Japanese Crepes

These Japanese Crepes are thin, large pancakes served in a cone shape and perfect eaten as an on-the-go sweet treat. They are filled with freshly whipped cream, berries and chocolate sauce for a delicious sweet dessert.

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I have a passion for crepe recipes, and as a French woman, I make crepes all the time. When I don’t cook my French crepes recipe, chocolate crepes, or crepes Suzette, I like to make these Japanese street crepes. They are a bit different from French crepes in that they are crispier, containing fewer egg yolks and more egg whites.

As a result, they are perfect for serving in a cone shape, and less soft than a French crepe. In addition, they carry the filling easier.

Japanese crepes, also known as Japanese street crepes, are popular sweet treat foods in Japan. They’re a large, thin pancake filled with cream, berries, ice cream, or chocolate sauce and rolled into a cone shape. It’s a bit like eating ice cream, but the filling is in the crepe instead of an ice cream cone.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make these delicious Japanese style crepes, you need:

• All-Purpose Flour – or cake flour, or any white flour you have at home, including gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Eggs – Prefer free-range eggs for a better taste.
• Egg Whites – Keep the yolks for another recipe.
• Milk – or any other plant-based milk alternative.
• Sugar – use sugar-free crystal sweeteners for a sugar-free version.
• Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
• Melted Butter – to cook the crepes.

How To Make Japanese Crepes

Everyone loves street food, especially when it comes to Japanese desserts like these thin crepes. So let me share my secrets to making them perfect every time.

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a hand whisk, whisk the mixture to combine.
2. Whisk the eggs and egg whites in another bowl. Set aside.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the beaten eggs, half the milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
4. Whisk while you gradually add the remaining milk. The batter should be smooth and thin. If some small lumps form, it’s ok.
5. Preheat a crepe pan or a pancake griddle over medium heat. Use a piece of absorbent paper to rub some butter or oil all over the surface.
6. When the pan is hot, scoop out the crepe batter in the center of the pre-heated pan.
7. Then tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter evenly on the surface.
8. After one minute, the edges start to turn golden brown and crisp. Lift the edges of the crepe using a flat spatula and slide under the crepe gently.
9. Quickly flip the crepe and cook for another minute on the other side. The crepe should show small, round, brown spots.
10. Remove the crepe from the heat and let it cool down on a plate. As the crepes stand at room temperature on the plate, they cool down. To keep them warm, foil the plate while you cook the remaining Japanese crepes.

Serving Suggestions

The particularity of Japanese crepes is their filling and folding. Most Japanese street crepes are filled with whipped cream, strawberries, and chocolate sauce. While you can see different fillings, the freshly whipped cream is often the base.

Other ideas of filling are:

• Banana Slices
• Nutella
• Jam
• Blueberries

Folding In A Cone Shape

Japanese fold crepe mimic cone shapes, like ice cream cones. To fold and fill them, add the filling as seen below.

1. Fold the crepe in half so you end up with a half-moon shape.
2. Then, fold them again, They will look like a large triangle. Next, fold again into a smaller triangle.
3. Roll the bottom of the cones into parchment paper so it holds well when filled.
4. Hold it in your hand like an ice cream cone, and you will see the layers of crepes opening.
5. Then, fill the cone with whipped cream, berry slices, and melted chocolate.

Storage Instructions

Crepes contain eggs and dairy, so they must be stored in the fridge, preferably on a plate covered with foil to prevent their sides from drying out. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To freeze crepes, it’s preferable to not fill the crepes and separate them with a piece of parchment paper so they don’t stick to each other.

Allergy Swaps

Below are some ideas to make these crepes if you have food allergies:

• Dairy-Free – Any plant-based milk works, like almond milk or coconut milk. Swap butter for melted coconut oil or any vegetable oil you like.
• Egg-Free – Feel free to use my vegan crepe recipe to make egg-free crepes.
• Sugar-Free – Swap sugar for any sugar-free crystal sweetener like erythritol.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are my answers to your most common questions about this recipe.

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