Crepes are one of those magical breakfast treats that turn an ordinary Christmas morning into something truly special. These delicate, paper-thin French pancakes are incredibly versatile and can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients to please everyone at your holiday table. The batter comes together in just minutes with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, and once you get the hang of swirling the pan, making crepes becomes almost meditative. What makes crepes perfect for Christmas is that you can prepare the batter the night before, cook them in the morning while everyone is opening presents, and let each person customize their own with different fillings and toppings. Kids love them rolled up with Nutella and strawberries, while adults might prefer them filled with cream cheese and topped with fresh berries and powdered sugar. The thin, lacy edges get slightly crispy while the center stays soft and tender, creating the most wonderful texture. Serving a stack of warm crepes on Christmas morning feels festive and fancy without requiring hours of work in the kitchen when you’d rather be celebrating with family.
Serving Quantity: Makes 12-14 crepes (serves 4-6 people)
Cooking Time:
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Resting time: 30 minutes (or overnight)
- Cooking time: 25 minutes
- Total time: 65 minutes
Nutrition Information (per plain crepe):
- Calories: 95
- Total Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
- Sodium: 85mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Calcium: 6% of daily value
- Iron: 4% of daily value
Ingredients
- 1 and a half cups of all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- Half teaspoon of salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups of whole milk at room temperature
- Quarter cup of butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of brandy or cognac (optional but adds wonderful flavor)
- Additional butter for cooking the crepes
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
- Whipped cream or sweetened mascarpone
- Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread
- Lemon wedges and extra sugar
- Maple syrup or honey
Making the Crepe Batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until everything is evenly combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients by pushing them to the sides of the bowl. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs until they’re beaten and slightly frothy. Add the milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and brandy if you’re using it. Whisk everything together until it’s completely combined. Pour about half of the wet ingredients into the well you made in the flour mixture. Use a whisk to start mixing from the center, gradually pulling in the flour from the sides. Keep whisking in small circles, slowly incorporating more flour. Once that first addition is smooth, pour in the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter with no lumps. The batter should be thin, about the consistency of heavy cream. If you see any lumps, pour the batter through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl.
Resting the Batter
Cover your bowl of batter with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This resting time is really important because it allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax, which gives you tender crepes instead of rubbery ones. The batter will thicken slightly as it sits. If you’re making this the night before Christmas, you can refrigerate the batter for up to 24 hours. Just take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start cooking so it comes closer to room temperature. Cold batter doesn’t spread as easily in the pan. Give the batter a good stir before using it because it tends to settle.
Heating Your Pan
Use an 8 or 9 inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan. Heat it over medium heat for about 3 minutes until it’s evenly hot. You want the pan hot enough that the batter sizzles slightly when it hits but not so hot that it burns immediately. Drop a tiny bit of butter into the pan and swirl it around to coat the entire bottom. You don’t need much, just enough to create a thin film. The butter should bubble and foam but not turn brown. If it browns right away, your pan is too hot. Wipe out any excess butter with a paper towel, leaving just a light coating. You’ll repeat this light buttering between every few crepes.
Cooking Your First Crepe
Hold the pan handle in one hand and have a ladle or quarter cup measure ready in the other hand. Scoop about a quarter cup of batter into the ladle. Lift the pan slightly off the heat and pour the batter into the center while immediately tilting and rotating the pan in a circular motion. The batter should spread out in a thin, even layer that covers the entire bottom of the pan. This swirling motion takes a little practice, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly. Work fast because the batter starts to set as soon as it hits the hot pan. If you have any thick spots or holes, you can add a tiny bit more batter, but don’t worry too much about making the first few perfect. They’re practice crepes and they’ll still taste delicious.
Flipping and Finishing
Let the crepe cook undisturbed for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. You’ll see the edges start to turn golden and pull away from the sides of the pan. The surface should look dry and set with no wet batter remaining. Slide a thin spatula under one edge of the crepe and grab that edge with your fingers. Quickly flip the crepe over in one smooth motion. You can also just use the spatula if grabbing it with your fingers feels too scary. The second side only needs about 30 seconds to cook. It won’t get as golden as the first side, and that’s normal. The first side is your presentation side. When it’s done, slide the crepe onto a plate. Continue making crepes with the remaining batter, stacking them on top of each other as you go. You might need to adjust your heat slightly as you work. If the crepes are cooking too fast and getting dark spots, lower the heat a bit.
Sweet Filling Options
Set up a filling station with all your toppings and fillings laid out so people can customize their own crepes. For a classic Nutella crepe, spread about 2 tablespoons of Nutella down the center of a warm crepe, add sliced strawberries or bananas, roll it up, and dust with powdered sugar. For a berries and cream crepe, spread sweetened whipped cream or mascarpone mixed with a little powdered sugar over half the crepe, add fresh berries, fold it in half and then in half again to make a triangle, and top with more berries and a dusting of powdered sugar. The traditional French way is lemon and sugar. Just squeeze fresh lemon juice over a crepe, sprinkle it generously with granulated sugar, roll it up tight, and eat it immediately while the sugar is still crunchy.
Savory Filling Options
Crepes aren’t just for sweet fillings. They’re wonderful for a savory Christmas brunch too. Fill them with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese. Add some sautéed mushrooms and spinach with gruyere cheese for something elegant. Smoked salmon with cream cheese, capers, and fresh dill makes a sophisticated option. Ham and swiss cheese with a drizzle of honey mustard is simple but delicious. For savory crepes, you might want to reduce the sugar in the batter to just 1 tablespoon or skip it entirely.
Presenting Your Christmas Crepes
Stack the warm crepes on a large platter in the center of your table. Set out all the filling options in pretty bowls with serving spoons. Put out small plates, forks, and napkins. Let everyone build their own crepes according to their preferences. Some people like to fold their crepes into triangles, others prefer rolling them into cylinders, and kids often just want them folded in half. Dust the whole platter with powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer for a snowy Christmas effect. Add some fresh mint leaves or holly sprigs around the platter for decoration. A bowl of fresh whipped cream in the center with berries arranged around it looks beautiful and festive.
Keeping Crepes Warm
If you’re making all the crepes before serving, you can keep them warm by stacking them on an oven-safe plate and covering them with foil. Put the plate in a 200 degree oven while you finish cooking the batch. Don’t stack them too high or the ones on the bottom will get soggy from steam. You can also layer pieces of parchment paper between the crepes to prevent sticking. Crepes stay fresh at room temperature for about 2 hours, so you can make them slightly ahead without worrying about reheating.
Tips for Perfect Christmas Crepes
Room temperature eggs and milk blend much better than cold ones and create a smoother batter. If you forget to take them out ahead, put the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes and microwave the milk for about 30 seconds. The brandy or cognac isn’t just for flavor. The alcohol helps create those beautiful lacy edges and adds tenderness. You can substitute it with an extra tablespoon of vanilla if you prefer to keep it alcohol-free. Let your first crepe be a test. It helps you figure out if your batter consistency is right and if your pan temperature is good. The first one is usually imperfect anyway. If your batter seems too thick and doesn’t spread easily, thin it out with a tablespoon or two of milk. If it’s too thin and tears easily, whisk in a tablespoon of flour. A well-seasoned nonstick pan or a proper crepe pan makes this so much easier. Cast iron works too but requires more butter. Use a paper towel to apply the butter between crepes instead of pouring it in. This gives you a thinner, more even coating. Make extra crepes because they freeze beautifully. Stack them with parchment paper between each one, wrap the stack tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for an hour. For chocolate crepes, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. They’re incredible with peppermint whipped cream for Christmas. Make the batter in a blender for the smoothest result with zero lumps. Just blend everything for 30 seconds and let it rest. Don’t flip the crepe too early. If it tears, it wasn’t ready. Wait until the edges are definitely pulling away from the pan. Create a Christmas morning tradition by letting each family member choose their favorite filling combination and naming it after themselves. Fresh orange zest added to the batter gives a wonderful festive flavor. Add caramelized apples with cinnamon for a special holiday filling. Invest in an inexpensive crepe spreader if you make these often. It’s a little wooden tool that helps spread the batter perfectly thin.
