Name: My Favourite French Crêpes
Prep time: PT-962010H26M42S
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 3/4 (260g) all purpose flour; 1/4 tsp salt; 3 eggs (room temperature); 2 1/2 cups 2% milk (room temperature); 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

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These classic French crêpes are buttery, tender, thin and incredibly easy to make! This recipe is also versatile and works well for savoury or sweet crêpes so you can enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert!

Today is “la chandeleur” (aka. crêpe day) in France so I could not not share with you my favourite French crêpe recipe! I absolutely adore crêpes and have to eat some every time I go home. I always order two; one savoury and one sweet. Thanks to this recipe you can now recreate authentic crêpes at home with just 5 basic ingredients!

The best part about this recipe is its versatility – it works great for both savoury and sweet crêpes. In this post, I also share some savoury and sweet topping ideas and how to lightly sweeten the batter if you only want sweet crêpes. I have no doubt in my mind that this foolproof recipe will become a staple in your home! Enjoy!

WHAT ARE CRÊPES?

Crêpes are like a thin and flat pancake but should not be confused with pancakes! Crêpes are made without a leavening agent, which keeps the batter thin and more liquid. The batter also needs to rest for at least one hour for the flour to be fully hydrated and obtain thin tender crêpes that do not tear apart when you flip them.

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS EASY CRÊPES RECIPE:

Milk: it allows for the flour to be hydrated and gives a tender texture to the crêpes. I use 2% milk.
Eggs: they are your binding agent.
Butter: this recipe calls for melted unsalted butter. It gives flavour to the crêpes, keeps them tender and prevents them sticking to the pan.
Flour: it is the main component of this recipe. I use all purpose flour. I have not tested any other type of flours and thus, would not recommend substituting.
Salt

WHAT IF I WANT SWEET CRÊPES?

This is completely optional, but if you are going to be using this crêpe batter to only make sweet crêpes and you would like your crêpes on their own to taste sweeter, you can add granulated sugar and some vanilla extract. Please see the note section of the recipe card for the exact quantities.

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH CRÊPES:

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and the milk well. Add the melted butter and whisk again. In the dry ingredients bowl, make a well in the centre and slowly start pouring the wet ingredients and whisking at the same time. Continue doing so until all the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rest for 1 hour in the fridge (or overnight).

Remove the batter from the fridge and whisk it again. Heat a crêpe pan or non-stick frying pan on low-medium heat and slightly grease it with melted butter (with the help of a paper towel). Pour some batter in the middle of the pan and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly throughout. Cook until the edges are set and using a spatula, gently flip the crêpe. Cook until the other side is slightly golden brown. Transfer the crêpe onto a plate and repeat the process.

Pile all your crêpes on top of each other to keep them warm and prevent them from drying out. Serve warm with all your favourite toppings!

A FEW TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT CRÊPES:

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature and that the melted butter is cooled so that all the ingredients incorporate well.
If your batter is lumpy, transfer it to a blender or use an immersion blender to smooth it out. You could also use a sieve to simply remove the small lumps.
Do not skip the resting period in the fridge! It allows for the flour to be properly hydrated and will yield softer crêpes.

SOME TOPPING IDEAS TO PAIR WITH THESE CRÊPES:

Here are a few ideas for some savoury and sweet toppings to put on your crêpes, but be creative and top them with whatever your heart desires! If you have some favourite toppings, share them in the comments below!

For some savoury crêpes:

Ham, cheese and egg
Chicken, spinach and cheese
Leeks, cheese and egg
Hot dog and cheese (don’t judge until you’ve tried it!)

For some sweet crêpes:

Nutella with strawberries and banana (my favourite for sure!)
Melted chocolate (be extra and use dark, milk and white chocolate)
Lemon juice and “cassonade” (a coarse brown cane sugar essentially)
Peanut butter and Nutella
Jam (check out my strawberry chia jam)
Salted caramel (check out my homemade salted caramel)
Whipped cream

HOW TO STORE CRÊPES?

Once the crêpes are baked and piled up on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and store the crêpes at room temperature for 48 hours or in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you want to warm them up, simply microwave them for 10-15 seconds.

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If you make these crêpes, leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the tag @mapleetchocolat and/or #mapleetchocolat 🙂 Don’t have time to make the recipe now? Pin it for later by clicking on any of the pictures above!