Basic Crepes

From the kitchen of Carly

Thin, delicate crepes that come together in minutes once the batter rests. Cook them until the edges turn golden and crisp, then load them up with whipped cream, jam, or silky chocolate sauce for an elegant breakfast or dessert.

Basic Crepes

Crepes live or die by two things: rest and heat. A chilled batter sets up thin and tender instead of rubbery, and a properly hot skillet gets the edges crispy and lacy while the center stays soft. Once you nail the swirl, you've got an elegant canvas for whatever you're in the mood for, sweet or savory. This recipe rolls out a classic French technique without fussing.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 4 largeeggs, room temperature
  • 2 1/3 cupwhole milk
  • 2/3 cupsugar
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 2 1/3 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tspkosher salt
  • 4 tbspunsalted butter, melted
  • 1Suzette Sauce and Milk Chocolate Sauce
  • 1whipped cream
  • 1and/or jam

Instructions

  1. Combine the eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a blender and run it until the mixture is smooth and frothy. Drop in the flour and salt, then blend just until incorporated. Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

  2. Set a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brush it lightly with butter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, tilting and swirling immediately so it spreads into an even layer across the bottom. Let the crepe cook until bubbles dot the surface and the edges turn golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Slide a spatula under the crepe to loosen it, then flip carefully. Give it another 15 seconds on the second side until a few brown spots appear, then transfer to a plate. Tent loosely with foil to keep it warm while you work through the rest of the batter, brushing the pan with butter between each crepe.

  3. Plate the crepes and pass Suzette Sauce, Milk Chocolate Sauce, whipped cream, and jam alongside for serving.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Room temperature eggs blend smoother and incorporate air better than cold ones, which means lighter, more delicate crepes. Don't skip this. A fully charged blender takes less than a minute to get you there.
  • Chilling the batter for at least an hour relaxes the gluten and lets the flour fully hydrate, so your crepes cook through evenly without tearing. You can make the batter the night before.
  • The first crepe is always a test run. Use it to dial in your heat and swirl technique. If the skillet's too hot, the bottom browns before the top sets. If it's too cool, you get a thick, tough crepe.
  • Don't cook crepes much longer than 3 minutes on the first side or they dry out. Flip fast, cook the back just enough to set it, and get them stacked. Resting in foil keeps them pliable.

Variations

  • Buckwheat crepes: swap half the all-purpose flour for buckwheat flour and dial back the sugar to 1/2 cup for an earthy, nutty crepe that pairs well with savory fillings and eggs.
  • Orange crepes: add 2 tablespoons of orange zest and 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier or cognac to the batter for a classic French edge that sings with caramelized sugar and butter.
  • Brown butter crepes: swap the melted butter for brown butter and add a pinch of nutmeg to the batter for a deeper, nuttier flavor that doesn't need much more than jam or cream.
  • Almond crepes: replace 1/3 cup of the flour with almond flour and bump the vanilla to 1.5 teaspoons for a delicate, slightly sweet crepe that works for breakfast or dessert.

Make ahead and storage

Stack finished crepes on a plate lined with parchment to prevent sticking, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to a month, wrapped the same way. Thaw at room temperature before serving, or warm briefly in a dry skillet.