This Easy Crepe Recipe is very simple to make. These French-style pancakes are delicious served plain or filled! Follow my easy tips for a crepe success!
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Why This Recipe Works
By the looks, crepes may seem like a fancy, difficult dish to make. This could not be further from the truth. The secret is in a good batter recipe and a good pan. You can make beautiful crepes, ready for filling or served plain, with just a few ingredients. I like to make large batch and keep them in the fridge to use throughout the week.
Crepes are very popular in France, served any time of day, any occasion. The basic crepe can be served sweet or savory and the filling options are numerous! Want to impress your guests? Make a double batch and turn it into a crepe cake. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- flour: I used all-purpose,
- milk: whole, 2% or half and half,
- eggs: large,
- sugar: I used granulated,
- butter: I used unsalted; you can use oil but butter gives crepes a better flavor,
- vanilla extract: use good quality extract.
How to make crepes?
- Place all ingredients in a blender, ending with flour.
- Blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Heat up crepe or non-stick pan. Pour ¼ cup of batter into pan, swirl around the pan.
- Once the batter appears dry and light yellow, flip the crepe. Cook for 10 seconds and remove onto a plate.
- Repeat until all batter is used.
- Fill or top crepes and serve.
What pan is best for making crepes?
A must for making crepes is a good pan. You need a pan with a non-stick surface. There are plenty of them on the market but if you want to avoid non-stick coatings, I suggest looking into carbon steel. It is very similar to cast iron but much lighter. I have a crepe pan from de Buyer, a French company that makes carbon steel pans. It is very easy to season, clean and nothing truly sticks to it.
A note on a spatula: I recommend using a long and skinny spatula, if possible. I use my fish turner spatula and it works perfectly!
How to serve crepes?
Some people treat crepes like pancakes and serve them with sweet toppings and fruit. But once you decide to add a filling, a world of possibilities opens up. You can go the sweet route or the savory route.
- Sweet crepes: Cream cheese, Nutella, peanut butter, or whipped cream are all great options. Even my apple pie filling or cheesecake dip is delicious as a crepe filling. A dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup and you are all set! Crepe cakes are also popular and this recipe is perfect to make one. Use this recipe to make crepes Suzette.
- Savory crepes: You can also make creamy mushroom chicken filling, a sauteed vegetable mixture, and bake it all with pasta sauce. Perfect dinner idea with crepes!
Fill them with scrambled eggs, ham, cheese, and sauteed veggies, and serve with hollandaise sauce.
Difference between crepes and pancakes:
Pancakes are fluffy and thick because the recipe calls for leaveners. Crepes are supposed to be thin and flat since there is no baking soda or baking powder added to the batter.
How to fold crepes?
There are many ways you can fold them. You can fold them in half and then in half again to fan out. See the first photo below. If you want to fill them, place the filling on one half of the crepe, then fold and roll, like a French omelet.
Best Tips!
- Place ingredients in a blender starting with wet and ending with flour. This will prevent the batter from having flour clumps.
- The crepe batter needs to be thin, so the amount of flour needs to be less than the liquids.
- You can store the batter in a blender jar but it is better to pour it into a bowl or a container. Most blender manufacturers do not recommend storing the liquid in blenders for longer periods of time. Also, it will be easier for you to scoop the batter while frying.
- When you pour the batter into the pan, swirl it immediately to spread it into a thin circle. You can help it with the back of a spoon.
- Once the batter dries and turns from cream white to pale yellow, the crepe is ready to be flipped. One side will be brown and the second one will be lighter. This is completely normal.
- Use a crepe OR a non-stick pan. I use a carbon steel crepe pan and they never stick! Even the first crepe is perfect.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! The beauty of this recipe is that you can prepare the batter ahead of time and cook crepes the next day OR you can chill the dough for at least 3o minutes, then cook crepes and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat them in the microwave or in the oven.
If you don't have a blender, use an electric hand mixer. It will work great too!
Yes! Fry 10 to 12 crepes, make the filling and stack them up on a cake stand. Top with fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar and serve!
Chilling the crepe batter is important for the best results. Giving the gluten time to rest, produces light and airy crepes.
More breakfast recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Easy Crepes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a blender starting with wet and ending with flour. This will prevent the batter from having flour clumps.
- Blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Heat up crepe or non-stick pan. Pour ¼ cup of batter into pan, swirl around the pan.
- Once the batter appears dry and light yellow, flip the crepe. Cook for 10 seconds and remove onto a plate.
- Repeat until all batter is used.
- Fill or top crepes and serve.
Notes
- You can store the batter in a blender jar but it is better to pour it into a bowl or a container. Most blender manufacturers do not recommend storing the liquid in blenders for longer periods of time.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Sarah says
I'm making these this weekend for my family. Hopefully they like them. This is my first time making these
Majda says
If I leave out eggs due to allergy in fam. will it still taste same? Or what would be the best substitute?
Anna says
Hi Majda! I did not test this recipe without eggs.
Teresa Chipman says
What temperature to heat? Medium?
Anna says
Yep!
Sara Welch says
What a great way to start my day tomorrow! These look perfectly light and delicious! Yum!
Beth says
This is so delicious and yummy! My kids love this recipe!
Betsy says
Love crepes so much! I used to always get them at IHOP with the lingonberries...but I don't go to IHOP much anymore...and it doesn't matter because THESE crepes are so much better!!