Quick & Easy French Crêpes (My Grandpa's Iconic Recipe)

There's nothing better than waking up to the smell of fresh crêpes wafting through the house on a Sunday morning!

This recipe is a staple in our household. My grandpa has been cooking this for my family and I for DECADES, and naturally, this has become one of the top dishes I look forward to eating every time I come home.

Not only is this recipe super easy to make, but it is also absolutely delicious and filled with so much love.

First of all, what are Crêpes?

Simply put, Crêpes are French thin pancakes.

My Family's "Secret Ingredients"

I'm pretty sure every French family has their own way of making crêpes.

BUT, there are two "secret ingredients" that set my family's recipe apart from the rest...

RUM & REAL VANILLA BEANS (straight from the pods).

These two ingredients are optional, as I'm sure some of you can't consume rum or get your hands on vanilla pods. However, believe me when I tell you that they are absolute GAME CHANGERS!!

These two ingredients just add a depth of flavor that takes your crêpes from a 7/10 to a 10/10.

Sugar is the ONLY topping you really need

Traditionally, at home, we keep the crêpes topping super simple.

A sprinkle of white sugar on a warm crêpe is all you need for an authentic French crêpes experience.

But, if you like a little Nutella or some fresh berries and cream, feel free to add on whatever you like. You do YOU!

Can I store the crêpe batter in the fridge?

Yes, you can! If you want to save your batter for the next day, you can store it in the fridge for 24 hours.

What equipment do I need to make crêpes?

The most important equipment to have is a crêpes pan!

The best pan for crêpes is one that's shallow and wide - a diameter of approximately 22-25cm.

Here are a few examples:

On Tokopedia - 22cm Crêpe Pan / 25cm Crêpe Pan

Quick & Easy French Crêpes

(My Grandpa's Iconic Recipe)

For 5 people

This recipe makes about 15 crêpes

Ingredients

250g All Purpose Flour
120g White Sugar
6 Eggs
Vanilla Beans scraped from 3 Vanilla Pods - optional
500g Milk (preferably not Low Fat!)
150g Salted Butter, melted
50g Rum - optional

How to make it

In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla beans. Mix well with a whisk!
To the same bowl, add the milk, melted butter, and rum. Mix again until the batter is nice and smooth.
Heat up a wide, shallow pan (wait until it fumes), then add a knob of butter - about a teaspoon - and swirl it in the pan. Once the butter is fully melted, add a ladle of batter to the center of the pan then twist and turn the pan until the batter has spread equally thin across the pan.
Let the crêpe cook for about 2 minutes, until you see the corners start to turn golden / slightly brown. Then take a knife and make sure the sides of the crêpe are detached from the pan.
Try to move the pan and once the crêpe moves in the pan (fully detached from the bottom), flip the crêpe. **You can use a spatula for this, but I actually toss the crêpe in the air to flip it. Watch the YouTube video below to see how it's done!
Let the crêpe cook for another 1-2 minutes until both sides are nice and golden, then transfer to a plate. Repeat the cooking process until you finish your batter!
Add your toppings to the crêpes and fold them up into a quarter. Serve & Bon Appétit!