Basic Crêpes

Crêpes may be most well-known for their various fillings (sweet, savory, and everything in-between), but a truly excellent crêpe can be eaten straight out of the pan, all on its own. With that in mind, we’ve fine-tuned this recipe to yield crêpes that are buttery and just sweet enough to caramelize lightly in the pan. Serve these for brunch, as a snack, or even as a breakfast-for-dinner treat. Sweet or savory, these are perfect—read on for how to get them right every time:

How to make perfect crêpes:
—Give it a rest. Crêpes cook up quickly, but the batter does need to rest for at least an hour before using. Don’t skip this step! Resting the batter gives the flour a chance to hydrate, so the crêpe will hold together, and also allows the gluten in the flour to relax, which helps create a tender crêpe. The batter will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, which means you can even make it the night before so it’s ready to go in the morning.
— Adjust the sweetness. If you’d prefer a sweeter crêpe, you can add more sugar (up to 2 tablespoons per batch), and if you’d like your crêpe unsweetened, just skip the sugar.
—The first crêpe is just practice. Crêpes and pancakes have one rule in common: No matter how skilled you are, the first one is usually a disaster. It's a lesson in patience and fortitude. Press on and things will quickly improve.
—Pick the right pan. One of the trickiest things about making crêpes is getting the batter to spread into an even, perfect circle in the pan. It’s definitely more difficult without a crêpe pan, but you can achieve good results in a standard 8" or 9" nonstick pan.
—Swirl the batter. Pour the batter into the center of the pan with a ¼-cup measuring cup, then lift the pan off the stove and tilt it in a gentle circular motion to encourage the batter to spread. It might take a little practice, but you'll soon get the hang of it (and any mistakes will still be delicious)

Serving crêpes:
Crêpes can be filled with all sorts of tasty things, from sweet to savory (or even a mix of both). Some of our favorite combinations include fresh fruit and whipped cream (or Nutella), leftover ham and cheese, roasted vegetables and chèvre...the list goes on and on. If you're serving them savory, we highly recommend a generous dusting of powdered sugar. If you're feeling creative, step beyond breakfast, and use these to make our show-stopping crêpe cake.

Make them ahead:
Crêpes are a perfect make-ahead breakfast. They can be made up to 3 days ahead. Let cool, then stack between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze up to 1 month.

Made these? Let us know in the comments below.