Food Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast Breads & Pastries This Basic Crêpe Recipe Is Our Go-To for Savory Brunches and Sweet Desserts 5.0 (4) 3 Reviews These delicate, classic crêpes have just a small amount of sugar, making them well suited for either sweet or savory recipes. By Maricel Presilla Maricel Presilla Maricel Presilla is an award-winning chef, author, and culinary historian. A well-known expert on Latin American cuisines, capsicums, cacao, and chocolate, Presilla has published several highly lauded books, including The New Taste of Chocolate (2001, 2009), Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America (2012), and Peppers of the Americas (2017). Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 14, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Yield: 16 to 18 crêpes Wondering how to make the perfect crêpes? This simple recipe works for both sweet and savory variations, making it perfect as a go-to in your kitchen. Whether you are making a savory brunch dish like Spinach Cannelloni with Bacon and Walnuts or sweet Crêpes Suzette, here's how to make these delicious crêpes. The 8 Best Crepe Makers, According to an Expert Pastry Chef and Our Tests Frequently asked questions What are crêpes? Crêpes are very thin pancakes that are light in the center, and have crispy, buttery edges. They are often rolled and filled with sweet or savory ingredients — everything from fruit, nuts, and chocolate, to ham, cheese, chicken, and leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. How do you make crêpes? Crêpes have a short ingredient list: flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and salt. The batter comes together quickly when whisked in a bowl or mixed in a blender. To cook crêpes, melt a little butter in a small crêpe pan or nonstick skillet, then ladle just a few tablespoons of batter into the pan. Tilt the pan so the batter coats the bottom completely, then let the crêpe cook just until lightly browned on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Use a small spatula to flip it over, and then cook for a few seconds on the other side before sliding the crêpe out of the pan. If you need to stack crêpes, place a piece of parchment paper in between each crêpe so they don't stick together. Can you make crêpes in advance? You can make crêpe batter the night before you need to use it; just whisk it before cooking the crêpes. Cooked crêpes can be frozen; thaw before using. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen The key to making light, delicate crêpes is to let the batter rest for an hour after mixing it and before you cook the crêpes. This allows the flour, milk, and eggs to fully meld, so that the flour is fully hydrated. Ingredients 4 large eggs 1 1/4 cups milk 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar Pinch of salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, plus more for cooking Directions Crack eggs into a medium bowl, and whisk in 1/2 cup of the milk and sugar and salt until combined. Whisk in flour until batter is smooth. Whisk the remaining 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of melted butter into the batter. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat a 7-inch crêpe pan over moderate heat and brush with melted butter. Pour 3 tablespoons of the crêpe batter into the pan and immediately rotate the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Cook the crêpe until lightly browned on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Flip the crêpe and cook until brown dots appear on the second side, about 10 seconds longer. Transfer each of the crêpes to a large plate as it is cooked. Continue making crêpes with the remaining batter, adding melted butter as needed, to make 16 to 18 crêpes. Originally appeared: May 2003 Rate It Print