These sourdough crepes are light, delicate, and the absolute best way to use up your sourdough discard. If you love traditional crepes, you’re going to want this recipe on repeat for your weekend brunches!
If you're new to sourdough, you might notice an accumulation of sourdough discard. Instead of throwing it away (discarding it!), try using it up with this super easy and versatile crepe recipe. Ready in just over an hour, it is a simple and quick way to get some delicious food on the table!
Sourdough Crepe Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy sourdough crepes:
Sourdough starter – You can use active starter or sourdough discard for this recipe. If you're using discard, I recommend using discard that is no more than 1 week old.
Milk – Any type of milk works perfectly here to create a smooth, thin base for the batter.
Eggs – Eggs help bind the batter together and give the crepes their classic, delicate structure. Each medium egg weighs anywhere from 43-48g. So if you do not have medium eggs, try to achieve a weight of 129-144g of eggs.
Unsalted butter – Melted and stirred into the batter for richness a buttery flavor.
Granulated sugar - Adds a delicate sweetness to the crepe. If you are planning on making these savoury, reduce the granulated sugar to 10g.
Vanilla extract – For just the right hint of warm, sweet depth.
All-purpose flour – The perfect flour to achieve that soft, flexible crepe texture.
Salt – Just a pinch to bring all the flavours together.
Tools and Equipment
While you don't need fancy gadgetry to make these crepes, having a few specialized tools makes the crepe-making process so much easier. Here’s what I use:
10” Nonstick Crepe Pan – A dedicated crepe pan has a completely flat surface and a low rim, making it easy to spread the batter, and flip the crepe.
Crepe Spreader – This handy wooden T-shaped tool is the secret to achieving that paper-thin crepes. Instead of tilting the pan and hoping the batter cooperates, you simply place this spreader in the center and rotate it in a smooth circle to push the batter out to the very edge. I rinse the spreader in between crepes to remove any excess batter. If you don't have a crepe spreader, an offset spatula (below) will do the trick in a pinch.
Whisk – Sourdough starter can sometimes be a bit stubborn to break down in cold milk. A sturdy balloon whisk is essential here to thoroughly blend the liquids into a smooth, uniform liquid base before you add your flour.
Offset Spatula – Once your crepe edges start to dry and crisp up, the narrow metal blade of an offset spatula easily slips right under the crepe to loosen it from the pan, giving you a perfect handle to flip it over safely.
How to Make Sourdough Crepes
Making homemade crepes is much easier than it looks! The process has three main parts:
Whisking the batter
Resting the mixture
Cooking and flipping
First, grab a medium bowl and whisk together the milk and starter until they are completely cohesive. Add the eggs and melted butter, whisking until combined. Next, whisk in the sugar and salt, followed by the flour and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the batter is fully combined—don't worry if there are a few small lumps left!
Tip: Let the mixture sit on the counter for 45 to 60 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and creates the best texture!
When you're ready to cook, heat a 10-inch nonstick crepe pan over medium heat. Pour around 1/2 cup of batter onto the hot pan.
Quickly spread it to the edges using a crepe spreader or an offset spatula.
Let it cook for 30 to 60 seconds until the edges look dry, then carefully flip using a spatula (or your fingers!) to lightly brown the other side.
