This easy crepe recipe combines 8 simple ingredients to create thin, soft pancakes with crispy edges. Delicious with your favorite fillings!
Learn how to make crepes! This easy crepe recipe requires eight basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The batter is put in a blender and cooked in a regular non-stick frying pan. These delicate French pancakes may seem intimidating to make at home, but take my word for it. This simple recipe is perfect for you.
After a trip to Paris last fall, I started making crepes with my son Ollie. It may feel fancy, but it’s incredibly fun to cook with kids, and it’s since become one of our favorite weekend breakfasts. Ollie measures out ingredients, pours batter into pans, and helps you decide what toppings or fillings to use. (Fresh berries and powdered sugar are two common choices.)
Crepe Recipe Ingredients
I loosely adapted this recipe from my Dutch Babies and Popovers recipe. At first I thought the batter was too eggy, so I gradually adjusted the batter to include more flour and liquid to help the crepes spread evenly in the pan. Now they rival what we remember from Paris.
We usually eat them with sweet treats, but you can also use this recipe to make savory crepes. Skip the sugar and vanilla!
To make this easy crepe recipe you will need:
- all purpose flour – Provides dough structure. Use a spoon to level it so you don’t overfill the measuring cup.
- egg – Tie the crepes together to make them flexible enough to roll and fold.
- milk and water – For moisture. For this recipe, I found that using all the milk made the crepes too thick and heavy. Adding a little water to the batter will loosen it and make the crepe very thin and delicate. Any type of milk can be used here. Both whole milk and 2% work just as well as non-dairy milk.
- melted butter – You want richness and buttery flavor. I use some for the batter and more to cook the crepes.
- granulated sugar – Just give me 1 tablespoon. These crepes are slightly sweet on their own.
- vanilla extract – For a warm depth of flavor. If using flavorful fillings or toppings, skip them.
- and sea salt – To make every flavor stand out!
Find the full measured recipe below.
How to Make Crepes
This crepe recipe has three parts.
- making dough
- let it rest
- Cooking Crepes
1. The dough is easy to make with a blender. First mix everything except the flour, then add the flour and mix until smooth. Just as you would avoid overmixing pancake or muffin batter, you want to mix in as little flour as possible here. If you overwork it, gluten will form in the flour and the crepe will turn rubbery. Don’t have a blender? Place the dough in a large bowl and use a whisk to knead the dough freely.
2. Let the dough rest. I like to keep it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. This allows the liquid ingredients to hydrate the flour and give the gluten time to relax.
3. Lastly, bake the crepe. Heat a medium nonstick skillet (I use this 10.5-inch skillet) over medium-low heat. Once hot, grease with a little butter and pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan.
Immediately tilt the pan so that the batter spreads into a thin circle covering the bottom. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges, then flip the crepe and cook until browned on both sides.
Repeat with remaining dough and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Tilt the pan as quickly as possible. If you wait too long after adding the batter, the batter will already harden and won’t spread into the thin circles that make perfect crepes. Add the dough and tilt it right away!
- Butter the pan between crepes. It tastes great, helps brown the edges, and most importantly, keeps your crepes from sticking!
- Adjust heat as needed. Just like when making pancakes or French toast, I find that I need to turn down the heat after cooking the first one or two crepes. As the pan begins to retain residual heat, the edges will brown faster than the center. If this happens, reduce the heat to low.
- Stack the crepes as you cook. Layer one on top of the other on a large plate. This will keep them warm and pliable until you eat them.
Crepe Filling and Topping Ideas
You can have this crepe recipe sweet or savory for breakfast, brunch, dinner, or dessert! Here are some of our favorite toppings and fillings:
Topping and filling ideas for sweet crepes:
Flavorful Options:
Let me know what combinations you try!
Preparation and Storage Tips Ahead
Homemade crepes are best enjoyed fresh. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
If you want to get ahead of this recipe, I recommend making the dough a day ahead. Store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Crepe Recipe
serve 8
This crepe recipe is easy to make with just 8 simple ingredients and basic equipment. You don’t need a special crepe pan. Perfect for breakfast, dinner or dessert, these thin pancakes are soft and delicate in the center and buttery and crispy on the edges. For best flavor and texture, let the dough sit for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before cooking.
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Place eggs, milk, water, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a blender. Mix until smooth, then add flour and mix again until combined. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Check the consistency of the crepe batter. The consistency should be thick and thin and easy to pour. If it is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen as needed.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet** over medium heat and lightly butter it. Pour ¼ cup of the crepe batter into the skillet and immediately tilt the pan to evenly coat the bottom with thin circles of batter. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges are slightly crispy and the bottom of the crepe is lightly golden brown. Flip and cook 1 minute or until lightly golden brown on both sides. If the crepes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat to low.
Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter, brushing more butter into pan between crepes. Stack the cooked crepes on a large plate until ready to serve.
Serve with desired toppings and/or fillings. Find the offer in the blog post above.
**Notes on fan sizes: I make this recipe in a 10-inch or 10.5-inch skillet. If you have a smaller pan, use less batter for each crepe.
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