Perfect Crepes Recipe

Whether you're one of those people who loves "savory" for breakfast or one of those people who opts for "sweet" instead, there's one thing that can unite everyone — a great crepe. Crepes are one of the most popular breakfast dishes you can make, and there's a good reason for it: They're delicious. Simply load up the crepes with your favorite toppings, and it's one of the best breakfasts you can have. Like a little bit of salt? Add some ham and cheese. Want something a little sweeter? Just add a dollop of chocolate hazelnut spread. The possibilities are endless! 

Recipe developer Jennine Rye of The Marshside Pantry came up with this quick and easy recipe that's perfect for your next brunch. "I love how straightforward it is and also how reliable it is. I've never had a crepe fail with this, and it works with all different kinds of flour and also different kinds of milk too. So it's really versatile," Bryant shares. "If you can't drink cow's milk or don't have any in the house, feel free to swap it out with almond milk or another alternative. It still makes great crepes!"

Ready to get things started? Grab some all-purpose flour, large eggs, whole milk (or a plant-based alternative), water, salt, and butter.

Once you have those few ingredients, you can get started on these perfect crepes.

For this step, you will need a large bowl. Go ahead and add the flour (sift it into the bowl) and salt. Then, crack the eggs one at a time and beat them using a whisk. Continue whisking until a smooth paste forms.

Next, gradually whisk in the milk and water — just a little at a time. Continue whisking until the mixture gets smooth and silky. There shouldn't be any lumps.

Pop the bowl of batter into the fridge and chill it for at least an hour. Alternatively, you can let it chill overnight. Don't remove the batter from the fridge until you are ready to make the crepes; a chilled and rested batter is best for cooking. 

Place either a crepe pan or a heavy-bottomed skillet on your stove. Turn the heat to medium-high and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Once the butter finishes melting, pour it into the crepe batter and whisk quickly to incorporate the butter into the batter. This last-minute addition to the batter, Rye says, "results in beautifully textured crepes that cook so well in the pan."

Once the pan is hot (but not smoking), add about ¼ cup of batter to it. Gently twist the pan around to spread the batter across the base, making an even crepe. Cook it for 1 to 2 minutes.

When the crepe starts to slide around easily, that means that it's ready to be flipped. Rye recommends using a wide spatula to flip the crepe and avoid it splitting.

Cook the crepes for about half the time on the second side. Then, remove the crepe from the pan and let it rest on a plate while you cook the rest of the batch. Be sure to lather up the pan with some butter between each crepe.

Now that you have finished cooking all the crepes, it's time to get a knife and fork and dig in! You can serve these crepes plain or jazz them up with some of Rye's (many) suggestions. "Savory options that I love are fried mushrooms with ham and gruyere cheese, or spinach, chorizo, and cheese," she shares. Looking for something on the sweeter side? "A classic sweet option in England is simply lemon and some granulated sugar, or lemon and cream. I love mine packed full of fresh fruit and drizzled with honey. Nutella is always a firm favorite too!"

Anything left? They will stay good for 3 days! "They should be wrapped up or kept in an airtight container so that they don't dry out," Rye advises. "They reheat well in the microwave or can be reheated in a skillet on low heat."