Crispy potato pancakes win everyone over, especially when served with sour cream and cracklings. Many Ukrainian families still follow their grandmothers’ tradition of adding eggs to the batter. In fact, this step is not essential at all, and you can easily make tender, flavorful pancakes without using eggs.

Few people realize that potato pancakes can turn out wonderfully delicious without this ingredient. Eggs are usually added to help bind the grated potatoes together. However, there are two simple substitutes that do the job just as well, while also giving the pancakes a delicate texture and a perfectly crisp crust.

Ukrainian Potato Pancakes – The Best Egg-Free Recipe

To make truly tasty, golden pancakes, it is worth slightly adjusting the traditional recipe. First, replace wheat flour with corn flour. This change keeps the pancakes light and soft inside rather than dense or heavy. In addition, corn flour absorbs moisture better, preventing the potato mixture from spreading too much in the pan.

Second, add a tablespoon of vodka, food-grade alcohol, or cognac to the potato mixture. This unexpected ingredient helps prevent the pancakes from soaking up excess oil during frying, allowing them to stay airy and crisp. The alcohol evaporates completely during cooking, so it will not affect the flavor.

To prepare these appetizing potato pancakes, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 kilogram of potatoes;

• 1 medium onion;

• 1 garlic clove;

• 2 tablespoons of corn flour;

• 1 tablespoon of vodka;

• 5 tablespoons of sunflower oil;

• salt and your favorite spices to taste.

Peel and rinse the potatoes and onion. Grate the potatoes using a coarse grater and the onion using a fine grater. Before cooking, place the grated vegetables into cheesecloth and transfer them to a sieve. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible into a large bowl. Let the drained liquid sit for about 5 minutes, then carefully pour off the top layer and return the settled starch at the bottom back into the potato mixture.

Add the corn flour, minced garlic, alcohol, salt, and spices to the egg-free batter. Mix everything thoroughly. Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Spoon the mixture onto the hot surface, shaping it into thin pancakes. Fry over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side, adding more oil if necessary.

Once done, transfer the egg-free potato pancakes to paper towels to absorb any remaining oil. Serve them hot with sour cream, cracklings, mushrooms, or any toppings you prefer.