Recipes > Basic Crêpe Batter
Prepare golden, ultra-thin crêpes with this basic batter.
Kimberley Slobodian
- Serves: 12 crepes
- Active Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Views: 71,896
- Success Rating: 75% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Making the Batter
- 250 ml whole milk (1 cup)
- 1 large egg
- 85 g all-purpose flour (approx. 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 g unsalted butter, melted (1/2 tbsp)
Method
Before starting, make sure the milk and egg have come to room temperature.
Measure out the flour and then sift it into a medium-sized bowl. Add the salt and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a fork until smooth. Add about one-third of the milk and evenly mix.
Pour the mixture into the flour and gently whisk to form a smooth paste. Add the remaining milk in two parts, whisking gently to create a smooth batter. Add the melted butter (see note below). Let the batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature prior to cooking.
Note: Before adding the melted butter, make sure the mixture is at room temperature; otherwise, the butter will solidify and make the batter grainy. You can also add the melted butter after the batter has rested and come to room temperature.
Step 2: Cooking the Crêpes
Method
To cook the crêpes, heat a crepe pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with the butter.
Pour enough batter into the pan and swirl to evenly coat the surface. Cook the crêpe until it begins to bubble and the edges begin to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until it no longer sticks. Transfer to a platter and continue with the rest of the batter.
Use the crêpes as desired or store them for future use. The number of crêpes will vary based on the size of the pan you choose to use.
21 Comments
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Does anyone know if you can make this batter the night before and keep it in the fridge for use the next morning? I'm concerned the butter/egg might solidify or the mixture will split whilst in the fridge? Any hints and tips greatly appreciated as I'm going on a ski weekend and I want to impress with the ham egg and cheese crepe! -
Rouxbe Staff
Yes, you can do this the night before, just be sure to let it warm up just a bit (10 minutes on the counter will suffice) and stir to incorporate before preparing the crepes. Enjoy! -
Can I substitute almond or soy milk for dairy? Thanks! -
Rouxbe Staff
You sure can, just be sure to taste and re-season as needed. Almond may be a better option for crepes. ~Ken
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Am I the only one not able to get 12 out of this recipe? I guess my batter is too thick
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Rouxbe Staff
Yes, the batter may be too thick or you may be adding a bit too much batter to the pan to make each crepe. ~Ken
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I am about to cook the basic batter and I am wandering if I can substitute the egg for something else? -
We have not experimented with taking out the egg in this recipe. You could try using some sort of egg replacer, but the results will ultimately be somewhat different then crepes made using the typical egg recipe. You could also try making these gluten and dairy-free crepes, but they are not quite the same either. I also just did a quick online search and found this recipe for non-dairy and egg-free crepes. Here is a link to the English version of the video that is there as well. You will need to translate the recipe though, as it's in French (but Google translate will do that for you). She uses applesauce instead of eggs. Hope that helps. Cheers! -
Thanks for your time and response
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Hey all! I have a few family members that are vegan, and I've been doing a good amount of experimentation with this recipe to try to make vegan crepes (I've also tried the recipe Dawn found above with similar results). The main thing I'm having trouble with is browning - after about 3 batches I think I have the temperature correct, which got me thinking about what else could play into browning, i.e. caramelization vs maillard. Addition of milk powder seemed to help, so I'm thinking it is more the latter. Am I correct about this, and do you guys have any thoughts for some vegan sources of protein I could add? Sorry for the long message and thanks for any help in advance...
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Raj- I'm not sure what issue you are having with browning. Is it browning too fast? or not enough? If too fast, then the pan should not be quite as hot or the formula needs to be adjusted to be thinner (thick crepes tend to brown more since they require longer cooking. As for protein, you can add any number of things like ground hemp protein or pea protein. A bit of finely ground flax (~2 tsp) is also a nice addition. ~Ken
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Wondering if almond flour can be used instead of flour?
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Hi Julie - great question and yes, you can used Almond Flour. We have a tradition in our home and that is to make crepes every Sunday morning. Most of the time I make my mother's traditional recipe but now and again the kids ask for a "change" and that "change" typically includes using Almond Flour or Whole Wheat Flour or even Millet Flour. Have fun exploring and thanks for learning with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk -
It is quite tricky to get the crepes right (temp of pan, amount and viscosity of batter, etc.), but I like the challenge! If I want to double the amount, do I also take two eggs? I remember that some baking recipes do not call for a doubling of egg while the other ingredients are doubled. -
Hi Camile and thanks for your question. So I've made this recipe 1,000 times (every Sunday morning for the kiddos) and as they get older, they are able to have more and more! So to be honest, I've trippled this recipe on occasion! The key is the size of your eggs. Whether your eggs are large vs. small makes a difference. So for me, I've had great luck with 3 large eggs, 3 cups of milk and 2 cups of flour (same amount of salt and butter - and for the record, I always add a splash of sugar - our secret!). So the short answer is yes, you can add a second egg when you double the recipe! Have fun and thanks for cooking with Rouxbe!!! Chef Kirk
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Thank you, Chef Kirk. Looking forward to making the next batch!
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The recipe is just simply amaizing! Thank you ROUXBE guys! -
Hello, can the crêpes be prepared the day before? I would like to have the crêpes ready so that the next day I can make crêpes suzette with them. If so, can you please let me know how can I best store them? Thank you! -
Hi Juliana, Yes! You can prepare the crêpe batter or the crêpes themselves ahead of time. If the batter, you can do it the day ahead (I wouldn't hold it more than one day) make it up to just before (without) adding the melted butter and refrigerate. Then, next day, pull out the batter and let come to room temperature before adding the melted butter and proceed with the recipe. If you want to cook the crêpes ahead of time, you can do that too. As you finish each crêpe, stack them with a piece of parchment paper (cut into smaller, crêpe sized, squares) in between each. Once all have cooled to room temperature, wrap the stack tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze. Hope that was helpful! Cheers, Sandy -
I am planning on using this recipe in my Science class. Do you know if cook without letting the batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
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Hi Tamara, Cooking the batter too soon will have an effect on the hydration of the flour and the final texture of the crepes. That being said, it can be done and won't, by any means, be catastrophic! Good luck. Cheers, Sandy
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