Name: How to Make Crepes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: butter as needed for the pan; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, (melted (or salted and omit salt in recipe)); 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar; 1/8 teaspoon salt ((omit if using salted butter)); 1 cup 2% or whole milk; 3/4 cup room temperature water; 3 large eggs; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 8 oz. cream cheese, (softened); 3/4 cup powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon lemon zest ((optional))

Learn how to make delicate French crêpes with just a few pantry-friendly ingredients, a blender and a nonstick skillet!

Thin and delicate French crepes with buttery crisp edges are shockingly easy to make at home for a fun breakfast, lunch or breakfast-for-dinner! All you need to make this recipe are a few simple ingredients, a blender that whisks the batter up in seconds, and a nonstick skillet – no crepe pan required! This recipe will walk you through how to make the best crepes (with step-by-step photos, tips and video) and is complete with numerous sweet and savory filling ideas like sweetened cream cheese and strawberries or ham, cheese and sautéed veggies with a drizzle of blender hollandaise. No matter how you serve them, your whole family will treasure this French crepe recipe!

Crepes are a thin, French-style pancake. If you love pancakes like us, don’t miss: German Pancakes, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Sweet Potato Pancakes, S’mores Pancakes, Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes and Pumpkin Pancakes.

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How to Make French Crepes Video

how to make crepes by serving with powdered sugar and berries

What are crepes?

Crepes are thin and delicate, but not fragile, French-style pancakes made with a simple batter containing flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, salt, and sometimes sugar and vanilla, that comes together quickly in a blender. The batter doesn’t contain any leavening agents, so the crepes cook up delightfully thin in a hot skillet in just over a minute.

The thin crepes are ideal for filling with any number of sweet or savory fillings, then rolling up or folding. Crêpes au sucre (crepes slathered with butter and sprinkled with granulated sugar) and crêpes au Nutella are popular favorites. Today, I’m also sharing my favorite of sweetened cream cheese and berries!

Crepes are a common street food in France, as well as a favorite in America served in homes, restaurants and catered events across the country. They are traditionally served for breakfast, but crepes can be enjoyed any time of the day!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE this Crepe REcipe

The crepes’ thin, delicate texture melts in your mouth – you’ll be tempted to devour them plain.

You only need 8 basic ingredients that you have right now!

No special pans required for these French-style pancakes.

The batter comes together quickly in a blender so it’s silky smooth.

The batter is best chilled, so they’re the ideal prep ahead breakfast.

Each crepe takes less than two minutes to cook.

Everyone can make their own favorite crepes with a fillings bar!

showing how to make crepes by stacking finished crepes on a plate

Ingredients for Crepes

Making homemade crepes only requires a handful of pantry friendly ingredients so you can whip up a batch any time! Here’s an overview of what you’ll need (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

for the crepes:

Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure for the crepes along with the eggs.
Eggs: Crepes use more eggs than pancakes for structure because there is less flour.
Sugar: Just 1 ½ tablespoons of granulated sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the batter without making the crepes sweet, just stand-alone scrumptious! It also promotes beautifully golden surfaces.
Milk: Use whole milk or 2% milk for the richest flavor. If you use 1% or nonfat, skip the water and expect crispier crepes.
Water: Tap water is just fine. It thins the batter to the ideal spreadable consistency.
Butter: Use melted unsalted or salted butter. If you use salted, skip the salt in the recipe.
Salt: Just a pinch enhances all of the flavors.
Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is the best. Omit if making savory crepes.

For the Sweetened cream cheese filling:

Cream cheese: Use block cream cheese softened to the point you can easily stick your finger in it. I cut the cream cheese into cubes then soften in the microwave.
Powdered sugar: This sweetens the cream cheese without making it grainy.
Milk: Just a couple tablespoons thins the filling to the perfect consistency.
Vanilla extract: This adds an oomph of flavor.
Lemon zest: This is optional but I love its freshness to cut through the rich creaminess.

Crepe recipe variations

This recipe is pretty straightforward, most of the customizing comes in the fillings and toppings. Still, you can adjust the ingredients as needed to meet dietary needs or to make them sweet or savory:

Butter: Real butter is best, but you may use your favorite dairy-free butter if needed.
Milk: A lower fat or nondairy alternatives can be used but the crepes won’t be as flavorful and will result in crispier crepes.
Make crepes gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
Make crepes dairy-free: I have not personally tried making this recipe dairy free. Swap the milk for your favorite non-dairy milk, and use non-dairy butter in place of the butter.
Add zest: Change the flavor profile by adding a teaspoon or two orange zest, lemon zest or lime zest.
Add extracts: Replace ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract with almond extract (don’t replace all of the vanilla extract with almond extract or else the almond flavor will be overpowering).
Make it savory: Omit the vanilla extract. Add your favorite fresh or dried herbs to the batter.

HOW TO MAKE Crepes

French crepes may seem like a special occasion breakfast, but they’re a very easy, straightforward recipe anyone can make anytime! Let’s walk through how to make crepes with step-by-step photos and instructions (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Step 1: Melt the Butter

This takes just seconds in the microwave. I would start with 30 seconds then microwave at 10 second intervals until completely melted. You want to melt the butter first so it can cool a little before adding it to the batter, otherwise, it can scramble the eggs.

Step 2: MAke the batter

A blender is ideal for making crepes. Not only does it cut the flour into the wet ingredients in seconds, it creates a perfectly smooth batter without the need to strain out any lumps. If you don’t have a blender, a mixing bowl and whisk will work just fine.
Add the flour, sugar, eggs, milk, water, salt and vanilla extract to a high powered blender. Blend for about 20 seconds, until combined. Blending the batter first without the butter stabilizing the eggs and makes them less likely to scramble when you add the butter
Pour in the melted butter and blend until combined.

a collage showing how to make crepes by adding flour, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla to a blender and blending until smooth

Step 3: chill the batter

Transfer to the batter to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes, preferably overnight.
Chilling the batter allows time for the flavors to develop, for the air bubbles to settle which makes the crepes less likely to tear, and for the gluten in the flour to relax and absorb the liquid, resulting in delicate crepes that aren’t rubbery. You can use the chilling time to prep any fillings.

Step 4: add the batter

Heat a nonstick (8 or 9-inch) skillet over medium heat. Use a pastry brush to brush butter all over the bottom and sides of the pan. Using a pastry brush evenly spreads the butter. The butter helps the thin crepes not stick, helps the batter spread more evenly, adds delectable flavor and promotes a golden-brown, lacy surface.
Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot (i.e. preheated, not hot as in over high heat!), lift the pan off of the heat (otherwise the batter will start to cook immediately and be difficult to swirl). With the other hand, add about ¼ cup batter to the pan, while you tilt and swirl the pan in a circular motion so the batter spreads to cover the entire surface.

showing how to make crepes by tilting the pan to swirl the batter

Step 5: cook the crepes

Cook the crepe for about a minute. Once the top looks set and the edges are starting to turn golden, you can take a peak to see the if the bottom is golden.
Use a thin rubber spatula to loosen all of the edges, then slide the spatula under the center of the crepe. Flip the crepe over with the help of your hand and spread out again in the pan.
Cook for another 30 seconds or so, until the bottom is golden in spots.

a collage showing how to make crepes by cooking crepe for 1 minute, flipping the crepe, then cooking the other side until golden

Step 5: serve with filling

You can enjoy your homemade crepes as is, or with any number of sweet or savory fillings, syrups or sauces. See my suggestions below for how to fill crepes.

top view of French crepes on a plate showing how delicate and thin they are

how to fold crepes

After you make the crepes, it’s time to fill and fold! Most French roll their crepes, however, in the US, they are often served folded into triangles. To fold, place filling on one half of the crepe. Fold the crepe in half over the filling. Now you have the option to add more filling to half of the folded crepe or not (see photo). Next, fold in half one more time. That’s it!

how do I keep crepes warm?

The longest part of making this recipe is standing over the stove because the crepes have to be made individually. To keep the crepes warm during this time, stack them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, followed by a warm damp towel. The sealed tight radiant heat from each crepe keeps them all warm as you cook the remaining batter.

I do not recommend keeping the crepes warm in the oven as this dries them out.

Crepe Fillings and toppings

Crepes are a blank canvas and chameleon of flavors! Make them sweet savory, fresh, creamy, etc. Here are filling and topping ideas for both sweet and savory crepes:

For Sweet Crepes:

Fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, pineapple, mangos, pears, peaches, etc. pair beautifully with any of the following filling options or with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
Pie fillings: Warm up some apple pie filling, cherry pie filling, peach pie filling etc. for an instant yummy filling.
Sweetened cream cheese: This is our favorite filling made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, a splash of milk and vanilla extract and optional lemon zest. It’s light yet creamy at the same time, lets the crepe flavor shine and pairs beautifully with fresh berries or berry syrups (like the pictured blueberry sauce).
Butter and sugar (crêpes au sucre): This is how I grew up devouring my crepes. The butter glides effortless over the warm crepes and the granulated sugar adds the instant yum.
Lemon and sugar: Squeeze fresh lemon juice down the middle of the crepe and sprinkle with sugar for a tantalizing fresh sweetness.
Whipped cream: Make homemade whipped cream by beating 1 cup heavy cream with ¼ cup powered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Sweetened ricotta: Mix together one 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Nutella: So creamy, chocolaty, decadent and divine, especially with strawberries or raspberries! I like to microwave the Nutella for 20 seconds or so to help it spread more easily.
Yogurt or cottage cheese: Vanilla Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and even sour cream with a drizzle of maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar along with fresh berries is super tasty.
Blueberry sauce (pictured): This is one my favorite topping for crepes, pancakes and French toast! Best of all, it comes together in less than 10 minutes on the stove with just a few ingredients.
Strawberry syrup: Fresh, sweet, strawberry bliss made with only 4 ingredients! You can also make this recipe with raspberries or any frozen berries.
Store bought berry syrups: Purchase store-bought berry syrups for an easy, tasty shortcut to instantly elevate your crepe recipe. Fabulous with sweetened cream cheese stuffed crepes.
Jams: Strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, or raspberry jams are delicious on their own, but especially delicious with sweetened cream cheese, sweetened ricotta or whipped cream.
Apple syrup: Tender, sweet apples, swimming in cinnamon syrup AKA cozy drool worthy perfection. Another fav!
Lemon Curd: I find lemon curd a little overpowering for filling the delicate crepes, but a dollop of lemon curd is sublime as a topping, especially with a sweetened cream cheese, ricotta, yogurt or cottage cheese filling. You can purchase store-bought lemon curd or make your own following this easy recipe.
Nut Butter: Add some protein with a slathering of peanut butter, cashew butter or almond butter – or go wild with cookie butter, toffee butter, s’mores peanut butter spread, etc. Pair with bananas and drizzle of ganache!
Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is always a win and easy to keep stocked.
Sauces: Go extra decadent with caramel or chocolate sauce which pair well with strawberries, or bananas and peanut butter.
Marshmallow fluff: Scrumptious paired with a drizzle of ganache and a sprinkling of nuts.

showing how to serve crepe recipe by making sweetened cream cheese

For Savory Crepes:

Cheese: Combine any cheese you like such as Gruyere, mozzarella, cheddar, goat cheese, etc. with proteins and/or veggies so they melt before being added to the crepes.
Protein: Pair bacon, ham, smoked salmon, prosciutto, chicken, chorizo, etc. with your choice of cheese and veggies.
Veggies: Sautéed or roasted vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, onions, etc. or fresh tomatoes.
Eggs: Add scramble eggs with your choice of fillings like sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and ham.
Sauces: Pesto, hollandaise, chipotle sauce roasted red pepper sauce, chimichurri sauce, and horseradish sauce. tzatziki, guacamole.
Combinations: Think of this crepe recipe as a wrap and stuff them with anything! Try chicken or turkey with avocado, bacon and pesto, or ham, eggs and cheese with a drizzle of hollandaise, or chorizo and peppers with chipotle sauce, or sautéed veggies and cheese with roasted red pepper sauce.

TIPS FOR making the best crepes

Crepes are simple to make, but do require attention to detail. Here’s what to pay attention to for the most successful crepe recipe:

Chill the batter. Your crepe recipe will have the best texture and flavor if the batter is allowed to chill for 24 hours, but even 60 minutes is okay. Chilling allows time for the flour to “hydrate,” (absorb the liquid) creating gluten formation and a thicker batter. The gluten creates a more flexible structure, resulting in delicate crepes that aren’t rubbery. This also allows time for the air bubbles to settle which makes the crepes less likely to tear.
Don’t pack the flour. Be sure to fluff the flour, then spoon it into a measuring cup, instead of scooping it out of the container with a measuring cup. If you don’t spoon and level, you’ll end up with extra compact flour and a thicker batter.
Melted butter is key. Let the butter cool for a few minutes before adding it to the batter so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
Use a high powered blender. The blender seamlessly cuts in the flour resulting in a silky smooth batter without overworking the batter.
Recombine the batter after chilling. If chilled overnight, the batter will likely separate, which is to be expected. Simply give it a stir to recombine, but don’t whisk – we don’t want to introduce new bubbles.
Use a nonstick skillet. You cannot make crepes without a nonstick skillet unless you have a crepe pan! An 8 or 9-inch skillet is ideal, otherwise the crepes are more difficult to flip without tearing. If you only have a larger skillet, increase the batter slightly.
Preheat the skillet. Let the skillet warm up over medium heat for a couple of minutes before melting the butter and then adding the batter. Crepe batter that’s added to a cold skillet won’t start cooking on contact and end up rubbery.
Don’t skip the butter. Generously grease the pan in between every crepe so the batter can spread easily, the crepes don’t stick, and to achieve that golden brown lacy surface.
Twirl the skillet. Lift the pan off of the burner and then add the batter as you quickly tilt the pan and swirl the batter in a circular motion to stretch the batter to the edges. This ensures the crepe doesn’t set before it reaches the very edges of the skillet. (The thinner the crepe, the better the texture.) The quicker you tilt and rotate the pan, the better the crepe batter will spread.
Adjust the heat as needed. If the crepes are taking much longer than a minute to cook on the first side, then increase the heat. If they are becoming too golden in a minute, then decrease the heat.
Don’t flip the crepe too early. If you attempt to flip the crepe too early, it will always tear. Look for the top of the crepe to be completely set and the thin edges to turn golden and crispy. Once it reaches this stage, take a peak underneath and see if it’s golden, and only then flip if it’s ready.
Your first crepe won’t be perfect! The French have a saying, “la première crêpe est pour le chien,” which translates to “the first crepe is for the dog.” The first crepe seasons the pan and let’s you know if the temperature of the pan needs to be adjusted.
Separate with parchment paper after cooking. If you enjoy the crepes quickly enough, you won’t have to worry about placing a piece of parchment paper between every single crepe. However, if you’re making a batch of crepes to reheat later, store with a piece of parchment paper between each one to prevent them from sticking together.

serving crepes with berries, cream and powdered sugar

can you make crepes ahead of time?

Yes! It’s best to make the batter and cook up the crepes fresh, but you can also reheat cooked crepes:

Crepe batter: Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Give the batter a stir before using.

Cooked crepes: Stack the cooked crepes on a plate with parchment in between each crepe. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

How do I reheat Crepes?

-Stovetop: Lightly butter your skillet and pre-heat over medium heat. Place crepes in the skillet one at a time, then heat for about 30 seconds (or until warm), flipping halfway through.
-Microwave: Place a small stack of crepes on a microwave-safe dish and cover with a damp paper towel (this prevents them from drying out). Heat for about 15 seconds, or until warmed through.
-Oven: Arrange crepes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick mat (they can overlap). Cover with aluminum foil and warm in a 275°F degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

HOW long are crepes good for?

Stack the crepes on a plate with parchment in between each crepe. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

HOW do you freeze crepes?

Separate each crepe with parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the stack overnight in the refrigerator before using, or just remove the crepes one by one as needed and thaw at room temperature before reheating.

what to serve with crepes

This crepe recipe is a meal in itself, or pair it with your favorite breakfast or brunch dishes such as:

Protein: bacon, breakfast sausage, ham (leftover Christmas or Easter ham is perfect!), etc.
Eggs: scrambled, fried, over-easy, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, deviled, or as eggs benedict, an omelet or baked egg muffins.
Skillets: bacon and egg hash, corned beef hash, frittata, quiche Lorraine, ham and cheese quiche, etc.
Bakes: tater tot breakfast casserole, sausage breakfast casserole, eggs benedict casserole, ham and cheese breakfast enchiladas.
Fruit: yogurt fruit salad, tropical fruit salad, summer fruit salad, perfect fruit salad or pina colada fruit salad.

Looking for more breakfast Recipes?

German Pancakes
Pumpkin Pancakes
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Cereal Pancakes
Pumpkin Pancakes
Sweet Potato Pancakes
S’mores Pancakes
Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

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Total Time: 1 35

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Chilling 1

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Ingredients

butter as needed for the pan

Crepe Batter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or salted and omit salt in recipe)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 cup 2% or whole milk
3/4 cup room temperature water
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Sweetened Cream Cheese Filling (Optional/Recommended with Syrups/Berries)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

Prep butter: Let the melted butter cool for about 5 minutes before using. Take this time to read over the tips in the post.
Make batter: Combine all the crepe batter ingredients in a blender EXCEPT the butter. (Use a large mixing bowl and whisk by hand if you don’t have a blender.) Blend on medium-high speed for 20 seconds until combined, then add the butter and blend again for 10-20 seconds until combined. The mixture should be silky smooth without any flour lumps. It will be thin and thicken to the consistency of heavy cream after chilling.
Chill batter: Pour the batter into a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 60 minutes, but best if overnight. If chilling overnight, the batter will separate, so give it a stir to recombine before using (don’t whisk, we don’t want excess air bubbles). While the batter chills, prepare any fillings/toppings like the Sweetened Cream Cheese Filling below:
Sweetened Cream Cheese Filling: Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth using a handheld mixer. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. This filling is tasty with berries, berry syrups (pictured blueberry sauce), jams, powdered sugar, lemon juice, etc.
Add batter to pan: Heat an 8 or 9-inch NONSTICK skillet over medium heat, and generously and evenly grease with butter (I recommend a pastry brush). Once hot, lift the pan off of the burner, then add the batter as you quickly tilt the pan and swirl the batter in a circular motion to stretch the batter to the edges. (See Video below.)
Cook crepes: Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the top is set, the edges are golden and the crepe is slightly golden on the bottom (you can flip a corner to peak; if it’s not golden, cook a little longer, but don't cook too long or else it will taste rubbery). Flip the crepe by loosening the edges with a long rubber spatula, sliding the spatula under the crepe and flipping with the help of your other hand. Cook the other side for about 20 seconds until set. (Note: the first crepe is never the best; it "seasons" the pan and lets you know if the pan's temperature needs to be adjusted.)
Repeat: Place the cooked crepes in a stack on a large plate and cover with plastic wrap followed by a warm damp towel. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan with butter each time and adjusting the heat as necessary.
Fill and fold the crepes: See my filling suggestions in the notes below. To make a triangle: spread a few spoonfuls of filling on one half of the crepe (layer with strawberries/bananas, etc. if using), fold over in half, then fold again to make a triangle. To fold: Place a few spoonfuls of your filling ingredient in the center of the crepe. Fold both sides over the filling.

Video

Notes

Storage: Stack the crepes on a plate with parchment in between each crepe. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
To freeze: Separate each crepe with parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the stack overnight in the refrigerator before using, or just remove the crepes one by one as needed and thaw at room temperature before reheating.

Filling Ideas

Fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, pineapple, mangos, pears, peaches, etc. pair beautifully with any of the following filling options or with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
Syrups: store-bought or homemade blueberry sauce (pictured), strawberry syrup, apple syrup
Pie fillings: Warm up some apple pie filling, cherry pie filling, peach pie filling etc.
Whipped cream: Make homemade whipped cream by beating 1 cup heavy cream with ¼ cup powered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Sweetened ricotta: Mix together one 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Butter and sugar
Lemon and sugar
Nutella
Jams
Vanilla Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and even sour cream
Nut Butter, cookie butter, toffee butter, s’mores peanut butter spread, etc. Pair with bananas and drizzle of ganache!
Caramel or chocolate sauce
Marshmallow fluff

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2 Comments

Carrie Miller says

at

Crepes are one of my family’s very favorite Saturday morning breakfasts. Believe it or not, our favorite way to eat them is so simple: squeeze fresh lemon juice, sprinkle granulated sugar, and maybe add a few blueberries. Then roll up! The lemon and sugar is devine!

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Yum! Crepes are definitely a breakfast favorite! It’s hard to go wrong with lemon and sugar!