Simple 3-Ingredient Crepes - Chelsea Dishes (2024)

This easy 3-ingredient crepe recipe feels way fancier than it is. With some simple ingredients, a frying pan, and my crepe-making pro tips, you’ll have a stack of gorgeous crepes ready for sweet or savory toppings. Make them for a crowd and wow everyone at your next brunch… or just make them for yourself as a special weekend treat!

Why I Love This Recipe

I love cooking dishes that make me feel super fancy without requiring any fancy ingredients or a ton of time. This recipe for 3-ingredient crepes recipe has a short and simple ingredient list, which makes it easy and affordable. I’d be willing to bet you have everything you need already on hand!

Crepes may seem intimidating (they’re French, for goodness sake!) but I promise they’re not difficult to make. They have almost the same basic ingredients as pancakes, but with more liquid and no leavening agents. The preparation method is almost the same as pancakes too, but crepe batter is spread thinner.

I’m going to guess you’ve made pancakes before, so you can totally do this! (I believe in you.)

This basic crepe recipe has a neutral flavor, so it can go sweet or savory depending on what toppings or fillings you add. You can use whatever you have on hand!

Cultural Notes

Although crepes are enjoyed all over France and beyond, this dish originated in the Bretagne region (also referred to as Brittany) on the northwest coast of France. Traditionally, crepes were made with buckwheat flour (as this was what was available in the region) and filled with whatever ingredients were available. My recipe is made with all-purpose flour, but you can totally substitute in any flour you’d like.

Want to nerd out a bit more about the cultural significance and preparation of traditional French crepes? See this informative post about crepes from French Today!

How to Make Crepes

1. Prepare the crepe batter

Add milk, eggs, and flour to a blender and blend until smooth. It’s important to add the ingredients in this order, otherwise, the flour tends to stick to the bottom of the blender and get clumpy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender and blend again if any clumps of flour remain.

If you don’t have a blender, you can do this step in a large bowl with a hand mixer or whisk.

Traditional French crepe recipes will call for melted butter and salt in the batter. You can totally add these if you’d like! My goal was to keep this recipe as simple as possible. Butter will add a golden color and salt will add some flavor.

2. Cook

This is the part that can seem intimidating, but it totally isn’t once you get the hang of it. Crepes are basically like thin pancakes. Nothing to be scared of.

Preheat your pan over medium heat. You can check if it’s hot enough by sprinkling a bit of water in. If the water sizzles, you’re ready to go. Add a spritz of butter or oil (you shouldn’t need much if you have a good pan).

Add batter into the center of the pan ¼ cup at a time using a measuring cup or ladle. Rotate your wrist in a circular motion to make the small circle you ladled out into a large, thin, and even circle. We want crepes to be as thin as possible. Once the crepe begins to set (this should only take about 1 minute), gently slide a spatula around the edge of the crepe to check that it’s cooked to your liking, then flip. Cook until the crepe is lightly golden brown and set, then remove it from the pan. Repeat this step until you’ve used up all of the batter.

You may mess up your first crepe, but you can totally eat that one as a reward for being a hardworking cook! Don’t stress if your crepe isn’t perfectly round or if it has little projections coming off of it (see mine below – not perfect at all!) It’ll still taste great.

3. Serve

Serve with your favorite toppings or fillings! If the people you’re serving have different tastes or enjoy variety (and who doesn’t) set out a few different topping options and let everyone make their own creations. (See frequently asked questions for topping and filling ideas.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a crepe pan?

Nope! Crepe pans are typically larger and more shallow than a standard frying pan, but your favorite non-stick pan will do the job too. It really does need to be non-stick though. (Here’s the ceramic pan I used.)

But… if you see yourself making crepes often, you can treat yourself to a fancy crepe pan.

Can crepes be stored?

You bet! If you have leftover plain crepes, they can be stored covered and refrigerated for up to four days. (I usually stack extra crepes on a plate, then cover with plastic wrap.)

Can crepes be reheated?

Yes! Just microwave for about 1 minute and top as desired.

What are some crepe filling ideas?

• Lemon + powdered sugar
• Strawberries + Nutella
• Berries + whipped cream
• Sour cream + fruit
• Banana + peanut butter
• Ham + cheese
• Pesto + mozzarella + spinach + tomato

Recipe Modifications

• Make it vegan – Substitute in unflavored non-dairy milk and an egg replacement like JUST Egg
• Use a different type of flour – Go traditional with buckwheat flour or use whatever flour you have on hand (whole wheat would also be tasty!)
• Make it dairy-free – Use your favorite non-dairy milk. Keep in mind that if you use sweetened or flavored milk, your crepe fillings should also be sweet. In my experience, crepes made with non-dairy milk are a bit paler but they still taste good!
• Add flavor – Add salt, vanilla extract, or cocoa powder.
• Make a small batch – You can totally cut the ingredient list in half if you’re cooking for one or two. This means less time flipping crepes too!
• Go low-carb – Substitute in your favorite low-carb flour (almond or coconut would work!)

Looking for more brunch recipes? Here you go!

• Dairy-Free Egg Casserole with Sausage and Vegetables
• Heart-Healthy Banana Bread
• Oatmeal Raisin High Fiber Muffins
• Sweet Potato Quiche Cups with Feta and Kale