Brunch out of the blue? Dessert with no plan? A pound of berries about to turn? The answer is crepes. Vegan crepes are thin, tender and just buttery enough, with edges that curl and a center soft enough to fold beautifully without cracking. Make them sweet or savory, depending on what’s in the fridge. For this easy crepes recipe, the whole batter goes in the blender, which makes them the fanciest thing you can make out of flour and vegan milk.
When I first started making crepes I found myself saying things like “don’t panic,” “it’s ok,” and “we’ll get through this.” Looking back I don’t see why crepes were so daunting. I suppose with anything delicate you’re worried about breaking it. But one consolation is that messing up a crepe can be pretty entertaining. Like when you’re tilting to coat the bottom and the whole shebang slides right outta the pan and onto your cat.
The thing is, like so much in life, the anticipatory anxiety of crepe making is much worse than the actual process. I won’t lie to you, you probably will ruin a crepe or two. It might tear, it might come out with an amoeba-like unevenness. But how will you know if you don’t even try? And so what if you have a failed crepe? Eat it and move on.
That said, there are some things to know (that I learned the hard way). The tips below will minimize harm and hopefully save your cat from becoming an unwitting part of your brunch spread.
Why This Vegan Crepes Recipe Rocks
Thin, tender and flexible enough to roll or fold without cracking.
Everything goes in the blender. No bowls, no whisk, no lumps.
Five minutes to make the batter, then it rests for 10 minutes while you get the fillings together.
Sweet or savory with no changes to the batter.
If you’re looking for eggless crepes, this is your ticket.
Ingredients for Easy Vegan Crepes
Unsweetened soy milk. Soy makes the sturdiest crepe. The protein gives it enough structure to flip without tearing and to roll without cracking. Oat milk works too, though, so don’t stress this too much.
Ground golden flaxseed. This is the egg. No sitting around waiting for it to gel, it goes right into the blender with the milk and whips up frothy in about a minute. I use golden but that is just for color, if you have brown that is fine! They will be a bit speckled which can be pretty.
All-purpose flour. These are all-purpose crepes, they need all-purpose flour, duh. But I also like whole wheat pastry flour when I am feeling a little more hearty.
Sugar. Only a tablespoon and it’s there for browning more than sweetness. Not sweet enough to interfere with savory fillings, so leave it in either way.
Salt. Because it’s salt.
Water. Water thins it so the batter slides easily around the pan and cooks into delicate crepes.
Olive oil. In the batter. It’s what keeps the crepes flexible.
Refined coconut oil. For the pan. Refined so that it tastes buttery, not coconutty.
Tips to Make The Best Vegan Crepes
The pan. I used to think I needed a crepe pan. But you know what, life is short and kitchens are small. What you actually need is a pan that is nonstick. Completely and fabulously and flawlessly nonstick. No stainless steel, no enamel, no “I’m not sure, but I think I made pancakes in it once.” Get that part right and you are most of the way to success. My cast iron works great and is completely non-stick, but use what you have.
Size matters. A 12-inch pan is ideal. You want enough room to get your spatula under the edges of the crepe without much effort.
More on the pan. That said, if you think you’ll make crepes a lot and you’ve got the room, then get a crepe pan, why not! I love mine.
The spatula. It can be a state-of-the-art, aerodynamic, modern marvel of technology and engineering. Or it can be that super old but so dependable metal one with the rooster on the handle (a granny spatch, as I call it). Either way it has to be very, very thin and very, very flexible, so it can slide under the crepe like a ninja.
The blender. No high-speed million-dollar model required. A regular old blender works wonders by pumping little air bubbles into the batter, and that’s how the crepes get lacy. It also makes cleanup NBD.
Measure the batter. Don’t pour it straight out of the blender jar. Use a ladle or a measuring cup so your crepes come out the same size, and spread it with the back of the ladle while it’s already in your hand.
The batter. It’s supposed to be thin. Much thinner than pancake batter. It should slide around easily as you pour it into the pan and tilt and swirl. You’ll get better at gauging the right consistency with practice. But if your crepe is coming out like a pancake, add more water by the tablespoon until it starts to cooperate.
The first crepe. Consider it a test. If it tears, give it more time before flipping, or up the heat a bit. If it is too thick to swirl, thin the batter with a little water. But eat anyway, while you’re making the rest. Dunk it in some maple syrup and enjoy!
What to look for. A smooth, dry top, possibly with a few bubbles. The edges should appear paper thin and crinkly. If you shake the pan, the crepe should slide around without much coercion.
Don’t skimp on the coconut oil. A healthy dab for each crepe. The fat in the pan is what gives them their buttery flavor and their crisp curled edges.
Make them ahead. You can make eggless crepes in advance, if you like. Just stack them up with a piece of wax paper between each one and refrigerate. To reheat, heat your pan, brush with a little coconut oil, and cook for about 30 seconds on each side.
Ways to Use Eggless Crepes
Sweet Crepes
Simple. Powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon. The fastest thing you can do with a warm crepe.
Swedish pancakes. Lingonberry jam spread thin and rolled up. Tart and sweet enough that you don’t need sugar on top.
Berries and maple. Fold into quarters, pile on raspberries and blackberries and pour warm maple syrup over.
Jam and butter. I like a seasonal fruit spread, strawberry in spring, apple butter in fall. Melty butter and sweet jam is…the jam (sorry).
Chocolate hazelnut and banana. The Paris crepe stand classic. Spread it while the crepe is still warm so it melts, then add sliced banana and roll. I have a vegan nutella recipe in Veganomicon. Maybe I will put it online if you ask nicely?
Crepes Suzette. Fold into quarters and simmer in vegan butter, sugar and orange juice until syrupy, then add a splash of Grand Marnier. Set it on fire if you’re feeling it. Wait, don’t sue me if anything bad happens.
Blintzes. Fill with sweetened tofu ricotta, fold into packages and pan fry until golden on both sides.
Crepe cake. A tall stack of crepes layered with pastry cream, chilled for a few hours and cut into wedges. Dare you try it? If you do, triple the recipe.
Savory Crepes
Mushrooms and spinach. Sauteed with garlic until all the liquid cooks off, otherwise the crepe gets soggy.
Breakfast crepes. Scrambled tofu and vegan cheese, wrapped burrito style and returned to the pan seam side down.
Asparagus. Roasted spears with a lemony cashew cream or vegan hollandaise spooned over the top.
Smothered. Roll them plain, line them up in a baking dish and pour mushroom cream gravy over everything.
Frittatensuppe. Cut cooled crepes into thin ribbons and drop them into hot broth. The Austrians have been doing this for a very long time.
I mean, the list doesn’t end. Maybe the more useful list is things that don’t work in a crepe.
Loved this Easy Crepes Recipe? Here’s More Brunch Recipes To Try
Easy Vegan Crepes FAQ
Do I really need a crepe pan? Nope. Any large nonstick pan will do the job, and a 12-inch one gives you room to maneuver.
Why is my crepe tearing when I flip it? It needs more time. Wait for the top to look dry and the edges to pull away from the pan, then run the spatula all the way under before you commit.
Can I make the batter the night before? Yes. Refrigerate it in the blender jar, then blend briefly before cooking. It will probably thicken overnight, so add water a tablespoon at a time until it slides easily around the pan.
Can I freeze eggless crepes? Yup yup yup. Stack with wax paper between each one, wrap the stack well and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Is the batter supposed to be this thin? It is. Much thinner than pancake batter. If it’s coating the pan instead of sliding around it, add water a tablespoon at a time.
Can I make these the eggless crepes gluten free? I haven’t tested it, but a cup for cup gluten free flour blend should do the job. There’s no leavening to worry about and the batter is supposed to be thin anyway. Expect them to be more delicate, so give them extra time before flipping. If you try it, tell me in the comments.
How did I end up here? You wanted crepes. You still want crepes. Go make the crepes.
Vegan Crepes For Everything
Notes
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or oat milk
- 1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Refined coconut oil for the pan
Instructions
- In a blender, whiz together the soy milk and flaxseed on high speed for a minute or so, until the mixture is frothy and the flaxseeds are just tiny specks.
- Add the flour, sugar, salt, water and olive oil and pulse a few times to mix everything in. Once it’s relatively mixed, blend on high speed until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar with a spatula to make sure everything is combined.
- Place the blender jar in the refrigerator and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Give the batter a quick blend. It should be much thinner than pancake batter and slide easily around the pan. If it has thickened enough to coat the pan rather than slide around it, blend in water a tablespoon at a time.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. The pan is ready when a few drops of water flicked onto the surface sizzle.
- Put a tablespoon or so of coconut oil in the pan and let it melt. Ladle about ½ cup of the batter into the center of the pan, immediately lifting and tilting the pan to spread it into a thin, even layer, or spreading it with the back of the ladle.
- Cook until the top of the crepe is dry, the center is bubbling, and the edges are lightly browned, crinkly and pulling away from the sides of the pan, usually about 2 minutes.
- Gently run a spatula all the way under the crepe to loosen it, carefully flip it, and cook on the other side for 30 seconds.
- Slide onto a dinner plate and tent with aluminum foil. Add a little more coconut oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes as you go. You should end up with 6 crepes.
Have been making the crepes from your PPK video (Valentine’s…) for a long while. Have tried other vegan crepe recipes: some ok, most meh, a few yuks. Have stayed with yours. And now, your update, which I like already (I do use ground flax often, esp in baking). For some reason (why??) have never thought to include flax meal in crepe batter. Will def give this a go and return with a review…(Note: And I have French in-laws to impress…) Thanks!