Craveable Crepes: 5 Easy Recipes

Being home for winter break has allowed me to fall back into my cooking routine and revert to reliable recipes in the kitchen. On a quest to broaden my range as a chef, I experimented with a french classic: crepes. I like crepes because they are relatively simple to make and flexible for individual tastes. They provide an open canvas with many possibilities for different flavors, making them perfect for every meal. Following these recipes will help you construct craveable crepes and get you out of your culinary rut.

First, start with the crepe batter, which is made up of 4 common ingredients.

Crepe Batter

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:0
• Total Time:10 mins
• Servings:3
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1/4 cup water

• Step 1

  Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.

  

• Step 2

  Make a hole in the center of the flour and crack the egg in this hole.

  

• Step 3

  Pour the milk and water into the bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.

  

A lemon blueberry cheesecake filling is perfect for those with a sweet tooth. This rich and creamy crepe filling is an elevated substitution for a blueberry pancake, making it perfect for breakfast. It also makes a great dessert for topping off the night. For cream cheese addicts like myself, this combination of sweet and citrusy is perfectly delectable.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Filling

• Prep Time:15 mins
• Cook Time:4 mins
• Total Time:19 mins
• Servings:4
• Medium

Ingredients

• 4 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest 1/2 a lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup blueberries

• Step 1

  In a mixing bowl add cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.

  

• Step 2

  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add blueberries and smash with a fork until combined.

  

• Step 3

  Pour a dime-sized amount of canola oil into a wide round pan and spread with a paper towel. Ladle some batter into the pan and spread in a circular pattern so a thin pancake layer is formed.

  

• Step 4

  After about 2 minutes on medium heat, or until some color appears on the face-down side, carefully flip the crepe with a thin spatula and apply the cheesecake batter to 1/4 of the crepe.

  

• Step 5

  Fold the crepe in half twice and serve.

  

For a more savory, classic, and nutritious option, a ham and cheese crepe perfectly fits the bill. The following recipe could be duplicated with blue or gorgonzola cheese in addition to or instead of the Swiss for a less traditional but impactful flavor medley.

Ham and Cheese Filling

• Prep Time:0
• Cook Time:4 mins
• Total Time:4 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• Pesto to taste — about 1-2 tablespoons
• 2 slices ham
• 1 piece or 2 handfuls Swiss or gruyere cheese

• Step 1

  Pour a dime-sized amount of canola oil into a wide round pan and spread with a paper towel. Ladle some batter into the pan and spread in a circular pattern so a thin pancake layer is formed.

  

• Step 2

  After about 2 minutes on medium heat, or until some color appears on the face-down side, carefully flip the crepe with a thin spatula and add all ingredients to 1/4 of the crepe.

  

• Step 3

  Fold the crepe in half twice and serve.

  

Decadent and comforting, banana and Nutella filling has become a staple in the Americanized version of the crepe.  To add a crunch to the following recipe, I like to garnish with a sprinkle of chopped almonds.

Banana and Nutella Filling

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:4 mins
• Total Time:9 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• Nutella or chocolate to taste — about 2 tablespoons
• About 1/3 banana thinly sliced

• Step 1

  Pour a dime-sized amount of canola oil into a wide round pan and spread with a paper towel. Ladle some batter into the pan and spread in a circular pattern so a thin pancake layer is formed.

  

• Step 2

  After about 2 minutes on medium heat, or until some color appears on the face-down side, carefully flip the crepe with a thin spatula and add all ingredients to 1/4 of the crepe, making sure to be generous with the nutella.

  

• Step 3

  Fold the crepe in half twice and serve.

  

The veggie and egg filling is perfect for the vegetarians and breakfast lovers out there. The following crepe recipe leaves a lot of room for embellishment and customization, and it is definitely one of the more nourishing options.

Veggie and Egg Filling

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:4 mins
• Total Time:14 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 5 mushrooms
• 1/2 cup spinach
• Handful goat or feta cheese
• Handful pancetta — optional

• Step 1

  Scramble eggs, chop and sauté mushrooms, sauté spinach, and cook pancetta and set aside. Pour a dime-sized amount of canola oil into a wide round pan and spread with a paper towel. Ladle some batter into the pan and spread in a circular pattern so a thin pancake layer is formed.

  

• Step 2

  After about 2 minutes on medium heat, or until some color appears on the face-down side, carefully flip the crepe with a thin spatula and add all ingredients to 1/2 of the crepe.

  

• Step 3

  Fold the crepe in half and serve.

  

Finally, the sweet lemon filling is perfect for foodies on a budget or those of us who want something sweet but not too rich. Combining the classic French flavors of a crepe, the following recipe will make you feel like you are in the heart of Paris.

Sweet Lemon Filling

• Prep Time:0
• Cook Time:4 mins
• Total Time:4 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• A thin sliver butter
• Juice 1/4 lemon
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

• Step 1

  Pour a dime-sized amount of canola oil into a wide round pan and spread with a paper towel. Ladle some batter into the pan and spread in a circular pattern so a thin pancake layer is formed.

  

• Step 2

  After about 2 minutes on medium heat, or until some color appears on the face-down side, carefully flip the crepe with a thin spatula and cook for another 2 minutes until the crepe is cooked through. Remove the crepe from the flame and spread butter, generously squeeze lemon, and sprinkle powdered sugar on 1/4 of crepe. Fold the crepe in half twice and serve.

  

These recipes are just a few recommendations for making craveable crepes, but the inspiration for other options is infinite. Because crepes require few ingredients and steps, the only difficult part about making them is refraining from scarfing them down in 1 minute. So the next time you are at a loss for what to make for a meal, consider giving crepes a try.