Hungarian Pancakes (Palacsinta): The Christmas Treat I Have to Hide from My Family

Every Christmas, my kitchen transforms into a battleground—not because of elaborate feasts or complex recipes, but because of one particular treat that sends my family into a feeding frenzy: Hungarian Palacsinta.

No matter how many I make, they’re never enough. I’ve tried doubling, tripling, even quadrupling the batch, but the result is always the same—empty plates, sticky fingers, and a chorus of “Are there any more?” echoing through the house. If I want to enjoy even a single bite, I’ve had to get creative… which is why I now make them in the dead of night and hide them.

Yes, that’s right—I have to hide my own cooking from my own family! If you think I’m joking, you clearly haven’t witnessed the chaos that ensues when warm, buttery, paper-thin Hungarian pancakes hit the table.

So, let me take you into the world of Palacsinta, the most irresistible holiday treat in my household—and the lengths I go to in order to ensure I actually get to enjoy some myself.

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What Are Hungarian Pancakes (Palacsinta)?

Palacsinta (pronounced pah-lah-CHEEN-tah) are Hungary’s version of crepes—delicate, thin pancakes that can be rolled, folded, or stacked with a variety of fillings. Unlike American-style pancakes, which are thick and fluffy, Palacsinta are light, slightly crispy on the edges, and incredibly versatile.

Traditionally, they’re filled with sweet ingredients like:

• Apricot or plum jam (a classic Hungarian favorite!)
• Nutella or chocolate spread
• Ground walnuts mixed with sugar
• Sweetened ricotta or cottage cheese (Túrós Palacsinta)
• Cinnamon sugar (a simple but delicious option)

But Palacsinta isn’t just for sweet lovers—it also has savory variations! Stuffed with meats, mushrooms, or cheese, they can be transformed into hearty meals (Hortobágyi Palacsinta is a famous version stuffed with paprika-spiced meat).

For my family, though, Christmas morning Palacsinta means one thing: sweet, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

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The Christmas Morning Tradition That Got Out of Hand

It all started as a simple tradition. One year, I decided to make Palacsinta for Christmas morning, rolling them up with a variety of fillings and serving them with hot cocoa. Everyone loved them. So, naturally, the following year, I made them again.

What I didn’t anticipate was how quickly my family would become obsessed.

Now, the moment December rolls around, the questions start:
“When are you making Palacsinta?”
“Are you making extra this year?”
“Can we have some before Christmas morning?”

The first time I made them in advance and left them in the fridge overnight, I woke up the next morning to an empty container and a suspiciously full family. My carefully prepared holiday breakfast had vanished before the holiday even arrived!

The next year, I tried making two batches—one for Christmas Eve and one for Christmas morning. Surely that would be enough?

Nope.

By midnight on Christmas Eve, the first batch was gone, and I had to wake up early to make more.

This is how I learned a hard lesson: self-control does not exist in my household when it comes to Palacsinta.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do—I started making them in secret and hiding them.