Buckwheat crepes, also know as crêpes bretonnes or buckwheat gallettes, can be made with a variety of savory or sweet fillings. The recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free.
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Buckwheat crepes, or crêpes bretonnes, are delicious French creations that come from the Brittany region in the Northwest of France.
Their distinctive color comes from buckwheat flour, which is naturally gluten free. This particular recipe is also dairy free, using water as the liquid in the batter.
Crepes are actually quite easy to make at home, the batter spreads out easily in the pan wtih 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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Crepe or gallette?
You may find recipes that refer to buckwheat crepes as buckwheat gallettes. 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 gallette.
Ingredients
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make the batter!
- Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat isn't wheat at all, it's actually a seed. The flour 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 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.
Fillings and Toppings!
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 Fillings
- To make the French classic 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 gallette 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 Fillings
- Brown sugar and butter
- Strawberry compote
- Chocolate hazelnut spread and bananas
- Berries and chocolate sauce
- Amarena cherries and vanilla ice cream
Instructions
I've adapted the 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 out and about.
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.
Heat a large non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium low heat. Add a bit of butter or vegan butter to the pan to coat the bottom.
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 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.
Tips
- 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!
- 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.
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 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.
Related Recipes
Try these breakfast and brunch ideas!
- Cornmeal Pancakes with Strawberry Compote are the perfect balance of savory and sweet.
- Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Tomatillos 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!
Recipe
Buckwheat Crepes
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.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium low heat. Add a bit of butter or vegan butter to the pan to coat the bottom.
- 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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