Scallion Pancakes
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our affiliate disclosure.
🧪 Developed & tested by the The Chowmi Test Kitchen for US kitchens. How we develop our recipes.
Scallion pancakes (蔥油餅, cōng yóu bǐng) are crispy, flaky, chewy pan-fried Chinese flatbreads layered with scallions and oil — golden and shatteringly crisp outside, tender and pull-apart layered inside. The magic isn't the ingredients (just flour, water, scallions, oil, and salt) but the technique: a soft hot-water dough is rolled thin, brushed with oil and a flour-oil paste, scattered with scallions, then rolled into a rope, coiled into a spiral, and flattened again — which traps dozens of oil-separated layers that puff and flake when fried. The keys are using hot (just-boiled) water for a tender, elastic dough, resting it so it relaxes and rolls thin without springing back, brushing oil generously between layers, and pan-frying in enough oil over medium-high heat until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. Serve hot, cut into wedges, with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. They're a beloved street snack and an easy, impressive thing to make at home.
Why you'll love this scallion pancakes
- Shatteringly crisp outside, chewy and layered inside — far better than takeout.
- Just pantry staples: flour, water, scallions, oil, and salt.
- The coil-and-roll trick builds dozens of flaky layers — fun and foolproof once you see it.
- Crispy, savory, and dunkable in a quick soy-vinegar sauce.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 2 tbsp cold water, as needed
- ½ tsp salt
Layers & filling
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for frying
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, for the oil-flour paste
- 6 scallions, thinly slicedsubstitutes →
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional, for aromasubstitutes →
- to taste salt and white pepper
Dipping sauce (optional)
- 2 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegarsubstitutes →
- 1 tsp chili oil, optionalsubstitutes →
Missing an ingredient?
AITell us what you have and what you're making — get the best US-grocery swap, with ratios.
Equipment
- Rolling pin — To roll the dough thin for flaky layers.(shop →)
- Cast-iron or nonstick skillet — Holds steady heat for an even, crisp crust.(shop →)
Instructions
Make a hot-water dough
Make the dough: stir the salt into the flour, pour in the boiling water while mixing with chopsticks, then add cold water a little at a time until a shaggy dough forms. Knead 5 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
💡 Boiling water 'cooks' some of the flour, giving a tender, stretchy dough that rolls thin without springing back — the secret to flaky pancakes.
Roll thin & make oil paste
Stir the 2 tbsp flour with 3 tbsp oil into a loose paste. Divide the rested dough into 4. On an oiled surface, roll one piece out as thin as you can into a large rectangle.
Oil, fill & roll into a rope
Brush the sheet with the oil-flour paste, sprinkle with salt, white pepper, a little sesame oil, and a quarter of the scallions. Roll it up tightly into a long rope.
💡 The thin layer of oil-flour paste keeps the layers separate so they flake apart instead of fusing into bread.
Coil & flatten
Coil the rope into a tight spiral, like a cinnamon roll, tuck the end under, and gently flatten and roll it back out into a round pancake about 7 inches across. Repeat with the rest.
Pan-fry & serve
Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry each pancake 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp, pressing gently. Drain briefly, cut into wedges, and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
💡 When it's done, crush the pancake lightly with tongs — the layers should crackle and separate. That's the sign of properly flaky cong you bing.
Tips & notes
- Use just-boiled water for the dough and let it rest a full 30 minutes — both make the dough relax so you can roll it paper-thin.
- Roll as thin as possible before adding oil and scallions; thinner sheets mean more layers and flakier pancakes.
- The oil-flour paste (vs plain oil) clings better and gives crisper, more defined layers.
- Fry in enough oil over steady medium-high heat — too little oil or too low heat gives a pale, tough pancake instead of a crisp one.
- Make ahead: stack uncooked pancakes with parchment between them and freeze; fry straight from frozen.
Recipe wording too vague?
AIPaste any fuzzy step (少许, 火候正好, 焯水) and get exact amounts, temps and times.
Scallion Pancakes
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 2 tbsp cold water, as needed
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for frying
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, for the oil-flour paste
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional, for aroma
- to taste salt and white pepper
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 tsp chili oil, optional
Instructions
- Make the dough: stir the salt into the flour, pour in the boiling water while mixing with chopsticks, then add cold water a little at a time until a shaggy dough forms. Knead 5 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- Stir the 2 tbsp flour with 3 tbsp oil into a loose paste. Divide the rested dough into 4. On an oiled surface, roll one piece out as thin as you can into a large rectangle.
- Brush the sheet with the oil-flour paste, sprinkle with salt, white pepper, a little sesame oil, and a quarter of the scallions. Roll it up tightly into a long rope.
- Coil the rope into a tight spiral, like a cinnamon roll, tuck the end under, and gently flatten and roll it back out into a round pancake about 7 inches across. Repeat with the rest.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry each pancake 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp, pressing gently. Drain briefly, cut into wedges, and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
Nutrition (est., per serving): 330 cal · 6 g protein · 44 g carbs · 14 g fat
Scallion Pancakes FAQ
What are scallion pancakes?
Scallion pancakes (蔥油餅, cong you bing) are savory Chinese flatbreads made from a simple flour dough rolled with oil and scallions, coiled to create layers, then pan-fried until crispy and flaky outside and chewy inside. They're a popular street snack and home dish, eaten plain or with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. They're unleavened — flaky from layered oil, not from yeast.
Why are my scallion pancakes not flaky?
Usually the dough wasn't rolled thin enough or the layers weren't oiled. Roll each sheet as thin as you can, brush generously with the oil-flour paste before rolling it into a rope, and coil it tightly to trap many layers. Also use a hot-water dough and rest it so it rolls thin, and fry in enough oil over medium-high heat for a crisp result.
What's the secret to layered scallion pancakes?
The coil-and-roll technique. After rolling the dough thin and brushing it with oil and scallions, you roll it into a rope, coil that rope into a spiral, then flatten and re-roll it. This folds dozens of oil-separated layers into the pancake, which puff and flake apart when fried. The thin oil layer between sheets is what keeps them from fusing.
Can I make scallion pancakes ahead or freeze them?
Yes. Shape the raw pancakes, stack them with parchment paper between each, and freeze in a bag. Fry them straight from frozen, adding a minute or two per side. This makes them a great quick snack to have on hand. Cooked pancakes are best fresh but can be reheated in a dry skillet to re-crisp.
What do you eat with scallion pancakes?
They're delicious on their own, but a simple dipping sauce of soy sauce, black (Chinkiang) vinegar, and a little chili oil is classic. They also pair well with congee or soup as part of a meal, and a popular street-food version wraps a scallion pancake around egg, sauce, and fillings (like a Chinese breakfast roll).
You might also like
Get our free Chinese Kitchen Starter Guide
The 12 pantry staples, the 5 techniques, and a week of beginner-friendly dinners — plus a new decoded recipe each week.