Crepes Recipe

Thin, delicate crepes can be filled with sweet or savory contents. They’re adaptable and easy to cook for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This simple recipe yields light, crispy crepes with a faint golden edge, great for rolling or folding with your favorite fillings.

Ingredients:

For Crepe Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 big eggs

1 1/4 cups milk (preferably whole or 2%).

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar (optional for sweet crepes)

1/4 tsp salt

1-tsp vanilla extract (optional for sweet crepes)

Grease the pan with 1 tsp butter or oil.

For optional filling:

Sweet fillings:

Nutella, berries, bananas, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.

Savory fillings:

Sautéed spinach, mushrooms, cheese, ham, or salmon.

Instructions:

 Make Crepe Batter:

Mix the dry ingredients:

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl (for sweet crepes).

Mix the wet ingredients:

In another bowl, beat eggs. Whisk in milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract (if using).

Combining moist and dry ingredients:

Whisking continually, slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients to avoid lumps. Batter should be thin and smooth like thick cream.

Rest the batter:

Rest the batter at room temperature for 15–30 minutes. The flour absorbs the liquid, making crepes delicate and soft.

Make crepes:

Prep your pan:

Heat a non-stick skillet or crepe pan on medium. Apply butter or oil to the pan and wipe off excess using a paper towel.

Pour the batter:

Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the center of the hot pan. Tilt and stir the pan to properly distribute batter. The batter should instantly create a thin coating on the pan.

Cook the crepe

Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges lift and the bottom turns golden brown. The surface should have tiny bubbles.

Flip the crepe:

Lift the edge with a spatula and delicately flip it. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute until gently golden brown.

Do it again:

Place cooked crepe on plate. Cover it loosely with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm while cooking the remaining crepes. You may need to butter or oil the pan between batches.

 Serve Crepes:

After cooking, fill and fold the crepes with your filling. Spread Nutella thinly, add fruit, then dust with powdered sugar for sweet crepes. Fill crepes with cheese, sautéed veggies, or meats and quarter or roll them for savory crepes.

Optional: Bake filled crepes at 200°F (93°C) for 5-10 minutes to serve warm.

Tips for Perfect Crepes

Batter consistency:

Add milk to thin thick batter. Not watery, but pourable.

If the pan is excessively hot, crepes may cook too fast and crisp. To cool, they may stick. The best crepes are cooked on medium heat.

Resting the batter for 15-30 minutes improves texture. Short on time? Skip this step, but the crepes will be more delicate.

Stacking crepes:

Keep cooked crepes warm and soft on a platter with a towel while making more. When storing crepes, insert parchment paper between each one to prevent sticking.

Fillings and Variations:

Sweet Crepes:

Traditional Nutella Crepes:

Spread Nutella, add banana slices, and fold. Sprinkle powdered sugar and whipped cream over top.

Berry Crepes:

Add whipped cream and a teaspoon of mixed berries like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries for a refreshing treat.

Lemon and Sugar:

Fresh lemon juice and sugar make a classic filling. Fold or roll the crepe and savor the acidic sweetness.

For caramelized apples, cook them with cinnamon, butter, and sugar until soft and golden. Fill crepes with this mixture.

Savory Crepes:

chicken and Cheese:

A typical crepe with thin ham slices and grated Gruyère, Swiss, or cheddar cheese. Sprinkle fresh parsley or chives.

Spinach and Feta:

Sauté spinach with garlic and onion, then fill crepes with spinach and feta for a healthful meal.

For a rich, earthy flavor, sauté mushrooms with onions and garlic then add crumbled goat cheese.

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese:

Fill the crepe with cream cheese, smoked salmon, fresh dill, and lemon for a sumptuous filling.

Make Ahead and Store:

Make-ahead batter: Make crepe batter the day before. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. Whisk it well before using.

Stacking leftover crepes with parchment paper between them prevents sticking. Keep them in the fridge for 2 days or freeze for 2 months. Reheat in a dry pan or oven.

Conclusion:

Crepes are excellent for any occasion and can be sweet or savory. Follow this simple recipe for properly cooked crepes every time. Crepes are delicious for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dessert!