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How to Make Crêpes At Home
Crêpes, while delicious, are notoriously hard to make.
They’re thin, require special equipment and, for some reason, just don’t taste quite the same as they do at your favorite breakfast spot.
The truth is that crêpes, like any other dish, require a bit of practice and a lot of patience. But with a little time, and few of our handy tips, you’ll master this French breakfast treat in no time!
Hungry for more? Explore our cooking classes and learn tips & tricks from our resident chefs!
What is a crêpe?
A crêpe is basically a very thin pancake. The most basic crêpe is just flour, water and salt. You add butter to a nonstick crêpe pan and use a wood crêpe spreader to shape the batter into a round, flat layer. The crêpe can then be folded and stuffed or topped with your favorite fruits, nuts or sauces.
Crêpes originated in the northwest region of France in Brittany and were first produced in the 12th century when buckwheat was introduced to the region. Early recipes combine water and salt with buckwheat, while more modern recipes use flour.
In Brittany, crêpes are still made with buckwheat flour and are often referred to as “galettes.” These are typically filled with a smear of salted butter, cheese, ham or bacon, thinly sliced fruit or eggs. In other parts of France, crêpes are made with wheat flour and are rolled up or folded into half or quarter circles.
What’s the difference between crêpes and pancakes?
While crêpes are often considered thin pancakes, the difference lies in the batter. Unlike crêpes, pancakes use baking powder to help them achieve that fluffiness we all love.
It also lies in the preparation. Technically, a crêpe is much thinner and is usually filled or folded and topped with savory or sweet fillings. A pancake, on the other hand, is thick and fluffy and is typically drizzled with maple syrup.
How to make crêpe batter
Making the crêpe batter is debatably the easiest part. All you need are a few basic ingredients, a mixing bowl and a whisk.
A standard crêpe batter starts with the following ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
To make the batter:
1. Start by adding eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons melted butter to a blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, you can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer or a mixing bowl and whisk. Just be sure your batter is the consistency of heavy cream.
2. If your batter is too thick, you can add water, about 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. After blending the batter, cover and let it sit for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to allow the ingredients to set.
How to make crêpes
Here comes the part we know you’ll perfect with practice.
1. Heat a crêpe pan (or 8- to 10-inch high-quality nonstick skillet) over medium heat until it’s hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle on contact.
2. Brush the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of melted butter using a pastry brush.
3. Using a ladle, pour ¼ cup of batter into the middle of the pan, tipping it to coat evenly. You can also use a crêpe spreader if you have one.
4. Place the pan back on heat and cook until the batter is golden brown, about 60–90 seconds.
5. Flip the crêpe. We find this to be easier with a wide fish spatula or offset spatula.
6. Cook the second side for another 30–60 seconds, or until the batter is set.
Once you’ve mastered this part, you’ll transfer your crêpe to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter, brushing the pan with more butter as needed and stacking finished crêpes on top of each other.
Crêpes can be filled and served immediately, or cooled, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated or frozen.
5 Crêpe Recipes to Try
Buckwheat Crêpes with Sauteed Apples and Gruyere Cheese
Mixed Summer Berry and Ricotta-Filled Crêpes
Savory Crêpe Pockets, BEC (Bacon, Eggs, Cheese) Style
What can you fill a crêpe with?
There are so many different fillings you can put inside a crêpe.
On the savory side, the most popular combination is Gruyère cheese, ham and egg. Another healthy option is a spinach, mushroom and leek crêpe.
On the sweet side, the favorite of the French is the classic beurre sucre, which is a crêpe slathered in melted butter and sprinkled with sugar. A true delicacy.
Hungry for more? Explore our cooking classes and learn tips & tricks from our resident chefs!
Can’t wait to ATTEMPT this crepe recipe!!
Thanks Ronnie! We hope you enjoyed!