How To Make Crepes (Sweet or Savory Option)

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You only need 6 basic ingredients to make your own buttery homemade crepes at home. This recipe produces thin and delicate crepes with crisp edges that can be enjoyed with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or filled with sweet whipped cream. I’ve also included instructions for making savory crepes to fill with your favorite sandwich fillings. I am confident that you can make these crepes this without any special pans or equipment, and you’ll find all of my best tips and tricks to be successful without any specific or advanced skills. 

If you’ve had that thought, you’d be so wrong, my friend!

As it turns out, you can absolutely make and succeed at making your own simple crepe recipe at home, without a special pan, without a special spreader, and with all of the flavor, texture, and fill-ability you’d get anywhere else. 

Don’t believe me? Well, believe me. Years ago, I vowed to learn how to make cheese blintzes, which are essentially just a rolled and filled crepe. To make blintzes, I had to nail down how to make a crepe, and I’m here to promise you: it’s much simpler than you think.

Here’s what crepes entail:
• a simple batter consisting of a few simple ingredients
• a rest time for the batter
• a trusty skillet + proper greasing
• a topping of your choosing

Lucky for you, I have all the photos, tips, tricks, pep talks, and instructions to help you nail this basic crepes recipe so you can get to adding all your favorite toppings and stuffing in all of your favorite fillings.

EGGS: this is a very rich batter, full of lots of eggy flavor and feeling. Eggs lend the majority of the structure for the crepes and holds the batter together.

MILK: use a full fat milk. If you want to make these dairy-free, see my notes below about recommended alternatives.

UNSALTED BUTTER: butter is a crucial ingredient, and you’ll want to have extra butter handy for the skillet. I like to use unsalted butter in my crepes and salted plant-based butter for my pan.

VANILLA EXTRACT & SALT: for flavor! If you want to make savory crepes, leave out the vanilla.

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: flour provides the overall structure of the crepes. See below for gluten-free notes, but know that this is a delicate swap and the results are quite different.

Use a gluten free 1:1 all-purpose sub that contains xanthan gum OR almond flour in place of the regular all-purpose flour.

If you want to make your crepes dairy-free, use a plant based butter or neutral oil instead, and I recommend using coconut cream in place of the milk so you still have a solid fat source. If you use a lower fat plant-based milk, you may just have to be extra careful with your flipping.

I do not recommend making crepes egg-free as the eggs carry a great deal of fat that keeps a solid crepe structure. 

STEP #2: allow batter to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

STEP #4: heat an 8″ to 10″ nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, lightly coat it with butter. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the skillet, remove it from the heat, then quickly but gently swirl the batter around to evenly coat the bottom of the skillet. Continue to rotate the pan until all of the batter is set.

STEP #5: set the skillet back down on the heat and cook the crepe until the top is set and opaque but still slightly sticky (about 75 seconds). Use a silicone spatula to lift and slide the crepe out of the pan and quickly flip it over to cook the other side, only about 30 seconds.

STEP #6: use the spatula to slide the crepe out of the pan and onto the prepared plate. If the crepe doesn’t slide out of the pan easily, continue to cook for another 15-20 seconds.​​​​​​​

STEP #7: your crepes are ready to use warm but you can also let them cool before using them. See below for filling options.

The key to successful crepes comes in properly greasing the pan as well as getting the right “feel” of the pan and swirling motion. 

Here’s my best tip: pretend you have a marble in your pan and try to roll it around just on the edges of the pan. Work quickly as the batter will thin out and start to cook immediately as it hits the hot pan, but work carefully as a smooth motion brings the best results. You can (and should!) remove the pan from the heat to do this. It will only take a few seconds to swirl. Don’t worry if it’s not a perfect circle! You will get the hang of it with practice.

Look for…
• the disappearance of the sheen of “wet” batter/a dry surface
• edges that just start to pop off of the pan
• a golden brown bottom if you lift up one of the edges and peek under

If you start to lift your crepe off of the pan and it rips, it’s not ready. You’ll want to grease your pan liberally, which will help the whole crepe lift off and slide around when it’s done.

Before flipping, I like to run my spatula the entire way around the edge of the crepe to be sure all of the edges are set and ready. Then, confidently push your spatula under the crepe with a firm hand, lift, and flip quickly.

USE BUTTER: many crepe recipes don’t use butter, but I like to include it for fat and flavor. You’ll also use butter to grease and prep your pan, which creates crisp and buttery edges that are just unmatched against recipes without it. 

USE A BLENDER, IF NECESSARY: I don’t use a blender to mix my batter as I find that whisking everything again after the rest period rids the batter of any huge flour clumps, but if you’re struggling to get out larger lumps, break out the blender or immersion blender to help you. USE A REGULAR SKILLET: the skillet you use to do your regular cooking is all you need! Resist the urge to use too large of a pan to keep the crepe size manageable. 

LET THE BATTER REST: resting is crucial in producing soft crepes with top notch flavor. This time allows the flour to absorb the fats and liquids for a cohesive and smooth batter. 

USE A SCOOP WITH A THUMB TRIGGER: you will pour about ¼ cup of batter into the skillet, and I like to use an ice cream scoop with a trigger for consistency of the amount and ease of transfer.

DON’T OVERCOOK THE CREPES: you’re looking for very soft and floppy crepes. You want the shine to just be disappearing before flipping. Once flipped, the underside should be delicately browned/have light brown spots. Flipping should be slightly difficult (but not impossible!) to do. Too stiff and they’re definitely overcooked.

GREASE BETWEEN CREPES: re-butter your pan every time you make a new crepe. You can get away with using less butter every other time, but don’t rely on what you think you have left in the pan. This is a recipe for a disaster, trust me!

USE A LARGE SPATULA FOR FLIPPING: no need to use a giant spatula or anything oversized. When I was teaching myself how to make crepes, I used a very wide spatula and it was more trouble than it was worth. 

FLIP QUICKLY: just like when you’re making pancakes, flip with a quick but confident hand. A swift flip will ensure your crepe lands without folding over on itself.

KEEP PRACTICING: if at first you don’t succeed, try again! The secret to mastering crepes is simple: just keep making them (and eating them– DARN). That first one might tear or look a little wonky (it happens), but don’t give up! By the time you’ve worked your way through the batter, you’ll have the hang of it, and before you know it, you’ll be flipping crepes like a total pro!

TO FREEZE INDIVIDUALLY: fold each crepe into quarters and wrap each one in plastic wrap, then flash freeze for about 1 hour on a plate. Transfer to a zip-topped bag.

TO FREEZE STACKED CREPES: place a sheet of wax or parchment paper between each crepe on a plate or platter. Wrap the entire plate with plastic wrap so there are no exposed edges.

TO THAW CREPES: thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in the microwave or over medium heat on an ungreased skillet or griddle, about 20-30 seconds per side.