Healthy Vegan Crepes

Thin, light, and spongey whole grain crepes made to fill with fresh fruit, veggies, yogurt, sautéed cinnamon apples, powdered sugar, nut butter, chocolate, hazelnut spread, plant-based cheese, whipped cream, and more! You’re only limited by your imagination!

These Healthy Vegan Crepes have several things going for them. But I’d like to share my favorite six attributes. Then you can tell me what your favorite is.

Drumroll, please….

1. They’re Easy.
2. They’re Vegan.
3. They’re Nutritious.
4. They’re Delicious.
5. They Store Well.
6. They’re Versatile.

For starters, these Healthy Vegan Crepes are Easy.

Pure and Simple. These crepes are simple and straight-forward. No wonky ingredients. Just your non-fancy pantry staples. Just a little whole wheat flour, cornstarch, non-dairy plant milk, apple sauce, lemon juice, and vanilla.

What this really means is you could be making these right now…. seriously, what are you waiting for?

Next, these Healthy Vegan Crepes are Vegan.

Not only are these crepes simple, straight-forward, and easy to make, only plant-based ingredients are used. In other words, these crepes do not contain any dairy or eggs. This is significant because most crepes call for both. It’s the primary ingredients.

If you take a moment to whip the batter up in advance, then count your sheep while you’re sleeping, you can make fantastic thin and spongy crepes that no-one will question.

Third, these Healthy Vegan Crepes are Nutritious.

Not only do these crepes not contain any dairy or eggs, these super thin pancakes contain whole grain flour. This means these crepes are super good for you, providing your body with the fuel it needs to thrive all day. Most whole grains are nutrient-dense power houses, containing plant protein, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

I like using white whole wheat flour, though you can use spelt, whole wheat pastry flour, or whole wheat flour. You can most likely use a number of different flours, I just can’t predict how they’ll behave in this recipe. This includes gluten-free flour. If you follow a gluten-free diet, simply use a high-quality cup-for-cup baking blend.

Regardless of the flour used, you may need to add a little more or less milk, based on absorption.  For a lighter texture and milder flavor, you can use the traditional unbleached all-purpose flour in this recipe.

I also use non-dairy plant milk instead of traditional milk and apple sauce instead of oil or butter. I keep a stock of 1/2 cup (3.5-4 ounces) packages of unsweetened applesauce in my pantry. It just makes things easier for me. Plus, it’s a great snack. The cornstarch improves the texture and the lemon juice interacts nicely with the plant milk. It’s what I call synergy.

These Healthy Vegan Crepes are Delicious.

Honestly. This is a slam dunk. What more can I say. It really depends on your technique and how well you follow directions. Allow the batter to rest. Heat the skillet or crepe maker for a few minutes.

And whatever you do, don’t rush the process – allow the crepe to fully dry out on top before attempting to turn it over. Then fill it with all the goodness you can find. Which brings us to the next point….

These Healthy Vegan Crepes are Versatile.

Like most crepes, the possibilities are endless. First you have to decide if you want to make sweet crepes or savory crepes. If you’re going to fill your crepes with fruit, chocolate hazelnut spread, and sweeter things, go ahead and add a little vanilla or almond extract into your batter. If, however, you want to fill your crepes with some sautéed vegetables, potatoes, and or cheese, do not add any vanilla or almond extract or flavoring. They just don’t go well together.

The fillings you choose to use are up to you. Sweet fillings can include a myriad of fresh or cooked fruit. Fresh fruit can include softer fruits like bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. On the other hand, fruit cooked in a smooth sauce like Blueberry Sauce or sautéed cinnamon apples are fantastic when nestled in with these crepes.

Ice Cream or Vegan Lemon Curd makes a tasty treat as well. Simply sprinkle the crepes with a little powdered sugar and you have a fancy dessert crepe to present to family, friends, and guests. Other sweet options can include a variety of nut butters, melted chocolate, Healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Vegan Nutella), Creamy Non-dairy Yogurt, or whipped cream.

For savory fillings, some ideas include the cheese category, such as plant-based Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese shreds, or Cheez Sauce. But it can also get fancy with some sautéed veggies, hash browns or potatoes, leftover stir fry or fajitas, beans, Refried Beans, plant-based sausage, Breakfast Patties, scrambled tofu, Just Egg, and more! Mmm… I may or may not have rolled up a breakfast scramble in a couple crepes. So easy to do with leftover remnants from an Incredible Breakfast Bowl.

Honestly, you’re only limited by your imagination and your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer! And best of all, these options make for a great brunch theme or Crepe Party!! Simply have a platter of crepes and a variety of options to choose from. And you’re set. It’s fun to see what toppings or fillings people choose first.

Last, but certainly not least, these Healthy Vegan Crepes Store Well.

I mean this in two ways. First, the uncooked batter stores very well in the refrigerator for up to four days. I like making my batter the night or two before I want to make crepes. That way, it’s perfect when I want to cook and enjoy my crepes. In fact, I think the batter is better after a day or two. I guess it’s more like sourdough or wine, at least in this regard. Some things just get better with time…

Second, these Healthy Vegan Crepes store very well once they are cooked. Simply stack them on a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels to absorb any condensation. Then wrap them in plastic wrap or in a large air-tight container for up to four days on the counter. The crepes may look slightly wrinkled or wilted; but they still taste great and perform well under pressure.

One final note. I use a ⅓ cup measuring cup as a batter scoop when preparing these crepes. In this way, one Easy Vegan Crepes recipe makes ten to twelve crepes. If your pan is smaller, you will have more crepes. If your pan is rather large and you don’t spread your crepes very thin, you will end up with far fewer crepes. So please keep this in mind.

Also, if you’re serving a large crowd, you should definitely get a head start or make these crepes in advance. It will make for a much more enjoyable meal.

I hope you enjoy this Healthy Vegan Crepes as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Ingredients

• 1 cup white wheat flour*
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp baking powder (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1¾-2 cups non-dairy plant milk
• ½ cup applesauce
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (use only for sweet crepes)
• Sweet or savory fillings (fresh fruit, veggies, yogurt, nut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, plant-based cheese, whipped cream)

Instructions

1. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients and then pour in the wet ingredients.  Whisk together until smooth.  Add in a splash of milk, if needed, to achieve a thin smooth consistency.
2. Cover and chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to four days.

1. When ready to make crepes, take the batter out of the refrigerator.
2. Heat a non-stick pan or crepe maker over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.  Lightly spray or spread a small amount of avocado oil** or vegan butter in the pan, if needed or desired.  If you have a nonstick crepe pan or skillet, you may not need any oil at all.
3. Depending on the size of your pan, pour ¼ – ½ cup of the crepe batter into the skillet and quickly spread the batter with a crepe spreader tool or pick up the pan to swirl the batter evenly on the surface of the pan.  You’ll need less batter for a smaller pan and more for a larger pan. (I use a ⅓ cup measuring cup, which makes 10 crepes)
4. Once the surface of the batter appears fully dry (2-3 minutes) and the edges begin to peel upward (see second photo below), use a long thin spatula to slide under the crepe and flip it over to cook the other side for another minute or so.  If it’s messy or doesn’t release, it either needs to cook a little longer or you need a little oil to help it release better.  It should remain in tact and flip easily.  (Try cooking it a little longer if it doesn’t release easily.)
5. Carefully remove the crepe and stack on a large plate lined with paper towels.  This well help prevent the crepes from getting soggy from condensation, while keeping the crepes warm and soft.  
6. To serve, place a crepe on a plate and fill with your desired fillings or simply fold into quarters. 

Notes

* I like using white whole wheat flour, but you can use whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.  For a lighter texture, use unbleached all-purpose flour.  To make gluten-free crepes, use a high quality gluten-free baking flour blend like King Arthur or Cup-4-Cup.

** If you have a good non-stick skillet, you may not need any oil at all.  My skillet is awesome, but a quick spray of avocado oil ensures quick and easy release. Simply wipe off any excess oil with a paper towel.