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serving crepes with berries, cream and powdered sugar
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How to Make Crepes

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! Check out the post for numerous sweet and savory filling ideas!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine French
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

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 1/4 cup powered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
  • Sweetened ricotta: Mix together one 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 1/2 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