These homemade crepes are ultra thin and delicate with the most buttery crisp edges. Easy to make with just a blender and regular skillet, they’re ready for your choice of sweet or savory fillings and toppings. No special pans required for these French-style pancakes. And, best of all, you only need 8 basic ingredients!
Have you ever made these before? Though it may seem complicated, making restaurant-quality crepes at home isn’t very difficult. Today I’m walking you through the entire process including crucial success tips, the best 8 ingredients to use, why I use a blender, and a multitude of filling ideas.
I began making these a few years ago, and have eaten my fair share at cafes, restaurants, farmers’ markets, and catered events, learning A LOT along the way. My recipe hasn’t changed, but my method has improved. Consider this your Ultimate Guide to Crepes!
What Are Crepes?
Crepes are thin and delicate French-style pancakes made without any leavener. When made correctly, they’re as thin as lace with irresistible buttery crisp edges. Crepes are popular at restaurants and catered events and I’ve even seen crepe stations at wedding receptions, too! Though they’re usually a breakfast or brunch option, crepes are welcome any time of day, including dinner or dessert. Filled with anything from whipped cream and berries to meats, sauce, and vegetables, crepes aren’t picky about when you enjoy them. 😉
Crepe recipes vary, but most include flour, liquid (milk and/or water), and salt. Restaurants usually make them with a specialty pan, but a regular skillet works in any home kitchen.
Why are they a favorite? Crepes are popular because their versatility makes them FUN to eat. Rolled up or folded, you can stuff and top them with virtually anything. Nutella, whipped cream, and berries is a common choice, but savory fillings work just as well. Fold or roll them up and enjoy trying a variety of fillings and flavors. You’re definitely not limited!
- You can also make crepe cake!
Overview: How to Make Crepes
- Melt the butter: Melt some butter in the microwave or on the stove. Let it cool for a few minutes before using in the batter. (Otherwise you could scramble the eggs.)
- Combine all ingredients in a blender: Add the cooled melted butter and all the remaining ingredients into a blender. A blender works WONDERFULLY to smooth out the batter because it cuts that flour perfectly into all the wet ingredients. If you don’t have a blender, just use a mixing bowl and whisk. I use my Ninja blender.
- Chill the batter: Chill the crepe batter for at least 30–60 minutes before cooking it. This time in the refrigerator is crucial to the taste, texture, and success of your crepes. Use this time to clean up and get your skillet ready. You can even chill the batter overnight so it’s ready to cook the next day.
- Butter & heat a small skillet: Generously butter the pan and keep butter nearby for greasing the pan between each crepe, too. Though professional chefs may use a specialty crepe pan, I find a small 8-inch skillet works perfectly at home. If you don’t have a small skillet, use a larger one, but make sure you keep the crepes THIN.
- Cook crepes one at a time: The longest part of this recipe is standing over the stove and cooking them one at a time over medium heat. Use only 3–4 Tablespoons of batter per crepe. (I usually use 3 Tablespoons.) The less you use and the larger you stretch the crepe, the thinner they’ll be. As you can see in my video tutorial, I twirl the pan so the batter stretches as far as it can go. If you don’t do this, your crepes will be pretty thick and taste like tortillas. Still delicious, but very different. Flip the crepe over and cook the other side, too.
- Serve with favorite fillings: I love serving them warm with cold whipped cream and fresh berries. Keep scrolling because I have lots of filling ideas listed for you below.
How to Make Crepes Ahead of Time
You can make the crepe batter up to 1 day in advance. Seal tightly in your blender or pour into a mixing bowl and cover tightly, then prepare crepes the next day. Crepes are best enjoyed right away, but you can make a batch and store in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days. Reheat in the microwave or arrange on a lined baking sheet (they can overlap). Cover with aluminum foil and warm in a 275°F (135°C) degree oven for 10 minutes. You can also freeze crepes—see instructions below.
Key Ingredients
The recipe is written out below, but it’s important you understand why each ingredient is used. This is a delicate batter, so substitutions aren’t recommended.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter is a key ingredient. Have extra butter handy for the skillet.
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour is another key ingredient, providing the overall structure. I haven’t tried any successful gluten-free alternatives, but let me know if you do!
- Granulated Sugar: These are lightly sweetened; you only need 1 Tablespoon of sugar.
- Salt: A pinch of salt adds flavor.
- Whole Milk & Water: Crepe batter needs liquid. Using all water created a limp and lacking crepe, while using all milk created a heavy crepe. For the best texture, use a mix of both.
- Eggs: As they do in pancake batter, eggs provide structure and bind all the ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor—you’ll definitely smell the vanilla as you cook these on the stove! Feel free to leave it out if you make savory-style crepes.
By themselves, crepes aren’t heavily flavored at all. That’s why the texture is crucial (keep them thin!).
Crepes Success Tips
- Chill the batter: I mentioned this above and include it in the written recipe below, but it’s definitely worth repeating. One secret to the BEST crepes is to chill the crepe batter for at least 30–60 minutes and up to 1 day. This time in the refrigerator enhances the batter’s flavor and, more importantly, gives the flour a chance to fully hydrate.
- Butter the pan between each crepe: The best part of crepes is the thin, delicate, and buttery crisp edges. To achieve this, butter the pan between EACH crepe. Sounds like a pain, but just grab a stick of butter and coat the pan before adding more batter. You won’t regret it.
- Twirl the pan: Pour the batter into the center of the hot and buttered pan. Lift the pan up and twirl it so the batter stretches as far out as it can go. (The thinner the crepe, the better texture it has—trust me.) This crucial technique is much easier than it sounds and you can watch me do it in the video tutorial.
Crepe Fillings & Toppings
Crepes are a blank canvas for many different fillings and toppings. Though I’m all about going overboard with toppings like Nutella & bananas or apple pie filling & melted peanut butter, sometimes it’s nice to keep things simple! Pictured is my favorite whipped cream flavored with fresh orange juice. You could use a splash of orange liqueur if you have some, too. Whip into medium peaks before filling or topping your crepes. I also serve these with tons of fresh berries. Lightly sweetened, the burst of fruit and citrus is a welcome refresher! With such a simple accompaniment, the crepes themselves truly shine.
Plenty more crepe filling inspiration for you:
- Strawberry Sauce
- Raspberry Sauce
- Blueberry Sauce
- Lemon Curd & Fresh Berries
- Blueberry Sauce from Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Whipped Cream
- Peanut Butter or Nutella & Sliced Banana
- Chocolate Ganache
- Pastry Cream from Boston Cream Pie
- Salted Caramel
- Cheesecake Batter from No Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Homemade Pesto & Sautéed Veggies (mushrooms, spinach, peppers)
- Ricotta, Chive, & Smoked Salmon
- Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, & Sliced Tomato
- Scrambled Eggs, Cooked Ham, and a drizzle of hollandaise
- Cooked Chicken, Broccoli, & Cheddar
- S’mores Nutella Crepes: Spread 1–2 Tablespoons of Nutella onto 1 side of each crepe. Top each with a handful of mini marshmallows. Roll or fold into quarters and sprinkle with crushed graham crackers. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
- Tiramisu Crepe Cake
Or try the always delicious Crepes Suzette!
See Your Homemade Crepes
Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
Homemade Crepes
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: about 14 crepes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Description
This basic crepe recipe is perfect for your favorite crepe fillings and toppings. Before beginning, watch the helpful video tutorial above and read the instructions and recipe notes below.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, plus 3–4 more Tablespoons for the pan
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Review my success tips and watch the video tutorial below before beginning.
- Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in the microwave or on the stove. Cool for about 5 minutes before using in the next step. The remaining butter is for the skillet.
- Combine the cooled melted butter, flour, sugar, salt, milk, water, eggs, and vanilla in a blender or large food processor. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, use a large mixing bowl and whisk by hand. Blend on medium-high speed for 20–30 seconds until everything is combined. The mixture will be silky-smooth and the consistency of cream. Cover the blender tightly or pour into a medium bowl, cover tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes and up to 1 day. (After refrigerating, if the batter looks separated, give it a quick stir before cooking in the next step.)
- Cook the crepes: Use the remaining butter for greasing the pan between each crepe. Place an 8-inch skillet over medium heat and generously grease it with some of the reserved butter. If you don’t have a skillet this size, use a larger one, but make sure you keep the crepes thin. Once the skillet is hot, pour 3–4 Tablespoons (closer to 3 is best) of batter into the center of the pan. Tilt/twirl the pan so the batter stretches as far as it will go. The thinner the crepe, the better the texture. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then flip as soon as the bottom is set. Don’t wait too long to flip crepes or else they will taste rubbery. Cook the other side for 30 seconds until set. Transfer the cooked crepe to a large plate and repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to butter the pan between each crepe. If desired, separate each crepe with parchment paper so they do not stick together. If you’re using enough butter in your pan, though, the crepes shouldn’t stick.
- Fill the crepes. I love serving them warm, but they’re excellent at room temperature too. See my filling suggestions above this recipe or my recipe notes below. Place a few spoonfuls of your filling ingredient(s) in the center of the crepe. Fold both sides over the filling. Crepes are delicious with toppings, too, such as a drizzle of melted chocolate, melted peanut butter, or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Or try a savory sauce like pesto or hollandaise.
- Leftover unfilled crepes remain fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 day or in the freezer for 1 month. Freeze each between small sheets of parchment paper so they don’t stick. (I usually layer them with parchment and freeze in a large zipped-top bag.) Thaw at room temperature before filling/enjoying. See reheating instructions in the recipe Notes below.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Batter can be made the night before. Seal tightly in your blender or pour into a mixing bowl and cover tightly, then prepare crepes the next day. Crepes are best enjoyed right away, but you can make a batch and store in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days. Reheat in the microwave or arrange on a lined baking sheet (they can overlap). Cover with aluminum foil and warm in a 275°F (135°C) degree oven for 5–10 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor or Blender (what I use) | Small 8-Inch Skillet (what I use) or Specialty Crepe Pan | Spatula
- Keep Warm As You Cook: The radiant heat from each crepe piled on top of one another keeps them all warm as you cook the remaining batter. If the crepes have gotten cold, place a water-moistened damp paper towel over the plate of crepes and microwave for 30 seconds. I find keeping them in a warm oven the entire time you’re cooking the rest quickly dries them out.
- Crepe Fillings: My pictured crepes are filled with lightly sweetened orange whipped cream. To make the whipped cream, add 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice and, if desired, 1 Tablespoon orange liqueur to my whipped cream recipe. Just add it along with the heavy cream—whipped cream recipe instructions remain the same. Serve with fresh berries, orange zest, and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top. Or use any fillings/toppings you desire. See a list of suggestions above this recipe.
- Milk: I prefer whole milk in the crepe batter. For a richer-tasting crepe, half-and-half or heavy cream work too. 2% is OK, but I wouldn’t use lower-fat milks. Any low-fat or full-fat nondairy milk works too.
- Savory Crepes: The recipe as written will work for savory crepes, but I usually leave out the vanilla extract and add a pinch of ground black pepper. Feel free to add a Tablespoon of your favorite dried herb to the batter, too.
- Adapted from Kraft
Keywords: homemade crepes
Hi Sally!
Do you think buttermilk would work?! So excited to make these!!!
I can’t see why not!
Made this recipe for Mother’s Day. My daughter loves crepes, but we usually only get them as a treat when we go to Epcot. They turned out perfect. First thing my daughter said this morning was, “I wish we had more crepes.” It’s definitely a new family favorite. Thank you so much!!
★★★★★
I loved this recipe! I picked out this recipe because a previous one my hubby tried didn’t turn out good-tasting crepes. He made Sally’s recipe for me for Mother’s Day breakfast. He opted to use a large pan and they came out wonderfully. I put sliced strawberries with powdered sugar in mine and he likes his with cinnamon sugar. Delicious!
★★★★★
This is another fantastic Sally recipe. After making them for the baking challenge they have become my daughter’s favorite breakfast food and they are requested weekly! I love how fast and easy the ingredients come together and as always the recipe has clear steps.
★★★★★
I made these crepes this morning (I am guilty of using low fat milk despite your advisory). They turned out absolutely delicious and smooth and thin!! I am so thrilled. I ate it with melted chocolate and honey. I have a few stored up to be reheated tomorrow. Just one question – should the crepes brown a lot or slight growing is enough?
★★★★★
Super easy to follow, great tips and tricks. My crepes came out great. Sally is wonderful at what she does, you can really see her passion shine.
★★★★★
Hi Sally!! Thanks for this amazing recipe! Question: what exactly is the best way to freeze these? I know you say they can be frozen, but should they be frozen flat? Should they be separated?
Hi Orma! See my freezing instructions: Freeze each between small sheets of parchment paper so they don’t stick. (I usually layer them with parchment and freeze in a large zipped-top bag.)
Our family makes crepes to fill for manicotti. Place the ricotta filling down the center of the crepe, place the rolled & filled crepe seam-side down on a jelly roll pan that has a light layer of tomato/spaghetti sauce already spread on it, and top the entire pan with a light coating of tomato sauce, cover with foil and bake. (Only put one layer of manicotti on the pan.) These are the lightest manicotti that will melt in your mouth.
The best Crepes ever,I printed the recipe and put it on fridge!They came out beautiful golden ,well rounded and so delicious !We used a pancake shaker to mix the batter, and a nonstick pan.I wish I can post a photo.They really are gorgeous!I like them with a honey, whipped cream and crushed walnuts!
Thank you for an amazing breakfast ,no more crepes from a box!
★★★★★
We don’t normally use whole milk, could 2% be substituted?
In a pinch, yes!
My 10 year old daughter made these all by herself! They were delicious! We chose to fill them with nutella and sliced strawberries.
★★★★★
These were delicious and we ate them too fast to get a pic
The crepes didn’t look as pretty as yours .because they started to stick as soon as i placed the 1st tablespoon into the pan.. not sure if the heat was too high because i did place in lots of butter
More importantly , I’m cooking for 2 and I have a lot of batter leftover
Should i make the crepes to use it up
Or can i just freeze the batter?
Thank you
★★★★★
Hi Meg! So glad you enjoyed these homemade crepes. Freezing cooked crepes works like a charm. See last step.
These are so good i have been looking for a recipe to make crepes for a while and none of them are thin and crispy and soft but I finally found a delicious recipe thank u Sally also I’m 12 and I love your recipes
★★★★★
These are excellent and super easy to make. My 9-year old had no problems with them. Will definitely make again
★★★★★
Delicious! Took some trial and error with my glass cooktop stove to figure out perfect temperature. My boys and I loved them! Time consuming but worth it!
★★★★★
Delicious crepes! The recipe is similar to many others but what sets it apart is the presentation! Great photos, a super helpful video, exact times to cook each side, toppings to try. Top notch
and thorough recipe writing. I love your site and return again and again. Thank you!
★★★★★
Fabulously delicious!!!
My husband loves crepes and he gobbled these up. A smaller pan would have helped them be perfect. Not beautiful but delicious!! Sally thanks for sharing and thank you for letting me get what’s going on in this word off my mind for a little…
★★★★★
Thanks for the challenge and opportunity to make these wonderful crepes.
They were totally delish! Didn’t have an 8″ pan so they weren’t as pretty but that didn’t take away from the taste.
Smothered them in lemon juice and powder sugar with lemon ricotta cheese..
Absolutely fabulous!!
★★★★★
I knew crepes were tasty, but I didn’t know they were so easy! I filled mine with whipped cream and added some strawberries. Excellent!
★★★★★
These crepes are a hit in my household and they’ll be on a regular weekend rotation! My husband had been craving crepes (or Swedish pancakes) like his father used to make. I wasn’t sure where to find the best recipe and then Sally’s March challenge showed up! After making them today, my husband said they’re just like his dad’s. That is the best compliment. They are simple and fast to make. Thank you for recipes I can trust to have great results.
★★★★★
This was my first time making Crepes so I was nervous ( especially about the flipping part) and they turned out great! Turned put I didn’t need to worry. Such a simple recipe and easy to follow instructions. The whole family had fun filling them with their favorite fillings. Thank you for another great recipe for the books 🙂
Leah
★★★★★
These crepes were so delicious! I was already familiar with crepes, although I can’t remember when was the last time I made them. And I find this recipe much better than the one I used to follow: the batter was smoother and had the right texture; surprisingly, I’ve been able to get this result with just a whisk (as I have no blender at the moment). Also, I am normally not good at tilting/twirling the pan, which results in quite irregular crepes, while this time the batter stretched almost perfectly! I found 2,5-3 Tbsp was perfect for my skillet. I decided to fill them with Sally’s chocolate ganache and made a sweet breakfast for my husband and I: (almost) perfect filling, but he missed the combination with bananas… maybe next time!
★★★★★
Thanks for this recipe Sally!
My husband and I love crepes and used to order them at a little bistro in the Annapolis Valley. So thrilled we can have these at home now. Just made them and my husband wanted seconds!
★★★★★
So delicious!!! This recipe was easy to follow and cane out amazing! We served them with butter, lemon & powdered sugar. A simple & classic mix! We will be keeping this one for our go to crepes!
★★★★★
Wow!!! Not only were these much easier to make than I expected, my 3 boys were silent as they devoured them I stuffed mine with nutella, banana & strawberry slices. This recipe is a keeper for sure!
★★★★★
Awesome and so easy!
Thanks for the email and the idea.
★★★★★
These were amazing and super easy to make! I was intimidated to make crepes- I always get them at restaurants. Way better to be able to make them at home. We filled ours with chocolate whipped cream and bananas.
Did not have a blender, used a whisk. Topped these instead of filling, oops. These were delicious and easy all the same. Used your recipe for whipped cream (also easy and delicious) Thank you!
★★★★★
These were soo good. Perfectly thin & just the right flavour! I made them twice – with spinach, chicken, & cheese for dinner, and with raspberries & white chocolate for dessert! So so good. I ate a test one totally plain & it was perfect.
★★★★★
We had a crepe bar for breaKfast today. Loved being able to make these with no special ingredients. I found I didn’t need to butter the skillet every time. My recipe made 11.
★★★★
What a lovely crepe recipe! Mine usually turn rubbery and are too thick. This recipe yielded thin, buttery, smooth crepes. Loved the vanilla flavour and enjoyed them simply with real maple syrup. Yum. Thanks Sally!
★★★★★
The easiest crepe recipe to follow! Also perfect. I didn’t struggle making these at all compared compared to when I last made some years ago. These were wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. I’ll definitely keep this recipe when i want crepes again
★★★★★