Easy Homemade Crepes

These Easy Homemade Crepes are made from a simple, 5 ingredient batter and bring endless possibilities in fillings and toppings! A great alternative to eggs or pancakes, these protein crepes are light and delicious, super kid friendly, and perfect for a brunch buffet, a simple weekend breakfast, or even a fun breakfast for dinner!

Crepes can sound tricky and intimidating, but really they're not! All it takes is a small non stick pan, and a few tries to get the technique down. Crepes are a light meal on their own, but I've altered these to be healthier, high protein crepes with more egg, some almond flour, and less sugar.

The filling is where you can add lots of healthy fruit, and extra protein with nut butter or granola. A smoothie and sausage or bacon on the side can make it a hearty complete meal, great for an easy weeknight dinner too! We like to fill them different every time, kind of a build your own crepe bar, a favorite meal of my kids!

Ingredients

These sweet egg crepes are made with just a handful of ingredients you likely already have on hand. The are a super thin style pancake, so they lack baking powder or soda.

• Flour - You can use regular all purpose flour, but I like to substitute some , a ½ cup, with almond flour to make these crepes higher protein.

• Sugar - I only add a small amount of sugar to the batter, because a lot of the sweetness comes from the toppings. We usually add a drizzle of maple syrup, honey or a sprinkling of powdered sugar when filling our crepes. You can omit the sugar for a savory style crepe with fillings like sautéed mushrooms, chives and goat cheese.

• Eggs - Egg crepes are really a cross between a pancake and an omelet, no wonder they're so good! They add protein and substance to these super thin crepes.

• Milk and Water - Milk and water make up the liquid in the batter, which is much thinner than a pancake batter. I use whole milk but really any is fine. You could substitute almond milk or any oat or nut milk and vegan butter to keep these crepes dairy free.

• Butter - Butter adds that rich taste, use some of it to brush the pan.

Instructions & Technique

To make the crepe batter, add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Preheat a small non-stick skillet over medium to medium low heat. I use a 7 inch omelet pan. Crepes can take a few tries to get the hang of.  You need to get the temperature just right, so adjust it up or down as you go.

Ladle in just shy of a ¼ cup of batter and then immediately tilt your pan around to get the batter in a thin layer covering the whole bottom of the pan. Let it sit for a minute, then peek under the edges with a spatula.

You are looking for light brown streaks and swirls on the bottom. When you see them, flip the crepe with a rubber spatula and cook the other side.

Each crepe only takes a couple minutes, you'll have had plenty of practice by the time you finish the bowl! Pile your finished crepes on a plate and let everyone add their toppings and fillings.

Topping & Filling Ideas

Be creative with your fillings!  Crepes can be savory or sweet, but we always go sweet with our fillings! They can be folded in half, in quarters or rolled up. This is where you can add some healthy ingredients to make a more filling meal! Make up your own combinations or try some of these favorites:

• Berries or Fruit Crepes - Berries are always a top choice, but peaches or ripe pears, are great too! Drizzle them with honey or maple syrup and a dollop of homemade whipped cream!   

• Kiwi Crepes - Kiwi is a bright and beautiful crepe topper, with blackberry and a dusting of powdered sugar. Use a small sieve or strainer and tap the side to evenly sprinkle.

• Nutella and Banana Crepes - Top them with homemade granola or a sprinkling of sunflower seeds or nuts.

• Almond Crepes - Almond butter, toasted sliced almonds or even adding a bit of almond extract to the crepe batter gives you a wonderful variation. You could add almond extract to the end of the batch so you have some almond flavored crepes and some plain.

• Peanut Butter Crepes - Make high protein crepes with a spread of peanut butter, and then get creative with the extras. Try berry jam, strawberries, banana, chocolate chips, raisins, or apple slices.

• Raspberry Crepes with Cream Cheese Filling - That fruit and cheese combination is really good! Add a thin spread of cream cheese to your crepes with fresh raspberries.

• Nutella Strawberry Banana Crepes - A kid favorite! We love folding these up and topping them with granola and powdered sugar.

• Cherry Crepes - We've simmered frozen cherries and mixed berries with a few tablespoons of maple syrup to make a quick fruit sauce to pour over crepes. Really delicious with cream cheese too!

• Cinnamon Sugar Crepes - Crepes for kids can be super simple, like a familiar piece of toast, add a spread of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and roll it up to go!

• Christmas Crepes - Crepes are perfect for Christmas morning or any special occasion! Top them with green and red fruit like kiwi, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, whipped cream or white chocolate chips. Pair them with a plate of fruit, sausage links, or my Cranberry Baked Oatmeal Cups and they make the perfect menu for Christmas morning!

Whipping Your Own Cream

Homemade whipped cream really puts crepes over the top! But we make it the easy way and the kids absolutely love it! Just put about a half cup of heavy cream in a jar with a few pinches of powdered sugar, put the lid on and shake. Give the kids turns shaking it until you have whipped cream! No need to pull out the mixer unless you are making a large quantity!

More Brunch Favorites to Try!

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