Easy recipe for chocolate crêpes, a classic crêpe au chocolat served just like in French restaurants or crêperies with a luscious dark chocolate sauce. Unlike the classic thin pancakes, add a little cocoa to the batter and make fun designs for any occasion.
Thanks for this recipe - great fun. The kids loved this, husband too. Definitely a keeper! - Sarah
Are Chocolate Crêpes a French Thing?
While very much a French thing from Brittany (and Normandy - that's another subject!), thin French pancakes (crêpes) and savoury, wafer thin buckwheat pancakes (galettes de sarrasin) are enjoyed everywhere in France.
However, would you believe that chocolate Crêpes are not popular in France? Although we'll see 'crêpe au chocolat' on a dessert menu in a crêperie or at stands around Paris, they are always plain and simple without chocolate in the batter.
So why are they called chocolate if there's normally none in the crêpe batter? Instead, our classic thin French pancakes are served dribbled in dark chocolate sauce. Nutella is also offered in restaurants, but the real McCoy is the luscious, bittersweet sauce in restaurants.
What are Chocolate Crêpes Made Of?
Although this easy recipe is much the same as for classic, these chocolate crêpes have a little unsweetened cocoa powder in the batter. The classic 3 main ingredients are simply flour, whole milk and eggs. Sugar is added but not even necessary so I add just a little - the same with butter, which just helps to flip them easily.
For flour, this can be all purpose but I prefer to use French 'farine T45' or cake flour (aka '00') as the result is thinner. For more, see FAQ and baking tips.
Either make them completely chocolate mixing all the ingredients together. Alternatively, make up the batter without the cocoa, add a little batter in a separate bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder to make fun designs.
How to Make Chocolate Crêpes - Easy Recipe
Chocolate crêpes are popular at Costco but to make your own, it's so easy. What's more, I've added a little chocolate to the batter.
Like most dessert recipes here, these chocolate crêpes contain a minimum of sugar. As pancakes usually come with sweet toppings, let's keep it healthy with just a tablespoon in the batter.
Yield: this classic crêpe recipe uses 3 eggs. For this recipe I have scaled it to 2 eggs - so easy to half the quantity for one large serving, or double it for 6 people.
How to Avoid Lumps in the Crêpe Batter
We all want to avoid any lumps forming while making the crêpe batter but it's all in how you mix at the beginning.
First, mix together the flour (chocolate powder, either now or later - see why below), salt and sugar with the eggs with a balloon whisk. It will be quite stiff but don't worry. It's normal. Whisk in the melted butter and pour in about a quarter of the milk, whisking until the batter is smooth. Beat it really well, ensuring that air circulates in the batter.
According to French food scientist, Raphaël Haumont, he confirms that this strong whisking method means there's no need to leave the crêpe batter to rest. What's more, there will be no lumps. Add the rest of the milk and you're done.
How to Make Chocolate Crêpe Designs
This is the fun part. Either add the cocoa powder at the very beginning for a total chocolate crêpe. Otherwise to make chocolate designs on them, omit the cocoa powder and use only 250ml milk to create a plain batter.
When the batter is prepared, transfer 2 ladles of it into a separate bowl. Add the cocoa powder and whisk in 25ml more milk.
Either pour into a squeezy bottle or use a large spoon to make chocolate patterns in the pan. Wait about 15 seconds for it to cook, then immediately ladle in the plain batter and swirl around.
That way, create happy faces, zig-zags, spirals, love hearts - let your creativity shine!
Otherwise, just make them plain chocolate.
Why are French Crêpes Brown?
In France, crêpes appear more brown than British pancakes, for example. That's because in Brittany, they traditionally add a little buckwheat flour or farine de sarrasin to the batter. Also known as blé noir, it's literally translated as black wheat yet it's gluten free.
If you like your crêpes brown, replace a third plain flour with buckwheat flour to the chocolate crêpe batter. I discovered this at an incredible crêperie restaurant in Roscoff, Brittany.
How to Serve French Style
For the ultimate French experience, drizzle over this classic chocolate sauce recipe. The sauce is how it's served for dessert in French crêperies and restaurants. The secret is to use good quality chocolate (minimum 64% cacao) and fresh milk and cream. It's so good, we don't often add any cream or ice cream.
For those of you who want to add on the extra bells and whistles to your chocolate crêpes, here are some serving ideas:
- Fresh berries: raspberries (framboises) or cherries (cerises)
- Sliced banana
- A little cherry sauce; with a touch of cardamom spice, this layers the flavours
- A scoop of chestnut vanilla ice cream
- Slices of orange, clementines or a dollop of orange curd
- Any more ideas? I'd love to hear from you in the comments
Storage: they keep well for up to 5 days if sealed in cling film in the fridge.
Chocolate Crêpes
Equipment
- non-stick crêpe pan or frying pan
Ingredients
- 25 g (1oz/ butter, unsalted melted
- 150 g (5oz/1 cup) plain flour all-purpose, T45 or cake flour (00)
- 2 large eggs organic, free-range
- 275 ml (10 floz) whole milk SEE NOTES
- pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder or extract optional
- 1 tablespoon icing/powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Van Houten)
Instructions
- Melt the butter directly in the crêpe pan (even better if it's browned slightly to make a beurre noisette for extra flavour).
- Sift the flour, icing sugar and cocoa powder (SEE NOTES) into a large bowl and add the salt and optional vanilla. Make a well in the middle and break the eggs into it. Using a hand whisk, beat the mixture well with the melted butter until a smooth, thick paste. Add about a quarter of the milk to the eggs and whisk well. This ensures no lumps. Whisk vigorously to let in as much air as possible into the batter - this way no need to leave it to rest. Gradually add the rest of the milk. The mix will look quite runny but this is perfectly normal.
- Wipe the buttery pan with kitchen paper to remove any excess. This will be handy to wipe the pan between each crêpe. Heat the pan on medium.Ladle one small quantity of the batter into the hot pan. Swirl the batter around the pan quickly, as thinly as possible, covering the surface of the pan.
- Cook over a medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. Using a spatula or your fingertips, quickly flip the crêpe over and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Turn down the heat slightly (but still at medium) and repeat the process, topping up with wiping of butter in the pan, until you have about 6-8 crêpes (depending on pan size), stacking them aside on a large plate.
Leah
Looks delicious! Quick question before I make the chocolate sauce. Does it dry hard on something like profiteroles? Or does it remain liquid or tacky to the touch? Thanks! Love your site!
Jill Colonna
Hi Leah
It wouldn't harden immediately, as it has some cream added to the sauce. It will remain a lovely chocolate sauce on it, as long as you eat it relatively soon, without being too in awe of it 🙂 So happy you've found my site - plenty of recipes for you to try! Cheers x
Sarah
Thanks for this recipe - great fun. The kids loved this, husband too. Definitely a keeper!
Jill Colonna
Isn't it fun? I did it without the kids, lol! Thanks for your kind words, Sarah and here's to flipping many more crêpes!