The Best Vegan Crepes

As a French person, I have been eating crêpes and waffles all of my childhood, and I can tell you these crêpes taste just like the ones I used to love, minus the eggs!

There are three elements that make great crêpes. The first one is the texture – the crêpes should have the perfect amount of chewiness with a little bit of elasticity, allowing for easy rolling or folding. They shouldn’t break or be doughy.

Next is thickness. They should be neither too thin nor too thick. My preference is a thickness of about 2mm. I have done multiple tests regarding the amount of batter to pour into the pan, and I’ll share those later in this post.

And finally, the taste. You may wonder: do my crêpes taste like traditional ones? Well, they do, and they don’t. The texture is spot-on, and the flavor is super close, but obviously, they do not have the eggy taste/scent. In my book, that’s a win, as this allows the subtle vanilla flavor and the filling you will add later to really shine!

⭐️ Why This Recipe Works

Spot-on texture.

I have extensively tested this recipe using different ratios of liquid to dry ingredients to reach a texture as close as possible to the traditional crêpes made with eggs. The result is a batch of crêpes that are thin yet have the right amount of elasticity, making them easy to fold or roll.

I can confidently say that very few will be able to distinguish my crêpes from the non-vegan ones!

One bowl. Simple pantry staples.

Crêpes have always been a recipe that relies on simple, low-cost staple ingredients. It never called for anything fancy or hard to find, so I kept the same principle for this plant-based version.

You will only need 8 basic pantry staples and about 20 minutes of active time to prepare the batter. Plus, it’s so simple that you can make it with the kids!

Perfect for meal prep.

What’s great about this recipe is that you can make the batter a day in advance. This means you can make it the day before and just have to cook the crêpes for breakfast. Perfect if you are in a hurry in the morning or simply want a quick afternoon snack.

And yes, you can even use leftovers to make savory dishes!

🥞 What Are Crêpes

Crêpes are very thin pancakes that originated in Brittany, a region of France. They are typically served sweet, filled with sugar, chocolate spread, or jam, and enjoyed as an afternoon snack or breakfast. Do not confuse crêpes with galettes, which are their savory cousin made with buckwheat flour.

Traditionally, crêpes are prepared with flour, eggs, milk, and butter. Here, I am sharing a version that is entirely plant-based!

🥛 Ingredient Notes

Flour

You don’t need any specific kind of flour for this recipe. Regular all-purpose flour works great here.

Cornstarch

In traditional crêpes, eggs act as a binder, creating a chewier texture and giving them a little bit more elasticity. Here, I replace the eggs with cornstarch. After testing, I settled on using 1/2 cup of cornstarch for every two cups of flour.

Plant-based milk

Use your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk, such as soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. If your milk is already sweetened, halve the amount of sugar.

You will notice that I use a combination of milk and water for the liquid ingredients. This is because I found out that using only milk yielded a thicker batter and, as a result, thicker crêpes. Diluting slightly the milk with water helps prevent that.

Note: I advise against using milk with a strong flavor, like hazelnut or coconut milk (unless you want a coconutty flavor!).

Oil

The addition of fat to the batter gives the crêpes richness and makes up for the lack of eggs, which contain natural fats.

Tip: If you want a buttery flavor, feel free to replace the oil with melted vegan butter.

Sugar

I use a few tablespoons of sugar for flavor. It also helps with caramelization, giving the crêpes a golden brown color. If you are worried the crêpes will be too sweet – don’t worry, they aren’t. They just have a very subtle sweetness.

Which sugar to use: You can use granulated white sugar, light brown sugar, or a refined sugar-free alternative like coconut sugar or maple syrup.

Note: I advise against omitting the sugar altogether as the crêpes would be quite tasteless.

Salt

Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.

Vanilla extract (optional)

While optional, a dash of vanilla extract makes the crêpes taste even better! Omit it if you plan to serve these crêpes with a savory filling.

Rum (optional)

A splash of rum adds a wonderful flavor to the crêpes! Remember that it is completely optional, though, and should only be used if you plan on serving the crêpes with a sweet filling.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Make the batter

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt.
2. Add the liquid ingredients. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Next, add the water, oil, vanilla extract, and rum if using. Whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter will look very liquid and watery. This is normal, but it will thicken slightly after resting.

Tip: Instead of mixing the ingredients in a bowl, add everything to a high-speed blender and blend for 15-20 seconds. This yields a smooth batter in no time!

3. Let the batter rest. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature. This resting time allows the flour to absorb some of the liquid, resulting in crêpes that hold better. After resting, give the batter a good whisk, as it might have separated a bit.

2. Cook the crêpes

1. Heat a pan. Heat a non-stick crêpe pan over medium heat. Once hot, lightly grease it with oil. Pour in about 1/3 cup of the batter and quickly tilt the pan to spread it into a thin and even layer.
2. Cook. Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes or until lightly golden on the bottom. Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the crêpe. Flip, and cook for another 30-60 seconds. Transfer the crêpe to a large plate.
3. Repeat. Cook the other crêpes with the remaining batter, making sure to slightly grease the pan between each crêpe. Stack each crêpe on the plate – this helps them stay tender and moist.

🌰 Variations

These crêpes are customizable to your liking. You can flavor the batter with spices like cinnamon or cardamom or infuse it with orange blossom water for a floral aroma!

🍫 What to Serve Them With

Although crêpes are delicious as is, they taste the best when they are filled with a sweet filling. Here are some filling ideas:

• Vegan Nutella – Or your favorite nut butter. I personally love it with praline paste!
• Sugar – Sprinkle with white or brown sugar.
• Fruit jam – Strawberry, blueberry, or even peach jam!
• Chestnut spread – French crêpes are sometimes filled with sweet chestnut spread, which is a spread made from candied chestnuts.
• Pastry cream – Fill the crêpes with vanilla pastry cream and some sliced strawberries for a fresh and fruity dessert!
• Salted caramel – Generously drizzle vegan caramel sauce.
• Fresh berries – It’s also delicious topped with raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries!
• Ice cream – For an even more decadent treat, top your crêpes with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream!

Once filled, you can fold the crêpe or simply roll it. Personally, I prefer it rolled, but that is up to you!

💬 FAQ

If you ever wanted to make authentic French crêpes, look no further! You are going to love this recipe! It’s easy to follow, uses simple ingredients, and makes a great breakfast for the whole family!

🧇 More French Breakfasts

Perfect Vegan Waffles (Light & Crispy!)

The Best Vegan Pound Cake

Vegan Madeleines

The Best Vegan Brioche

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in July 2016 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in March 2025.