Crêpes are one of the easiest and most loved French dishes. It’s one of the first things I learned how to cook as a kid and every time I make them, it always reminds me of home. Everybody loves them whether you serve them simply or dressed up!
Nagi's Notes
I thought my crêpes were fine… right up until JB made his and I discovered what really great crêpes are supposed to taste like. These are crêpes so great you will be happy eating them plain – though no one turns down a little whipped cream and berries! Not even crêpes I had in Paris were as good as JB’s. Hope you love them!
Crêpes
After my cheese soufflé, it was so nice to see how many of you made it and loved it. Thanks to everyone who let me know what they thought.
Today I’m sharing something a lot simpler – crêpes. Making crêpes is part of French life. Simple, cosy, and always fun to share. We even have a day of crêpes called “Chandeleur” on 2 February!
Like many kids in France, this was one of my favourite things growing up. The smell, the sizzling butter, waiting for the first crêpe to come out of the pan. One of those simple little joys in life. Every time I make them now, it brings all those childhood memories rushing back.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make crêpes. Today, we’re focusing on sweet crêpes, but don’t worry, savoury crêpes are coming soon too! We love them just as much, think ham, cheese, mushrooms, and all that good stuff.
Flour – Plain flour / all-purpose flour, sifted to keep the batter lump-free.
Sugar – Just a little bit because the French don’t like their crêpes too sweet.
Eggs – 3 large ones which are 55g/2 ounces each. No need to bring them to room temperature, fridge cold is fine.
Milk – The liquid to thin the batter. Full fat is best but low fat, lactose free and non-dairy will work too.
Water – A bit of an unusual ingredient in crêpes but it lightens the mixture, so they don’t feel heavy. Chef’s tip!!!
Oil – Usually butter is used in the batter but I prefer oil because it makes the crêpes softer.
Butter – To use in the pan for cooking. It brings that golden edge and lovely buttery flavour when cooking. And because it’s French of course!
How to make Crêpes
Making crêpes is simple once you know a few little tricks. Don’t be worried about flipping crêpes, they are less fragile than you think. You’ve got this!
1. Making the batter
Sift flour into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to combine.
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Whisk gently and only mix in a bit of the flour. You can’t blend all the flour with just the eggs yet, so just mix in enough to make a thick paste.
Gradually add the milk, whisking between each addition. It will let the batter turn silky and lump-free. It should feel smooth and light, almost like pouring cream.
Whisk in the water and oil until shiny and lump-free. The water lightens the batter, it will help having thin crêpes but still flexible, while the oil keeps them soft and prevents sticking.
Rest for 1 hour covered, on the counter at room temperature. The batter will thicken a little as it rests, this resting step relaxes the gluten, the flour absorbs the liquid, so the crêpes cook up soft and never rubbery.
After resting, the batter should be smooth, a bit thicker, and perfectly pourable.
2. Cook the crêpes
Heat a 24cm / 9.5″ non-stick crêpe pan over medium-high heat (medium if your stove runs hot). If you don’t have one, any good non-stick pan will work, just adjust how much batter you pour in depending on the size, so it spreads nicely without being too thick or thin.
Melt about ½ tsp butter, then wipe it off with a paper towel, you just want a little butter left for flavour, no visible pools. If you leave too much butter, it will stop the batter from spreading evenly. The butter gives flavour and a touch of crispness around the edges.
Pour the batter: using a ladle, scoop up ¼ cup of batter, lift the pan off the heat, ladle most of the batter into the centre, and immediately swirl the pan so the batter coats the surface in a thin, even layer. Still while swirling, use the rest of the batter to fill up the empty spots before it sets. Tilting quickly gives you uniform crêpes. It’s a small trick that helps make the crêpe perfectly round and even, without thick patches or gaps.
Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the underside turns pale golden with light brown speckles.
Flip using a long, thin spatula. Slide it gently under the crêpe without tearing the surface, lift and flip. Cook the second side for about 30 seconds. A long, narrow spatula works best for flipping crêpes because it slides under the thin crêpe without tearing it. Egg flips are too short and wide, and not a great tool for this purpose. If you don’t have one, even a wooden spoon handle or a clean ruler work better. And don’t fear the flip! Crêpes are flexible, they don’t break! 😊
Slide onto a plate and repeat, adding a small bit of butter each time. Stack the crêpes as you go, they’ll stay warm and soft. Serve with your preferred fillings or toppings!
How to serve Crêpes
The French enjoy crêpes for breakfast, lunch, as an afternoon snack or even for dinner, which was always my favourite time. They are delicious any way you serve them, rolled or folded with toppings. My mother used to make them for me rolled up with icing sugar which is the most common way crêpes are served at home in France. The simpler the better!
Here are some favourite toppings for crêpes:
Sugar and Lemon – Classic and simple, sprinkle sugar, squeeze fresh lemon juice.
Berries & Cream – Fresh berries and whipped cream (Chantilly), dusted with icing sugar (+ optional chocolate sauce – use the one in the churros recipe)! As pictured in the post.
Jam or Preserves – Apricot, raspberry, or strawberry jam spread thinly.
Nutella & Banana – The universal favourite. But not Nagi, being the banana hater she is..
Nutella & Strawberries – Nagi previously shared her recipe using her own homemade Nutella!
Chestnut Cream (Crème de marrons) – Popular in France.
Maple Syrup & (more!) Butter – A simple but great combo.
Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce – Served warm with a scoop melting inside.
Voilà, fresh crêpes ready to enjoy. Don’t stress, soon you’ll be mastering the pan flip like you’ve worked in a crêperie all your life!. And if one sticks to the ceiling, just call it “art nouveau”. 😄 I truly hope it brings as much happiness to you that it does to me!
Bon appétit! – JB 👨🏻🍳
FAQ – Crêpes
I haven’t tested this with gluten free flour yet. When I do, I will come back and update the post.
It’s a personal recipe I’ve adjusted over time to work perfectly in any home kitchen. I’ve tried a few variations, but in the end, I always came back to the original version.
You can make the batter a day ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight. Take it out about an hour before cooking so it can come back to room temperature. Then give it a good whisk, it will have thickened a bit more than after the usual 1 hour rest, so add a splash of milk or water (if needed) to bring it back to a smooth, pourable consistency.
You can cook the crêpes ahead of time. Let them cool, then stack with a small piece of baking paper between each one so they don’t stick. Wrap well or put in a container and keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. To reheat, warm them in a pan or microwave for a few seconds until soft and warm.
It’s a recipe I’ve had for quite a while, and I’ve made small tweaks over time, so it works perfectly for any home cook. Nagi made it twice before we published it, part of our little routine of testing each other’s recipes. Funny thing though… the recipe makes 15, but she kept ending up with barely 10. I’m not sure what happened to the rest. But it’s only the two of us working at the office and I know I didn’t do it.
Nagi helped me with the photoshoot, I still find photos a bit tricky to get just right, just like with my last two recipes. Herron, our video editor, also helped with the video shoot. I’m getting more confident though, and I should be ready to start filming videos on my own very soon.
Watch how to make it
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JB’s Crêpes
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour , sifted
- 3 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar , regular white sugar is fine too
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 3 large eggs , (55g/2oz each in shell) – fridge cold is fine
- 2 cups full fat milk , but works with lite milk too
- 1/3 cup water (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral flavoured oil (Note 1)
- 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter , cut into small cubes (for cooking)
Topping suggestions
- Icing sugar then rolled – simple French home style
- Berries, whipped cream, melted chocolate or Nutella, icing sugar – as pictured in the post
- More suggestions listed in the post – see above
Instructions
Abbreviated recipe
- Whisk flour, sugar and salt. Add eggs then milk, water, oil and whisk into a smooth batter. Cover and rest for an hour. Cook in a lightly buttered non-stick pan, swirling ¼ cup batter to cover the surface. Cook for 1 minute. Flip, cook for 30 seconds, remove once golden and stack as you go.
Make the batter
- Sift flour into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Whisk gently and only mix in a bit of the flour. You can’t blend all the flour with just the eggs yet, so just mix in enough to make a thick paste.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking between each addition to create a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Whisk in the water and oil until the batter is glossy and pourable. When you dip a spoon in, it should coat the back lightly. Not too thick, not too runny. (Note 1)
- Cover and rest for 1 hour at room temperature. (Note 2)
Cook the crêpes
- Heat a 24cm / 9.5" non-stick crêpe pan over medium-high heat (medium if your stove runs hot). If you don’t have one, any good non-stick pan will work, just adjust how much batter you pour in depending on the size, so it spreads nicely without being too thick or thin.
- Melt about 1/2 tsp butter, then wipe it off with a paper towel, you want just a little of butter left, no visible pools. (Note 3)
- Pour the batter – Using a ladle, scoop up ¼ cup of batter, lift the pan off the heat, ladle most of the batter into the centre, and immediately swirl the pan so the batter coats the surface in a thin, even layer. Still while swirling, use the rest of the batter to fill up the empty spots before it sets. Tilting quickly gives you uniform crêpes.
- Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the underside is lightly golden and flip using a long spatula and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. (Note 4 & 5)
- Slide onto a plate, then repeat, adding butter each time.
To serve
- Stack your crêpes as you go, they’ll stay soft and flexible. Serve warm either rolled burrito style with the ends tucked in to hold everything or folded into quarters with your favourite topping! (see ingredients)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life Of Dozer
Walk? Non, non… Crêpes? Oui, oui!!!
I’ve just made these with the equivalent amount of gluten free flour and they were easy and delicious topped with berry compote.
Thank you Michelle!!!
Can I use butter in place of oil? Does it make a big difference? Thank you.
Hi Linda, you totally can. I personnaly like to use oil because it helps to keep the crêpes soft.
This looks aaaaanazing. I see in the comments you’re considering trying a gluten free variation and I so hope you do so I try it! Nice job!
Thank you Christine, I’ll keep everyone posted if I do 🙂
I made these just now and they were very nice, not too sweet. Any tips on how to master the pour and tilt so I have one nice even layer without holes?
Hi Tami,
If they are many small holes it’s probably because the pan is a little bit too hot.
As for technique – I like to hold the pan at a slight angle and pour the batter in a line across the top of the pan so the batter runs down to the bottom. Then move the pan around so the batter fills the gaps.
Using the same amount of batter every time is also a helper. If you have a ladle or measuring cup you could use that for consistency.
Hi Tami, thank you for the compliment! Regarding your question, I would advise you to pour confidently, not too slowly. And tilt the pan immediately so it spreads before it starts to set.
So excited to try your recipe. It sounds just like the one my mum used to make I’ve bought a nice crepe pan to try it out. Just one question… I just weighed my large eggs and they weighed 2.2 oz. Each. Will this make a difference?
Thanks Margaret! Regarding the eggs size, it will still be fine. the difference isn’t big.
Well, I made the recipe and it was easy and very delicious. Thank you so much. Can’t wait to try the savoury crepes!
Just had to say, my husband and I had these for the second time tonight. We had them with lemon juice and sugar and once again ate the lot. We both agree these will be a regular Sunday night dinner. I am so happy to have this recipe. Thanks JB
These are amazing. I have been making crepes from a Japanese recipe but there have always been lumps and the results are so inconsistent. This recipe on the other hand? Flawless. Perfect every single time. The first time I made them, I ate 10 crepes — I kid you not. That was for breakfast and I had no appetite for lunch. I am so impatient but followed the “let the batter sit” time for at LEAST 30 minutes. Each crepe takes time to cook so I figured there is still some sitting time there as I cook. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love you Nagi and JB!!!
Hi Sherilyn, This absolutely made my day! Ten crêpes for breakfast, that’s the kind of dedication I respect! So happy to hear this recipe worked for you 🙂
This is,the best crepe recipe and the instructions are spot on. The crepes flip easily to my surprised delight. Served them with raspberries, blueberries , banana,and nutella. Out of this world delicious.
That’s awesome Susan!! Thank you for your kind comment 🙂
These look delicious!! But I am wondering how you could make these into chocolate crepes??
Thanks Esther! I’ve never tried actually. Maybe by adding a bit of cocoa powder into the flour??
Oh my! I’ve always been afraid of making crepes. Never more-your instruction was spot on. Topped mine with mandarins, bananas and Nutella. Looking forward to trying savory crepes next. Thank you so much!
Amazing! So glad it worked well for you Sue!
Thanks for the recipe/idea. These worked well with my cast iron crepes pan! (I made a savory version omitting the sugar completely and reducing the oil to 1TBS, water to 60ml)
Hi Mia, great job adapting the recipe to your taste! Thank you for your comment.
Definitely the best crepe recipe that I’ve ever made! They were super easy, pliable and so delicious!!
Thank you for your lovely comment! Glad it worked out well for you.
Love your Dozer pic! 🥰
Best looking dog!
These were delicious! I made them for the kids as an after school snack rolled up with greek yoghurt and berries. The crepes were easy to flip, soft (not rubbery) and delicious. Thankyou!
Thank you for giving it a go and your great feedback Tash!
I haven’t made this yet but am planning to. Could you provide a recipe for a berry compote to go with this?
I would be also keen on a recipe made with buckwheat flour as I believe that is gluten free and I have heard that its used a lot for crepes.
Very easy and delicious, Thankyou
Thank you for your feedback!
Thanks for a great recipe. So easy to make and so delicious. I served with caramelised bananas and whipped cream for a decadent afternoon tea.
Great way to enjoy them! That wouldn’t leave much room for dinner!
Can you just mix all the ingredients in a food processor?
Hi Shazza, yes you can but with one little warning. Using a food processor works for crêpe batter. Don’t over-blend once everything is combined. Blend just until the batter is smooth, 10 to 15 seconds is usually enough. If you run it too long, the flour can tighten up and the crêpes can turn a little rubbery.
Crepes are a staple in Eastern Europe where I come from so I can recognise a good one and this recipe certainly hit the spot. Thank you JB for sharing with us! I haven’t made crepes for years due to my kid’s egg allergy but was recently craving and oh my, they taste like the ones my mom makes for us
Thank you, thank you! Just like your mom used to make! I couldn’t ask for a better comment 🙂
My family greatly enjoyed this crepe recipe! Flavorful and easy to make. I filled them with fresh fruit and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. Yum!
Thanks Rebecca! Glad it was a hit with the family 🙂