Homemade French crêpes are so much fun and surprisingly easy to make using a simple blender batter and a nonstick skillet. They can go sweet or savory, depending on your preference!

Photography Credit: Sally Vargas

For a dish that seems so fancy, crepes are surprisingly easy to make at home. After all, they are just thin pancakes – but oh, what pancakes!

VIDEO! How To Make French Crêpes

Are Crêpes Really French?

The ancient origins of crêpes (which rhymes with “steps”) are found in Brittany on the coast of France, where their popularity spread to make them one of today’s most beloved national dishes. Crêpes can veer sweet or savory with plenty of filling options for either.

Forget about intimidating chef skills or fancy equipment. Crêpes require only patience. Once you get the hang of making them, there is no stopping you.

How to Make Crêpe Batter from Scratch

Whip up the smooth batter of eggs, flour, and milk in a blender for best results. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream when you begin cooking the crêpes. If it thickens too much while it sits, just stir in a bit more milk. (The flour will thicken the batter the longer it sits, just like with regular pancake batter.)

The batter can also be prepared and kept refrigerated for up to three days, and you can use it cold straight from the fridge.

Sweet or Savory Batter? Your Call!

The crêpes I’m making with this recipe are sweetened with sugar, but if you’d like to make them savory, just omit the sugar.

You could also experiment with adding other flours, such as a combination of white and whole wheat flour. Savory crêpes from Brittany are traditionally made with buckwheat flour! You may need to adjust the quantity of milk when working with whole grain flours to get the right consistency.

What Kind of Pan to Use for Crêpes

For the best results when making crêpes, use an 8- to 9-inch non-stick skillet or a seasoned crêpe pan. A stainless steel pan may present sticking problems unless it is very well seasoned. A seasoned cast-iron pan may work, but it is heavy and hard to manipulate quickly.

How To Make French Crêpes in 5 Steps!

The technique for making crêpes is simple:

Heat the pan over medium-high heat and rub it with butter from the end of a stick (to add flavor and color). Ladle about 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan, then immediately pick up the pan and tilt it to spread the batter over the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to the heat for one to two minutes, or just until the bottom of the crêpe is browned and the top surface looks set. Slide a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen the crêpe and flip it to the other side using either your fingers or the spatula. Another 30 seconds and your crêpe will be done.

As each crêpe is cooked, stack it on a plate with the others. Keep cooking until the batter is used, then eat!

How to Store Crêpes

Cooked and cooled crêpes can also be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to a week. Reheat them in the oven or in a hot pan before filling and serving.

What Kind of Filling Do You Use?

Now comes the fun part: the filling!

Hot from the pan, sweet crêpes can be simply slathered with butter and sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice. Or you could spread them with your favorite jam and roll up for a quick snack or breakfast treat.

Some more sweet decadent filling ideas include:

Sweetened ricotta and peaches

Mascarpone and berries

Nutella

Peanut butter or nut butter

Whipped cream and chocolate sauce

Vanilla ice cream and candied pecans with maple syrup.

Fill savory crêpes with any of these ideas:

Ham and cheese

Cooked asparagus and cheese

Mushrooms and shallots

Bacon and eggs

Brie and pear

Smoked fish and potatoes

The list goes on. And on.

If you can’t get to Paris and stop at every corner for a crêpe snack, you certainly can have your own little crêperie at home! Bon appetit!

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