How to make deliciously thin, buttery, and easy crepes inspired by Paris, France right at home. The flavor and filling options are endless! Can be made ahead of time.
TASTE: Totally customizable. I’m giving you a basic crepe recipe which you can make sweet or savory and add WHATEVER you want to the inside and on top.
TEXTURE: The crepes themselves are ultra thin and soft yet satisfying and surprisingly sturdy. You should still be delicate with them when filling, though, because they can tear.
EASE: See my notes about crepe making above. The batter comes together in less than 5 minutes and actually cooking the crepes is just a more hands-on version of pancake making basically. Hopefully no French chefs come after me for saying that! Plus the cooked crepes can be refrigerated or frozen for later!
APPEARANCE: Absolutely gorgeous and impressive.
PROS: Fun, customizable, can be made ahead of time, scrumptious indulgence.
CONS: Cooking is hands on and takes some patience.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yields: 8 -12 crepes, depending on size of pan and thickness of crepes
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (127 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (omit for savory crepes)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (omit for savory crepes)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for coating the pan
For serving:
Nutella, caramel, or melted chocolate
Fruit
Whipped cream
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend for 10 seconds. Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
- Set a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add enough butter to grease the entire pan. Add a 1/4-cup of batter to the center of the pan and immediately but gently tilt and swirl the pan to spread the batter out evenly. Cook until the crepe begins to bubble and is lightly browned and the batter is set, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Use a small spatula to lift the crepe up and off the pan then quickly flip the crepe over. Don’t worry if you don’t flip perfectly, you’re just going to roll the crepes up anyway. You just want to be sure you don’t create any large holes in the crepes. Use your fingers quickly if necessary to get a sturdy grip on the crepe before flipping. Cook until the other side is lightly browned and set, about another 10 seconds.
- Lay the cooked crepes flat on a plate. Continue the process, greasing the pan with more butter as you cook each crepe, until the batter is gone. Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen crepes before gently peeling apart, filling and serving.
Recipe Notes:
You can add ground pepper, spices, herbs, and other flavorings to batter for fun savory crepes.
How to Make Crepes Ahead of Time
Store plain crepes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Crepes dry out easily, so make sure they aren’t exposed too long.
Thaw frozen crepes before gently peeling apart. Or, if you know you’ll only be wanting a few at a time, store them between sheets of parchment paper, so you can peel them apart more easily. Allow crepes to defrost at room temperature or in the fridge, and warm them in the microwave or briefly in a nonstick skillet as needed.
These crepes are a really great option for Valentine’s Day morning, for a delicious breakfast in bed.
Sweet Crepe Filling & Topping Ideas
Fill with whatever you like! You could even build a crepe bar for your family and friends on Sunday morning and let them decide what to fill their crepes with. You could go way beyond these basic ideas for something totally fun and custom, but here are some filling ideas:
- Caramel
- Dulce de Leche
- Nutella
- Peanut butter
- Ricotta
- Yogurt
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Jam
- Granulated sugar or powdered sugar
- Cinnamon
- Citrus zest & juice
- Lemon curd
- Fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries
- Sliced bananas
- Ice cream
- Whipped cream
Can I Make Savory Crepes?
Yes! Omit the sugar and vanilla from the batter recipe. You can add a little more salt and also pepper. There are endless savory filling options, too – fill them with whatever your heart desires. A few of my favorite savory fillings include:
Cheese (something with some bite like Gruyere, or something melty, like mozzarella)
- Smoked salmon and cream cheese
- Bacon
- Chicken
- Mushroom
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Spinach
- Pesto
- Fresh basil
- two rolled crepes stuffed with nutella and strawberries and topped with whipped cream