Chinese Pancakes for Duck: Soft, Thin Mandarin Pancakes

Chinese pancakes for duck are thin wheat-flour pancakes from northern Chinese cooking traditions, often served with Peking-style roast duck, scallions, cucumber and hoisin sauce. The dough is rolled in pairs with a little oil between the layers, then cooked in a skillet so the pancakes can be gently separated after cooking. Sizes, thicknesses and seasoning vary between cooks, but this method makes soft, flexible pancakes for wrapping.

Set aside about an hour and a half, including a 30-minute dough rest. Serve the pancakes warm with prepared duck and accompaniments; if you are cooking duck yourself, use a food thermometer to verify that it reaches the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

What You’ll Need

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus up to 2 tablespoons (16 g) for dusting
3/4 cup (180 ml) boiling water
1/4 cup (60 ml) cool water, added gradually
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame oil, for brushing between dough rounds
A little extra flour for the work surface, if needed

You will also need a mixing bowl, rolling pin, pastry brush or spoon, clean tea towel, and a wide skillet or flat griddle. Toasted sesame oil gives the pancakes a fragrant, distinctly nutty note. If it is hard to find or its flavor is too strong, use a mild neutral oil; the pancakes will still separate, but taste less aromatic. Avoid adding a strongly flavored oil that could compete with the duck and sauce.

Step-by-Step

Mix the hot-water dough. Put the flour and salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour in the boiling water gradually while stirring with chopsticks or a sturdy spoon; the hot water partially cooks the flour and helps make a tender, pliable dough. Stir in most of the cool water, then add the remainder a teaspoon at a time if dry flour remains. You may not need every drop, because flour absorbs water differently. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, bring it together into a rough ball.
Knead and rest for 30 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it feels mostly smooth. It should be soft and slightly tacky, not wet enough to coat your hands. Cover it with a clean tea towel or an overturned bowl and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes. This rest relaxes the dough, making it easier to roll thin without springing back.
Divide the dough into 32 pieces. Roll the rested dough into a short log and cut it in half. Cut each half into 16 roughly equal pieces. Keep the pieces covered while you work so their surfaces do not dry out. Roll each piece between your palms into a small ball, then flatten it into a disc about 2 inches (5 cm) across. A kitchen scale is optional; even pieces cook and roll more consistently, but they do not need to be exact.
Make 16 layered pairs. Brush a very thin film of sesame oil over one small disc, reaching close to its edge. Set a second disc on top and press lightly to join them. Repeat with the remaining pieces to make 16 pairs. Use only enough oil to coat the surface: too much can make the layers slide around and become difficult to roll evenly.
Roll the paired discs into thin rounds. Dust the counter and rolling pin sparingly with flour. Roll one pair gently, turning it a quarter turn every few strokes, until it is about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and evenly thin. Roll from the middle toward the edge without crushing the rim. If the dough pulls back, cover it and let it relax for 5 minutes before continuing. Keep the other pairs covered as well. The rounds may be slightly irregular; flexibility matters more than a perfect circle.
Warm the skillet. Set a dry skillet or griddle over medium heat for about 2 minutes. It should be hot enough that a pancake begins to cook promptly, but not so hot that it scorches before the layers warm through. Do not add oil to the pan: the sesame oil between the dough layers is enough.
Cook each round for about 1 minute. Lay one paired round in the dry skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds, until small pale-golden spots appear underneath, then flip and cook the second side for about 30 seconds. The whole round should puff slightly or look dry and set, rather than become crisp or deeply browned. Transfer it to a plate and cover with a clean towel. Repeat with the remaining 15 rounds; allow about 18 minutes total for heating the pan and cooking.
Separate and keep warm. While each round is still warm but cool enough to handle, gently peel the two thin pancakes apart at the edge. Stack them under the towel to retain their softness. If one pair is difficult to separate, leave it covered for a few seconds and try again rather than pulling hard. Serve promptly, or hold the stack covered over very low steam for a short time while you arrange the duck and garnishes.
Set out the accompaniments. Serve the pancakes with cooked, sliced duck, thin strips of cucumber and scallion, and hoisin sauce if desired. To assemble, spread a little sauce on a pancake, add a small amount of duck and vegetables, fold the bottom up, and roll or fold the sides around the filling. Keep fillings modest so the thin pancake does not split.

Common Mistakes

Adding all the water without checking the dough: Flour can vary in how much liquid it absorbs. If the dough is already soft and cohesive, stop pouring rather than forcing in the full amount. A very wet dough needs extra flour during rolling, which can make the finished pancakes tough.

Skipping the rest: Freshly kneaded dough is elastic and tends to shrink as you roll it. Give it the full 30 minutes under cover. Resting is not wasted time; it makes thin rounds easier to form with less pressure.

Using too much oil between the layers: A thick coating makes the discs slide and can leave greasy patches. Brush on a thin, even film. The purpose is to help the two cooked pancakes separate, not to fry them.

Cooking over high heat or for too long: Dark, crisp pancakes will crack when folded around duck. Use medium heat and take the round off as soon as it is cooked through with a few light spots. Because pans differ, use the visual cues as well as the approximate timing.

Leaving dough or cooked pancakes uncovered: Exposed dough develops a dry skin, while cooked pancakes lose moisture and become brittle. Cover both the unused dough pieces and the finished stack with a clean towel while you work.

Tips

Roll the paired discs one at a time and cook each soon after rolling. If you roll all 16 far in advance, they may dry out or stick together; keep them covered and separate with a light dusting of flour if they must wait. Brush away excess flour before a round goes into the pan, since loose flour can darken and taste scorched.

For more even pancakes, rotate the dough frequently as you roll and use light, steady strokes. If you prefer smaller wraps, make 20 pairs from 40 dough pieces and roll them closer to 5 inches (13 cm) wide; they will take less filling. This changes the number and size of the pancakes, not the basic method, and may require a little extra time to shape and cook.

Set out the duck and garnishes before cooking the pancakes so the warm stack can go straight to the table. Cucumber and scallion are common crisp accompaniments, while hoisin is a familiar sweet-salty sauce; quantities and additions vary. If you cannot get scallions, use thinly sliced mild onion greens or omit them. A warm, covered serving plate helps keep the pancakes pliable while people assemble their own wraps.

To store extra cooked pancakes, cool them and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Keep them sealed and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, then check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C); a covered steamer or a microwave under a damp paper towel helps prevent drying. You can also freeze a well-wrapped stack for longer storage and thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

Troubleshooting

The dough is sticky and hard to handle: Dust your hands and work surface lightly, then knead in a small pinch of flour at a time. Do not add a large amount at once, because a stiff dough will be hard to roll thin. Cover it and let it rest for a few minutes if it keeps sticking to the pin.

The dough is dry, rough or cracking at the edges: Work in cool water a teaspoon at a time until the dough holds together, then knead briefly and cover it. If only the shaped discs are drying, keep them under a towel and brush the exposed edges with a trace of water before pairing.

The rounds keep shrinking: The dough is resisting because it is tight, or it has been rolled too quickly. Cover the piece for 5–10 minutes, then roll with gentle strokes from the center outward. Avoid stretching it by hand, which can leave thin spots.

The two pancakes will not peel apart: They may be undercooked, too cool, or joined by a dry patch where the oil was missed. Return the paired round to the warm skillet for 10–15 seconds, or wrap it in a barely damp towel for a moment, then try again gently from the edge. Next time, brush oil all the way across each disc in a very thin layer.

The pancakes turn crisp or crack when folded: They were likely cooked too long, rolled too thickly, or left uncovered. Shorten the cooking time, cover the stack immediately, and warm brittle pancakes briefly in a steamer. Do not pour water into the skillet; direct steam or a damp towel is easier to control.

The pancakes stick to the pan or develop dark scorch marks: A pan that is not fully heated can make dough cling, while excessive heat burns the surface. Clean away loose flour, let the skillet warm evenly, and adjust the burner to medium. A well-seasoned or nonstick skillet is helpful, but it should still be used dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these the same as spring roll wrappers?
No. Duck pancakes are cooked wheat-flour rounds, usually made as two oiled layers and separated after cooking. Spring roll wrappers are a different style of wrapper and are not interchangeable in texture or preparation.

Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Wrap the kneaded dough airtight and refrigerate it for up to a day. Let it sit at room temperature until pliable before dividing and rolling; allow extra time if it is still cold or resistant. Keep uncooked dough refrigerated rather than leaving it out for a long period.

Can I make the pancakes ahead and reheat them?
Yes. Cook and separate them, cool, then stack with parchment between pancakes and refrigerate in a sealed container within 2 hours. Reheat covered in a steamer or briefly in the microwave until hot and flexible. Refrigerated leftovers should be used within 3–4 days and reheated to 165°F (74°C).

Why are the pancakes cooked in pairs?
A thin layer of oil between two discs keeps them from bonding as they cook. Once the dough is set, the layers peel apart into two very thin pancakes. Rolling one disc at a time would make a single pancake, but it would be more difficult to roll as thin without tearing.

What can I serve with them besides duck?
These pancakes also work with other cooked, thinly sliced meats or vegetables, plus crunchy garnishes and a sauce. Keep the filling cut into narrow strips and avoid overfilling. If you use poultry, make sure it has been cooked to the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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