These delicate Grain-Free French Crêpes are free from gluten and grains and can be easily made with 5 ingredients in the blender. Enjoy them savory or sweet.
Growing up, my mom made crêpes ALL.THE.TIME.
Crepes for breakfast, crepes for dessert, crepes with salmon roe for snack or light dinner.
Going gluten-free many years ago presented a specific challenge where I couldn't enjoy these crepes any longer. Too often, I would drop by my parent's home only to find a nice stack of crepes on the counter beckoning me.
Finally, I've developed a recipe for grain-free French crepes that I'm sure you will love. When I first discovered cassava flour, I was blown away at how easily it worked with my old-time favorite recipes. I knew I had to give these crepes a try.
Cassava flour is gaining momentum as the ultimate "grain-free" flour and for good reason. It seems to make a pretty close replacement to wheat flour, in both texture and flavor. Almost like the holy-grail of gluten-free baking and cooking.
What is Cassava Flour?
Cassava flour and tapioca are often used interchangeably but they are not the same. Tapioca is the starch derived from cassava root through a process of washing and pulping and what's left following that process is the tapioca flour.
Cassava flour, on the other hand is the whole root, simply peeled, dried and ground.
For this reason, cassava flour naturally has more dietary fiber than tapioca flour. This is where I should also mention that cassava flour also happens to be high in carbohydrates which could possibly mean an insulin spike for some. As always, moderation is important with anything you consume.
Cassava flour is also high in resistant starch which may have powerful health benefits. Resistant starch improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar levels, reduces appetite and has various benefits for digestion. (source) So, if you're going to load up on starch, might as well be resistant starch in cassava flour.
Best Brand of Cassava Flour
By far, the best cassava flour on the market is Otto's 100% Natural Cassava Flour as they take great care to assure that their product is free from mold (a very common occurrence in cassava flours!) and has a very clean texture. Otto's provides the highest quality available anywhere and always offer free shipping, no matter the size of the order.
What's even better is that Otto’s Cassava Flour is Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) friendly and Certified Paleo by The Paleo Foundation.
Easy Crêpe Making
I've missed the nostalgic crêpe-making session: the careful pouring of the batter onto the sizzling pan and then swirling the pan ever-so-gently so that it's entirely coated with the crepe concoction. And then the never-ending toppings. Enjoy the crêpes with fresh or frozen fruit jam or jelly.
My mom would stuff them with ground meat and onions, liver and potatoes were also a hit. My favorite way to enjoy the crêpes was butter and salmon roe. Ahh...the taste of my Soviet childhood where butter and roe was a scarcity making it all the more special.
Thankfully, you can now enjoy these sans the gluten both preparing them and devouring these delicate treats made with cassava flour.
This recipe has evolved over the years and now to streamline and simplify the process, I simply use a blender to combine all the ingredients.
Best Pan to Use for Crêpes
All the legitimate French cooks will convince you that the key to making the best crêpes are in the pan, itself. But I'll be honest and intercede here: I'm all for simplicity and resourcefulness. I'm not one to purchase a pan that has only one purpose, even if that purpose is to make crêpes.
For years, I've used my Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless omelette pan with great success and never even considered getting a special pan. However, if you're going all out, THIS is the best crêpe pan that I know of and has been used with this recipe successfully. Unfortunately, cast iron skillet doesn't work well for this recipe.
Grain Free French Crêpes
The batter to these crêpes will be on the thin side. And I highly recommend straining it through a sieve over a large measuring cup to remove clumps of flour. Use a rubber spatula to push the batter through the sieve.
It may seem tedious to cook these crêpes but they are so worth it.
Flip the crêpe with a thin metal spatula and cook the other side for an additional 30 seconds. Continue with the rest of the batter. Serve with your favorite fillings.
Tips:
- First crepe (or two) may not always turn out perfectly. It is totally appropriate that you do a taste test to make sure they are good and continue with the rest.
- You may need to butter the pan every so often (after 3-4 crepes). Simply add ¼ teaspoon of butter onto the pan and swirl to be sure there's a good amount of fat covering the pan.
- Use a measuring cup to deliver just enough batter onto the pan (¼ cup works perfectly!).
- Be sure to stir the batter every so often as flour settles on the bottom, changing the consistency of it. You may need to add a few tablespoons of additional milk as you come towards the end of your batter supply.
- Toppings include: fruit, jams, jellies, sour cream, cheese, spinach and other greens, butter and salmon roe, cured salmon, etc.
Grain-Free French Crêpes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggs room temperature
- 4 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup cassava flour
- 2 cup milk of your choice, divided (plus more as needed)
- additional butter for frying
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients using only 1 cup of milk in a blender and blend for 1 minute or until thoroughly combined.
- Add remaining milk and blend for another 30 seconds.
- Strain the batter through a sieve to remove clumps of flour, use a rubber spatula to help the batter run through the sieve.
- Heat a lightly buttered stainless steel over medium heat.
- Pour ¼ cup of the batter onto the pan and tilt it with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
- Cook the crêpe for about a minute, until the bottom is light brown and can easily be loosened with a thin metal spatula.
- Turn the crêpe and cook the other side.
Notes
You may need to butter the pan every so often (after 3-4 crepes). Simply add ¼ teaspoon of butter onto the pan and swirl to be sure there's a good amount of fat covering the pan.
Use a measuring cup to deliver just enough batter onto the pan (¼ cup works perfectly!).
Be sure to stir the batter every so often as flour settles on the bottom, changing the consistency of it. You may need to add a few tablespoons of additional milk as you come towards the end of your batter supply.
Toppings include: fruit, jams, jellies, sour cream, cheese, spinach and other greens, butter and salmon roe, cured salmon, etc.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided for your convenience by an online calculator. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our complete Nutritional Information Disclaimer.
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Erlene says
Ooo...I'm going to have to look for this in the store. Would love to sub this in pancake recipes. Thanks for sharing this on Merry Monday.
Anya says
Hi Erlene, I just love Cassava flour. I'm not sure that they sell them in brick-and-mortar stores quite yet though.
Heather Jacobs says
I cant wait to try making these I have never made crepes but its one of my kids favorite food and my New Years Res was to start making their favs with them in the kitchen so thanks for sharing on Strangers & Pilgrims.
Raia says
Just getting my first package of cassava flour... Definitely going to have to give these a try! They look delicious!
Brita Long says
Do you know if this would work with almond milk or coconut milk?
Technically the Whole30 rules don't allow recreating treats with whole foods, but I've been thinking about letting myself have one treat with Whole30 compliant ingredients per week. French crepes would totally fit!
Anya says
That's on my list to do to make these completely dairy free. I'm thinking either of those should work well for this recipe. And be sure to use either ghee or coconut oil for frying them. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Julia says
I've made other crepes successfully with canned coconut milk. I would not recommend almond milk, as it doesn't have enough fat to give proper bulk to the batter.
kim says
I just used almond milk and they came out amazing!
kim says
I just used almond milk and they came out amazing! I did the first half as the recipe called, and for the second half of batter, I added vanilla and cinnamon. The first for savory & the latter for sweet. They were both amazing, and loved going to my friend’s 4th of July red, white and blue crepe party and being able to eat crepes. Thank you!!
Anya says
That's wonderful Kim!! Great idea to add vanilla and cinnamon!
Anita says
http://livelikeyouarerich.com/game-day-cheeseball/
Anita says
This recipe looks so delicious! Hi, I'm Anita visiting from Foodie FriDIY.
Marla says
Hi Anya,
I love this recipe. These crepes look absolutely delicious and the fact that they are grain free is terrific. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
Bethany says
I used to love crepes as a kid. These look great!
Anya says
Crepes is my weakness. I grew up watching my Mom make these all the time...only with wheat flour.
Anne says
These look delicious! I have not heard of cassava flour, I'm going to have to pick some up. Thanks for sharing on the healthy living link party!
Anya says
Hope you enjoy these! Cassava is a great alternative to wheat flour.
Miz Helen says
I just pinned your awesome crepes! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great day!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Deborah Davis says
Thank you for sharing your healthy and delicious French crepes recipe with us at the Healthy Living Link Party! I'm pinning and sharing! All the best, Deborah
Andrea Wyckoff says
These crepes look so scrumptious!! Serious YUM action is happening here!
Anya says
Thanks Andrea. Love me some crepes. 🙂
Cristina Mandeville says
How delicious!! Crepes! I always have time for Crepes! Thank you for sharing this over at Healthy Living Link Party, I am featuring you for this week's party. Stop by and grab your button , hope to see you again!
Anya says
Thank you Cristina. 🙂
Marla says
Hi Anya,
Just a note to let you know that I have chosen your post as one of features for this weeks Real Food Fridays blog hop that goes live every Thursday @ 7pm EST. Thanks for being part of Real Food Fridays mission to help make this world a little bit healthier every week.
Candice says
Could these be successfully made using some sort of egg substitute? My son is allergic to eggs.
Anya says
I have not tried using an egg substitute, Candice. Sorry. 🙁 Perhaps you can give it a shot with 1/2 banana for every egg. I've used that replacement in some baked goods.
Liz says
I put in 1 cup of milk and it was more than enough...is 2 cups a misprint? Such an amazing recipe, my family was eating them as I took them out of the pan!!
Anya says
Using 2 cups gives you a very runny batter which is what you need for crepes. You can get away with using less milk but I'm assuming the crepes will be a bit on the thicker side, which there's nothing wrong with that. 🙂 Glad your family enjoyed the recipe, Liz.
Kristina says
Have you used coconut flour for this recipe?
Anya says
No and I don't recommend it. Coconut flour absorbs a ton of liquid, the texture and composition of coconut flour is vastly different from cassava flour.
Cindy Z says
I am on the SC (Specific Carb0 diet and Cassava isn't rated and "Tapioca" is Illegal. Crohn's patient so I am being very careful. Anyone know if a combo of almond/coconut flour would work?
Anya says
Hi Cindy,
I understand the need to be super careful. Almond and coconut flour has a completely different composition and will not work in this recipe. Have you seen Against All Grain's tortillas/crepes with almond flour? (link: http://againstallgrain.com/2013/01/26/crepes-grainfree-paleo/)
Angela says
Great recipe! I used goat's milk. Delicious!
Anya says
Thank you Angela. Glad you liked it!
Laura says
Hey there
So yesterday I tried this recipe. But I´m a bit cofused. Well first of all it´s awesum!! Yesterday we had them with veggies stuffed in them and today I had a sweet one with apples...yum!!!
But how do u get 24 out of this recipe....Well I only used one cup of water since I ddnt have any nut milk and I was too lazy to make sum. But the dough was really runny already. So I decided to only add one cup...But all in all it only made 7 crepes....yeah so what did I do wrong?
And do u use a food processor for beating the eggs or do u use a hand hold blender??
Hope u can help me. And tanks for the recipe.
Anya says
Hi Laura,
Glad you liked the recipe. I use my stand up mixer, but you can throw everything in the blender and give it a whirl. As far as the number of crepes goes, this recipe *should* make a lot of crepes. Crepe batter needs to be runny to achieve that thin texture but I haven't tried these crepes with water though. That would probably change the consistency and texture of the batter and crepes. Try adding a cup of nut milk next time to your cup of water. Looks like you didn't have enough liquid in the batter in relation to eggs and flour. Hope this helps and thanks Laura for the feedback. 🙂
Patti says
Hi,
I can't wait to try your creeps. I was looking for a recipe for a topping like cream cheese and fruit. To go with these creeps. I just ordered my cassava flour it should be here today or Wed.
Thank you for any help with toppings you can give me.
Blessings
Anya says
Hi Patti. You can try sweet toppings like cream cheese with a bit of maple syrup and fresh fruit. Or cook down a cup of berries (frozen is fine) with a tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water to make a quick fruit syrup. For savory fillings, I've added any hard cheese and fresh spinach, fold the crepe in half and quickly warm up on a skillet over low heat. Just enough for the cheese to melt and the spinach to slightly wilt. You can also add some ham for more sustenance. The options are endless! Let me know what you decided to go with. Thanks for your comment.
Ania says
Like you, I grew up eating crepes ALL THE TIME! Then I found out I have gluten sensitivity and my husband is allergic to nuts...most of them. I tried chickpea, buckwheat and store bought gf flours but THIS IS A WINNER!
I just made the crepes today and ate them all, they are the closest thing, if not even better, than what I grew up eating. Thank you thank you thank you!
Anya says
Hi Ania,
I agree. They are pretty darn close to the wheat crepes we're all familiar with and love. So happy you are loving these as much as we are. xo
Julie says
These were incredible
Used only 1 cup milk and they were still super thin
Thank you
Anya says
Glad to hear Julie. Thank you!!
Arina says
Hi Anya,
I have used your recipe today. Because I needed a dairy free and gluten free crepe that wasn't gummy or fell apart this is what I have done with good results. Thought I share with others who are looking in that category. You recipe as written, sub milk for 1cup almond milk and 1cup water, use olive oil instead of butter, add 1/4 cup white rice flour and 1/4 cup sorghum flour. Add liquid to egg first, then add dry ingredients. It prevents lumps from forming.
Anya says
Thanks for sharing your substitutions! Just remember, rice flour and sorghum flour no longer makes these crepes grain-free.
Ella says
LOVED!! I was so excited to find a recipe for one of my favorite breakfast foods. Thank you so much for sharing! I can't wait to add these into my family's breakfast routine!
Anya says
That's wonderful to hear, Ella!
Eugene Derkson says
My wife was recently diagnosed with lime disease and was advised to stay away from gluten, dairy, and white sugar. Crepe Suzette is one of my favourite deserts found your recipe and I thought they might fall apart in the sause. Yet they turned out amazing so thankful for this awesome recipe.
Anya says
Hi Eugene,
I'm sorry to hear about your wife. But I'm happy this recipe is bringing you much joy. I've never heard of Crepe Suzette but I'll have to search for it. Sounds delish!
Milana says
I made these dairy free. Used one cup coconut milk, and one cup almond milk to substitute for the milk. Also, replaced the butter with Trader joe’s Coconut oil (the triple filtered, no flavor one). I also didn’t have any honey on hand so I used maple syrup. Turned out delicious, tastes just like the real thing! Thank you so much for sharing.
Anya says
Awesome! So great to hear about the substitutions - thanks for sharing with us.
Suzanne says
This looks so good! It would be fun to make for brunch with friends and have them top their own!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Into the Dish says
Love this recipe, thank you! I found that letting the batter sit for 20 mins or so helps to thicken the batter so that the first couple don’t fall apart. We aren’t gluten free, but I do like switching up the flour we use every once and a while. Kids barely noticed the difference. Thank you!
Anya says
Thank you for that suggestion! Glad you enjoyed the crepes!
Suzanne says
There is a small crepe shop in the town I grew up in, and it breaks my heart that my husband can't enjoy the wonderfulness that is a crepe! I'm going to surprise him with these treats this weekend I think so he doesn't feel left out any longer. Thank you for sharing!
Anya says
Oh I'm so happy he'll get to enjoy these!:)))
Bren says
Thank you, Anya. These look so easy and yummy. Thanks also for providing the brand for the cassava flour. Quick question, how many crepes equal 1 serving?
Tessa Simpson says
We've made these so many times now! It's a great recipe! The only changes I do are the lazy version...I put everything in the blender and sieve, no waiting for room temp. We cook in my cast iron pans...every one is crazy about them! Thanks!
Chantal says
Really good crêpes and easy to make. Thank you for the recipe. The first time I made them, I followed the exact recipe except I cut it in half. The second time I made them, I also cut the recipe in half, used granulated sugar instead of honey, kept the three eggs and added 1/4 cup of unflavored protein powder. They turned out really good and a little less sticky.
Victoria says
Delicious and healthy. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Marie-Claude says
These are sooooooooooo gooooooooooood!!!!! Thank you so much! Never thought it was possible to have crepes like that gluten free! I used a good fat coconut milk and it was perfect. Thanks again!
Lynne says
These crêpes are delicious. Finally got around to making them this morning. I will definitely be making them again soon! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipe with us. Blessings to you.
Anya says
That's wonderful Lynne! Blessings!
Amanda says
I made these today. Followed the recipe, except I added all the milk at once and used dairy free butter and almond milk and large eggs. I have made gluten crepes TONS of times. These did not turn out well at all. They were under done even when I cooked them to a crisp! I only used 1/4 cup batter per crepe and used a medium fry pan. I even added a little extra flour to see if that would help after the first couple ones, but it didn’t. They do not have the eggy taste that I love in regular crepes. They also were very fragile when flipping even when they were very brown. Also, it was too much salt. That was a dominant flavor in my opinion. I was so hopeful!
Anya says
Hi Amanda,
I'm sorry these didn't turn out for you. Crepes in general are pretty fragile, especially when flipping. Make sure the pan is hot when you add the batter and also that you use medium high heat. I hope you give these another try and I'd love to help you troubleshoot more if needed. 🙂
Carolyn W. says
I made this recipe with some modifications. I used the 1 cup of almond milk with the 3/4 cup of cassava flour, as well as the honey,eggs and salt. The batter was far too runny without adding the second cup of almond milk so I added another 1/4 cup of cassava flour.
Here is what worked for me:
3 medium eggs at room temperature
4 TBSP Earth Balance vegan baking sticks("Butter")
1 tsp honey
pinch of fine sea salt
1 cup Cassava flour
1 cup almond milk