.
Sugar — 3 tbsp.
Wheat flour — approximately 5 tbsp.
Pinch of salt
Vanilla sugar — optional
Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

1) Choose high-quality cottage cheese. It«s important that it is fresh and uniform in consistency. If the cottage cheese is dry, pass it through a fine sieve or mash it with a fork. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

2) Place the cottage cheese in a bowl, add salt, sugar, and vanilla sugar (if using). Then add two previously separated yolks. Mix the mixture well with a spoon or spatula until smooth and homogeneous.

Adding flour gradually helps create a soft and pliable dough that holds its shape well.
Source:
Alexandra Balaba

3) Sift the flour in small portions, gently incorporating it into the cottage cheese mixture. The amount of flour depends on the moisture content of your cottage cheese, so it«s better to add it gradually, focusing on the consistency of the dough. It should become soft, pliable, and slightly sticky.

4) Divide the dough into small balls, then flatten them with your palm, forming neat syrniki.

Frying syrniki until golden brown on both sides ensures a crispy crust and tender interior.
Source:
Alexandra Balaba

5) Pour a little vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it well over medium heat. Fry the syrniki on both sides until golden brown, turning occasionally. Cook until the inside becomes soft and tender.

Draining excess oil and serving with toppings like sour cream enhances the syrniki experience.
Source:
Alexandra Balaba

6) Place the finished syrniki on a paper towel to remove excess fat. Serve hot with sour cream, jam, honey, or condensed milk. You can sprinkle a little sugar on top or garnish with berries.

More About Food

Also read about how to make onion-stuffed cabbage rolls and Murmansk«s »toshnitki«.

How to make simple homemade pizza, read here.

We also shared a recipe for Imeretian khachapuri, told how to make crispy Korean-style carrots and meat in a pumpkin pot.

Pancakes made using this recipe turn out perfectly thin. Also try making »Caesar« Murmansk-style. And with these ingredients, cutlets will never be dry.