How to Make Crêpes, Whether You Want Them Sweet or Savory

Crêpes may sound fancy, but making these thin French pancakes is easier than you might think. The basic batter takes only minutes to prepare and can be easily adjusted based on your mood, plus the filling possibilities are endless. Want to learn how to make crepes? Classic crêpes Suzette are served with a sauce of caramelized sugar, citrus zest, and a little liqueur, but it’s fun to experiment with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Go the dinner route and fill your crêpes with something savory like sautéed vegetables and cheese, or make them for dessert and fill them with chocolate and fruit. 

Once you’ve mastered the art of crêpe making, set up a crêpe bar at your next party! You and your friends will love mixing and matching toppings and fillings. Crêpes are best when they’re fresh and warm out of the pan, but they can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated (stack them with parchment between each so they don’t stick together). To reheat your crêpes, just warm them in the microwave, or wrap the stack in foil and heat in a 250˚ oven for a few minutes.

What do I need to make crêpes?

You only need a handful of ingredients to make crêpe batter—and you probably already have most of them on hand! You’ll just need flour, milk, eggs, salt and butter. From there, you’ll need to pick out your filling ingredients—or you can just eat the crêpes plain with a little melted butter and a sprinkle of sugar.

What should the consistency of the batter be?

Because crêpes don’t rise, the batter is much thinner than you may be used to—it’s not nearly as thick as pancake batter. It’s important that your batter is lump-free, so make sure you whisk it well or blend it in a food processor or blender for the best results.

Do I need a special pan to make crêpes?

You can buy a crêpe pan with a cute little wooden tool to spread your batter, but any nonstick skillet works well too—you don’t want the crêpes to stick to the bottom of the pan. The batter is easy to make, but the only tricky part about making crêpes is flipping them. As most French cooks will tell you, the first crêpe is never quite right… but that just means you can eat it before starting on the others! Don’t beat yourself up if your crêpes are not perfect at first—it takes time to get the hang of it.

Are crêpes the same as pancakes?

Crêpes look very different from your usual short stack—they’re France’s thin, lacy version of pancakes. Crêpes don’t contain a leavener (baking soda or baking powder) like regular pancakes, so they don’t puff up at all when cooked.

How do I make a sweet or savory crêpe?

Just add a little extra something to your batter like a pinch of pepper or spices for savory versions, or stir in some sugar or vanilla for sweet crêpes. Then stuff the crêpes with savory or sweet fillings like herbed ricotta or chocolate sauce.