The Easiest Buckwheat Crepes
Naturally vegan and gluten-free, these thin Buckwheat Crepes require only 1 ingredient to make and are equally delicious in sweet or savory dishes, making them a perfect option for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
I’ve always had a soft spot for buckwheat crepes: my dad used to make them for me all the time when I was a kid, and now that I’m all grown up, they’ve become my favorite lazy week-end breakfast item. But while I tend to eat them mostly for breakfast, the crepes natural nutty, buttery, slightly salty, almost kinda toasty flavor makes them a good contender for sweet or savory toppings, thus making them a very suitable option for any meal of the day!
When eaten for breakfast, I find that sweet toppings tend to be a bit more enjoyable. Some of my favorite include fresh or dried fruits, chopped nuts, non-dairy yogurt, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, peanut butter and fruit preserve. Dinner or lunch totally call for savory stuffing or topping options. Some of my favorites include sauteed mushrooms, non-dairy sour cream, spinach and caramelized onions.
But really, once you’ve got the base recipe for the crepes down path, you can prepare them practically any which way you like. And honestly, buckwheat crepes could not be easier to make!
I don’t know why people tend to over-complicate this recipe by adding all kinds of eggs and milk and oil or butter to the batter. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always made mine this exact same way, using the exact same super simple ingredients (well, technically, that would be ingredient without an “s” because only the flour actually counts towards an official list of ingredients): buckwheat flour, water, salt and, optionally, a little bit of baking soda. The baking soda acts as a leavening agent and makes the crepes a little bit airier, but it’s in no way indispensable to the success of the recipe.
That simple list of ingredients also makes the crepes naturally vegan, dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free. And VERY easy to make. And tasty.
Oh so tasty…
Like I said, making buckwheat crepe batter could not be easier. Simply combine all the ingredients – except the oil – in a large mixing bowl and whisk gently but firmly until all the flour is incorporated and the batter is very smooth.
Don’t worry about lumps, I think buckwheat flour simply is not capable of lumping up. I’ve never, not once in my entire life, seen a lump in my buckwheat pancake batter. Still, if you prefer to play it safe, you can add half the water to start, stir vigorously until your flour and water turn into a thick, smooth paste and then whisk in the rest of the water…
If time permits, I strongly recommend that you let the crepe batter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (or even up to a few days in the refrigerator) then give it another quick stir before using.
This will make your batter “relax” a bit and will result in softer, moister crepes, as well as a batter that’s a bit easier to work with. But if you don’t have time for that, don’t sweat it; You can totally make your crepes right away and I can guarantee you that they will be crazy yummy still!
When ready to cook the crepes, heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat and, once it’s hot, brush it with a little bit of oil (I like to use coconut oil, but feel free to use your own personal favorite).
Pour about 1/2 cup of crepe batter into the hot skillet and then tilt, wiggle and rotate the pan to spread the batter around as thinly as possible.
Let the crepe cook until the batter appears almost completely cooked (it will become darker and kinda matte) and the edges are beginning to brown, about 45 seconds.
Carefully flip the crepe, preferably with a flexible silicon turner (they’re the best for pancakes, really!) and cook the other side for 15 to 20 seconds, just to crisp and brown it up a little…
Remove the finished crepe to a plate and repeat with the rest of the batter, lightly brushing the pan with a little bit of oil between each crepe.
Serve your buckwheat crepes without delay with your choice of toppings… or stuffings!
Here, I opted for a few chopped walnuts, some apple slices, a handful of dried mulberries and goji berries, as well as a drizzle of coconut yogurt and pure maple syrup! Talk about a yummy breakfast!
Buckwheat Crepes
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups water
- 1-1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda, optional but highly recommended
- Oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients - except the oil - in a large mixing bowl and whisk gently but firmly until all the flour is incorporated and the batter is very smooth. If time permits, let the crepe batter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (or even up to a few days in the refrigerator) then give it another quick stir before using.
- Heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat and once it's hot, brush it with a little bit of oil (I like to use coconut oil)
- Pour about 1/2 cup of crepe batter into the hot skillet and then tilt, wiggle and rotate the pan to spread the batter around as thinly as possible. Let the crepe cook until the batter appears almost completely cooked (it will become darker and matte) and the edges are beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Carefully flip the crepe with a flexible silicon turner (they're the best for pancakes, really!) and cook the other side for 15 to 20 seconds.
- Remove the finished crepe to a plate and repeat with the rest of the batter, brushing the pan with a little bit of oil between each crepe.
- Serve without delay with your choice of toppings... or stuffings!
Notes
Fresh or dried fruits, chopped nuts, non-dairy yogurt, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, peanut butter and fruit preserve. My fave savory options include:
Sauteed mushrooms, non-dairy sour cream, spinach and caramelized onions.
Nutrition
If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
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20 Comments on “The Easiest Buckwheat Crepes”
I made these today and they came out a wonderful success. It took a few attempts to get just the right amount of batter into the pan so that the small holes appeared instantly, but once I did they turned out just like the ones I had in Bulgaria! I served it with a bright tasting berry and rhubarb compote that I had made which contrasted the earthy buckwheat flavour nicely.
I’ve stored some of the batter in the fridge and I’m looking forward to making these again.
Thanks Sonia!
This is awesome! I couldn’t believe that such a simple recipe could turn out so perfect. As you write, there’s really no need to add eggs or anything else, this is so great the way it is, fluffy and just delicious. Thank you 🥰
You are very welcome, Tiziana! And thank YOU for the great feedback, I sincerely appreciate it! 🙂
This recipe needs more buckwheat flour. The batter is too liquid and doesn’t cook well. I had to add like… I don’t know…maybe 3 Tbsps of it for the batter to work well.
I must say that I measured my ingredients in grams so maybe that’s the problem if you measured yours in cups. I often find that one cup of flour is way heavier than it’s supposed to be.
That could very well be… to be honest, I always measure mine in cups, and this ratio works perfectly fine! Next time, I’ll be sure to actually weigh my flour!
Delicious and easy!
These crepes are delicious! But I think there is a bit too much water in the batter. My crepes stuck to the pan, and I had to scrape them out. I wonder if they’d have turned out nicer had I let the batter sit in the fridge a while before making them. Anyway, I have more batter, and I have put it in the fridge. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!
I’ve made this exact same recipes hundreds of times in my life and it always turns out perfect. However, it is not an exact science, so if you feel you would prefer your batter a little bit on the thicker side, you could totally add a couple extra tablespoons of flour. This will not prevent your crepes from sticking, though. For that, be sure to use the right skillet, to oil it well and to use sufficient heat, too. The batter should “sizzle” as it hits the skillet. If it doesn’t, it means your pan isn’t hot enough. Hope this helps!
Omg! Thank you so much for sharing this! I’ve been looking for a gluten free, eggless crepe batter for a while. The ratio of ingredients gave me the right consistency. I made it for my self and the whole family ended up eating their own. I made 4 and still have batter left. Just wanted to mention that the crepe shrinks if that matters to anyone hehe Also, on my last crepe when the pan was to hot it was harder to spread the batter thinner so I rotate the pan but more vigorously and that crepe kind of broke. Next time I’ll let the pan cool down a bit and then pour the batter.
Failure! I followed your recipe as well as those in the comment section – too watery, stuck to the pan, came out in pieces when I tried to turn it with the silicone spatula. I even have a crepe maker and had the same result as the pan. And the “pieces” didn’t even taste good. I don’t know what you all are talking about with it being awesome.
Sorry to hear about your experience, Diane… I just made the recipe again this morning and just for the sake of experimentation, I purposely added more water to make my batter real watery and still, I wasn’t able to get my crepes to stick to the pan and come out in pieces. While they were a tad more delicate and fragile, they still came out fine. I’m guessing that your pan wasn’t hot enough, or that it’s really sticky… As for the pieces not tasting good, well that’s what buckwheat taste like; I’m afraid I can’t be held responsible for that!
These are AMAZING!!!! Worked perfectly on the electric crepe pan!!! Loved the flavor and how super easy they were! I used the blender! Added roasted veggies and vegan feta to ours for a savory lunch! And then apricot jam for a sweet finish!
Worked perfectly, such a great, simple recipe. I did end up using 15g green banana flour, as didn’t have quite enough buckwheat. Still turned out fine. This will be my new go-to recipe for crepes.
Hi- can you use oat milk instead of water?
It’s best that you stick with water
Made these today for pancake day and they were absolutely amazing! Great consistency, simple to make and delicious too – the perfect recipe. Thanks so much for posting! I can see myself making these for brunch most weekends. 🙂
I made these this morning and they turned out so so well!!
I really struggled to find a crepe recipe which is paleo, vegan, with no banana or applesauce or other things and this was it!
I made the batter last night and refrigerated it! Indeed, this surely helped, thr trxture this morning was smoother than last evening!
And they cooked pretty fast and the fact that i could roll them over and have yogurt and berry sauce as filling, ohmyGod! I was so happy!
Thank you tons!
Awesome! So very happy to hear the crepes were to your liking; thanks a bunch for the great review and stellar rating! 🙂
You wasted my time. Look at the pictures – it’s not even the buckwheat flour portrayed on the picture, it’s probably a whole wheat flour. Everything stocked to the pan even though I followed the recipe if you can call it that. I feel being lied to. Don’t recommend!
It looks like you use a nonstick skillet….it that true?