Simple And Delicious Homemade Crepes

If you’ve never made homemade crepes before, you’re in for a treat! Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

Birthdays are big in our house. Well, I make them big anyway.

Everyone gets to choose the birthday dinner and the type of cake … and I’ll make it. We’ve done everything from Peach Cake to homemade bagel dogs to pasta with carbonara and more.

Thursday was my birthday. So of course I got breakfast in bed. Well, I at least had breakfast made for me. Ok ok ok, so I had to make my own special birthday breakfast.

That’s ok, because it was worth it.

Do I need a crepe pan?

I have an actual crepe pan, which is nonstick and very shallow. To make the best crepes, you really do need a crepe pan.

They’re generally under $25 and make a big difference in your crepes. Because they have a low edge, you can more easily turn your crepe without ripping it.

They’re designed to quickly and evenly cook your crepe at a higher temperature than most pans do.

However, if you don’t have a crepe pan, you can use a frying pan, but try to use the shallowest one that you own.

Or you can get super fancy and buy a crepe maker that’s a flat surface with the wooden tools, just like the professionals use but on a home chef level. I may have one on my wish list….

Why do I need to refrigerate my crepe batter?

Just like pasta, crepe batter needs to rest after you mix it up. (Did you know pancake batter also benefits from sitting for a half hour or so?)

Flour has gluten that forms strands when you mix it up after it’s wet. The more  you mix it, the stronger those strands become, which is great for bread but not so much for crepes.

To have tender crepes, you want to let your batter rest. The resting lets those gluten strands relax again so that you have the texture you want in your crepes.

If you oops and don’t have time to refrigerate your batter for a half hour, you can still make the crepes. Just know that the texture of them won’t be quite the same.

What are the best crepe fillings?

These crepes work great for both sweet and savory homemade crepes. With no sugar in the batter, you can go either way and be happy.

I love spinach crepes, and a curried chicken crepe tastes lovely, as well. Or go with ham and cheese or goat cheese with tomato. The world – or the crepe – is your oyster.

On the sweet side, my family suggests Nutella or Nutella with sliced bananas, their two favorites. We also do cinnamon apple crepes regularly, too.

Other ideas? Cherry preserves, cherry preserves with Nutella, blueberry syrup, maple syrup, maple syrup with bananas, bananas with Nutella and whipped cream.

Whatever your filling, place it in the center of the crepe in a line from one end to the other. Carefully fold the crepe over the line, then roll it up.

Alternatively, place the filling in a quarter of the crepe, fold it in half, the fold it in half again to make pretty quarters.

Can I save crepes for later?

You can. Homemade crepes actually freeze really well. If you have the time, make a double or triple batch and save the rest for later.

Any crepes you don’t plan to eat immediately will stick together.

The solution? Wax paper. Just layer the crepes in wax paper if you plan to eat them later.

If you freeze them, place them in a plastic bag and remove all the air. They will freeze for up to a month.

To thaw them, remove them from the plastic bag and let them thaw on the counter for an hour or two. Remove them from the wax paper and gently reheat in the oven at 200 degrees for a couple minutes.

How to Make Homemade Crepes

Place all the ingredients into a blender – the eggs, flour, milk, salt, and melted butter. Turn it on, starting at low and moving it up until it’s blended.

This will take only a few seconds. You want it completely mixed but don’t want to keep mixing it so that you don’t have tough gluten filled crepes.

Crepes have an extremely thin batter. Don’t panic that it’s too thin. Trust me.

Once you have the mixture blended, stick it in the fridge for a half hour or so (or do it overnight – covered – if you want to have homemade crepes when you first wake up).

Heat the crepe pan on medium heat, and use a pastry brush to add just a little oil to the pan so that your crepes don’t stick. With my pan, I have to brush it once (and this is just a tiny tiny bit of oil) and never again for a batch. Depending on your pan, you may need to reoil it as you go.

The more you take care of your pan, the less you’ll need to add any oil to it. That means, hand wash only so don’t dream of putting it in your dishwasher.

I always use a measuring cup to do my crepes. I dip a one-third cup measure into the batter then pour it in a circle at the center of the pan.

Immediately, you must pick up the pan and twirl it in a circle. Don’t do it slowly, or your batter will cook where it is an not spread across the entire pan.

That doesn’t mean you have to toss the crepe, but your goal is to have it reach the full circle. It takes a little practice, but you’ll get it. Once you’ve twirled it and had the batter cover the entire pan, place it back on the stove and let it cook.

It will take only a minute or so to cook on the first side. You’ll know it’s ready when you see the edges start to get almost crispy and begin to pull away from the edge a little.

I use a wooden fork to flip my crepes, as it’s the easiest and most effective tool I’ve found. Use a tine of the fork to pull the edge of the crepe away from the pan, then slide the fork under it (use your fingers to hold the crepe in place, as needed) and lift.

Flip it over, then let it cook on the other side for another thirty to forty-five seconds.

Remove the crepe to a plate and decide what you’re going to fill it with.

Serve immediately.

Have you ever tried making homemade crepes?

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Enjoy this article? Please share it and save it for later!