Basic Crepes (Regular or GF)

Crepes are great as a savory or sweet dish, but in my household we enjoy them as a sweet Sunday breakfast. We top, or stuff it, with fresh fruit and sprinkle them with a dash of powder sugar. This recipe is simple and can be made overnight.

By Rose Huxford

What I love about crepes is how subtle they are. But, if you add some orange or lemon zest, with a teaspoon of vanilla and/or almond extract, it can really enhance the flavor of these delicate French pancakes. I encourage you to try zesting them up and top it off with your favorite fruit and a dollop of whip cream (if you wish to do so). If you prefer to try them as a savory dish, you can omit the sugar and extract and top it off with some roasted veggies and parmesan cheese.

Basic Crepes

Yields: 9 crepes

Total time: ~1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or Bob's Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 2 cups oat milk, or whole milk

• 1/3 cup water

• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted or Miyoko's

Note: When you make the batter, the goal is to not have it be thick, but to thin it out, so adding water will help. If you need to add more water to thin the crepe out even more, do so. The crepe thickness is a personal preference, so play around with the milk or water to figure out your desired thickness of your crepe!

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, milk, water, vanilla extract, eggs and melted butter. Whisk until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.

2. Pre-heat a large skillet pan on medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot, add some butter to the pan and coat the bottom and sides of the pan.

3. Use a ladle to scoop and pour the batter into the hot and buttered pan. Lift the pan off from the hot burner and slightly tilt it in a circular motion to help spread the batter into an even circle. Cook until top is set and bottom is golden brown, about 45 seconds. Then, carefully flip and cook on the second side until cooked through, about 45 seconds more.

4. Remove once both sides are done and place on a plate. Fold the crepes into quarters, so they look like triangles, or add your filling and roll the crepes. Top with some whip cream or a dash of powder sugar.

To really spoof up your crepes, try adding orange zest and almond extract to your mixture. Then, heat up some fresh berries in small sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of sugar to make a compote. Let it cook and boil down until you reach a consistency you like. Enjoy as a topping or filling!

Make Ahead: If you are worried about time, you can make this batter the night before. Make sure to stir the batter really well before cooking. These also can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool the crepes cool completely, then stack between sheets of parchment paper, then store in an airtight container or foil, and refrigerate, or freeze up to 1 month. If you freeze them, let them thaw in the fridge prior to use.