French Crêpes (Thin French Pancakes) - 2 versions

🌟 Difficulty	⏱️ Time	🍽️ Serves
★ Easy	20–30 min	5–6

Crepes(= the french pancakes), the best way to start your day!

When I have some more time to prepare the breakfast, like on weekends, one of my favorite ideas is to make crepes. Of course, no need to say, kids love them, and not only... 

There are many recipes out there for crepes, but I will give you here the classic recipe but also a second recipe with a "magic" ingredient which is the corn flour. This is from the box of the corn flour, that I tried once and I adopted it. These crepes are melting in the mouth, "moelleux" as french call them.

Try both of them and decide on your own which one you prefer!

Classic recipe

Classic thin French crêpes — soft, delicate, and slightly melt-in-your-mouth. Perfect for sweet or savoury crêpes.

INGREDIENTS (10–12 crêpes, medium-thin, 24–26 cm pan)

• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 500 ml milk (added gradually)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for sweet version)
• 20–30 g melted butter (optional but recommended for flavour and elasticity)
• Butter for cooking

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix dry base: In a bowl, whisk flour and salt together.
• Add eggs: Make a well in the centre, add eggs, and whisk to form a thick paste.
• Incorporate milk gradually: Slowly add milk in several additions, whisking continuously to obtain a perfectly smooth, lump-free batter.
• Finish batter: Add vanilla and melted butter if using. Mix until fluid and homogeneous.
• Rest: Cover and let rest at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours for best texture).
• Cook crêpes: Heat a lightly buttered pan over medium heat. Pour a small ladle of batter, swirl quickly to spread thinly.
• Flip: Cook 1–2 minutes until edges release, flip, and cook 30–60 seconds on the other side.
• Serve: Stack and keep covered to maintain softness. Fill as desired.

TIPS & VARIATIONS

• Batter should be fluid like light cream — adjust with a little milk if needed after resting.
• Resting is essential: it hydrates flour and improves elasticity.
• First crêpe is usually a test for pan temperature.
• Do not overcook: crêpes should stay soft and flexible, not crispy.
• Melted butter in batter improves flavour and prevents stiking.
• For extra smooth batter, you can blend it for 10 seconds instead of whisking.

Magic ingredient Recipe

Ingredients

• 200 g all-purpose flour or 100 g all-purpose flour + 100 g corn flour
• 500 ml milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or to taste)
• Butter or oil for the pan

Instructions

1. Mix dry & wet: In a large bowl, whisk the flour(s) with milk and vanilla until smooth.

2. Add eggs: Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then mix into the flour-milk mixture. Stir until fully combined.

3. Rest the batter (optional): Let the batter sit for 20–30 min for extra tender crêpes. You can skip this step if short on time.

4. Cook crêpes: Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan, tilting it to spread evenly.

5. Flip: Cook 1–2 min until the edges lift, then flip with a spatula and cook 1 more minute.

6. Serve: Stack on a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Fill with Nutella, jam, fruit, or enjoy plain with sugar.

Tips & Variations

• For extra flavor, add 1 tbsp sugar or a splash of orange liqueur to the batter.

• Corn flour gives a softer texture; you can skip it for classic crêpes.

• Keep cooked crêpes covered to stay soft.