If you’re looking for a new breakfast recipe for lazy weekend mornings, I have just the thing for you.
A crepe is like having a mini burrito for breakfast, and quite frankly, who wouldn’t want that? Plus, the flavor options and filling possibilities are endless. Let’s do this!
This crepe recipe was inspired by a new-to-me Youtube channel, Cam and Nina, which focuses on making vegan food easy and delicious – something we’re all about. So when I saw they had a crepe recipe that was both vegan and gluten free – a recipe I’ve been trying to tackle for years now – I had to give it a try. And I must say, with a couple of small tweaks, I’ve made it my own and am totally in love with the result.
One of the best things about this 30-minute, 5-ingredient recipe is it’s SO versatile. It can be made oil-free, sugar-free, sweet, and savory, and the filling/topping options are endless. It’s just a good, hearty, basic crepe that you can make your own depending on what you’re craving.
This recipe is made with a simple mix of (untoasted*) buckwheat flour (a hearty, gluten-free grain), dairy-free milk, a little oil, salt, and sweetener / seasonings of choice. That’s it!
Once it’s mixed, all that’s left to do is swirl onto a hot pan and cook until crispy on the edges and fluffy on the inside.
I hope you all LOVE these crepes! They’re:
Tender
Hearty
Satisfying
Wholesome
Versatile
Easy to make
& Super delicious
These would make a lovely lazy weekend breakfast, filled with savory things like tofu scramble and roasted veggies with my vegan hollandaise (recipe in our cookbook!) or sweet things like Cinnamon Baked Apples, nuts, and maple syrup.
If you’re into crepes, you might also like this Vegan Breakfast Burrito, Simple Whole Grain Vegan Pancakes, Vegan Gluten-Free Waffles, or Fluffy Garlic & Herb Flatbread.
If you try this recipe, be sure to let us know by leaving a comment, rating, and tagging a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
*7/20/18 Recipe updated to include new dairy-free milk recommendation, plus tips on how to prohibit the crepes from sticking to the pan.
5-Ingredient Buckwheat Crepes
Ingredients
CREPES
- 1 cup un-toasted (raw) buckwheat flour (*not kasha or Bob’s Red Mill brand – we recommend grinding your own flour from buckwheat groats – see notes!)
- 3/4 Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1 3/4 cups light (canned) coconut milk (we found almond milk and lighter, less fatty milks to promote sticking to the pan)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 Tbsp avocado or melted coconut oil (plus a bit more for cooking // or use nonstick pan)
- 1/8th tsp ground cinnamon (optional // omit for savory)
- sweetener (optional // to taste // I used a dash of stevia // omit for savory or unsweetened)
FILLINGS optional
Instructions
- To a blender or mixing bowl, add buckwheat flour (see notes), flaxseed meal, light (canned) coconut milk, salt, avocado oil, cinnamon (omit for savory), and sweetener of choice (omit for savory or unsweetened).
- Pulse in blender or whisk in mixing bowl to combine. The batter should be pourable but not watery. If too thin, add a bit more buckwheat flour. If too thick, thin with more dairy-free milk.
- Heat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. (Non-stick is typically best for crepes, but I used a seasoned cast-iron skillet and it worked well, too). Once hot, add a little oil and spread into an even layer. Let the oil heat until hot – when you flick a little water onto the pan, it should crackle and evaporate almost immediately.
- Add ~1/4 cup (60 ml) batter. Let cook until the top appears bubbly and the edges are dry (similar to pancakes). Then carefully flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more on the other side. Turn heat down if cooking too quickly.
- Repeat until all crepes are prepared. We didn’t find we needed to add any more oil after the first crepe. Keep warm between layers of parchment paper or on a plate under a towel.
- Serve as is with a little vegan butter, nut butter, maple syrup, compote, or other fillings or choice! My preferred is vegan butter, berries, maple syrup, and banana. But these would also be delicious with coconut whipped cream, Cinnamon Baked Apples, fresh fruit (e.g. berries or bananas), or granola.
- Best when fresh, but you can store leftovers sealed in the refrigerator up to 3 days. To freeze, layer between pieces of parchment paper (to prevent sticking) and freeze. Then store in a freezer-safe container up to 1 month. To reheat, warm in a 350-degree F (176C) oven or microwave until hot.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information calculated without sweetener and with oil.
*Adapted from the fabulous Cam and Nina.
Maria says
Just made them for breakfast for the kids rolled with almond butter and bananas and topped with maple syrup – so yum! I added 1 tbsp of brown sugar to the batter instead of stevia. My batter was very runny so I had to add about 2 tbsp extra of flour (eventhough I weighed my flour) and cooked it in very low heat. Some broke , as they were very delicate but will try again!
-BTW: How much flour extra is acceptable too add , was 2tbsp too much? too little? Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Maria, we’re sorry the texture wasn’t quite right, but glad they were still delicious! It sounds like they actually needed even more flour. We think the metric measurement for the buckwheat might a little low. We’ll double check it!
Cristina Green says
Love this recipe. Easy to make, healthy and delicious. I made savory crepes with whipped cottage cheese and sautéed mushrooms.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Cristina! xo
Lorissa says
These crepes were so easy to make and absolutely delicious. This was my first time making any sort of crepe and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I ground my own buckwheat flour, used a can of Native Forest Simple Organic Coconut Milk and followed the recipe exactly. I also used a ceramic coated griddle which can sometimes be tricky, but I had no problems with this recipe.
Minimalist Baker is my go to for all things gluten free. I’ve learned so much and am so grateful for everything on here! My family and I are well fed with all the deliciousness! Thank you so much!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Aw, we’re SO glad our recipes have been helpful, Lorissa! Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Corelia says
HOLY SMOKES!!! I had despaired of ever having a successful crepe recipe in my gluten-free cooking arsenal, because every. single. recipe I tried ended up either turning into thick, stiff pancakes, or just goop on the pan. But not this one!!! No smoke in my kitchen, no black sticky mess on my pan, and the crepe itself is absolutely perfect! It folds perfectly, it doesn’t taste buckwheaty, and it looks beautiful! I will definitely make these again.
Some changes I (successfully) made:
– dash of honey rather than stevia
– 1 large egg rather than the flax (had to cut down on the coconut milk consequently, and add extra buckwheat flour)
– used butter to grease instead of a nonstick pan
Thank you, MB people!!! :)
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Corelia! xo
Arlene says
What if I can’t find and grind the buckwheat groats? Won’t the recipe work with Bob’s Red Mill type buckwheat flower?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Arlene, The buckwheat flour from Bob’s Red Mill used to be dark in color – it was toasted and had a strong flavor. But it looks like they do now sell one that’s lighter, so it should work!
Arlene says
Thank you…that helps!
Jro says
Hello,
The buckwheat whole grain, can I grind this to make the flour also?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes!
Sharon Styve says
I found this buckwheat flour on Amazon: Anita’s Organic Mill Light Buckwheat Flour – and I contacted them (and they replied in minutes!) ans confirmed that this product is RAW (not toasted). And it was reasonably priced.
Kaci says
Hi, I was curious if there was any recipe that is vegan and gluten free? Is that even possible?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Kaci, these buckwheat crepes are vegan and gluten-free. Is there another recipe you were referring to?
Atara Dahan says
Hey
Do you have more buckwheat recipes?
Want to make more things with this grain
Thank you
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Atara, we have one other one! Find our buckwheat granola recipe here. xo!
Ruby says
I’m after the ingrediants and amounts for the plain galettes please
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Ruby! Are you looking for another recipe for a galette?
Yok says
Hi, thanks for sharing the recipe. I really look forward to making these. But wondering whether I should soak the groats before turning them into powder?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi, no need to soak them first. Just blend up the hulled buckwheat groats. Hope that helps!
lorene says
I didn’t try it yet, but I can wait to try. just wondering you mentioned concerning the buckwheat a non Bob red mill brand but when we click on the link you send on notes concerning the buckwheat this is exactly a bob red mill. can you tell me the buckwheat you use if its not this one? thank you very much.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Lorene, sorry for the confusion! We like Bob’s Red Mill if buying untoasted whole buckwheat groats (which we then blend into a flour). But Bob’s buckwheat flour is toasted and therefore not as pleasant of a flavor in our opinion. Hope that helps!
Daniela says
Came out amazing!
I did not have coconut milk so i used a mix of oat and soy milk and just added in a little bit more ground flax
Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Daniela! xo
Daria says
Hi! What to try making these with eggs instead of flax (I’m not vegan).
Your recommendation for a ratio?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Daria, we’d suggest 1 small egg and reducing the amount of coconut milk as needed. Let us know how it goes!
NB says
Almost didn’t try these because of the low star reviews however I love minimalist baker recipes so I figured I’d give it a shot! So happy I did. Buckwheat and flax are a super healthy addition to daily nutrition. With ANY crepes there’s always a factor of the pan. The first crepe never comes out well because the pan is adjusting temp. If using an electric stove it’s also very hard to adjust the temp (sometimes I have to take the pan off the heat and add the batter that way) I use a spout on my mason jar to allow for movement of the pan while I pour. Yes these crepes are thicker than the average but it’s expected without using eggs. Even with a non stick pan you should always be using some kind of oil (I’m surprised some managed on cast iron, I never use cast iron for crepes because they stick too easily and I need a light pan to be able to get the batter to all edges) . These are a great base recipe and I ok forward to playing around with vegan fillings!!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thank you so much for the lovely review and sharing your super helpful tips! xoxo
Christie says
Delicious and would make it again for sure. The number one breakfast in my family growing up and today was and is crepes with powdered sugar or syrup (“french pancakes” as we always call them). I’ve tried out a few vegan crepe recipes and had the pervasive pan sticking issue and/or lack of adequate binding to keep em together well enough to flip. These did significantly better. I added about a quarter cup of whole wheat flour at the end; and I would definitely like to keep experimenting to find a lighter recipe that works. Have you ever tried adding extra nut butter instead of canned coconut milk (to make sort of like a super thick almond milk to replicate the coconut milk)? Would love any other ideas there. Thank you for your awesome work!!!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
We haven’t tried adding almond butter, but the way the recipe is written is how we’ve had the most success with it!
Anna says
I’ve made this recipe according to the instructions and it just didn’t work :c
It would be awesome if you could write that you use green buckwheat in the first place, maybe that’s why it didn’t work out. Also the batter wasn’t sticky enough to even keep together on the frying pan and just turned into goop
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Bummer, what kind of buckwheat did you use? We grind buckwheat groats into flour and that’s the only way we’re able to get it to work!
Taylor says
Made this for breakfast two days in a row – definitely going to be a staple going forward. I didn’t have coconut milk, so I made my own oat milk but added extra oats so it was thicker than store bought. Turned out great! I like that I can just add more or less water to change the consistency from pancake to crepe. Topped with berries and maple syrup
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
So lovely! Thanks for sharing, Taylor!
Nicole V says
Hi Dana! Looking forward to trying this recipe but I only have coconut cream on hand. Could that work? If so, could you recommend how much to use/will need to dilute with water for similar consistency? Unsure of the ratio.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Nicole, possibly if you dilute it! Maybe a ratio of 1 part coconut cream : 4 parts water.
abbey says
Made these this morning, I love how simple the recipe is! I used a castiron skillet with coconut oil and it worked just fine. Next time I will add more salt and sweetener for more flavor. Thanks for all the great recipes :)
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Abbey!
CTay says
What a lovely recipe! Glad for the detail on the buckwheat flour. I happened to have some on hand that wasn’t Bob’s or kasha, so I was excited to try this. Worked beautifully in the blender and non-stick in my well seasoned cast iron pan. I made them a bit thicker like pancakes accidently, but still supper yummy. I think it’s because all I had was full fat coconut milk. Perhaps a little water next time to make a thinner batter if I use that full fat coconut milk instead of light. I used a tiny bit of maple syrup to sweeten the batter.
Paired ours with some cashew butter, a touch of maple syrup, and berries. A lovely brunch treat and was super easy to make.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Love those toppings. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Karis says
Hi! Have you been successful substituting the buckwheat flour with any other gluten-free flour? (I can’t use oat flour, either.) Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Karis, we haven’t experimented with that, but think they might be more prone to sticking or being gummy. Let us know if you play around with it.
Cristina says
I seduced my French boyfriend with this recipe.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad he enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing, Cristina!
Belen says
I should have read the comments before making this recipe. I used exactly everything in the recipe and tried 3 different pans, it did not work. How frustrating. First time a recipe from this site did not work for me 😞 what a disappointing breakfast
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Belen, we’re so sorry to hear that was your experience! Would you mind sharing what didn’t work about it? We’d love to help troubleshoot. Either way, we’ll take another look and see if we can make improvements.
Belen says
I used all the ingredients from the recipe exactly. And I used a cast iron skillet first, then a non stick pan, and then another non stick pan, in case it was the pan. It wasn’t working. Then I read through the comments and tried a few of the suggestions of how to cook them. Adding more oil and playing around with the temperature of the non stick pan it worked. So, I guess it’s a recipe where you have to figure out the cooking to be just right, but once you do, it’s easy and delicious. It was frustrating to have lost about half of the batter with the failed attempts, but I’ll try it again another time.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Belen, thanks so much for this helpful feedback! We wonder if the brand and fat percentage of the coconut milk is where the issue is? One idea would be to try another brand that’s thicker/creamier. But we’re glad you were able to troubleshoot the remainder of the batch!
Jo says
This recipe is so easy & delicious. The batter keeps well covered in the fridge. I found the trick with stopping the crepes from breaking up in the pan is to let them cook longer before flipping over. Very gently push at the edge of the crepe with a spatula…. if the whole crepe moves in the pan it’s ready to flip. A perfectly clean non-stick pan with no food build up is also essential.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jo! And so helpful- thanks so much for sharing! xo
Bold4Birds says
A first time doing crepes.
Despite using all the correct ingredients and measurements, the crepes stuck to the pan, and fell apart during attempts to flip them. Adequate oil and sunflower butter were used.
Switching to another pan (both cast-iron) and only using the butter proved helpful. The small crepes were then almost perfect. A few pieces occasionally would fall off or come apart during the flipping.
The crepes came out like pancakes (thick), although the batter was thinned.
They were topped with sunflower butter and jam, and after, with only raw honey.
The breakfast was easy to make, and simple-tasting. The cooking was difficult.
The 5-Ingredient Buckwheat Crepes Recipe would be slightly recommended to others.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi, sorry to hear these didn’t turn out as expected! This recipe doesn’t call for sunflower butter in the batter so we’re wondering if you made modifications? If they’re ending up thick, we’d suggest swirling them in the pan immediately after pouring the batter in the pan. Hope that’s helpful!
Bold4Birds says
Hi. No sunflower butter was used in the batter, but on the pan to prevent sticking. The combination of oil and butter helps to prevent burning
.
Next time, perhaps the batter would be thinned more and swirled on the pan. Will write again when retrying the recipe. Thanks for the suggestion!
Martha Dro says
Hello !
really looking forward to making this !
I was thinking, as I am from France, that here we make buckwheat crêpes with a simple factor of 3 ingredients : buckwheat + water + a dash of salt !
So is the coconut milk added for extra nutrients, or for consistency ?
because if it’s consistency, this could be made even simpler.
Will try this tomorrow !
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Martha, Thanks for sharing! We find the coconut milk adds a richness, makes them more pliable, and prevents sticking. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Rids Amin says
Martha, merci beaucoup! I saw your comment and decided to try a small batch with just buckwheat flour + water + salt – and voila! it worked great. Didnt stick at all …
I used to make it before with eggs in it and with going vegan recently was wondering if I can make them vegan.
I think you just have to have the right consistency (more liquidy) and the right temparature on your iron griddle to not have them stick.
Sophie Elise B says
Dearest Minimalist Baker,
So delighted to have come across your site. Started an alkaline diet a month ago and this recipe was perfect. Modified a little due to current restrictions, lock down means we can’t just go out. So, coconut milk from carton and added some extra coconut oil to combat the sticking, worked a charm.
Served with wilted spinach, chickpeas, minced garlic, red pepper, tahini, lil squeeze of lemon, l.o.v.e and a tonne of gratitude! Here’s to Mother Nature supplying us with all of the good stuff and than there’s ya’ll putting it together…waow…
Pained me a little that you had to remind people in the comment box to stay respectful, to those of you who do that kind a thing, if you dont have anything constructive or kind to say……sssssshhhhhh
Looking forward to making more of the recipes on this epic site.
Hugs from Cyprus!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Sophie, We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Alexia says
I like the recipe but I had to add a lot more water
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Did you add coconut milk?
Alexia says
Yes I used coconut milk
I had no problem turning the crepes I use crepes pans from Le Creuset
I could only make 8 crepes even with the water added
I will use this recipe again thank you
illuma says
Love your no nonsense video! Thank you!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re glad you enjoyed it!
Regina says
This crepes turned out really yummy!!! I used my homemade oat milk (your recipe!) instead of coconut milk because I didn’t have it on hand and they were sticking to the cast iron skillet but then I switched to a non stick pan and they didn’t stick at all (did add some coconut oil to the pan though).
My whole family loved them.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Regina!
O. says
It did not work. At all. Everything sticked to the pan and i couldn’t even flip them over. I used everything as per recipe. There is not enough right fat in the recipe. Coconut oil doesnt work for thin pancake frying. I did small blobs in the end after diluting with almond milk. Too thik butter.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you! What type of pan did you use? We find this recipe works best with cast iron.
O. says
Yes it must work only on cast iron.
Not on nonstick pans.
Alyse says
I followed the instructions to a T and on 3 pans (just to make sure it wasn’t the pan, I used a seasoned cast iron, non-stick skillet, and a stainless steel,) these were so sticking to the pan (even with extra oil added) do badly they were unusable. This is the first recipe from this site that utterly failed me. So disappointing. Everyone is SO hungry for breakfast and I have to start over.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Oh no! We’re so sorry to hear that, Alyse! Did you make any modifications? Were you using canned coconut milk? It sounds like there wasn’t enough fat to prevent sticking.
Miss Katherine Winny says
We also found these impossible – don’t know whether it was the toasted buckwheat thing, but they stuck to the pan and just wouldn’t cook through and were impossible to flip. The taste is amazing – ended up baking them into pancake cookie things in the oven…will see how they turn out. Definitely don’t try even the smallest adaptions to the recipe!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Oh no! Sorry to hear that was your experience! What kind of pan did you use?
Hannah says
I like most of your recipes like the fried rice, but this was terrible. They stuck to the pan, went green for some reason,and the coconut milk and buckwheat flour were not nice together. Do you have any other crepe recipes we could try which maybe will turn out better and not be a flop like these haha!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Hannah, it definitely sounds like something went wrong! What kind of pan did you use? Did you use canned coconut milk or from a carton? Did you make sure to use untoasted buckwheat? You can try these crepes for a little more traditional recipe. Hope that helps!
Kristin says
I’m so happy I could cry! Years ago my favorite restaurant in San Francisco was a now-closed French crêpe place called Ti Couz that had Britttany-style buckwheat crêpes, filled with mushrooms in a heavenly sauce, or with flambéed apples and Chantilly cream. I cannot eat dairy or eggs (and am not sad about that, really) and these crêpes are just as good as I remember! These are lighter from using the raw groats, but I love their versitile flavor and crispy texture. The trick is to get the pan to the right temperature and then it’s smooth sailing. I even folded the sides over to make the little picture frame around the filling like they did at Ti Couz all those years ago. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Kristin! Thanks for sharing your experience! xo
Erica says
Hi Dana. Thanks for this! I’d love it if you could create more crepe recipes (especially something simple with plain or whole wheat flour). I’ve tried a bunch of vegan crepe recipes from online and have yet to find one that works well. Maybe something with aquafaba? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Lisa says
Made these today and instantly fell in love with them! The crepes turned out exactly like picture, great taste and texture. I had to adjust the amount of milk/flour a few times to find the beat costistency so that the batter easily spreads on the pan. I used non-stick pan.
This recipe is so much better than the one I had before, I’m going to use it from now on. And I’m not even vegan or vegetarian
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lisa! Thanks for sharing! xo
Lisa says
First of all thank you for this recipe. I’m from England and thought that my style of pancakes (crepes) to the reat of the world had been lost to me when I learnt I had a sensitivity to all the ingredients.
I do have a suggestion on how to mix them based on what I was taught growing up. Put the wet ingredients in the blender first and pulse together then add the dry ingredients in about 3 batches until everything is mixed together.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing this tip, Lisa!
Natalie Yosipovitch says
Because I didn’t have coconut milk, I ended up using regular milk instead. The recipe still turned out delicious!
I do have a question: I followed all the directions beyond the coconut milk and my crepes kept ripping when I tried to flip them over. Is this because the oil was too hot, or because I added too much oil? Or does it have to do with using regular milk instead of coconut milk? (When I make non-vegan crepes with white flour I don’t have this issue, which is why I figured I would ask).
Let me know what you think so I have a better experience next time I make these :)
Natalie Yosipovitch says
I tried making these again using light canned coconut milk, and to my disappointment, the crepes still ripped and wouldn’t stay together when I flipped them. I tried varying the temperatures, changing the amount of oil used, changing the time cooking the crepes on the pan, changing the type of oil used (coconut and avocado oil), and changing the amount of batter placed on the pan and nothing helped. Although the recipe tasted delicious, the frustration and challenge of trying to make crepes was not worth the effort. FYI: I have made regular crepes with white flour and have had no problem with ripping before and getting the perfect crepe cooked. I did not imagine this recipe to be so difficult.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Natalie, sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you! May we ask what kind of pan you used? Perhaps the type of pan could be the issue. We used a cast-iron skillet and found that to work really well.
Natalie Yosipovitch says
Thank you for your suggestion. I used a regular pan, I don’t have a cast iron skillet.
Heather says
I used Bob’s red mill buckwheat bc I had an open bag and I used almond milk bc I did not have coconut milk in the house. They were lovely. They were darker im color, but flavorful and a great texture. I used a non-stick pan and coconut oil. Filled w/almond butter, sour cherry preserves, and banana. Thank you for the gfv recipe!
Eve Stewart says
Made these today and they were fantastic. Also added lemon zest and vanilla which was wonderful. Topped with coconut yogurt, fresh fruit and maple syrup :)
Sarah says
I’ve never seen such a cluttered recipe before. An unnecessary amount of pictures, endless rambling about things that only vaguely relate to the recipe, popunders, etc. – just get to the damn point. Not coming back to this website again.
calgal says
This is pretty much what most food blogs look like these days. People want (I guess?) an inordinate amount of personal information and backstory for each and every recipe along with pictures for every step along the way. I agree it’s not my favorite, but people must like it because every blog seems to do this now. Easy fix: just scroll all the way down to the recipe :) Don’t be deterred – this website has excellent recipes so it’s worth the time, in my opinion!
Geri says
I have always soaked, dried and then blended the groats. Is this step not necessary?
Denise says
Like Geri, I’ve always soaked buckwheat groats overnight before using. They can be dried if want/need to make flour but since they will be ground up with wet ingredients anyway, I don’t see the need to do that extra step. The soaking is for digestibility for anyone with auto-immune or leaky gut issues. It helps remove some of the lectins which are harmful and present in all grains/seeds/nuts/legumes. We need to just get in the habit of soaking all of these foods (whether GF or not) to avoid triggering gut issues down the road.
Dana, the recipe is intriguing and your crepes look lovely. I’m going to try this for breakfast tomorrow as my soaked groats are waiting in the fridge. :)
Geri says
I have always soaked, dried then ground the buckwheat groats. Is this not necessary?
Pavla says
Yea, this recipe didn’t work for me at all. I used non-stick pan and followed the recipe exactly. The crepes completely stuck to the pan.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Sorry to hear that, Pavla! It sounds like it was probably the pan..
Deborah Boughner says
I made these today and they cooked up great, didn’t stick at all in a cast iron pan but they weren’t flexible enough to roll. They cracked. Any feedback how to fix this?
Ingrid Brown says
Yes! While you are cooking, stack the crepes under a tea towel :)
Nina Carnegie says
Is sitting under a tea towel a must? Not just rolling up immediately with toppings?
Nina Carnegie says
Because mine look like I’ve cut them in strips when I serve them to my family. Not pretty, but yummy! 😂
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Oh you can definitely serve them immediately! The tea towel is just if you want them all served at once.
Nina Carnegie says
I think I over looked the addition of coconut oil as more of an addition to frying them up, once I put the full amount into the batter the breakage of the crepes was minimal.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing, Nina!
Ruhi J says
I made both the savoury and the sweet versions. For the savoury version, I used mustard oil instead of coconut oil and it went well with the hummus and veggies I had with it. I didn’t have ground flaxseeds so I put whole flaxseeds in the batter and they got semi ground when I mixed the batter with a handprocessor. I did add half a teaspoon of baking soda to get the crepe to become a little more fluffy, it worked!
For the sweet crepes mustard oil would NOT be a good idea. The crepes came out really delicious, so thanks for sharing!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing your modifications, Ruhi!
Ariel says
Love the other recipes I’ve tried here, but although I followed the directions, I couldn’t get this recipe to work – they all stuck to the pan :(
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
It sounds like you didn’t have enough oil in the pan, Ariel! Next time, add a little more and you should have better success.
Kellee says
Can I use food processor to make buckwheat flour I stead of high speed blender? Thank you!
Kellee says
Question: can i use food processor to make buckwheat flour instead of high speed blender? Thanks
Lana says
“Kasha” is a Russian name for all types of cocked grains/porridge, certainly doesn’t refer to flour:)
Lizeth says
Thank you for the recipe, Dana!… I am curious as to why you do not recommend those brands of buckwheat, I have Bob’s flour and I just carefully read the label, it says it might contain traces of nuts, wheat and soy…sigh
Lizeth says
I just finished eating these crepes, they were amazing and so easy to make. I ended up substituting half of the buckwheat with chickpea flour… great success!!
Julie says
How do these freeze?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Julie! To freeze, layer between pieces of parchment paper (to prevent sticking) and freeze. Then store in a freezer-safe container up to 1 month. To reheat, warm in a 350-degree F (176C) oven or microwave until hot. Hope this helps!
Kat Lee says
Followed recipe to a T but added a couple tbsp of gluten free pancake mix plus 1 tbsp of maple syrup. The batter was a lovely consistency & the end result was super delishish! My filling this time around was PB2 & jam. Big hit! In my belly;)
I’ll let you know how they work out for a side with my eggplant curry!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Kat!
Claire says
Although Cam and Nina’s recipe specifies buckwheat flour, they use sorghum flour in the video. So maybe that would work as well?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes, it might! Let us know if you give it a try.
Maya says
Just made these using the updated recipe with light coconut milk and non-stick pan. I used a little less than a tablespoon on sugar. Love them. It only made 6 or 7, not sure if my batter was too thick. They look the same size as the ones in the picture so I don’t think they are too big. They taste great. Will definitely make these again. Thank you!
Maya says
Forgot to add…I bought groats from the Whol Foods bulk bin then ground them up. Way easier than I expected!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Glad to hear it, Maya!
Danny says
What are some other options than buckwheat that are gluten free? Will oat flour work?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We haven’t tried using oat flour for these, and have had the most success with buckwheat flour, but if you experiment with it, report back. Good luck!
Caitlin says
Just made these for breakfast and they were so yummy! I added a few tablespoons of extra almond milk to thin the batter out as they werent spreading thin enough at first. I noticed other people said they stuck to the pan, but mine didn’t – I just used a bit of oil. They were the perfect crepe texture. I also added a little bit of all spice and cardamom to the batter :) I think they were the perfect combination of healthy but also a bit special – especially topped with maple syrup, coconut yoghurt and fruit, yum!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Caitlin!
Mona says
I tried making this recipe today with cashew milk. The batter stuck to pans no matter what I tried: nonstick, nonstick with oil, and well seasoned cast iron with oil. They stuck and crumbled when I tried to flip them. They were not pliable like a regular crepe is.
The one saving grace was they tasted good. We just piled the crumbly and broken crepes on our plates and topped with eggs scrambled with roasted sweet potatoes and avocado.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Mona! We’ve updated the recipe with some new tips and tricks on how to prevent sticking, primarily to use light canned coconut milk instead of almond! Hope you’ll give them another try.
Mona says
That update makes sense with the fat in the coconut milk which should help prevent the sticking. I’ll have to try again. Thank you for replying with the update!
Libby says
These were super delicate and took me some trial and error to master. Coconut oil didn’t keep them from sticking to my (non-stick) pan, but Earth Balance worked great. I added about 1/4 cup more flour to get the batter thick enough.
I was only able to get them to flip without falling apart when I made them very small and thin. So for people who are having trouble I would recommend using less batter per crepe and only trying to make them about 5 inches in diameter. Normally I would flip crepes without a spatula but that wasn’t gonna happen with these. I used a little silicone spatula to loosen the crepe before flipping, then a really wide turner that I could get under the whole crepe to flip.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Libby! We’ve updated the recipe with some new tips and tricks on how to prevent sticking, primarily to use light canned coconut milk instead of almond! Hope you’ll give them another try.
Lauren says
Made these this weekend! Used light coconut milk and they turned out so well. Did have a bit trouble with them falling apart in the pan when flipping, but I added a bit more coconut milk (1/4 cup) to the batter and that seemed to help. Added a dash of coconut sugar and 1 Tsp of vanilla extract as well. Served with peanut butter, raspberry jam, and maple syrup. So impressed with this recipe, will definitely be using again.
Ilana says
I made these for a book club brunch. I was intimidated by how fancy they look but they were suuuper easy. I used whole wheat flour instead of buckwheat (because I’m lazy had all of these ingredients). They weren’t quite as pliable they would have been with white flour, but even with the whole wheat they were fairly robust. It took a bit to get them thin enough and to flip them without breaking, but we got it. Served them with a choice of almond butter, maple syrup, banana, and a “berry compote” (I literally just stirred frozen berries together with chia seeds). I love choose-your-own-adventure brunch ideas (like oatmeal bowls or breakfast tacos) and these were a huge hit!
Denise Helmbreck says
I tried making this for breakfast and it was a no go. It stuck to every pan I had… nonstick, with oil, nothing worked. Broke my hungry heart. I’m going to buy a fancier nonstick today and try it tonight. Hopefully it works for me then. Fingers crossed.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Denise! Wanted to let you know we’ve updated the recipe and changed the milk recommendation to light canned coconut milk, which helped prevent them from sticking and created a more pliable, fluffy texture. Hope you’ll give it a try again!
Denise says
I ended up buying a new type of nonstick pan and it worked a lot better. They were super yummy. I’ll definitely try it with the coconut milk this weekend tho.
Lesia says
Hello, I have a question about buckwheat. If I want to make my own buckwheat flour, do I have to wash first the buckwheat? How do I do it? Just washing a bit or do I have to let buckwheat on water a minimum of hours? I have the same question about quinoa. Thank you! Looks delicious, I’ll try tonight.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Lesia! This article may be of help to you!
Jennifer says
I made these! A great recipe. I have made non vegan crepes with all purpose flour for years. This is a great alternative and so excited to have a new breakfast recipe. I used tetra pack coconut milk instead of almond milk. Added a little bit more to create the correct consistency. For topping I used as I grew up with, cinnamon/ sugar on the inside (before you roll) with a small amount of real maple syrup. Thanks Dana!!
Jennifer says
I also used whole buckwheat grouts and used my nutribullet to blend them and make into a flour! Worked great!
Heather-Marie Bloom says
These were amazing! I am in the middle of an Elimination Diet to determine food allergies. Been desperate for some new bfast alternatives. A friend recommended you. Thank you so much!
Ashley Landwehr says
Making these for breakfast today and having the hardest time with them. I’m using a non stick pan, tried oil and adjusting heat but nothing worked. I add ed more flour and making pancakes out of them.
Ola says
They turned out lovely, no problems with the batter, used the cheapest Ikea pan I had in the house and it worked fine. Thanks for the recipe:)
Anna says
Hi! How to substitute flax meal? Thank you ?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
What about chia seeds?
Anna says
Good idea! Thank you, going to try it right now :)
Kate says
Awesome and healthy. I went savory and paired Cultured Kindness Cashew Chèvre with sautéed spinach and mushrooms. Heavenly. This recipe is so versatile; can’t wait to try it with a sweet filling as well. Cheers!
Ahu says
This recipe worked very well for me! Thanks you :)
Elisabeth says
Thank you so much! I have tried so many vegan pancake recipes over the years and although many were delicious, none came close to the crepes I used to have as a kid. These came out just perfect. I also brought them to pancake day at work and my co-workers couldn’t guess which ones were the vegan pancakes. Great recipe :D
Gayatri says
I loved these so much Dana! I didn’t make them vegan, but they were absolutely delicious with strawberries, bananas, peanut and almond butter. This recipe is a keeper!
Sheri says
I was super excited about an eggless crepe! But these were awful. Most tore when I tried To flip them (in a nice non-stick pan). And they tasted chalky and awful. I used Bobs red mill buckwheat flour and pacific organic almond milk. Tried adding more flour, and then more milk to see if anything made them easier to work with. Nope. A total flop.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Sheri, we’ve updated the recipe to explicitly recommend NOT buying Bob’s Red Mill Buckwheat flour because, although it is not listed as toasted, it is. That’s the main reason these didn’t taste good. Also, we changed the milk recommendation to light canned coconut milk, which helped prevent them from sticking and created a more pliable, fluffy texture. Hope you’ll give it a try again!
Tina says
I made a batch of the crêpes yesterday – so easy and very tasty! I did not have flaxseed meal, just coarse-ground ones, but it worked out nevertheless. While waiting for the pan to heat up, the batter became creamy and easy to pour into the pan. I kind of messed up the first crêpe, but the next ones were easy to flip.
Here in Southern Germany (and in Austria, too) we put small-cut pieces of thicker crêpes into our homemade broth, it’s called “Pfannkuchensuppe” (pancake soup) and very delicious. These buckwheat crêpes were excellent in there, as they were solo with some fruit. Thank you for the recipe!
Carol says
Fantastic! Super easy & filling like the others said. I filled with corn, chopped zucchini, deiced onions (sautéed) mixed in a little Daiya and Kitehill cream cheese and they were delectable. I want to try them again for a sweet crepe. I liked that one of your readers said she filled with vegan cream cheese mixed with blueberry jam. I made your compote Dana and will try mixing it with Kitehill cream cheese. My mouth is already watering.
dilia says
can i make them and freeze them or keep them in the fridge for later use?
dilia says
can i just grind raw buckwheat to make the flour?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes! Place one cup of buckwheat seeds in a blender/coffee grinder and mix for 5 minutes up until you will obtain a flour consistency. DONE!!! super easy!
Rajciny says
Omnomnomom your recipe is amazing as always!! (^ω^)Definitely fixed my struggle with my own GF buckwheat pancakes adding that flaxseed meal (´ω`*) {note to self: dun forget the flaxseeds…}
Also, for the “kasha” struggle, in case people cant find decent buckwheat flour {usually my struggle during travels} mixing it with poppy seeds or poppy seed flour can, suprisingly, help with flavor quite a bit.
Elizabeth says
These were SO good! I’ve been dealing with some food sensitivities recently, and have been on an elimination diet, avoiding gluten, potato starch, and gums (which are in everything!). It was so nice to find an easy, bread-y breakfast food with none of those things! These were so easy to make, and a huge hit! I used a non-stick pan, and didn’t need any oil.
Marti says
Hi :) can I use coconut sugar instead of stevia? and hulled wheat instead of buckwheat?
Elizabeth says
I used maple syrup instead of stevia with no issues, I would expect coconut sugar would work as well, you’d just want to make sure it dissolves in the batter.
Grace says
Loved it! I used whole buckwheat groats and ground them in a coffee grinder – worked perfectly! I also used a non-stick ceramic pan and they came out beautifully! Thanks for the wonderful treat and the helpful note about buckwheat flour
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Nalini says
I soak whole buckwheat groats overnight and then just blend them smooth with water and a little salt. Let the batter rest for an hour and make crepes. Does not get simpler than that.
jul says
that sounds great! do you need a high-speed blender for this or will a “normal” one do?
Nalini says
Actually, any blender will do. I have an old Osterizer and it does the job.
jul says
thanks, i’ll try this!
Silvia says
Dana, would gluten-free all purpose flour work?
Millie says
Is Bob’s Red Mill buckwheat flour considered kasha? I didn’t see any mention of toasting on the bag and it was unfortunately, all I could find — but it’s definitely darker in color so I’m afraid to use it!
Danie says
i was wondering the same thing.
Stephanie says
Made this in the morning for breakfast in no time.. was so fast to make and no complications (less than 20 minutes)! I tried non-stick pan with coconut oil and it stuck to the pan, so I used whatever else I had which is EVOO and no sticking! So happy I found this recipe for GF and dairy-free crepes! I ate with peanut butter and also blueberries.. My new staple thank you!
Stephanie says
Forgot to mention how filling these are! Lasted me til lunch and that rarely happens!
Angela says
Made these yummie crêpes this weekend and loved them! Just now i’m realizing i misread the recipe. I put 3 to 4 table spoons of flax in it. Oops ;) The taste and consistency still was great though. But now I think I understand why the crêpes were sticking to the pan so much.
Kinara Fender says
I made these this morning using buckwheat flour, homemade rice milk, olive oil, and 2 tsp coconut sugar. I filled them with vegan cream cheese blended with blackberry jam, and topped them with fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Fantastic! The batter was surprisingly easy to work with.
Susan Pantle says
YUM!! That summarizes my assessment!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks, auntie!
Reanna says
These were amazing! I filled them with chocolate chia pudding and topped them with blueberries and whipped cream and they were incredible. And very filling. I will definitely be making these again!!!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Thanks for sharing! xo
Kayden says
I’m all out of flaxseeds, chia seeds, and apple sauce for an egg alternative! Would apple cider vinegar work?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Not sure – let us know if you try it!
Luci says
I prepared this morning and followed the crepe recipe exactly. I used a non stick pan and a low flame and they were easy to flip. I used assorted fillings for a large group: scrambled tofu, mashed black beans and salsa, mixed fresh berries, almond butter w sliced almonds, and sautéed plantains and coconut. The plantain filling was rated best.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
BreizhGirl says
Here, in land of the buckwheat crepes (that is Brittany), we also use savory fillings. To me, the best one is leeks slowly cooked with olive oil and thyme (sometimes with white wine) but it could be a veggie sausage (the traditional local food before a soccer match here in Rennes), vegan cheese, cauliflower, ratatouille, you name it. Or you could dry them and use them as crisps. It also can be use as pastry for a pie. Don’t hesitate to use a bit of buckwheat flour in your daily home-made bread!
Guillemette says
A fellow french reader! :D
I actually like buckwheat crepes better when they savory (and I second that leek part), for me sweet crepes are made with normal wheat (not sure of the word). Anyway, this looks delicious!
I would recommend though if your pan is not seasoned enough to lightly grease it with oil spray or simply oil that you put on a paper towel.
jul says
hmm, yeah, i love galettes! afaik they’re (traditionally?) even made without eggs and milk, is that right?
Amélie says
Thanks for the yummy ideas!
Amy says
What combination of ingredients did you use for the compote in these photos? It seems smoother and thicker (which is what I’m after) than the original compote recipe photos. Thanks so much!!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I just used strawberries and chia with a little OJ.
Cassie Thuvan Tran says
I LOVE Cam & Nina! Best YouTube ever–no joke! These crepes look incredible. Topping them with peanut butter and jelly sounds perfect!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Yeah! They’re my new favorite :D
Heather says
Can I use almond flour?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I don’t think that would work here.
Chloe says
It doesn’t… trust me I tried haha!
Kamila Ostafin says
Super quick and easy! I made these with compote. I substituted an egg for the flaxseed since I did not have flaxseed meal and they came out great!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Thanks for sharing. xo
Jenn says
I made these this morning – love the flavor! But I had a horrible time with the crepes sticking to the pan. I tried ceramic nonstick, stainless steel and seasoned cast iron pans and it stuck to all of them. What am I doing wrong?? Finally out of desperation I resorted to microwaving the batter on parchment paper, which actually worked out quite well on the end!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
So strange! Sometimes pans can be finicky with sticking, but I had success with my seasoned one. Did you add a little oil to the batter to help with that?
Jenn says
I did add oil. Full disclosure though, I’ve never had much success with crepes!
Daphne says
In my experience, I know the pan has to be just right temperature and don’t try to flip them too soon.
"Grandma Lee" says
U might want to consider getting a nonstick crepe pan!
Carol says
Drained cast iron works a treat and no nasty chemicals
Maya says
What brand crepe pan do you have? Where did you buy it,? I got one from Williams Sonoma and it’s terrible :(
Andie Holloway says
We just tried these and same issue! And we are super proficient in the kitchen – cooking is what I do for a living, lol! We ended up pitching the whole batch and I came here to see if anyone else had the same issue. We used our non-stick griddle and our ceramic non stick pans. No bueno either way. Sooooooo sad. BUT, we LOVE everything else we have ever made of yours, Dana. And your cookbook is my staple, and the book I send to all friends and family who are interested in incorporating more vegan meals.
Andie
Suzy says
I had the same problem Jenn. My husband ended up eating maybe 2 small ones that I was able to salvage. Epic fail! I used my seasoned cast iron 10″ skillet first (I’m 65, trust me, it’s *well* seasoned!), then I tried my non-stick, and finally opted for a cast iron flat skillet which was not as well seasoned, but at least I could get in there to flip them. I had made an apple filling, which we ate by itself. I don’t think I’ll be trying this one again. Very disappointing to throw out so much. :(
Janis says
Same same! I love to think of myself as a good pancake baker, but this didn’t work out at all – tried all the tricks of the book though :-(
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
This recipe has been updated to include a new dairy-free milk recommendation and tips on how to prevent sticking! Hope that’s helpful!
Lisa says
Even after adding extra water they wouldn’t spread properly on a nonstick crepe griddle. We gave up :(
Sam says
Hi, is there something that can be used instead of the flaxseeds as I cannot eat them. Thanks.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
What about chia seeds!?
Sarah says
I cant do flax or chia, any other option? Arrowroot? Is it for the binding or slight stretch?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm we haven’t tried with arrowroot and can’t say for sure, but if you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Abi says
What about psyllium husk
Nevena says
When you say chia seeds, do we have to grind them first? I don’t have flaxseed meal at home.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Nope just whole chia seeds!
Cassandra says
Is there a substitute flour for the buckwheat? Would whole grain or another type of flour also work in the same amounts?
RunningPath says
I just made these with white whole wheat flour and they were excellent. Kids loved them with peanut butter. I did put some sugar in since I wasn’t serving them with anything sweet.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing!
annette wass says
white and whole wheat flour are 2 different things!
RunningPath says
Whole wheat white flour is made from white wheat berries. It has the bran and germ, like regular whole wheat flour, but a milder taste than traditional whole wheat. I keep white flour, white whole wheat, and regular whole wheat flours in my pantry. (Also whole wheat pastry flour when I can find it.)
annette wass says
interesting -Iv never heard of white wheat berries -not something thats here in the UK
just as a matter of interest I find whole grain flour , especially whole grain spelt makes lovely pastry without the need to stock a separate one.
ToniAnn says
some companies label their soft wheat as whole wheat white flour.
annette wass says
thats not quite the same thing as white wheat though….
Kay Nguyen says
These crepes look amazing, I’m a huge sucker for crepes! Thanks for sharing <3