Thin French Crêpes
Delicate, thin French crêpes made from a simple blender batter. Fill them with jam, lemon and sugar, chocolate spread, or ham and cheese for a savoury brunch.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
55 min total About 12 (8-inch) crêpesIntermediate
Photo: Dan Zen · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Crêpes are thinner and more delicate than pancakes, with lacy, golden edges and a tender centre. The batter is quick to blend, and once it has rested, they cook in about a minute each.
Resting the batter for 30 minutes lets the flour hydrate and the bubbles settle, which gives smoother, more flexible crêpes that are less likely to tear. A quick tilt and swirl of the pan spreads the batter thinly.
Equipment you'll need
- Blender or whisk
- 8 to 10-inch nonstick or crêpe pan
- Thin spatula
Tips for success
- The first crêpe is often a test. Use it to adjust the heat and the amount of batter.
- If the batter sets before you can swirl it, the pan is too hot; if the crêpe is pale and soft after a minute, turn the heat up slightly.
- Stacked crêpes do not stick together once cooled slightly; there is no need for paper between them.
Substitutions and variations
- Use half buckwheat flour for nutty, savoury galette-style crêpes.
- Replace the milk with oat milk and the butter with oil for a dairy-free version.
- Savoury fillings: ham and Gruyère, sautéed mushrooms and spinach, or smoked salmon and crème fraîche.
Storage and reheating
To store: Stack cooled crêpes, wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze with parchment between them for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Warm crêpes one at a time in a dry pan for 15 to 20 seconds per side, or wrap a stack in foil and heat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.
Recipe
Thin French Crêpes
Delicate, thin French crêpes made from a simple blender batter. Fill them with jam, lemon and sugar, chocolate spread, or ham and cheese for a savoury brunch.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Rest batter
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Yield
- About 12 (8-inch) crêpes
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Instructions
Step 1: Blend the batter
Add the flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt to a blender and blend for 10 to 15 seconds until smooth. Scrape down the sides and blend briefly again. (Or whisk the eggs and milk into the flour gradually by hand.)
Step 2: Rest
Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. It should be the consistency of single cream; stir in a splash of milk if it has thickened.
Step 3: Heat the pan
Heat the pan over medium heat and brush it very lightly with butter.
Step 4: Swirl in the batter
Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into the centre of the pan, then immediately lift and tilt the pan in a circular motion so the batter coats the base in a thin, even layer.
Step 5: Cook and flip
Cook for about 1 minute, until the edges look lacy and lift easily and the underside is golden. Loosen with a thin spatula, flip and cook for 20 to 30 seconds more.
Step 6: Stack and fill
Slide onto a plate and repeat, stacking the crêpes. Fill with your choice of sweet or savoury fillings and fold into quarters or roll up.
Cuisine: French · Course: Breakfast
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260
- Protein
- 9 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugars
- 7 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/crepes
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