For a long time, when I would try to make scallion pancakes, I would end up with a lifeless, flat cracker resembling matzo (which is good stuff, but probably not the best comparison for a pancake). I eventually realized that I was fussing way too much over the dough and rolling it out too flat.
Well, no more. Ever since I’ve learned not to be overzealous with the rolling pin, I’ve been making this 9-layer scallion pancakes recipe, which gives you a nice, layered aromatic pancake that goes great with a nice hot soup, a Chinese weekend brunch, or any time you have a craving for a savory snack.
It’s thicker than your average scallion pancake, but what we really like about it is the layers that you get, and the crispy chewiness of the dough.
You can even make a double batch. After you roll out the dough in the final step before the scallion pancakes hit the pan, you can wrap it up in a Ziploc bag (try to get all the air you can out of it), and it will keep for weeks in the freezer.
If you’re freezing multiple pancakes, just put a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper between each of them. The frozen dough can be put directly into the skillet. Just cook it a little longer!
Sarah also posted a scallion pancake recipe some time ago and recently Judy posted a Shou Zhua Bing which is a Chinese pancake we see everywhere in China but very little here in the US.
Here’s how you make them.
Recipe Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and five spice powder (if using). Add ¾ cup water and mix to form a dough. Knead the mixture for about 5 minutes, until it forms a smooth ball. Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rest for about an hour.
In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, water, sugar, and a few chopped scallions and sesame seeds to make the dipping sauce. You can also add the garlic if using.
After the dough has rested, cut the dough in half and leave the other half under the damp cloth. Roll out the dough into a big rectangle, as thin as you can get it. Rub about half a tablespoon of oil all over the surface of the dough and sprinkle with half of the scallions, salt, and sesame seeds (if using).
Cut 2 slits on each long side of the dough (see photos for what I mean).
With the rolled out dough oriented vertically, start at the bottom and fold the two side flaps of dough over the middle piece.
Then fold that entire rectangle forward onto the middle level. Fold those to flaps over, and repeat.
When you have your nice, neat rectangle, take your rolling pin and roll it until almost doubled in area (I just basically make the small rectangle into a large square shape).
Take care not to roll too firmly, as you don’t want the dough layers to bind and you want to keep some small pockets of air between them.
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and add the pancake. Cover the pan and cook for about five minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Transfer to a cutting board, slice, and serve with your dipping sauce. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough and scallion mixture!
9-Layer Chinese Scallion Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder (optional)
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- Pinch of sugar
- ¼ teaspoon mashed garlic (optional)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4-5 scallions (chopped)
- salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and five spice powder (if using). Add ¾ cup water and mix to form a dough. Knead the mixture for about 5 minutes, until it forms a smooth ball. Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rest for about an hour. In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, water, sugar, and a few chopped scallions and sesame seeds to make the dipping sauce. You can also add the garlic if using.
- After the dough has rested, cut the dough in half and leave the other half under the damp cloth. Roll out the dough into a big rectangle, as thin as you can get it. Rub about half a tablespoon of oil all over the surface of the dough and sprinkle with half of the scallions, salt, and sesame seeds (if using). Cut 2 slits on each long side of the dough.
- With the rolled out dough oriented vertically, start at the bottom and fold the two side flaps of dough over the middle piece. Then fold that entire rectangle forward onto the middle level. Fold those to flaps over, and repeat.
- When you have your nice, neat rectangle, take your rolling pin and roll it until almost doubled in area. Take care not to roll too firmly, as you don’t want the dough layers to bind and you want to keep some small pockets of air between them.
- Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and add the pancake. Cover the pan and cook for about five minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board, slice, and serve with your dipping sauce. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough and scallion mixture.
- Note: To freeze, place a layer of waxed paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap between each pancake and store in an airtight ziploc bag.
Could you make these with rice flour for a gluten free variation?
That’s a tough one, Rebecca. Maybe you can search for “rice flour” in our search bar and find other dim sim items made with rice flour. :-)
I just made this over the weekend — and it was great! Ours got a little burnt even before 5 minutes passed. We cooked them in a cast iron pan. I’m not sure we used enough oil. Do you have any suggestions to keep them from burning but still getting crispy?
My suggestion would be to add more oil and lower the heat slightly to prevent burning. Also, you need to be attentive—basically watch closely! :-)
Many scallion pancakes I’ve seen use hot or boiling water. What temp, vaguely, do you use? I’m so excited to make these!
Hi erin, yes, adding a portion of boiling water will make the dough softer and chewier ;-)
Hi Erin, this recipe uses cold water. Just know that hot water makes the dough softer and chewier.
Hi – I haven’t had a good scallion pancake for awhile, and in reading about yours, one of your recipes refers me to another for the special soy dipping sauce. When I got to the other recipe, there was no mention of the dipping sauce. Could you email me the recipe for the scallion pancake soy dipping sauce (maybe it’s just soy sauce)?
Hi Carol, here is the dipping sauce you can try: .
Hello,
I recently started discovered your site and love it. So many of your dishes bring me back to my childhood. I made this pancake and it was delicious. One question… Can I add the scallions to the dough prior to letting it rest… Would that make the scallion flavor stronger in the pancake if I do that? Thanks!
No, Samantha, the scallions will wilt and turn yucky. To increase the scallion flavor, mince the scallion so they release more flavor.
Just gave this a shot, and it all came together so quickly (less than 1.5 hours, including dough rest time)! Mine are slightly thicker than what is pictured – might be my rolling skills – and I think were slightly underdone in the middle as a result, but beyond that I love this recipe! I appreciate the simplicity, and will be doubling the recipe next time. I imagine these are easy to freeze?
Yes, just roll them out and place them between layers of parchment or wax paper, and into an airtight bag. They freeze well that way!
Wow! I just made these this evening and they were fantastic! The dough was very easy to work with and rolled out nice and thin (though I can’t roll an even rectangle to save my life!) They reminded me so much of the scallion pancakes I used to get at a restaurant in Falls Church, VA that I miss so much! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I’m looking forward to making them again
Excellent to hear you enjoyed them Cristen!
I just made these and am pleasantly surprised how they turned out! I was worried in the beginning though — my dough was really crusty and dry and it was impossible to knead it to be a smooth ball. Pieces kept flaking off and I just threw them out. I used 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour with 3/4 cups of water. Any advice on how to make it a smoother dough next time? Thank you, Woks of Life, I love your blog and recipes!!
Hi Heidi, I have to update the recipe with weight measurements, since there can be a lot of variation when measuring flour by volume! 1 cup of flour should weigh about 130g. Another suggestion would be to add more water a tablespoon at a time to achieve higher dough hydration. The dough should be on the edge of being too sticky to handle. Also, covering and resting the dough is really important, so make sure you don’t shorten that step. Resting for more time will also help. Happy cooking!
I remember these pancakes from many years ago when my Chinese roommate made them. Attempted them last night when I found the printed recipe but it didn’t quite turn out. First the dough wouldn’t come together without adding more water and then I found that it was quite the workout to get the dough nice and thin. Neither of my dough halves got the slits and the second pancake didn’t get the salt added (too busy tasting the first one) but that’s my own fault! Now that I looked at the pictures again I hope it will be better next time around! And the dough turned very crispy despite the covered pan.
Hi Stefanie, with variations in humidity, definitely adjust to add more water to the dough if needed. Err on the side of a slightly moister dough. You can even use oil instead of flour on your surfaces when rolling. Hope it comes out better for you next time, but practice makes perfect. Making scallion pancakes seems really easy, but it takes a lot of practice to get the results to the next level. Happy cooking!
I didn’t make the scallion pancake but I want to. How can the pancake become golden brown in a covered pan? How large should I expect the pancake to be when it’s ready for the pan? Cut it into slices?….you mean thin slices about 2” thick, or do you mean squares. Thank you for reply
Hi Barbara, a hot pan with vegetable oil will brown the scallion pancake even if it is covered. Roll out your pancake to a size that fits into your pan. Ideally, it should be 1/4 to 3/8 inches thick. Once it’s done, you can slice it into triangles or squares.