These are what I call lazy hand pies, and they’ve become my go-to whenever I want something warm and homemade for breakfast but don’t feel like fussing with real dough. There’s no rolling, no shaping, no waiting for anything to rise. You just stir a quick buttermilk batter with the filling right in it, spoon it into the pan like pancakes, and fry. They come out soft, fluffy, and stuffed with egg and green onion, and honestly my neighbors ask me for this recipe constantly.
For the filling:
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- pinch of salt
For the batter:
- 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- about 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, enough to make a thick batter
Plus oil for frying.
Start with the filling. Boil the eggs ahead of time, chop them into small pieces, and mix them with the chopped green onion and a little salt.
For the batter, use buttermilk that’s at room temperature. This matters, because room-temperature buttermilk reacts best with the baking soda and that’s what makes these so soft and puffy. Stir in the sugar and salt, then gradually add the sifted flour. Add the baking soda at the end and mix well so it’s evenly distributed. You want a fairly thick batter, thick enough to hold the filling and not spread out flat in the pan. Once it’s mixed, fold in the egg and green onion filling, stir well, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat a good layer of oil in a skillet over medium heat. One important tip: don’t stir the batter again before frying. You want to keep all those air bubbles in there, because that’s what makes these light and tender. Spoon the batter into the pan just like you would for pancakes. Fry over slightly below medium heat until deep golden on both sides. That gentler heat gives them time to cook all the way through while staying fluffy inside. Transfer them to a paper towel to drain off the extra oil, then fry the rest.
Inside they come out soft, fluffy, and so satisfying. These are perfect for breakfast, a quick snack, or a light dinner, and the best part is you never have to wait for dough to rise or an oven to heat up.
