This easy, homemade Whole Wheat Crêpes recipe comes together in just a couple of minutes using only 6 ingredients. Enjoy them with your favourite fillings on Pancake Day, on the weekend, or on any day!
Sharing with you another easy crêpes recipe to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time. Being half French, I grew up with them as a weekly breakfast choice and have continued this tradition with my own daughters.
Using the base of my foolproof Classic Crêpes Recipe, I’ve subbed the plain flour for whole wheat flour. This gives these crêpes a healthier edge from the addition of nutrients and fiber in whole wheat.
Follow along with step-by-step images and directions to master these light and tender crêpes every time. You can use them to make this Vanilla Mille Crêpes Cake showstopper for your next special occasion.
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses store cupboard ingredients. If you are a whole wheat flour fan, then you'll have a bag sitting in your pantry already. The other ingredients to make healthy crêpes are all found in your refrigerator and pantry.
- The batter can be made in advance. The batter BENEFITS from being made in advance guarantee more tender crêpes. Make it up the night before and refrigerate ready for the next morning.
- These whole wheat crêpes keep well. They are great to have on hand for a quick snack.
- The toppings for these easy crêpes are endless! From sauces to cream, to fresh fruit, to jams you pick your fav!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
As mentioned, the ingredients for these whole wheat crêpes are pretty standard. There are a couple of points to note below and I've given you substitutions where possible so that you can make wheat crêpes to suit your needs.
Crêpes Batter
Flour: Whole wheat flour is used to provide a healthier alternative to plain flour. Use white whole wheat flour or regular. Regular will be darker in colour and have a course consistency.
Alternatively, sub for oatmeal flour, cornflour, almond flour, rye or even spelt flour.
Eggs: Use large eggs. They bind the ingredients of the batter together and add flavour. Make sure they're at room temperature before making the batter.
Milk/water: A traditional and essential addition to your crêpes batter adding flavour. I use whole milk. The cold water addition produces extremely light and tender crêpes. Substitute 1:1 for plant-based milk like almond milk or oat milk.
Sugar: Only a little is needed to provide sweetness. If making savoury crêpes then leave out the milk.
Salt: A little salt is added for taste.
Butter: Adds flavour, keeps the crêpes soft and helps to prevent the crêpes from sticking too. Substitute for a neutral-flavoured oil such as canola or sunflower oil.
Fillings (optional)
I love to eat whole wheat crêpes filled with a dollop of Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Conserve, a spoonful of Greek Yogurt and some fresh blueberries on the side.
How Do the Texture and Taste Alter When Using Whole Wheat Flour?
Texture: I buy my whole wheat flour from a regular supermarket and find lots of wheat bran in the flour, providing awesome texture. This makes the consistency of the batter slightly thicker, and as a result, I've added a little more water than I normally would.
Taste: The wheat bran imparts a nuttier more hearty taste to the crêpes.
Options: Use white whole wheat flour if the whole wheat flour is too coarse for you. It’s made with a variety of wheat and finely ground flour so it will be whiter in appearance and finer in texture. It will look like plain flour but with all the health benefits of whole wheat.
King Arthur Flour has a great article worth reading if you want to know more about substituting Whole Wheat Flour into your baking.
📖 Variations
Crêpes are an open canvas for a variety of fillings. Just one of the reasons why I love them so much. The opportunities for different toppings are endless!!
And it totally depends if you want sweet or savoury whole wheat flour crêpes. Here are some of my favourite combinations.
- Blackberry Jam with cream cheese whipped cream.
- Chocolate hazelnut spread with sliced bananas.
- Lemon Curd with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Red berries like strawberries, raspberries and cherries and maple syrup.
- Spiced Pear Cômpote with whipped cream.
- Sautèed spinach with a fried egg.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Whole Wheat Crêpes
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
I’ve taken step-by-step process shots and provided tips to guide you in making this healthy crêpes recipe. I have shown them made by hand to accommodate those without a blender. However, see my note below if you do have one!
TIP: How to Make these Whole Wheat Crêpes in a Blender
Add all the ingredients, dry and wet, and place in a blender or Nutribullet. Blend until the batter is smooth.
Cover with a lid and refrigerate for 15 minutes minimum, ideally for 1 hour, or the batter can be left overnight.
Make the Crepes Batter
STEP 1. Whisk together dry ingredients. Place whole wheat flour, sugar, and salt and whisk well together (Image 1).
STEP 2. Whisk together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the eggs and beat well. Add the milk, water, and melted butter and whisk to combine (Image 2).
STEP 3. Add wet mixture to dry. Add ⅓ of the egg mixture into the flour. (Image 3). Whisk until a thick but smooth paste forms (Image 4).
Incorporate the remaining wet mixture: Whilst continuously whisking, slowly add in the remaining egg mixture and mix until the batter is smooth (Images 5 & 6).
TIP: How to Get Smooth Batter
A neat little trick to ensure smooth batter every time is to add the wet ingredients into the dry gradually whilst continuously whisking.
Let the batter rest: Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes minimum, ideally for 1 hour, or the batter can be left overnight.
Cook the Crêpes
TIP: What pan should you use?
You can buy specific crêpes pans that have shallow sides and a non-stick surface. I have a Le Creuset Crêpes Pan as shown in the images below. Is it necessary for making crêpes, simple answer is no.
A standard non-stick frypan or skillet is all you need - but it does have to be non-stick to guarantee you success! And the pan can be any size you have on hand!
STEP 4. Prepare your pan. Remove the crêpes batter from the fridge and give it a quick whisk. Heat your pan or skillet over medium heat, then lightly grease with melted butter wiping away any excess (Image 7).
STEP 5. Cook the crêpe. Pour a ¼ cup worth of batter into the center of the hot pan and swirl around until the base of the pan is coated as thinly as possible (Image 8). Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until you see the edges of the crêpes turning slightly crispy and golden and the underside is set (Image 9)
Flip the crêpe with a rubber spatula and cook for 30-60 seconds or so until golden brown.
Cook more crêpes! Slide cooked crêpes onto a plate and repeat the process until all the batter is used and you have a pile of steaming hot crêpes to enjoy (Image 10).
TIP: Check the consistency
Make sure to give the batter a quick whisk each time you scoop the batter to make the new crêpes, as the wheat bran will settle to the bottom of the bowl.
Nearing the last few crêpes, you may need to whisk in a little more milk to loosen the batter.
🥣 How To Serve
To keep the crêpes warm, layer them one on top of one another and lay a clean tea towel over the top. The steam will keep them warm and soften the crisp edges.
Crêpes are best served warm with your favourite fillings but are just as good cold for a snack. They can be reheated in the microwave for 10-20 seconds or so.
💭 Recipe Pro Tips
- Mixing the ingredients. When making the batter, add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients gradually whilst whisking constantly. This prevents large lumps in the batter.
- Chill the batter. My recommendation is to chill for 1-hour minimum to ensure tender, light crêpes that shouldn’t tear when cooked.
- Consistly thin crêpes. For a 24 cm (9 inch) crêpes pan, I pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) batter for each crêpes. This coats the pan perfectly and prevents the crêpes from being too thick.
- Watch the heat of your pan. Too hot and the crêpes will burn, too low and the crêpes will turn out rubbery. Medium heat is perfect.
📋 Recipe FAQs
Don’t worry. This can be remedied. Pour the batter into the bowl of a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, pass it through a sieve to remove the lumps- but this will also remove the high-fibre wheat bran from the flour.
Plain (all-purpose) flour. White flour is made from hard and soft wheat grains after the outer coating of the grain is removed. It's then milled, refined, and bleached to whiten it to make it the superfine flour most commonly used in baking.
Whole Wheat Flour. Whole wheat flour is made with the whole wheat kernel. Nothing is removed during the process, and you can visibly see the wheat bran present in the flour.
I'm not a healthy food recipe developer. But it’s fact that whole wheat flour is hands down healthier than plain flour. It has a higher level of fiber and protein and nutrient-rich minerals and vitamins.
❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions
- To store: Store cooled crêpes wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Place sheets of parchment or wax paper in between crêpes. Store in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- To reheat: Reheat chilled or thawed frozen crêpes in the microwave for 10-30 seconds. Alternatively, heat in a 160C (325F) oven for five minutes.
🥞 More Breakfast Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Whole Wheat Crêpes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Whole Wheat Crêpes Recipe
Equipment
- Crêpes Pan or non-stick frypan/skillet
Ingredients
Whole Wheat Crepes
- 150 g whole wheat flour
- 15 g granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 420 ml whole milk
- 60 ml cold water
- 15 g unsalted butter melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
Optional Fillings
- Greek yogurt, blueberry jam & fresh blueberries
Instructions
Whole Wheat Crêpes
- Whisk together dry ingredients. In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Whisk together wet ingredients. In a separate medium-sized bowl, add the eggs and beat well. Add the milk, water, and cooled butter to the eggs and whisk together.
- Add wet mixture to dry. Into the bowl with the dry ingredients, pour ⅓ of your egg mixture and whisk until thick but smooth paste forms. Whilst whisking continuously, slowly pour in the remaining egg mixture and whisk until well combined. This can be done with a handheld electric beater or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a whisk attachment for ease. The batter should be lump-free. (See tip in notes if you have lumps remaining). Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes minimum but ideally 1 hour or overnight if making the batter in advance.
Cook Crêpes
- Prepare your pan. Remove the batter from the fridge and give it a quick whisk. Heat a crêpes pan or non-stick frying pan/skillet on medium heat on your stovetop and lightly grease with melted butter, wiping away any excess.
- Cook the crêpes. Pour 60 ml (¼ cup) of batter into the center of the pan, and whilst lifting the pan, tilt it so that the batter lightly coats the pan's surface evenly. If there are any gaps, then add a couple of drops to fill them in. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the edges start to dry out and turn golden and the underside of the crêpe is set. Flip the crêpe. Using a rubber spatula, slide it under the crêpes and flip it over. Cook for another 30 seconds or so until golden brown. Slide the crêpe onto a plate and repeat the process until the batter is finished. You should get between 10-12 crêpes depending on how thick you make them.
To serve
- Serve folded or rolled with a dollop of blueberry jam, a spoonful of Greek yogurt, and some fresh blueberries. Crêpes are best served warm on the same day they are made.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Notes
Nutrition
The original post from January 2021 has been updated with new content and images.
Lola
I've been looking for a great whole wheat crepes recipes for a while now and am so happy to have found your recipe. I love your tips on turning this 'healthier'. I'll certainly be using them- the idea of whole wheat crepes and whipped coconut cream and fresh fruit sounds amazing! Thanks for the tip. Lola
Emma
Thank you Lola for your message - glad my tips can help. I love the whole wheat crepes and the 'nuttiness' that the whole wheat kernels provide. Beautiful in Autumn with apple compote, toasted pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon!
Ice
I just made these and they were incredible. I had no idea that you could make such delicious crepes with whole wheat flour. Your detailed photos and tips were incredibly helpful for a newbie-crepe maker like me.
Thanks Emma.