Authentic French Crêpes (Ready in 15 Minutes)
By Carine Claudepierre
Published on 03/25/2023
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This easy crêpe recipe makes thin and flexible crepes with a restaurant-level quality. It’s an easy recipe, made with simple ingredients, and ready in under 15 minutes. I’m a crepe fan because I’ve spent years making crepes in our family restaurants in the foothills of the Vosges mountains. So you can trust that this recipe has been tested many times over!
French crepes, anyone? You might have tried some of my other classic French desserts like my floating island dessert, my madeleines, or my croffles, so it’s time for the classic of the classics. I am a French girl born and raised in France, so I am a fan of authentic French recipes and truly French crepes.
It’s typically French to serve sweet crepes for breakfast or snacks. But, savory crepes are also served in the French Brittany region as a meal filled with eggs, ham, and cheese. However, savory crepes are made with different flour.
- Sweet Crepe Recipe – Thin, golden in color, and made of all-purpose white wheat flour.
- Savory Crepes – Thicker, heavier, grey-brown in color, and made of buckwheat flour. Try my buckwheat flour crepes to make a savory crepe recipe.
It’s very easy to make a crepe batter crepe. All you need are 6 ingredients, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a non-stick crepe pan.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Following is the full list of ingredients to make your perfect French crepe:
- All-Purpose Flour – Use white wheat flour. Other options are white spelt flour or white whole-wheat flour. For other flour options, try my Gluten-Free Crepes, Almond Flour Crepes, or Coconut Flour Crepes.
- Eggs – The classic recipe uses eggs. For a vegan version, try my vegan crepes.
- Whole Milk or skim milk for a lighter crepe. It will result in crispier crepes. You can also use dairy-free milk alternatives like almond milk, but it makes the crepes slightly crispier.
- Melted Butter – You can make crepes without butter. Simply replace with melted coconut oil or olive oil.
- Sugar or sugar-free alternatives like Monk fruit crystal sweetener or erythritol.
- Vanilla Essence – The crepe batter is flavored with vanilla extract or orange blossom flower water.
Making The Batter
- Add the flour, eggs, salt, vanilla extract, melted butter, and sugar into a large mixing bowl (photo 1).
- Use a whisk or an electric mixer to gradually beat the milk until a smooth batter forms with no lumps (photo 2). A crepe batter is always thinner than a pancake batter recipe, and that’s normal. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the non-stick crepe pan.
Spreading The Crepe Batter
- Oil the pan with an oil spray or melted butter (photo 3). It takes time and practice to perfectly tilt the pan in a circular motion to spread your batter evenly around the pan. First, I recommend pouring no more than 1/4 cup of crepe batter (photo 4). Next, make sure the crepe pan is very hot – preheat over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Then, tilt and swirl the pan in a circular motion at the same time you pour the batter – as you see me do in the picture above. The faster you tilt and rotate the pan, the better the crepe batter spread. As a result, it will cover the crepe pan surface with a thin layer that results in the most beautiful thin, and crispy French crepes.
- Once the crepe is lightly brown, use an offset spatula to loosen the sides and flip the crepe. Finally, keep cooking the crepe on the other side for 1 minute.
- Store the cooked crepes on a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
Carine’s Tips
What are the tricks on how to make a perfectly thin and crispy French crepe? Let me tell you my secrets.
- Choosing The French Crepe Pan – The skillet you use makes a big difference in how the crepe will cook and how thin you can spread the batter. You must use a non-stick pan for the best results. It will work in a regular pan, but you will never get such a thin crepe. Otherwise, use a pancake griddle, but it is more difficult to create beautiful round-shaped crepes on a griddle.
- How To Fold A French Crepe – After you cook the crepe, bring it to a plate, add fillings and toppings and fold it. Most French people roll their crepes, and we eat them with our fingers. Restaurant chefs folded crepes in a triangle shape. But whether you fold or roll, always add the fillings in the open crepes. Then put the crepe back into the pan to melt and warm the filling before folding and serving them. Here you go! You now know everything about authentic French crepes! However, don’t hesitate to ask me more by leaving a comment! I will love to help you design your best crepe parties!
Frequently Asked Questions
Find below my answers to the most common questions on this crepe recipe.
You can make the French Crepe Batter with a blender instead of using an electric beater. Make sure to blend on low or medium speed.
Yes, you can make this crepe recipe without a mixer, it works just as well with a hand whisk.
Making a crepe cake with this recipe is very simple! Stack eight to 10 crepes and add any of your favorite fillings in between them.
You can then top them up with fresh fruits and a raspberry jam.
This recipe is perfect when filled with sweet ingredients, but you can absolutely make a version with savory fillings for brunch.
Add spinach, pan-fried mushrooms, grilled chicken, tomato slices, and fresh cheese like ricotta for delicate savory crepes.
Each year on February 2 is what French people call ‘La Chandeleur’ – Candlemas in English – or the day when a whole country eats crepes!
It is a tradition, and most French families will eat French crepes for the occasion.
No one knows for sure why crepes are associated with a once-religious holiday, but there are a few hypotheses.
It is possible that crepes – essentially large and thin pancakes – symbolize a round, yellow sun coming back after the winter.
Another possibility is that it’s around that time that winter wheat harvests happen. If flour was made in too large batches, making crepes was a way to use it.
It is such a deeply rooted tradition that I still make crepes on that day even though I moved to New Zealand years ago. The tradition says that we must eat them only after 8 pm.
More Crêpe Recipes
If you like simple, healthy, authentic crepes recipes, you’ll also love these:
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French Crêpe Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup White Wheat Flour
- 3 Eggs
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract optional
- 1 teaspoon White Sugar optional
- 2 cups Milk
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter melted or vegetable oil of your choice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the flour, eggs, salt, vanilla extract, melted butter, and sugar if used.
- Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat in the milk gradually until a smooth batter forms with no lumps.
- Heat a lightly buttered crepe pan over medium/high heat.
- Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, then tip and rotate the pan to spread the batter as thinly as possible.
- Cook until lightly brown on both sides – about 1-2 minutes on each side and serve hot with your favorite fillings.
Notes
Want My Kitchen Equipment?
Nutrition
About The Author
Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, published author of a cookbook, and founder of Sweet As Honey.
I have an Accredited Certificate in Nutrition and Wellness obtained in 2014 from Well College Global (formerly Cadence Health). I'm passionate about sharing all my easy and tasty recipes that are both delicious and healthy. My expertise in the field comes from my background in chemistry and years of following a keto low-carb diet. But I'm also well versed in vegetarian and vegan cooking since my husband is vegan.
I now eat a more balanced diet where I alternate between keto and a Mediterranean Diet
Cooking and Baking is my true passion. In fact, I only share a small portion of my recipes on Sweet As Honey. Most of them are eaten by my husband and my two kids before I have time to take any pictures!
All my recipes are at least triple tested to make sure they work and I take pride in keeping them as accurate as possible.
Browse all my recipes with my Recipe Index.
I hope that you too find the recipes you love on Sweet As Honey!
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Loved this recipe, thank you!
Thank you!
Yes it is a great tasting recipe, very similar to what i make, and love it.
Thank you!!
So amazing
Thank you!!
Simple french crepes that satisfied my craving. Thanks!
Thank you!!
Growing up in the Northeast, my family always had crepes for an Easter and other special occasion breakfast. But the only topping we used was “real” maple syrup. My dad also added an extra egg to make them a bit moister. And in order for the cook (my dad) to also be able to eat them warm, when my mom had her fill she would take over and cook them for my dad.
Please consider an option which uses buckwheat flour
I already have a buckwheat crepe recipe!
Hi! I decided to try your crêpe recipe for British Pancake Day yesterday! The recipe worked very well but I did have to add a fair amount of milk more than the recipe suggested as it was too thick to spread! I am used to flours being different so it wasn’t difficult! Thank you, I think this will be my go to recipe from now on. Btw, they are always served with sugar and fresh lemon juice for Shrove Tuesday. They were delicious! 😋
can these crepes be frozen if done properly say with paper in between each.
I think so, I have to admit I never tried as the whole batch is either gone immediately or within a couple of days.
This is our go-to crepes recipe. Never fails!
Thank you!!!
Woke up and was just in the mood for some warm Crepes.. haven’t made them in years , I Googled French crepes and decided on your recipe. Absolutely THE BEST CREPES I HAVE EVER MADE OR TASTED!! WHAT A FABULOUS SUNDAY MORNING for me. You have a new follower ❤️😃
Owww, thank you so much!!!
I solved the issue of lumpy butter in my batter. I now let my eggs and milk sit out a bit to come to room temp so they’re not cold when I make it better.
Easy and delicious recipe
This recipe was so easy my 10 and 13-year-olds were able to make it this morning! And if you’ve never used sweetened condensed milk as a crepe topping, you are missing out – it was delicious!
These crepes came out wonderfully!
Thank you for the recipe.
Great recipe everyone loved them. Did mine with gin syrup and warm strawberries. Thank you for sharing Carine
Delicious and so easy! My only question is whether or not the recipe called for one tablespoon of vanilla essence and one teaspoon of sugar or the other way round – but I simply followed the recipe with no issues 🙂 my batter was a little lumpy and I was careful not to overmix it but I would 1000% make again!!!
Bonjour, si vous voulez des crêpes légères,mettez moitié eau moitié lait .
Et surtout laisser la pâte reposer quelques heures voir toute la nuit !
Finally found the original French recipe!!
I could not help myself making a dozen crepes and had them for lunch.
As a French, I am happy to read your comment!
IT IS A KEEPER. I added 1/4 cup more milk to my liking.
The flavour is great! But mine continually comes out chunky. Any tips?
Try putting it in a blender or adding more liquid by the way my name is Jaylah and I am a nine-year-old girl who is not a little you should try adding cinnamon to it. It is very very very good and sprinkle the cinnamon in the batter and after.
Add a touch more liquid and spread it faster on the pan – it thickens quickly when cooking.