Traditional blintzes are served on which Jewish holiday?

Traditional blintzes are served on Shavuot, the Jewish festival associated with receiving the Torah.

Blintzes are thin, filled pancakes in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. Cheese blintzes—often made with sweetened farmer cheese and sometimes raisins—became especially associated with Shavuot because dairy foods are traditionally eaten during the holiday.

The association does not mean blintzes are exclusive to Shavuot. They are also eaten year-round, with fillings such as fruit preserves, potatoes, or meat. A common mix-up is Passover: blintzes normally contain wheat flour, while Passover cooking requires avoiding leavened grain products, so special versions may use matzo meal instead.

The word blintz comes through Yiddish from a Slavic word related to blin, meaning pancake. The dish reflects the way Ashkenazi Jewish cooking incorporated and adapted foods from neighboring Eastern European cultures.