This buckwheat crepes recipe, also know as crêpes bretonnes or buckwheat galettes, can be made with a variety of savory or sweet fillings. The recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free.
What do you know about buckwheat crepes? They are a staple of French cooking and they're gluten free! This particular recipe is also dairy free, using water as the liquid in the batter.
Also called crêpes bretonnes, or buckwheat galettes, these delicious French crepes come from the Brittany region in France. Their distinctive color comes from buckwheat flour, which is naturally gluten free. Fillings can be savory or sweet, and they're just as likely to be served for dinner as they are for breakfast.
This buckwheat crepes recipe is quite easy to make at home, the batter spreads out easily in the pan with the flick of a wrist. They're perfect for breakfast or brunch, but do as the French do and eat them any time of day!
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Buckwheat crepes ingredients
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this gluten-free crepe batter!
- Buckwheat flour: It comes in two varieties, hulled and unhulled. I use unhulled because I love the nutty flavor and the beautiful color. Hulled buckwheat flour will be lighter in color and flavor.
- Egg: Just one egg to bind things together.
- Water: Cold water is all you need to form the batter. No dairy products here.
- Salt: Even when making crepes with sweet fillings, you'll still need to add a bit of salt to this batter, to enhance the flavor of the buckwheat flour.
- Butter, margarine, or vegan butter: For the pan.
How to make buckwheat crepes
I've adapted this buckwheat crepes recipe from Tasting Paris by Clotilde Dusoulier, a gorgeous cookbook that will give you the inside scoop on what Parisians really eat at home, and when they're out and about.
Step 1: Make the crepe batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour and salt. Make a small well in the center, add the egg and whisk lightly.
Pour in the water slowly, whisking constantly until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps. The batter will be very loose and liquidy.
Step 2: Cook the crepes!
- Heat a crepe pan or a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Add a bit of butter or vegan butter to the pan to coat the bottom. Wipe out excess with a paper towel. CAREFULLY! Don't burn your fingers.
- Using a ⅓ cup scoop, add batter to the center of the pan and then pick it up and swirl it with your wrist so the batter spreads toward the edges of the pan in a circle shape. (This might take a bit of practice. The crepes will taste just as good even if they are not perfectly round!)
- Cook for about 3 minutes, then see if you can loosen the buckwheat crepe from the pan and move it around a little. Check the underside and cook until it is lightly golden and has contracted in size a bit, with the edges pulling away from the sides of the pan. Do not flip the crepe.
Set aside on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm while you make the rest of the crepes.
PREP TIP When wiping the excess butter out of the pan, use tongs to hold the paper towel to avoid burning your fingers.
Step 3: Assemble the crepes
Place buckwheat crepes back into the pan one at a time. Top with fillings and cook until they are warmed through, then fold the crepe using the method of your choice and remove from pan. Continue until all crepes are filled.
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Fillings and toppings for buckwheat crepes
There's really no limit to the sweet and savory fillings you can add to buckwheat crepes. Try these suggestions, or come up with your own ideas using your favorite flavors.
Savory buckwheat crepes filling
- To make the French buckwheat galette called a crêpe complète, you'll need gruyère cheese, ham, and a fried egg. Melt the cheese on the bottom, then top with ham, add the egg and fold the sides in to make the square shape.
- Try smoked salmon, mascarpone cheese and fresh dill.
- How about a vegetarian crepe with sautéed mushrooms and onions and a dollop of crème fraîche?
Sweet buckwheat crepes filling
- Brown sugar and butter
- Strawberry compote or apple compote
- Chocolate hazelnut spread and bananas
- Berries and chocolate sauce
- Amarena cherries and vanilla ice cream
Expert tips
- The crepe batter for buckwheat galettes can be made up to three days ahead but can also be used immediately after making it. This means that you can make a few crepes one day and save the rest of the batter to make a day or two later!
- If the batter sizzles and becomes porous all the way through, your pan is too hot. Lower the heat and try again. Just like pancakes, the first crepe may be a throwaway.
- Most fillings can be added to the crepe in the skillet and warmed through with the exception of fried or scrambled eggs. You'll need to prepare those separately and place them in the crepe when ready to serve.
FAQ
No you don't. Many crepe recipes will tell you to make the batter at least three hours ahead or the night before, which you absolutely can do. But it really isn't necessary when making such a small batch at home. This practice probably came from commercial bakeries and restaurants that needed to make a lot more batter much further ahead and give it more time to meld together to ensure consistency for customers throughout the day. So go ahead and whip up the batter and cook them right away with no fear!
You do not need a crêpe pan for French buckwheat galettes. You can make them in a 12" non-stick skillet. If you're using a smaller skillet, be sure to use less than ⅓ cup measure of batter, or the crêpes will be too thick.
Yes it is! Buckwheat is not a grain at all, it's actually more like a small seed called a groat. To make buckwheat flour, they simply grind these groats into a fine powder and it is completely gluten free! It is packed with nutrients and can be used in a variety of ways to make everything from these buckwheat crepes, cookies, to soba noodles!
You may find recipes that refer to buckwheat crepes as buckwheat galettes or French galettes. This is because this style of crepe is often folded up around the edges leaving the fillings exposed in the center, as you would do when making the free-form pie known as a galette.
3 ways to present buckwheat crepes when serving
- The most traditional way to present a buckwheat crepe is to cover it with fillings, then fold in the edges to make 4 straight sides so it looks like a square. This is the French galette crepe presentation.
- Fill the crepe, fold in half, then fold in half once more so it's a sort of triangle shape.
- Add fillings to the buckwheat crepe, then roll it up!
More gluten free breakfast and brunch recipes
Try these gluten free recipes that everyone will love!
- Cornmeal Pancakes are the perfect balance of savory and sweet.
- Green Shakshuka is beautiful and you can serve it right from the pan for easy cleanup.
- Eggs en Cocotte is another traditional French recipe that can be customized with endless choices of ingredients. Use what you have!
- This Swiss Bircher Muesli recipe is overnight oats made with apples, nuts, and dried fruit.
Buckwheat crepes are simple, can be sweet or savory, and they're gluten free!
- You only need 4 ingredients!
- Whisk everything together in a bowl, then cook! NO WAITING three hours for the batter to set up!
- Endless filling possibilities, cheese, ham, chocolate, strawberries, etc.
- They're gluten free and dairy free.
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Recipe
Buckwheat Crepes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 ½ cups water
- butter, margarine, or vegan butter for the pan
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Make a small well in the center, add the egg and whisk lightly.
- Pour in the water slowly, whisking constantly until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps. The batter will be very loose and liquidy.
- Using a ⅓ cup scoop, add batter to the center of the pan and then pick it up and swirl it with your wrist so the batter spreads toward the edges of the pan in a circle shape. (This might take a bit of practice. The crepes will taste just as good even if they are not perfectly round!)
- Cook for about 3 minutes, then see if you can loosen the crepe from the pan and move it around a little. Check the underside and continue to cook until it is lightly golden and has contracted in size a bit, with the edges pulling away from the sides of the pan. Do not flip the crepe.
- Set aside on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm while you make the rest of the crepes. Once all crepes are done, assemble with toppings of choice and serve.
Notes
- The batter can be made up to three days ahead. This also means that you can make a few crepes one day and save the rest of the batter to make a day or two later!
- You do not need a crepe pan. You can make them in a 12" non-stick skillet. If you're using a smaller skillet, be sure to use less than ⅓ cup measure of batter, or the crêpes will be too thick.
- If the batter sizzles and becomes porous all the way through, your pan is too hot. Lower the heat and try again. Just like pancakes, the first crepe may be a throwaway.
- Be sure to read the post above for ideas for sweet and savory fillings!
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