Perfect Homemade French Crepes for Sweet & Savory

Crepes aren’t just a dessert, they’re more like a blank canvas where you can create a thousand and one different dishes. You can simply spread them with jam or fill them with fresh fruit for a quick sweet treat, or go the savory route with cheese, ham, or sausage to make a proper meal, think of them like a flexible tortilla with a petit French flair.

But here’s where it gets really fun ;D you can stack them high and layer each one with chocolate or whipped cream to literally make a crepe cake, fold them into triangles like fancy sandwiches, or roll them up, it’s really up to your taste and imagination. This is why I’m sharing this classic, foolproof base recipe below. The beautiful thing about this recipe is that it works perfectly for both sweet and savory crepes, the magic is all in the filling you choose.

This is a fantastic all-around recipe for crepes that’s incredibly versatile. You can make a big batch and use them for both desserts and savory dishes throughout the week. Once you’ve made them, you can even freeze them with parchment paper between each crepe and just defrost what you need, they keep beautifully and are ready whenever a craving strikes! Lets check the recipe!

Perfect Homemade French Crepes for Sweet & Savory

Servings: 20
Time: 1hr 45mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Who doesnt love french crepes, these thin, golden beauties are basically the Swiss Army knife of the breakfast world hehehehe.

Ingredients

Butter – 42g (Softened)
Flour – 125g
Sugar – 1 Teaspoon
Semi-Skimmed Milk – 180ml (at Room Temperature)
Water – 120ml (at Room Temperature)
Eggs – 2 L (at Room Temperature)
Salt – A Pinch
Butter – For Greasing

Directions

You can do everything in a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer or a hand blender. Put the butter, flour, sugar, semi-skimmed milk, water, eggs, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk everything well until you have a creamy mixture.
Leave the mixture to rest for at least 1 hour so that it becomes smooth and homogeneous.
Use a good non-stick frying pan and grease it with butter (you can brush it on, but I like to use a small piece of kitchen paper with butter, rubbing it all over the pan so that it is well greased without any excess and then I can use the same piece to keep greased kichen paper to grease between each crepe).
Over medium heat, pour in a soup ladle or big spoon full of batter, which should not cover the bottom. you have to tilt the pan until it is completely covered. You want the batter to be as thin as possible. If there are too many holes, it means you need a slightly larger spoon or you need to add a little more batter (you can always add a little more to cover the holes). In my case, I already have the perfect spoon for that exact frying pan, so you’ll have to adjust until you find the right one for you, so you can make them with your eyes closed always the same perfect amount.

After a little over a minute, the crepe will start to loosen at the edges and come away from the pan. You can see underneath without turning it over. When it is golden brown, after 2 to 3 minutes, turn it over and cook the other side until golden brown.
Remove the crepe, taste it (always taste the first one), adjust the batter if necessary, grease the pan again, and repeat the process until you have no more batter. That’s it. ;D

Notes:

Temperature Matters: Use semi-skimmed milk (1.5-2% fat) – skim milk isn’t ideal, but whole milk tends to create thicker crepes. Semi-skimmed is the sweet spot here.
Don’t Add Extra Sugar: The batter already has a touch of sugar, but you shouldn’t taste sweetness in the final crepe. You want it neutral so it doesn’t become cloying with sweet fillings.
Keep the Salt: It’s just a pinch, but it makes all the difference in bringing out the flavor.
Use Vanilla for Sweet Crepes: If you’re planning to serve these with sweet fillings like chocolate or honey, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter. Skip it if you’re going savory.
Room Temperature Everything: This helps create that smooth, creamy, consistent batter you’re after. Take your butter, eggs, and milk out of the fridge about 2 hours before making crepes.
Let the Batter Rest: Not absolutely essential, but I always let it sit for 1 hour – it’s one more thing that helps create that perfectly smooth, homogeneous cream.
The First Crepe is for the Cook: It never turns out perfect for one reason or another, so use this first one to adjust your pan temperature and taste-test for seasoning.
Don’t Flip Multiple Times: Pour the batter, let it start to release, then check with a spatula if you’re not sure. When it’s golden, flip once, cook the other side, and remove.
Layer with Parchment: If you’re not serving immediately, place parchment paper between each crepe to prevent sticking – especially important if you’re freezing or filling them later.
Freezer-Friendly: Crepes freeze remarkably well when layered with parchment paper. To use, just thaw in the fridge and then warm in a dry pan or microwave for a few seconds.
Perfect Fillings: Sweet options include sugar and cinnamon, strawberries and whipped cream, bananas and Nutella, or simple honey. For savory, try ham and cheese, mushroom sauté, scrambled eggs with sour cream, or cream cheese with smoked salmon and dill.

This recipe for Perfect Homemade French Crepes for Sweet & Savory was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Como Fazer Crepes Clássicos foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.