How to Make Crepes With Pancake Mix

Can you make crepes from pancake mix? Yes! These are thin and delicious, like French crêpes, but different than regular American-style pancakes.

30 minutes is all you need to make these crepes, which can be served alone or with a variety of toppings.

Homemade crepes are a delicacy made with a few basic ingredients. All you need is milk, plain flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt.

But isn't it good news that there is a way to convert any store-bought pancake and waffle mix into fresh and delicious crepes?

A classic everyday pancake mix contains leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda). It is designed to make fluffy American pancakes, and the fluffier, the better.

But what if you want thin French-style crepes instead? That’s right, the basic crepe recipe never calls for a raising agent.

So, there is a question. How to turn pancake mix into crepes? How to train your pancake mix batter not to go for the soft and fluffy cousins? Let's find out how.

So far, there is a way to neutralize the baking soda by adding some acidic ingredients, such as lemon juice or vinegar.

According to Susan M. Selasky,

If a recipe has baking powder with an acidic ingredient, you need to add some baking soda to neutralize the acid.

So, to get away from the chemical formulas and interactions, it would be nicer to find a non-chemical way of making thin crepes from pancake mix.

Since the secret of the perfect crepes is their finesse, the flour and milk ratio seems important.

Gilles Isola, the training manager at Ecole Maître Crêpier & Cuisinier, in Rennes, says that "as for milk, there are about 2 liters per kilo of flour."

So, the minimal flour to milk ratio is 1:2, but this can be higher if the crepe's texture becomes an issue (thicker crepe).

The recipe below calls for one part of the pancake mix mixed with 2.8 parts of the milk.

Jump to:

• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make pancake mix crepes
• Recipe variations
• Equipment
• Storage instructions
• Expert tips
• Frequently asked questions
• Love crepes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

Why you should try this recipe

You can still get that authentic French-style thin and lacy pancakes if you use a basic pancake mix.

It is also possible to adapt the desired thickness of crepes by playing with the pancake mix to milk ratio.

The most exciting thing is that you can make crepes right away without letting the batter rest.

So it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish to make crepes using pancake mix.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

Also, read about crepe ingredients.

Pancake mix: this pancake mix crepes recipe uses the Bob's Red Mill homestyle pancake mix. Most dry mixes are pretty similar; they should work to make perfect thin pancakes.

Milk: use whole milk or replace it with low-fat or plant-based milk, for example, almond milk. You can also use water instead of milk if desired.

Egg: the recipe calls for one large egg.

Oil: vegetable oil helps avoid greasing a crepe pan. If desired, replace oil with unsalted melted butter.

But if the crepes still stick, use a nonstick spray or a silicone brush to apply a thin layer of oil on the pan for each new crepe.

How to make pancake mix crepes

To make the crêpe batter, place the pancake mix into a large mixing bowl.

Add the egg and milk and mix with a hand whisk. If there are some lumps, pass the batter through a fine-mesh sieve.

Extra tip: If the batter seems too thin for your liking, add a bit more pancake mix and whisk. The more pancake mix you add, the thicker your crepes will be.

Heat a non-stick crepe pan over medium-high heat. Due to added oil, there is no need to grease the pan. Using a small ladle, pour the batter into the center of the hot pan.

Immediately swirl the pan in the air to help the batter spread and cover the entire bottom of the pan.

Extra tip: You might need to adjust the heat to medium because the batter doesn't spread well if the heat is too high.

Bring the pan to the stovetop. Cook the crepe until the bubbles appear and the edges curl away from the pan.

Using a rubber spatula, loosen the edges of the crepe. Then, with a flexible turner, flip crepe and lightly cook the second side.

Extra tip: If you feel that the crepe sticks to the pan, make sure you spray the pan with a non stick cooking spray for each new crepe.

Continuer with the rest of the batter. Place cooked crepes on a serving plate covered with another plate, aluminum foil, or a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.

Serve crepes dusted with powdered sugar and garnished with fresh fruit, maple syrup, homemade condensed milk, or other favorite toppings.

Recipe variations

While there is a basic crepe recipe that makes crepes from scratch, you can't go wrong with a classic pancake mix.

If you are a beginner at cooking, follow this easy recipe and make crepes out of pancake mix - thin like French-style crepes.

You can change the consistency of the crepe pancake batter by using water instead of milk or replacing some part of the milk with plain or sparkling water.

This will allow you to play around with the crepes' texture and their thickness.

The pancake mix has the perfect flavors, whether you want them sweet or savory. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to give an extra taste to dessert crepes.

Serve your crepes with sweet or savory fillings. If you want to take your serving game up a notch, fill crepes with farmer cheese and fresh strawberries.

Or roll up banana with ricotta cheese into a crepe wrap, and drizzle with chocolate sauce for an extraordinary taste and presentation.

Equipment

For this basic pancake mix crepes, you just need a few crepe-making tools: a mixing bowl, a hand whisk, a crepe pan, and a flexible turner or a spatula to flip crepes.

If desired, use a blender, an electric mixer, or a food processor to make the crepe batter.

A specialty pan is a bit of an investment in special appliances, but it helps make crepes easy and improve their appearance.

But you can use any small nonstick skillet or well-seasoned cast-iron pan in your kitchen to make crepes.

Storage instructions

To keep your crepes fresh, keep them in the fridge or freezer.

Place sheets of parchment paper between crepes and wrap with plastic film.

Store in the refrigerator for up to two days or freeze in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag for two months.

To thaw, bring crepes to the fridge overnight. Then, when you want one or two for later, take the thawed ones and heat them in the microwave for a few seconds.

Expert tips

1. Read on the tips and tricks to make basic crepes. It's the ultimate guide to perfect crepes.
2. Don’t overcook crepes: they should be just golden.

Frequently asked questions

Love crepes? Try these next!

Are there the best crepes ever?

While French crepes are a well-known classic, there is an entire world of thin and crispy crepe styles that you should try. These include Polish naleśniki or Romanian clatite, for example.

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.