Here’s an incredibly simple crepes recipe to create the finest French crepes that are soft, buttery, and delectable! This versatile recipe works wonderfully for both sweet and savory crepes, making it perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and of course, dessert!
Also try these Mango Crepes, Nutella-Banana Crepes, and this crowd pleaser Mille Crepe Cake.
For some people, crepes sound so fancy and seem difficult to make. It’s understandable as they’re thin and can tear if not handled delicately. But don’t let crepes intimidate you. It’s common that you will not get it right on your first try – just be patient and after a few tries you’ll be a pro.
Crepes are very versatile – they can be used for making both dessert and savory meals. Once you nailed this basic crepe recipe you can easily use it as a base for making upgraded desserts, breakfast, or even dinners. The possibilities are endless!
Expert Tips For The Best Crepes Recipe
- Because of the high liquid to flour ratio, the flour shouldn’t develop too much gluten. But letting the batter rest at least 20 – 30 minutes before cooking will give you the best crepes that are soft, buttery and delicious – so don’t skip this step!! You can even let it rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Cook with even, medium (to medium high) heat. Make sure that the pan is evenly heated and there are no hot spots.
- Use a measuring cup or weigh your batter to portion out the batter for each crepe. This will ensure even thickness with each crepe.
- Use a rubber or metal spatula to get under the crepe to flip it over and/or remove it from the pan. Start by loosening all around the edges first, before flipping over the crepe.
- As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. The only way you can produce a crepe that is perfect is by making it many times (can be a hundred times or maybe you just need a few tries!).
- It’s normal that your first few attempts will give you imperfect crepes – can be due to sticking, tearing, burning, or your crepe’s shape being far from circle. Once you get used to it you’ll start to know how your batter cooks in your pan on your stove, get the hang of swirling the batter into the pan, have your pan at the right temperature and determine the right time to flip them, so don’t get frustrated if your first few crepes are messed up.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Shop efficiently (treat this as your grocery list) and gather your ingredients at home without running circles in your kitchen. (i.e. One trip to the fridge to get all your dairy needs.)
To make crepes, you only need 5 or 6 basic ingredients that may already be in your kitchen! The quantity amounts listed below will make 8 crepes using an 8-inch diameter pan.
REFRIGERATED:
- milk. 210ml of full-fat/ homogenized milk preferably. You can also use 2% milk, a plant-based milk, and even water. However, note that using a full-fat milk will give you a tastier crepe.
- eggs. 100g (weight is without shell) or 2 large eggs
- butter. 43 grams or 3 tablespoons of unsalted melted butter, plus more for greasing the pan.
PANTRY:
- flour. 95 grams or 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- salt. 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (sea salt or table salt is ok)
- sugar. 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar. Omit if you’re not going to use the crepes as a dessert.
Recommended Tools
- blender
- If you don’t have a blender, use a whisk and a mixing bowl work those arm muscles! 🙂
- 8-inch non-stick pan/ skillet
- You can use any other size, as long as it’s nonstick. It doesn’t have to be a special crepe pans!
- measuring cups
- offset spatula or any wide food turner
Step-by-Step Instructions
There are two ways to make crepe batter – with a whisk (in a bowl), or with a blender.
[TO MAKE THE BATTER USING A BLENDER]
Place the milk, eggs, and salt in a blender (You can use a regular blender or stick blender). Whiz for a few seconds to blend everything together.
Add in the flour and sugar (if using), then blend again until very smooth. Pour the melted butter and blend until combined, about 10 seconds more.
Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours before cooking them. Store in the fridge if resting for more than 30 mins. When batter has rested and you’re ready to make the crepes, stir it gently to re-blend.
[TO MAKE THE BATTER USING A WHISK & BOWL]
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and melted butter. Add in the flour, salt, and sugar (if using) and whisk by hand until everything is combined and no lumps of flour left. The mixture should be silky-smooth and the consistency of cream.
Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours before cooking them. Store in the fridge if resting for more than 30 mins. When batter has rested and you’re ready to make the crepes, stir it gently to re-blend.
COOK THE CREPES. Heat an 8-inch pan or any nonstick pan over medium high heat. The pan should not be too hot that the butter burns.
Grease the pan by using a pastry brush that was dipped in melted butter. If you don’t have a pastry brush, use a folded paper towel.
Pour about 1/4 cup/ 60ml of the batter on an 8-inch pan (or about 1/3 cup/ 80ml for a 9-inch pan) then promptly swirl the pan by lifting it from your stove, tilting and turning it in all directions so the batter spreads evenly on the pan in a thin round shape.
Return the pan to heat. You will know if the crepe is ready for turning when the edges begin to dry and lift from the sides of the pan and the bottom is nicely browned, about 1 minute.
Flip the crepes over and cook for a further 20 – 30 seconds on the other side until the crepes have caramelized spots.
Repeat until all the batter is used up (remember to mix the batter each time).
Carefully slide the crepe off the pan and stack them on a plate or wire rack.
Now your crepe is ready for its fillings! Try these Mango Crepes, Nutella-Banana Crepes, or this crowd pleaser Mille Crepe Cake.
Storage & Reheating
Keep them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days covered in plastic wrap. If more than that, tuck them into the freezer in ziploc bags. Stack them flat or roll them individually so you can just easily get the number of pieces that you need.
To reheat, put the crepes in a hot pan and warm them one by one until they’re soft and pliable again. On medium low heat, it usually takes me about 20 seconds per side.
FAQs
Do I need a special crepe pan?
The answer is No. You can use just about any pan as long as it has a heavy, flat bottom surface. The base of the pan should have the same diameter that you like for your crepes. I personally prefer to use a nonstick pan so I don’t have to worry about the sticking part. But nonstick or not, it is important that the pan has good heat distribution.
Aside from the pan, do I need other special equipments when making crepes?
Crepes are really easy to prepare – it’s a matter of mixing all the ingredients. You can do it with a simple bowl and whisk. If you have a blender then even better – it’s great for quickly producing batter with no lumps.
For flipping crepes, I used to use a turner or a rubber spatula. Later on I discovered that a long metal offset spatula works excellently. Just be careful not to scratch the pan surface if you’re using nonstick.
Are there tricks to crepes?
If you’re going measure the ingredients by volume (using measuring cups) rather than by weight make sure you measure it properly, especially the flour. For baking and pastries, I highly recommend using a food scale for accuracy. Too much flour will make your crepes heavy.
After making the batter, make sure to let it rest to allow the bubbles to rise out. By doing this you’re also allowing the starch to fully hydrate and relax. The consistency of a batter should be like of a heavy cream. After resting and your batter seems too thick,add more milk; if it’s too thin, add a teaspoon of flour until you reach the ideal consistency.
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How to Make Basic French Crepes
Ingredients
- 210g (210ml) full-fat milk
- 2 pieces large eggs 100g, weight is without shell
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 95g all-purpose flour (3/4 cup using spoon and level method)
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar (omit if you’re not going to use the crepes as a dessert)
- 43g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- additional melted butter for cooking
Instructions
- To make the batter, place the milk, eggs, and salt in a blender. Whiz for a few seconds to blend everything together. (See notes on how to make this using a bowl and a whisk.)210g (210ml) full-fat milk2 pieces large eggs1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- Add in the flour and sugar (if using), then blend again until very smooth.95g all-purpose flour1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- Pour the melted butter and blend until combined, about 10 seconds more.43g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Store in the fridge if resting for more than 30 mins.
- When batter has rested and you’re ready to make the crepes, stir it gently to re-blend. The consistency should be like of a heavy cream. Heat an 8-inch pan or any nonstick pan over medium high heat. Put oil by using a folded paper towel or pastry brush that was dipped in melted butter. The pan should not be too hot that the butter burns.
- Pour about 1/4 cup/ 60ml of the batter on an 8-inch pan(or about 1/3 cup/80 ml for a 9-inch pan) then promptly swirl the pan by lifting it from your stove, tilting and turning it in all directions so the batter spreads evenly on the pan in a thin round shape. If you pan is bigger or smaller, adjust the amount of batter accordingly.
- Return the pan to heat. You will know if the crepe is ready for turning when the edges begin to dry and lift from the sides of the pan and the bottom is nicely browned, about 1 minute.
- Flip the crepe using offset spatula. The crepe should lay flat – smooth out any folded edges then cook until the the second side is browned too, about 20-30 seconds.
- Slide the crepe off the pan into a plate and you can start adding your fillings.
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