These delicate and buttery French crêpes are so delicious, easy to make, and customizable with whatever sweet or savory fillings your heart desires. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner!
I love my pancakes, but when it comes to hosting brunch, crêpes (and also Dutch babies) are my favorite thing to make when I want to impress with little effort involved. They’re fun to eat and everyone feels fancy when eating them, yet they’re deceptively simple to make at home. It’s a win-win. Plus, it’s fun to have a variety of sweet and savory fillings so folks can enjoy the best of both worlds.
My easy crêpe recipe yields the most light and lacy crêpes in no time and can be made in a blender. You want to let the batter rest for about an hour so the gluten can relax and the crêpes will be nice and light. This is a good time to putz around the kitchen or prep whatever fillings you’d like. Cue the French music, let’s make some crêpes!
How Are Crêpes Different From Pancakes
Crêpes are lighter, thinner, and more delicate than traditional pancakes. They’re also larger. The edges are slightly crispy and they have a lacy-like quality to them the way they cook up. In terms of the ingredients however, there really isn’t a difference—only crêpe batter is usually a bit thinner than pancake batter.
What’s in These Crêpes
All you need is 4 ingredients (not including salt, water, or any fillings) to make these crêpes.- Eggs
- Milk
- Water
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Butter—don’t be shy, crêpes need fat and you don’t want them to stick to your pan
How to Make The Best Crêpes
Making crêpes at home only requires a few easy steps. Here’s how to make them: Blend, baby, blend. Mix all your ingredients in a blender on high speed, then let your batter sit at room temperature for about an hour. (Alternatively, you can let the crêpe batter refrigerate overnight, just be sure to leave it on the counter an hour or so before using so it can come to room temperature). Prep your pan. Preheat a 6 or 7-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, butter it up (and don’t be shy!) Batter up. Pour in your batter in the center of the skillet (a 1/4 cup will do, otherwise your crepe will be too thick). Move the skillet around so the batter spreads to the edges. Cook until the surface is bubbly then carefully flip the crêpe (with your fingers or a spatula) the crêpe and cook on the other side. Spread and fold. To layer with spreads and other toppings, spread 1/4 of the crêpe with filling, fold in half and then fold over again. Top with more spreads, toppings or powdered sugar.
What is The Secret of a Good Crêpe
While making crêpes at home are simpler than you would think, there are some helpful tips and tricks for making really good crêpes.- Blenders are the best. You can certainly use a bowl and whisk to blend your crêpe batter, but a blender is key for creating the silkiest batter.
- Give it a rest. If you can plan ahead and rest your batter for an hour or so, that’s ideal because it allows the gluten to rest so the crêpes will be nice and light. You can rest the batter at room temp for an hour or two or refrigerate overnight (just remember to let the batter come to room temp again before cooking).
- Find your sweet spot. I have a gas stove and medium heat is my crêpe making happy spot. With a little practice, you’ll find yours—the key is sticking with an even level of heat.
- Commit to the flip. Don’t flip those babies until they’ve nearly completely set on the top then one flip is all they need. And don’t overthink it—flip quickly and with confidence!
- Get creative. Both when it comes to fillings and with the presentation.You can fold your crêpes in quarters (this is usually my preferred method), or roll them like a burrito.
Savory Filling Ideas for Crêpes
- Soft cheeses like brie, goat cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, or Boursin
- Fresh herbs like basil, mint and chives
- Sautéed mushrooms, spinach and caramelized onions
- Stewed chicken or pulled pork
- Peanut or almond butter
Sweet Filling Ideas for Crêpes
- Fresh strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, or blueberries
- Fresh fruit like bananas, kiwi, pineapple, or star fruit
- Caramelized bananas
- Toasted coconut flakes or granola
- Chocolate covered cocoa nibs or chocolate chips
- Whipped cream or whipped mascarpone cream sweetened with powdered sugar and vanilla or almond extract
- Sugar mixed with lemon or orange zest
- Almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, walnuts, or pecans
- Maple syrup, caramel sauce, honey, or hot fudge
Mix and match the flavors and toppings for mouth popping bites. Better yet, if you’re entertaining, set up a little bar where folks can choose their own fillings.
Here are some of the combinations I created. Now let’s see where your cravings lead you.
- Brie, pineapple jalapeño jelly and fresh berries
- Dulce de leche, coconut spread, cocoa nibs and coconut flakes
- Coconut spread, fresh berries, whipped cream and powdered sugar
- Guava jam, coconut spread, flaked coconut
- Goat cheese, chimichurri spread, mango spread, almonds, fresh basil
Tips For Making Crêpes at Home
- You can use either a specialty crêpe pan (and look like a serious pro with this one) or be like me and use a 7-inch, non-stick egg fry pan (just remember to add butter to the pan before cooking each crêpe. Pour the batter in one fell swoop and rotate the pan so the batter sits evenly in the pan.
- One of the things I love most about crêpes is I can serve them at room temperature. However, if you’d like to serve them warm, you can use a plate to cover your cooked crêpe and keep them warm while you make more.
Sweet and Savory Crepes
These delicate and buttery French crêpes are so delicious, easy to make, and customizable with whatever sweet or savory fillings your heart desires. They're perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner!
Servings 10 makes about 20 6-inch crepes
Calories 127kcal
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk , (whole milk is best)
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for cooking , melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Stuff crepes with
- Fresh berries or sliced fruit
- Assortment of jams or preserves
- Savory or sweet spreads
- Soft cheeses
- Sautéed vegetables , like spinach, onions, or mushrooms
- Whipped cream
- Nuts, , chocolate, coconut, fresh herbs
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a blender on high speed for about a minute. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour. (Alternatively, you can let the crêpe batter refrigerate overnight, just be sure to leave it on the counter an hour or so before using so it can come to room temperature).
- Preheat a 6 or 7-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once it's nice and hot, melt about a teaspoon or so of butter in the skillet (alternatively you could brush the skillet with melted butter), and use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour the batter into the center of the skillet, moving it around so the batter spreads to the edges. Cook until the surface is bubbly then carefully flip the crêpe (with your fingers or a spatula) the crêpe and cook on the other side. Remove from the heat, place on a plate and cover with another plate until ready to use. Be sure to butter the skillet in between making your crêpes.
- To layer with spreads and other toppings, spread 1/4 of the crêpe with filling, fold in half and then fold over again. Top with more spreads, toppings or powdered sugar.
- Crêpes can be made several hours before serving and kept at room temperature.
Notes
- These crêpes are great served warm or at room temperature
Nutrition
Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 179mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
More Brunch Recipes to Try
- THE BEST Dutch Baby (German Pancake)
- Easy Quiche Lorraine
- The Best Banana Bread Pancakes
- Bagel and Lox DIY Brunch Bar
- The BEST Traditional Eggs Benedict
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