Who else gets stupidly excited for pancake day? It’s almost as though you can only eat pancakes one day a year. Don’t worry, I won’t judge you if you do decide to eat these crepes every day!
Whilst I do have a soft spot for thicker American-style pancakes, like these banana pancakes, sometimes only crepes will do. But the concern when it comes to most non-vegan foods is it possible to achieve a good enough vegan version that is worth cooking?! Well, I’m here to show you that it is possible to veganise crepes. So read on to discover my vegan crepe recipe.
What are crepes?
Crepes are a very thin pancake originating from France with variations in Germany also. They are made using a light batter of flour, milk, and eggs. You will find both sweet and savoury versions of crepes.
For me, crepes are what you would make every year on pancake day. I have very fond memories of whisking up crepe batter with my mum and sister and cooking up crepes one by one, attempting to flip them in the air, and stuffing them into my mouth before returning to the pan to cook another.
How do you make crepes without eggs?
Since turning vegan, I never thought I would be able to eat crepes ever again because eggs seemed like such a crucial ingredient. However, these are so close to the real thing, I have found myself making these a lot! It’s just like making up for lost time, right?
And do you want to know the secret to creating crepes without eggs? Well, you just don’t use eggs. Magic, right?
This recipe uses a blend of flour, oil and oat milk (you can also use soya milk). So no fancy egg replacement here, just oil and plant-based milk to bind the mix.
Check out these vegan egg alternatives.
How do you make vegan crepes?
This vegan crepe recipe is really simple. Many vegan versions of old favourite recipes are often over-complicated, the beauty of this is that you don’t need to overcomplicate it in order for it to work. These vegan crepes can be whisked up and cooked really easily, perfect for any baking novices and kids.
Let me show you how easy it is to make this vegan crepe recipe:
1. Whisk up the batter
You’ll start by sieving the dry ingredients and then whisking in the wet ingredients. It’ll take a little hand action with the whisk but as long as your flour is sieved well there shouldn’t be many lumps.
2. Fry off the pancakes
Now your pancake mix is made you can begin frying. You’ll want to heat up a heavy-bottomed frying pan (I recommend this amazing eco-friendly non stick frying pan) and then melt in some vegan butter. You can then begin dropping in the pancake batter, but remember you only need a little bit of batter to coat the bottom of the frying pan as crepes should be thin!
You’ll see bubbles form in the middle of the batter and the edges start to brown and lift off the pan. You can then run the spatula around the sides and flip it.
Cook on the other side until it has browned and cooked through. Slide off onto a plate, or onto a baking tray which you keep in a low heat oven, and continue cooking the rest.
3. Top the pancakes & serve
If you are anything like me then you may well find yourself eating vegan crepes as you cook them. In which case, have your favourite toppings to hand and serve them up as you go. If there are a few of you in the kitchen you can take it in turns to fry your vegan crepe and then sit down to eat it.
If you have more patience than this you can pile them up on a warm plate or on a baking tray which you keep inside the oven at a low heat. Once you are ready to eat you can get a spatula to slide the crepes individually onto your plate to top and eat.
How do you top vegan crepes?
There are many elaborate fillings that you may find traditionally served up with crepes, like hazelnut spread or creamy mushrooms, but for me, they are the perfect base for simple fresh ingredients like lemon with a drizzle of syrup. Here are some other great vegan crepe topping recommendations:
- Banana, blueberry, and maple syrup
- Honea Butter (the best thing you will ever put in your mouth – thank me later)
- Strawberry and Oatly Cream
If savoury floats your boat, add in some fresh or dried herbs to the mix. For a topping, I love making creamy mushrooms using a spot of brandy, mustard, paprika and lashings of Oatly cream! If you haven’t tried any Oatly products before, then you must!
Vegan crepe recipe using spelt flour
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g Spelt flour - or use plain flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 400 g Oat milk
- 2 tbsp Agave - or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
- Pinch Salt
- Vegan butter - for frying the pancakes
Instructions
- Sieve the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl
- Stir in the salt
- Gradually whisk in all of the remaining ingredients (apart from the butter for frying) until fully incorporated.
- Place your frying pan on a high heat. Once it's warmed up, drop in about 1/2 tsp of vegan butter. Let it sizzle and melt. After melting, remove any excess butter from the pan by pouring it in to a ramekin (save this for the next pancake).
- Drop in a small amount of the pancake mix into the pan. It is easiest to do this with a ladle or with a measuring jug.
- Swirl the mix around the pan as quick as you can so that it spreads evenly.
- Leave it to cook on the bottom until you start to see bubbles forming in the middle, as if the pancake is lifting off the pan, or when you can see that the bottom is browning by peeking under the edges.
- Run a spatula around the sides of the pancake to ensure it isn’t stuck and then FLIP IT, or turn it over with your spatula…depends on how brave you want to be!
- Once the other side is browned slide it on to a tray, which you can either keep in a low temperature oven until all the pancakes are cooked, or just plop it straight on to a plate and eat as you go – I won’t judge.
- And…repeat!
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