How to Make Crepes

This is the best recipe I’ve tried. I stopped getting crepes at my favorite diner spot because these are as good as theirs… maybe better!

— Jane

I love surprising my family with a special breakfast of crepes, fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream. Crepes and all of the fun toppings and fillings seem ultra fancy, but it’s really a very easy meal to throw together. They make any morning instantly special! A great recipe for a lazy weekend, holidays, birthdays, or anytime you want to make an impressive breakfast the whole family will enjoy!

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to make. Before I learned how to make crepes, I always thought they were fussy, complicated and not worth the trouble. Good news – they’re really no trouble at all!
• Versatile. We absolutely adore these French pancakes! They’re delicate, delicious and the filling choices are endless. Our very favorite way to enjoy them is with homemade whipped cream (recipe included, below), fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar. Sometimes we even go the savory route and fill them with scrambled eggs and bacon. Either way, they are a major hit in my household. These will have everyone racing to the breakfast table in a hurry!
• Delicious. I know there are a ton of crepe recipes out there, but give this one a try and you’ll never look back! It’s seriously the only one you need!

Ingredients needed

I’m not sure what’s more exciting about these homemade crepes: the fact that they’re so delicately delicious OR the fact that you only need 8 basic ingredients, that you likely already have in your kitchen. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• All-purpose flour. I highly recommend using all-purpose flour to keep these babies light and airy.
• Milk + water. Liquid is essential for this recipe. For the best texture, use both water and milk. I’ve made these with almond milk and whole milk – both work fine, but whole milk is best.
• Eggs. Necessary to provide structure and bind all the ingredients together.
• Salt. A must to really bring out the delicious flavor!
• Melted butter. In my opinion, a small amount of butter is necessary to give crepes a lovely buttery flavor, tender texture and help prevent them from sticking to the pan when cooking.
• Sugar. Just one tablespoon of sugar will give these the perfect touch of sweetness. If you’re making a savory recipe, omit the sugar.
• Vanilla. Another flavor enhancer that I think is necessary for sweet crepes. Feel free to leave it out, if you’re going the savory route.
• Toppings + fillings. Experiment with fillings! You can pretty much stuff and top them with anything. Nutella, whipped cream, and berries are all popular options, but savory fillings are great too. More topping suggestions below!

Step-by-step instructions

Don’t be intimidated! This French crepe recipe is quite simple and easy to make in just minutes. You’ll find the full printable instructions and a video below, but here’s a quick rundown of the key steps:

1. Melt butter. In the microwave or on the stove, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Let it cool for a few minutes before using in the batter, so you don’t end up scrambling the eggs.
2. Blend ingredients. Add all ingredients to the blender, and blend on high until well mixed. Scrape sides and bottom of blender as needed and blend again.
3. Chill batter. Now, you’ll want to let the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You can even rest batter overnight, if you’d like.
4. Heat skillet. When you’re ready to cook, heat an 8 to 10-inch skillet and lightly coat it with butter or cooking spray.
5. Cook. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the heated pan, then QUICKLY pick the pan up by the handle, tilt and swirl the batter to the outside of the pan, so the batter evenly coats the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Let cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully flip with a spatula to the other side and cook for another minute and a half or so. When done they will be golden brown with spots like seen in the picture below. Repeat process until all of the crepe batter is gone.
6. Serve. Fill, fold and top as desired. Enjoy!

How to fold

A crepe can be folded in half (omelet style), fold into triangles (like pictured) or roll them up like tortillas!

• Fold in half. This is a super easy method. Simply add your filling and then fold one side over onto the fillings.
• Roll up. Just like a burrito! Add the filling down the center, then fold one side over the filling towards the middle and roll gently.
• Fold into triangles. My favorite way to serve these is folded into triangles – it looks so fancy! Add your filling, then gently fold in half, and fold in half again. Stack the folded crepes on top of each other to serve.

Filling & topping options

So many choices! Experiment and use all your favorite toppings to make this recipe your own. You can go sweet or savory. Here’s some of our favorite filling and topping options:

sweet

• Homemade whipped cream and berries
• Nutella with sliced strawberries and bananas
• Peanut butter or almond butter and banana slices
• Yogurt with fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, peaches)
• Lemon curd and blueberries
• Apple or cherry pie filling and ice cream
• Chocolate sauce with strawberries
• Caramel sauce with sautéed cinnamon apples
• Maple syrup and fresh berries
• Powdered sugar with any above combo
• Ricotta and fruit

savory

• Roasted or sautéed veggies, like mushrooms, peppers and spinach with scrambled eggs
• Smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers
• Scrambled eggs with bacon, ham or sausage
• Pesto with veggies and chicken
• Turkey, bacon, tomato, avocado, mayo, and cheese.

Tips for recipe success

Here are a few tips to make sure these are perfect every time:

• Use a blender. Blending the batter ensures that all of the ingredients are completely combined.
• Chill the batter. Let the batter rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, so that the gluten can relax and these turn out light and airy.
• Choosing the skillet. You don’t need a special pan or crepe maker to make these, but you do need an 8 to 10-inch non-stick pan. I like to use this pan when I’m cooking these.
• Cooking tips. Make sure when you pour the batter into the skillet you immediately pick up the pan and twirl and allow for the batter to stretch from one side of the skillet to the other, so they turn out very thin. You don’t want them thick like a tortilla.
• Butter the skillet. I recommend adding a bit more butter to grease your skillet after cooking each one to achieve best results.
• Keep warm. While making these, you can keep the cooked crepes warm by placing them on a baking sheet in the oven at 175°F until ready to serve.

Frequently asked questions

Make ahead & storage options

These are easy to make in advance! In fact, they are easier to flip and have a better texture once the batter has rested, so take advantage of the make-ahead option.

• Make-ahead. You can prepare the batter and homemade whipped cream up to 24 hours in advance, and store both in separate storage containers in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy.
• Storing leftovers. Leftover crepes will keep in the refrigerator for up to about 2 days.
• Freezing. They will keep well in the freezer for up to about 1 month. Place a small sheet of parchment paper between each one, so they don’t stick and transfer them to a freezer-safe baggie or other freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature before warming, filling and enjoying.
• Reheating. Heat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until warm. You can also enjoy at room temperature or cold!

Helpful tools

Here’s my crepe-making essentials:

• Blender. A blender is a must to make the batter. I have this high-powered blender, but this is a more budget-friendly option.
• Nonstick skillet. As long as you use an 8 to 10-inch nonstick skillet, you’re good! If you want to get all fancy, try this special crepe pan.

These French-style pancakes are a family favorite breakfast! After testing and tweaking this recipe multiple times, I can honestly say these are the BEST crepes! They’re so easy too, I make them on repeat. I highly recommend making a double batch because they disappear so quickly!

If you try this delicious recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.