Basic French Crepes

Oct 8, 2018 · This post may contain affiliate links · 40 Comments

A delicious French crepe recipe for thin golden crepes served with your preferred filling. You can make this basic crepe recipe for breakfast or to enjoy it as a traditional French dessert.

Traditional Swiss Family Recipe

This French crepe recipe is well known in Switzerland, as it is a very common dish to eat for breakfast, lunch, or sometimes dinner.

You can fill them up with your preferred sweet filling like jam or chocolate spread, roll them up, and enjoy them eating with your hands.

Savory fillings are allowed too.

When I was a school kid, my mum made these often for lunchtime. It’s a recipe I know and make for years. Delicious golden thin crepes – a recipe you and your family will love.

Do you want to make crepes without eggs and milk? Check out this vegan crepes recipe!

Best Crepe Recipe

What makes a basic crepe recipe to be the best one? There is one thing which is crucial when making crepes.

Mix your crepe batter in a blender to achieve a smooth and very thin crepe. Simple, but makes a big difference.

What if I don’t have a blender at home? You can always whisk it in a large bowl using your hands and a whisker.

They still turn out delicious but are not as thin as made with a blender.

French Crepe Ingredients

Egg
Milk, substitute with plant-based milk (I recommend using oat milk)
White Wheat Flour, substitute with buckwheat flour for gluten-free buckwheat crepes
Melted butter, can be substituted with coconut oil or left out completely
Vanilla Extract, gives them a wonderful flavor, leave out if you make savory crepes
Sugar, for a light sweet taste, leave out if you make savory crepes
Salt, only a pinch to enhance the flavor

Variations:

Add cacao powder for chocolate crepes
Leave out the vanilla extract, and sugar for savory crepes → Add e.g. fresh herbs instead

How To Make French Crepes – Crepe Batter Recipe

Ingredients you need for the crepe batter recipe are eggs, milk, flour, melted butter, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt.

ingredients for basic french crepe recipe

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, whisk them well in a large bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a skillet over medium heat (or crepe pan if you have one) with some butter.

how to make basic french crepe recipe step 1

Add about four tablespoons (~¼ cup | 60ml) of the batter. If you have the feeling of how much ¼ cup is, you can pour the crepe batter directly from your blender container into the pan.

how to make basic french crepe recipe step 2

Whisk until the pan is covered with the batter. This can be a bit tricky if you make French crepes for the first time, but you will get better with every time you make them!

how to make basic french crepe recipe step 3

Cook each side for about 2 minutes until golden.

how to make basic french crepe recipe step 4

Your first French crepe is ready to be served with your favorite sweet or savory filling. Repeat those steps with the remaining batter and always add a little more butter or oil to the skillet if necessary.

how to make basic french crepe recipe step 5

Sweet Crepe Filling Ideas

Applesauce
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Salted Caramel Sauce
Nutella, Chocolate Spread
Sugar & Cinnamon
Fresh Fruit (Berry, Banana)

More Crepe Recipes

Recipe FAQ

Are crepes served warm or cold? They are typically served warm! Although they are still delicious when cold.

Can you prepare crepes in advance? Yes, you can prepare them in advance and store them for up to one day in your fridge. Reheat in the oven, microwave, or skillet before serving.

Can you prepare the crepe batter in advance? Absolutely! Store the crepe batter for up to one day in your fridge and cook the crepes in a skillet using the cold batter directly out of the fridge.

Can you freeze crepes? Yes, you can freeze crepes in a freezer bag for no longer than 3 months. However, I recommend making them fresh as they taste the best when freshly cooked.

Are french crepes gluten-free? Crepes contain wheat flour and are therefore not gluten-free. However, you can substitute the flour with buckwheat flour to make them gluten-free. Check out my buckwheat crepe recipe to make them.

Are crepes and pancakes the same? No, crepes are very thin and pancakes, on the other hand, thick and fluffy. The reason for this is that the pancake batter contains baking powder and the crepe batter doesn’t.

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