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Quick and easy to make, these deliciously zesty lemon crepes dusted with powdered sugar are the perfect sweet treat.
Why have boring old pancakes when you can have something surprisingly simple but different from your standard breakfast. And that's what you get with crepes.
If you've never had a crepe, it's a super thin pancake that can be sweet or savory based on the filling. Despite their fancy look, crepes are easy to make. Just blend all the batter ingredients until smooth, pour enough to cover a pan, let it cook, then flip and cook the other side.
And while I've shared mango crepes and banana Nutella crepes in the past, today is about lemon crepes.
Why This Recipe Works
- By using a blender, the batter is super quick and easy to prepare.
- They have just the right amount of lemon where you don't actually need any additional filling if you don't want.
- But what makes these crepes great they can be enjoyed with a variety of toppings and fillings.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
- Flour - Use all-purpose flour for a light and delicate crepe batter.
- Sugar - A small amount of sugar in the batter adds a hint of sweetness.
- Milk - Whole milk adds a creamy texture, but you can use 2% for a lighter option.
- Eggs - Eggs provide structure and richness. Make sure they are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
- Butter - Melted butter in the batter adds flavor and helps prevent sticking.
- Lemons - Fresh lemon zest and juice provide a bright, tangy flavor.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a warm, sweet aroma to the batter.
- Salt - Enhances the overall flavor of the crepes.
- Toppings - While the crepes are great by themselves, you can add some powdered sugar, whipped cream or more lemon.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients if you prefer. Some variations of these mango crepes include:
- I usually use all-purpose flour, but whole wheat flour is a good substitute. You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour if you need to go gluten-free.
- Use almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk or oat milk as a dairy-free alternative.
- You can replace the butter with other fats like vegetable, canola or coconut oil.
- Lime zest and juice can provide a different citrus flavor from lemon.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Blend together the batter ingredients for 20-30 seconds or until well blended. If you have time, chill the batter for an hour to reduce the bubbles.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium with some butter. Pour ¼ cup batter and swirl. Cook for 1 minute, flip and cook another 30 seconds. Fold into triangles, top with powdered sugar and lemon.
FAQs
Crepes are thin and delicate, cooked on a flat skillet with a spreadable batter, often filled with sweet or savory ingredients. Pancakes, on the other hand, are thicker and fluffier, cooked on a griddle with a pourable batter, typically served stacked with sweet toppings.
Yes, you can prepare the batter up to 24 hours ahead and store it in the refrigerator. This can even improve the texture.
Chilling crepe batter is optional but recommended for optimal texture. Allowing the batter to rest in the refrigerator for at an hour helps the gluten relax and the bubbles to settle, resulting in smoother, more tender crepes.
Ensure the pan is properly preheated and lightly greased with butter or oil before adding the batter. A non-stick pan works best.
Stack cooled crepes with parchment paper between each layer, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet or microwave before serving.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the lemon crepes turn out. What is needed is the following:
- Blender - Best for blending the batter ingredients. You can also use a food processor.
- Non-stick pan - If at all possible use a non-stick pan so the batter doesn't stick. I'm partial to an 8 inch.
- Spatula - Needed to flip the crepes.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use Blender – A blender is important in creating thin crepe batter where everything is mixed.
- Rest the Batter – If you have the time, rest the batter for 1 hour so the gluten relaxes and bubbles go away.
- Use the Right Amount of Batter - Pour just enough batter into the pan to thinly coat the bottom. Swirl the batter quickly to spread it evenly.
- Wipe Skillet – By using butter, it will eventually burn so wipe the skillet between crepe batches to keep from having burned mango crepes.
- Don’t Flip Too Early – Wait until the surface of your crepe is no longer shiny and the edges are starting to brown before you try and flip your crepe. If you flip it too early it will tear.
Similar Recipes
If you’ve tried this lemon crepes or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Lemon Crepes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- butter for coating pan
- toppings - powdered sugar, whipped cream, lemon
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the flour, sugar, milk, eggs, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and salt and pulse for 20 seconds. Place the crepe batter in fridge for 1 hour, which allows the bubbles to settle down.
- Heat an eight inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Add butter to coat pan. Pour about ¼ cup crepe mixture into center of pan and tilt/swirl the pan so the batter spreads evenly.
- Cook for about 1 minute, until the bottom is light brown. Use a spatula and flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Place on plate and repeat process until all batter is cooked.
- Fold the crepe in in half, then in half again to make a triangle shape. Top with some powdered sugar and additional lemon if desired.
Notes
- Use Blender – A blender is important in creating thin crepe batter where everything is mixed.
- Rest the Batter – If you have the time, rest the batter for 1 hour so the gluten relaxes and bubbles go away.
- Use the Right Amount of Batter - Pour just enough batter into the pan to thinly coat the bottom. Swirl the batter quickly to spread it evenly.
- Wipe Skillet – By using butter, it will eventually burn so wipe the skillet between crepe batches to keep from having burned mango crepes.
- Don’t Flip Too Early – Wait until the surface of your crepe is no longer shiny and the edges are starting to brown before you try and flip your crepe. If you flip it too early it will tear.
Bridget says
Has just the right amount of lemon.
Debra says
Outstanding!