Cassie's Kitchen/Northern China/Appetizers

葱油饼Scallion Pancakes

Cōng Yóu Bǐng — Layered Flaky Perfection

"A thousand layers, one perfect bite."

40Minutes
4Pancakes
2/5Difficulty

The Origin

Street Food Royalty

These flaky, layered pancakes originated in Shanghai and across northern China, where wheat — not rice — is king. The technique of rolling, oiling, and coiling the dough creates those signature crispy layers.

Every morning, street vendors roll out fresh dough, brush it with hot oil, scatter scallions, and coil it into spirals before pressing flat and pan-frying to golden perfection. The smell alone stops traffic.

"The layers are the secret. Each one trapped air, trapped flavor."

The Ingredients

The Dough

  • 2 cupsAll-purpose flour
  • ¾ cupBoiling water
  • ¼ cupCold water
  • ½ tspSalt

The Filling

  • 4 tbspSesame oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 cupScallions, finely chopped
  • 1 tspFlaky sea salt

For Cooking

  • 3-4 tbspVegetable oil

The Method

01

Make the Dough

1

Place flour in a bowl. Pour boiling water over half the flour, stir. Add cold water, mix until shaggy dough forms.

2

Knead on floured surface for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover, rest 30 minutes minimum.

Why Hot Water?

Boiling water partially cooks the starches, making the dough more pliable and the final pancake more tender.

02

Layer & Shape

3

Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a thin rectangle (about 12x8 inches).

4

Brush generously with sesame oil. Sprinkle salt and ¼ of the scallions evenly.

5

Starting from the long edge, roll into a tight log. Then coil the log into a spiral. Tuck the end underneath.

6

Flatten the spiral gently with your palm, then roll out to about 7-inch circle. Don't press too hard — you'll lose layers.

The Secret to Layers

Light pressure when rolling. Those coils create air pockets. Smash them flat and you lose the flaky magic.

03

Pan-Fry

7

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. When shimmering, add pancake.

8

Cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown underneath. Flip, add a little more oil, cook another 2-3 minutes.

9

The pancake should be golden, crispy, and flaky. Cut into wedges. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce & Variations

Classic Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp rice vinegar + ½ tsp sesame oil + chili flakes. Simple. Perfect.

Egg Scallion Pancake

Crack an egg onto the pancake in the last minute. Flip to set. Breakfast of champions.

Cheese Scallion Pancake

Modern Taiwanese twist — sprinkle mozzarella before the final fold. Stretchy, savory, addictive.