Crêpes are one of the easiest and most loved French dishes. It’s one of the first things I learned how to cook as a kid and every time I make them, it always reminds me of home. Everybody loves them whether you serve them simply or dressed up!
Nagi's Notes
I thought my crêpes were fine… right up until JB made his and I discovered what really great crêpes are supposed to taste like. These are crêpes so great you will be happy eating them plain – though no one turns down a little whipped cream and berries! Not even crêpes I had in Paris were as good as JB’s. Hope you love them!
Crêpes
After my cheese soufflé, it was so nice to see how many of you made it and loved it. Thanks to everyone who let me know what they thought.
Today I’m sharing something a lot simpler – crêpes. Making crêpes is part of French life. Simple, cosy, and always fun to share. We even have a day of crêpes called “Chandeleur” on 2 February!
Like many kids in France, this was one of my favourite things growing up. The smell, the sizzling butter, waiting for the first crêpe to come out of the pan. One of those simple little joys in life. Every time I make them now, it brings all those childhood memories rushing back.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make crêpes. Today, we’re focusing on sweet crêpes, but don’t worry, savoury crêpes are coming soon too! We love them just as much, think ham, cheese, mushrooms, and all that good stuff.
Flour – Plain flour / all-purpose flour, sifted to keep the batter lump-free.
Sugar – Just a little bit because the French don’t like their crêpes too sweet.
Eggs – 3 large ones which are 55g/2 ounces each. No need to bring them to room temperature, fridge cold is fine.
Milk – The liquid to thin the batter. Full fat is best but low fat, lactose free and non-dairy will work too.
Water – A bit of an unusual ingredient in crêpes but it lightens the mixture, so they don’t feel heavy. Chef’s tip!!!
Oil – Usually butter is used in the batter but I prefer oil because it makes the crêpes softer.
Butter – To use in the pan for cooking. It brings that golden edge and lovely buttery flavour when cooking. And because it’s French of course!
How to make Crêpes
Making crêpes is simple once you know a few little tricks. Don’t be worried about flipping crêpes, they are less fragile than you think. You’ve got this!
1. Making the batter
Sift flour into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to combine.
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Whisk gently and only mix in a bit of the flour. You can’t blend all the flour with just the eggs yet, so just mix in enough to make a thick paste.
Gradually add the milk, whisking between each addition. It will let the batter turn silky and lump-free. It should feel smooth and light, almost like pouring cream.
Whisk in the water and oil until shiny and lump-free. The water lightens the batter, it will help having thin crêpes but still flexible, while the oil keeps them soft and prevents sticking.
Rest for 1 hour covered, on the counter at room temperature. The batter will thicken a little as it rests, this resting step relaxes the gluten, the flour absorbs the liquid, so the crêpes cook up soft and never rubbery.
After resting, the batter should be smooth, a bit thicker, and perfectly pourable.
2. Cook the crêpes
Heat a 24cm / 9.5″ non-stick crêpe pan over medium-high heat (medium if your stove runs hot). If you don’t have one, any good non-stick pan will work, just adjust how much batter you pour in depending on the size, so it spreads nicely without being too thick or thin.
Melt about ½ tsp butter, then wipe it off with a paper towel, you just want a little butter left for flavour, no visible pools. If you leave too much butter, it will stop the batter from spreading evenly. The butter gives flavour and a touch of crispness around the edges.
Pour the batter: using a ladle, scoop up ¼ cup of batter, lift the pan off the heat, ladle most of the batter into the centre, and immediately swirl the pan so the batter coats the surface in a thin, even layer. Still while swirling, use the rest of the batter to fill up the empty spots before it sets. Tilting quickly gives you uniform crêpes. It’s a small trick that helps make the crêpe perfectly round and even, without thick patches or gaps.
Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the underside turns pale golden with light brown speckles.
Flip using a long, thin spatula. Slide it gently under the crêpe without tearing the surface, lift and flip. Cook the second side for about 30 seconds. A long, narrow spatula works best for flipping crêpes because it slides under the thin crêpe without tearing it. Egg flips are too short and wide, and not a great tool for this purpose. If you don’t have one, even a wooden spoon handle or a clean ruler work better. And don’t fear the flip! Crêpes are flexible, they don’t break! 😊
Slide onto a plate and repeat, adding a small bit of butter each time. Stack the crêpes as you go, they’ll stay warm and soft. Serve with your preferred fillings or toppings!
How to serve Crêpes
The French enjoy crêpes for breakfast, lunch, as an afternoon snack or even for dinner, which was always my favourite time. They are delicious any way you serve them, rolled or folded with toppings. My mother used to make them for me rolled up with icing sugar which is the most common way crêpes are served at home in France. The simpler the better!
Here are some favourite toppings for crêpes:
Sugar and Lemon – Classic and simple, sprinkle sugar, squeeze fresh lemon juice.
Berries & Cream – Fresh berries and whipped cream (Chantilly), dusted with icing sugar (+ optional chocolate sauce – use the one in the churros recipe)! As pictured in the post.
Jam or Preserves – Apricot, raspberry, or strawberry jam spread thinly.
Nutella & Banana – The universal favourite. But not Nagi, being the banana hater she is..
Nutella & Strawberries – Nagi previously shared her recipe using her own homemade Nutella!
Chestnut Cream (Crème de marrons) – Popular in France.
Maple Syrup & (more!) Butter – A simple but great combo.
Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce – Served warm with a scoop melting inside.
Voilà, fresh crêpes ready to enjoy. Don’t stress, soon you’ll be mastering the pan flip like you’ve worked in a crêperie all your life!. And if one sticks to the ceiling, just call it “art nouveau”. 😄 I truly hope it brings as much happiness to you that it does to me!
Bon appétit! – JB 👨🏻🍳
FAQ – Crêpes
I haven’t tested this with gluten free flour yet. When I do, I will come back and update the post.
It’s a personal recipe I’ve adjusted over time to work perfectly in any home kitchen. I’ve tried a few variations, but in the end, I always came back to the original version.
You can make the batter a day ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight. Take it out about an hour before cooking so it can come back to room temperature. Then give it a good whisk, it will have thickened a bit more than after the usual 1 hour rest, so add a splash of milk or water (if needed) to bring it back to a smooth, pourable consistency.
You can cook the crêpes ahead of time. Let them cool, then stack with a small piece of baking paper between each one so they don’t stick. Wrap well or put in a container and keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. To reheat, warm them in a pan or microwave for a few seconds until soft and warm.
It’s a recipe I’ve had for quite a while, and I’ve made small tweaks over time, so it works perfectly for any home cook. Nagi made it twice before we published it, part of our little routine of testing each other’s recipes. Funny thing though… the recipe makes 15, but she kept ending up with barely 10. I’m not sure what happened to the rest. But it’s only the two of us working at the office and I know I didn’t do it.
Nagi helped me with the photoshoot, I still find photos a bit tricky to get just right, just like with my last two recipes. Herron, our video editor, also helped with the video shoot. I’m getting more confident though, and I should be ready to start filming videos on my own very soon.
Watch how to make it
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JB’s Crêpes
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour , sifted
- 3 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar , regular white sugar is fine too
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 3 large eggs , (55g/2oz each in shell) – fridge cold is fine
- 2 cups full fat milk , but works with lite milk too
- 1/3 cup water (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral flavoured oil (Note 1)
- 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter , cut into small cubes (for cooking)
Topping suggestions
- Icing sugar then rolled – simple French home style
- Berries, whipped cream, melted chocolate or Nutella, icing sugar – as pictured in the post
- More suggestions listed in the post – see above
Instructions
Abbreviated recipe
- Whisk flour, sugar and salt. Add eggs then milk, water, oil and whisk into a smooth batter. Cover and rest for an hour. Cook in a lightly buttered non-stick pan, swirling ¼ cup batter to cover the surface. Cook for 1 minute. Flip, cook for 30 seconds, remove once golden and stack as you go.
Make the batter
- Sift flour into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Whisk gently and only mix in a bit of the flour. You can’t blend all the flour with just the eggs yet, so just mix in enough to make a thick paste.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking between each addition to create a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Whisk in the water and oil until the batter is glossy and pourable. When you dip a spoon in, it should coat the back lightly. Not too thick, not too runny. (Note 1)
- Cover and rest for 1 hour at room temperature. (Note 2)
Cook the crêpes
- Heat a 24cm / 9.5" non-stick crêpe pan over medium-high heat (medium if your stove runs hot). If you don’t have one, any good non-stick pan will work, just adjust how much batter you pour in depending on the size, so it spreads nicely without being too thick or thin.
- Melt about 1/2 tsp butter, then wipe it off with a paper towel, you want just a little of butter left, no visible pools. (Note 3)
- Pour the batter – Using a ladle, scoop up ¼ cup of batter, lift the pan off the heat, ladle most of the batter into the centre, and immediately swirl the pan so the batter coats the surface in a thin, even layer. Still while swirling, use the rest of the batter to fill up the empty spots before it sets. Tilting quickly gives you uniform crêpes.
- Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the underside is lightly golden and flip using a long spatula and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. (Note 4 & 5)
- Slide onto a plate, then repeat, adding butter each time.
To serve
- Stack your crêpes as you go, they’ll stay soft and flexible. Serve warm either rolled burrito style with the ends tucked in to hold everything or folded into quarters with your favourite topping! (see ingredients)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life Of Dozer
Walk? Non, non… Crêpes? Oui, oui!!!
Never had success with Crêpes before – but these worked. Hardest challenge was making the kids wait an hour for breakfast 🥞
Thank you!! Sounds like it was a hit Tamsin!!
LOVE how easy & tasty this is!
Thank you so much for the feedback! 🙂
Hi, I have the same question as the person who commented before me. In the old recipe you could make the batter the night before which is perfect (I don’t have an extra hour in the morning to rest the batter-the kids have to be out the door for school!). Can I still make this batter the night before? Thanks, love many of the recipes on this site!
Hi Bry, as I said to Pryia, you can totally rest it overnight. Just give it a good stir the next day before cooking them.
I’ve been lucky enough to have lived in Cherbourg France for a couple years and this recipe allows me to relive those great memories with my family here in Australia. Thank you JP, you are a legend!
You are so welcome! Thanks Yasemin!
Hot dang! This cramp recipe is easy to make, easy to cook and delicious to eat. Thanks JB.
Thank you big dog! 😅
Hi JB, Thank you so much for this recipe, I had a small question is it ok to rest the batter overnight and then cook next morning? or are they meant to be made straight away after an hour. Thank you
Hi Priya, you can totally rest it overnight. Just give it a good stir the next day before cooking them.
I’ve been lucky enough to have lived in Cherbourg France for a couple years and this recipe allows me to relive those great memories with my family here in Australia. Thank you JP, you are a legend!
Fast and easy to make, turned out perfect!
Thanks Jaimee! That’s all I want to hear!
I also learned how to make them as a child although you have helped me refine my recipe.
But, what I learned as a child was how to flip them without using a spatula. I’ll be watching the Winter Olympics to see if there is anything I can do to update my technique. The height of our ceiling might be a limiting factor.
Did they end up putting it as a new olympic sport?? 😅 Thank you for the feedback!
I was looking to the ski-jumping and the half-pipe for inspiration. The best I ever managed was a triple-back-flip.
However, I doubt we will ever see much better than this without an AI-assisted crepe!
I am Australian living in France and wanted to celebrate the chandeleur by making crepes, a true French tradition on 2 January each year . I followed the recipe but removed the sugar and added more salt as well as chopped chives for a savoury crepe without the buckwheat flour! Excellent recipe, like all the recipes on this website. BRAVO!!
Thank you Emily! Please share this recipe with your French friends! 🙂
Hi just wondering if i can omit the sugar and this would be a tasty savoury crepe that i could fill will creamy chicken and mushroom
Hi Greg, you can totally do that 🙂 let me know how your savoury crepes turn out!
My whole life, the most regular cause of family arguments has been any time we’ve attempted to make crepes – a family favourite. I would use a recipe I found on the internet (would be a disaster), my Mum would swoop in with her random ad-hoc recipe she swore she made at 5 years old (these were also terrible). Dad would then join the fray and make a mess. The whole thing would end up in shouting and carrying on, to the point where we just had to ban all at-home crepe attempts. Now at the age of 30, I’ve had my parents stay for Christmas and made them homemade crepes using JBs recipe and they turned out perfectly. JB, your recipe isn’t just tasty, it’s preserving family relationships. Thank you!
Hi Kate, This might be my favourite review ever!!! If a crepe recipe can stop family arguments and survive Christmas with the parents, that’s a serious win. I’m genuinely thrilled it worked for you. Thanks so much for sharing, this one made my day!
how would you recommend to alter the recipe for savoury crêpes?
thanks
Hi Tami, I’m currently working on a recipe. Coming soon!
Me and my little cousins absolutely loved them and as me don’t get to see each other often this was really special. Thanks JB!
You are so welcome Lucy! It makes me so happy to see families sharing our food together 🙂
Thanks JB. These are delicious. We’ve had them now on Christmas morning and New Year’s morning. I have so many apricots on my tree this year so we had our crepes this morning with freshly stewed apricots and vanilla ice cream. Yum!
Oh my god Emma! This sounds absolutely delicious. Freshly picked apricots are the best!
Anyone who says crepes and pancakes are the same has never had a true crepe! I love crepes any time. I love to fill them with a chicken and mushroom or shrimp and crab filling then bake with a light bechemel sauce for a nice light meal.
I couldn’t agree more Kathy! I love them simply stuffed with ham and cheese 🙂
Great recipe for making delicate and easy to work with crepes. This will be my go-to from now 👌🏻
Thanks Susi for the lovely message. I’m happy it worked out well for you 🙂
Oh, and I only had small – medium sized eggs so I used x4 and it worked out PERFECTLY for
Okay so I did not expect this recipe to be THIS good. I thought I knew crêpes …nope. I’ll be making this on repeat. Stunning 🤤
PS JD it made me x15. Pretty sure Nagi was feeding Dozer on the sly
Okay so I did not expect this recipe to be THIS good. I thought I knew crêpes …nope. I’ll be making this on repeat. Stunning 🤤
PS JD it made me x15. Pretty sure Nagi was feeding Dozer on the sly
Thank you Nat!! 🙂
I’ve just made these with the equivalent amount of gluten free flour and they were easy and delicious topped with berry compote.
Thank you Michelle!!!
Can I use butter in place of oil? Does it make a big difference? Thank you.
Hi Linda, you totally can. I personnaly like to use oil because it helps to keep the crêpes soft.