Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (2024)

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This easy French Crêpe Recipe is adapted from Julia Child's basic crêpe recipe, and will walk you through how to make paper-thin French Crêpes at home!

Recipe originally published August 18, 2016. Photos updated May 8, 2019.
Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (1)

Whenever I cook something particularly "fancy"-- I like to impersonate the adorable, the fabulous Julia Child, and declare "Bon Appétit!" as I set the food on the table.

Super fancy food is also a great excuse to sit at the table instead of eating on the couch.

Being an adult is full of baby steps.

Is anyone else here a Julia Child fan?

I am!

I love to watch clips of her old cooking shows online, and whenever I need a French recipe that's guaranteed to succeed-- she's my gal. Her recipes have never failed me, and are always delicious.

This easy French crêpes recipe based on her basic French crêpes, and is sure to leave you with a stack of delicious, ultra-thin French pancakes.

Want more Julia Child? This recipe is based on her crêpe recipes inThe French Chef CookbookandJulia's Kitchen Wisdom.

Need a Gluten-Free Option? Try my gluten-free crêpes!

Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (2)

Are French Crêpes Hard to Make?

No.

At first, you may have trouble getting the crêpe "just right."

Just remember that, as with flipping pancakes, it simply takes a little patience to learn the technique.

With American pancakes, you pour the batter out onto a hot griddle, and wait for one side to finish cooking, and then flip.

With French crêpes, you'll hold the hot pan off the heat with one hand, add the batter with the other hand, and swirl, swirl, swirl.

Coat the entire pan, and then set it back on the heat and let it cook. Then flip, finish cooking, and set the crêpe aside to cool.

Repeat.

And then repeat again.

And again.

Keep in mind, if you have trouble getting thecrêpe "just right," remember that, just like with flipping pancakes, it gets easier with practice.

Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (3)

Do I Need a Special Pan to Make this French Crêpe Recipe?

Absolutely not!

I usually just use a non-stick omelette pan for mine, but sometimes I break out the fancycrêpe pan.

Most recently, my favorite crêpe pan is one of those mini cast iron pans that come with chocolate chip cookie gift packets. It's small, heats evenly, and is just completely perfect for crêpe making!

Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (4)

Can I Use a Blender to Mix the Batter?

I recommend whisking by hand.

Blending the batter will work perfectly fine, but you'll end up with lots of air bubbles in your finished crêpes.

Whisking by hand will help make your crêpes flat through the middle with lacy edges.

Can I Skip the Resting Period for the Batter?

Allowing the batter to rest for at least an hour is supposed to-- in theory-- allow the gluten to relax after you've whisked the batter.

It also allows the flour more time to absorb the liquids.

But if you're pinched for time-- yes, you can skip the resting period. I've done it, and the crêpes I made were still delicious.

If you skip the resting period, your batter just might not be quite as smooth (and you might have more air bubbles in the batter).

Can I Use this French Crêpe Recipe for Both Sweet + Savory Crêpes?

Yes!

Use the recipe exactly as written, or follow the extra add-in directions for either sweet or savory crêpes.

Want sweet crêpe ideas?

Try my favorite— top them with whipped cream and fresh fruit, along with a little drizzle of honey, or try turning them into a chocolate crêpe cake with bourbon!

I also love crêpes with nutella and banana! It's so delicious.

Want savory crêpe ideas?

Try filling your crêpes with this smoked salmon dip from Imagelicious!

Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (5)

Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (6)

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5 from 13 votes

French Crêpe Recipe (Basic Crêpes)

This easy to follow French Crêpe Recipe is adapted from Julia Child's basic crêpe recipe, and will walk you through how to make paper-thin French Crêpes at home!

Author: Sarah Trenalone

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Resting Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: French

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 10 people

Calories: 102kcal

Freezer Friendly?

Yes

Will It Keep?

2 Days (Fridge), 4 Months (Freezer)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • cup cold milk
  • cup cold water
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more butter or oil for brushing hot pan

Optional add-ins for savory crêpes:

  • diced fresh herbs

Optional add-ins for sweet crêpes:

  • dash sweet liqueur
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions

  • Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl.

  • Let batter sit in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or overnight).

  • Pre-heat non-stick pan on high heat, and brush or spray with oil or butter. Oil should shimmer on the pan.

  • Holding pan just off heat, add 2-3 TB batter and swirl to coat pan. Place back on heat and cook for about 90 seconds, until the bottom of the crêpe is golden and slides off the pan easily.

  • Flip and cook the other side for 5-10 seconds. Move crêpe to a wire rack or plate to cool, and repeat with remaining batter.

  • Make Ahead: Stack with wax paper in between crêpes. Refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3-4 months in an airtight container. Don't skip the wax paper-- the crêpes will stick together.

Notes

Yields: About eight 10" crêpes, ten 8" crêpes, or twenty 5" crêpes

Nutrition information is for one 8"crêpe, and does not include optional ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcal (5%) | Carbohydrates: 10g (3%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Fat: 5g (8%) | Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) | Cholesterol: 59mg (20%) | Sodium: 114mg (5%) | Potassium: 53mg (2%) | Vitamin A: 195IU (4%) | Calcium: 29mg (3%) | Iron: 0.8mg (4%)

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

Julia Child's French Crêpe Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Joanna Gaines crepes? ›

Directions. In a blender, combine the flour, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup water, the sugar, vanilla, salt, and butter and pulse to combine for about 1 minute. Let the batter sit in the fridge to rest for at least 20 minutes or overnight. Heat a dry nonstick medium skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Did Julia Child make crepes? ›

One of her books, aptly named Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, contained a simple, master recipe that you can use for both sweet and savory crêpes. Although some recipes for sweet crêpes call for sugar, I find that this makes them stick to the pan.

How are crepes traditionally served in France? ›

Crêpes are an ultra-thin pancake common in France that can be made sweet or savory, typically rolled or folded with a variety of fillings from jam or Nutella to ham and cheese to seafood.

What was Julia Child's favorite recipe? ›

Vichyssoise. Well-known as one of Julia Child's favorite dishes, this chilled leek and potato soup is startling in its simplicity. Aside from the leek, potato, and water, Child's version of the soup calls for barely any additional ingredients.

What was Julia Child's signature dishes? ›

Boeuf Bourguignon

This hearty beef stew from the pages of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is, hands down, Child's most infamous dish. (Click here for Food.com's rendtition of boeuf bourguignon.)

Do French people eat crêpes for dinner? ›

The buckwheat crepes usually contain savory fillings. The most popular is ham and Béchamel, a sauce made of Gruyere cheese, butter, milk and flour. All over France, the French people make crepes. They can be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and of course, dessert.

How are crepes traditionally made? ›

The standard recipe for French crêpe calls for flour, eggs, milk, salt, and butter. Sugar is optional. In the industrial production of crêpes, the dry ingredients are combined with eggs to form a dough. The rest of the wet ingredients are then added to thin the batter to a loose enough consistency to spread easily.

Do you need a special crepe pan to make crepes? ›

No! Just a small heavy-duty nonstick fry pan and a thin spatula and you're ready to go. Cooking the crepes so they are evenly thin and relatively round can be a bit challenging, but they'll still taste amazing even if they're not perfectly round.

What is the best flour substitute for crepes? ›

Paleo Crepe Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
  • Blanched almond flour promotes browning and adds protein that helps create a sturdy texture. ...
  • Cassava flour's soft, starchy consistency and mild flavor mimics wheat flour. ...
  • Tapioca flour makes the crepes tender and pliable.
Apr 3, 2021

What is the difference between American and French crepes? ›

If you're new to the game of crepe, French crepes are pancakes. They are moist and thin and not thick and fluffy, unlike American pancakes. The taste and feel of French crepes are like a hybrid of a pancake, pita bread, and an omelet.

What is the most popular crêpe filling in France? ›

In France, a majority of the population enjoys eating crepes with various types of fillings: sugar, jam, salted butter caramel, and Nutella, etc. We can however identify sugar and spreads (such as Nutella) as the true French favorite fillings.

What is the most popular crêpe in France? ›

In a recent survey, the crêpe au sucre (crepe covered with melted butter and sprinkled with granulated sugar) was named as French people's favorite way to enjoy a crepe. This is followed by crepes filled with different kinds of jam, and with spreads like Nutella.

Do you need a special tool to make crepes? ›

Use a thin spatula: A thin, flexible spatula is essential for flipping crepes without tearing them. Butter or oil: While non-stick pans reduce the need for additional fats, you can lightly grease the pan with a small amount of butter or oil before pouring in the batter for extra flavor and browning.

What's the difference between pancake and crepe mix? ›

The main difference is that pancake batter has a raising agent in it, such as baking powder or baking soda, and crepe batter does not. This means that pancakes are thicker and fluffy while crêpes are thin and flat.

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