Once you see how simple it is to make this sweet crepes recipe, it will quickly become your favorite. Great for breakfast, brunch, or a starting point for so many dessert crepe recipes.
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Introduction
Often described as thin pancakes, crepes, with origins in France, are slighter larger than a traditional pancake. The absence of baking powder or baking soda ensures a flat wrapper just begging to be garnished with various fillings.
Can anyone resist a dessert made with homemade crepes?
There are endless variations of a french crepe recipe, created with different types of flours and providing an interesting vehicle for all sorts of sweet or savory fillings. Their versatility makes them a great treat to have any time of the day.
The recipe I am sharing with you today is ideal for sweet filings. A few perfect examples are this ricotta-filled crepe or this crepe cake.
Enjoy them simply with fresh fruits, or use them as the base for your favorite filling: cheese blintzes, Crêpes Suzette, a crepe cake, and so much more! Perfect for birthday celebrations and special occasion brunches like Mother’s Day or Easter.
This crepe batter recipe comes together easily and quickly in a blender or food processor. I’ve included all my tips and tricks so that you can make perfect french crepes every single time.
Making the crepe batter
Please note that both the eggs and milk must be at room temperature. The butter needs to be melted and cooled before beginning to combine these basic ingredients.
Let’s begin by combining 1½ cups of milk with 3 large eggs, both at room temperature, in a blender or food processor.
At medium-high speed, blend until combined, about 15 seconds.
Reduce the speed to low, remove the top feed, and add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt with the blender running. Blend for 15 seconds.
Then add 3 tablespoons of melted and cooled butter (unsalted), ½ cup of brandy and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract through the top feed and blend for 15-30 seconds.
Turn the blender off, add 1 cup of all-purpose flour and blend at low speed until smooth. If necessary, scrape down the sides.
Let the batter rest by chilling for 30 minutes.
Let’s make this basic crepes recipe
Heat a large nonstick pan or an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. To test if the pan is hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water over the surface; if they sizzle and evaporate, the pan is hot enough.
Brush lightly with melted butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour ¼ cup batter in the center of the pan; quickly lift the pan off the heat, tilting and swirling it in a circular motion, until there is a thin layer and it covers the entire bottom of the pan evenly. Return the pan to heat and continue to cook for another minute or so.
When to flip your delicious crepes
Once the batter is thinly spread out in your pan, wait approximately 1 minute before flipping it.
Physical cues that your thin crepe is ready to be turned include edges that begin to pull away from the side, crisp up and start to look lacy. The disappearance of a shiny gleam on the surface of the batter is another sign.
Before flipping the crepe, gently lift one edge of the crepe and look for light golden spots. That’s another cue to flip. Cook for another 30 seconds or so until the underneath is golden and lightly browned.
Transfer to your plate.
Give the batter a quick whisk and repeat this process for the rest of the crepe batter.
How to fold a crepe
One of the most popular ways to fold a crepe is the triangular fold.
Place the side that looks the best facing down on your work surface. Just like pancakes, this is usually the first side.
Fold in half and then fold again to create a triangle.
For a simple presentation, arrange decoratively on your platter, garnish with fresh fruit, a dusting of icing sugar and serve with sweet ricotta.
Tips
- Eggs and milk must be at room temperature.
- Use a blender or food processor to achieve a smooth, homogeneous batter.
- The crepe batter needs to rest for at least 30 minutes for the gluten to relax and for the flour to become hydrated. This rest period ensures light and tender crepes.
- Although crepes can be made in any nonstick skillet, a crepe pan is preferable to obtain a uniform shape.
- Since every pan is slightly different, you may need to play around with the heat to obtain golden-colored crepes.
- If you try to flip your crepe too early, it will tear.
- The second side never seems to turn out as nice as the first. For this reason, when filling your crepes, place the first side facing down.
Variations
- For savory crepes, eliminate the sugar and replace the brandy with milk.
- Replace the brandy with any other liqueur like amaretto, cognac, rum, etc…
- For an alcohol-free version, replace the brandy with the same amount of milk.
FAQs
Yes, refrigerate the crepe batter in a mason jar one day in advance.
Refrigerate the crepes once they are cooked. Here’s how: allow to cool to room temperature, then stack, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to five days.
Yes. If planning to freeze crepes, separate each crepe, as you are stacking them, with a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Wrap with aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag and then in a large freezable, airtight container to prevent them from being crushed. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature.
It has often been said that crepes are a blank canvas for a multitude of toppings and fillings.
Strawberry crepes with whipped cream is a classic, as is spreading the crepe with strawberry jam. Have you ever considered sweet ricotta filling garnished with macerated strawberries? Or perhaps spreading a few tablespoons of chocolate hazelnut butter and topping it with a seasonal fresh fruit salad? As you can see, there really are infinite possibilities and it all starts with a simple crepe recipe.
Pancake recipes
If you are looking for American-style thick pancakes, be sure to try these soft and fluffy buttermilk pancakes. It’s a great weekend brunch recipe much like these oatmeal pancakes that are made with whole wheat flour.
Recipe inspiration
My mother would often make crespelle for special occasions. To this day, a few family favorites include a crepe lasagna and wrapping them around ricotta and spinach filling for delicious manicotti.
It was only as a teenager that I first tasted a sweet crepe at a restaurant called “The Magic Pan.” Does anyone remember this chain of crêpery?
I couldn’t believe the variety of dessert crepes! The strawberry crepes were definitely my favorite!
Over the years, I have tried to reproduce what I considered to be the best crepe recipe. I stopped searching when I found this basic crepe recipe from Epicurious.
As usual, I’ve decreased the amount of sugar and salt. If you have been here before, you know I will always try to substitute olive or vegetable oil whenever the recipe calls for butter. But the purists will be happy to know that I left the butter in this recipe, although I did reduce the amount.
Over the years, I have developed a method that speeds up the process of making crepes. I start the batter in a crepe pan. Then, when it’s time to turn it over, I flip it into another skillet. As the second side cooks, I begin to make another crepe. Once you get the hang of it, it makes the process a little faster.
Having a batch of frozen crepes is a lifesaver when unexpected guests arrive and you are short on time for dessert. It’s amazing what a little ice cream, cut-up fruit, frozen crêpes and 5 minutes can do.
Easy to make, convenient and versatile. That’s why you need to have a basic crepe recipe.
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this quick crepe recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Sweet Crepes Recipe – So Simple!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk room temperature
- 3 eggs room temperature, large
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted and cooled
- ½ cup brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour all-purpose, 142 grams
- melted butter for cooking
Instructions
- Combine the milk and eggs in a blender or food processor.
- At medium-high speed, blend until light and airy, about 15 seconds.
- Reduce the speed to low, remove the top feed, and add the sugar and salt with the blender running. Blend for 15 seconds.
- Then add the melted and cooled butter, brandy and pure vanilla extract through the top feed and blend for 15-30 seconds.
- Turn the blender off, add the flour and blend until smooth. If necessary, scrape down the sides.
- Chill the batter for 30 minutes.
Let's make crepes!
- Heat a large nonstick pan or an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. To test if the pan is hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water over the surface; if they sizzle and evaporate, the pan is hot enough.
- Brush lightly with melted butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour ¼ cup batter in the center of the pan; quickly lift the pan off the heat, tilting and swirling it in a circular motion, until there is a thin layer and it covers the entire bottom of the pan evenly. Return the pan to heat and continue to cook for another minute or so.
- Once the batter is thinly spread out in your pan, wait approximately 1 minute before flipping it. Physical cues that your thin crepe is ready to be turned include edges that begin to pull away from the side, crisp up and start to look lacy. The disappearance of a shiny gleam on the surface of the batter is another sign.
- Crepes are done when slightly browned. You may have to play with the heat if they brown too quickly.
- Before flipping the crepe, gently lift one edge of the crepe and look for light golden spots. That's another cue to flip. Cook for another 30 seconds or so until the underneath is golden and lightly browned.
- Transfer to your plate. Repeat this process for the rest of the crepe batter.
- Give the batter a quick whisk and repeat this process for the rest of the crepe batter.
- For a simple presentation, arrange decoratively on your platter, garnish with fresh fruit, a dusting of icing sugar and serve with sweet ricotta.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on May 22, 2015 and republished on April 20, 2021 with updated photos and content. Thanks for sharing!
Colette
Hi Maria, I’ve not tried the recipe yet, but with 1/2 c. Brandy, it’s got to be 5-stars. (My Mom’s recipe is almost identical to yours, but only 2 tsp. of Cognac.). All your filling suggestions are tantalizing (and I will try them!), but of course, as a French girl from Quebec, I always add a healthy dose of you-know-what – maple syrup 🙂
Thanks for all your amazing recipes, tips and secrets!!!
Maria
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to share Colette. I agree, you can’t go wrong with maple syrup.
Gail
Yum yum yum!
Perfect ration for dry to wet ingredients. I did not add the brandy but I did add orange zest. So good. This dough can be left in the fridge for a week, easy to make quick crepes for breakfast. Thanks for the perfect crepe recipe.
Maria
Wonderful to hear Gail! There is something so special about having crepes and a ton of fruit for breakfast. Appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙂
Sirena
Definitely trying this one! I love crepes!
Maria
Hi Sirena, Let me know what you think…thanks for the comment!!!