Crepes are thin and delicate French-style pancakes that are buttery with crisp edges. This crepes suzette recipe combines pillowy homemade crepes with a sweet and rich orange-flavored syrup that has a boozy kick to it.
The origin and the recipe’s name are in dispute. Some believed it was accidentally created in Maitre at Monte Carlo’s Cafe de Paris in 1895 for the Prince of Wales. Other sources believed Monsieur Joseph, owner of Restaurant Marivaux, had created and named the recipe in honor of French actress Suzanne Reichenberg in 1897. Regardless of the origin, this crepes suzette recipe is always a crowd-pleaser! If you want another boozy brunch recipe, try my Bloody Mary recipe and serve it with my avocado toast recipe or Belgian waffle recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Milk — I recommend using whole milk or full-fat milk to provide a richer flavor to the crepes.
Melted butter — use unsalted butter for the crepes as they are delicate, and you don’t want them overly salty. Also, melt the butter first, so it has some time to cool to avoid cooking the eggs in the batter.
Orange — for the best flavor, use freshly squeezed orange juice. Remember to zest the orange first, as it’ll be difficult to do so after juicing.
Flour — all-purpose flour is perfect for providing structure to the crepes.
Orange liqueur — I use Cointreau, but you can use any other brand of orange-flavored liqueur.
How to Make Crepes Suzette
1 In a blender or a large bowl with a whisk, combine the milk, water, eggs, melted butter, sugar, orange zest, and salt. Blend until well combined, about 15 seconds.
2. With the blender running on medium speed or while whisking, gradually add the flour until combined, about 15 seconds more. Let the batter sit at room temperature, until slightly bubbly, for about 20 minutes. Continue with the sauce while the batter rests.
3. Juice the oranges.
4. In a large skillet, bring the orange zest, orange juice, butter, and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir in orange liqueur. Simmer and stir until syrupy. Reduce the heat enough to just keep the sauce warm as you cook the crepes.
5. Brush a crepe pan or small skillet with melted butter; heat over medium-low heat.
6. Add about ¼ cup of batter, swirling into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Carefully flip the crepe and continue cooking until light golden brown, about 30 seconds more. Remove from the skillet. Gently fold into quarters and place on a tray or plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the pan lightly with melted butter between cooking each crepe.
8. Once cooked, add all of the folded crepes to orange sauce. Cook over medium-low heat, undisturbed, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately, spooning additional sauce over crepes. Serve the crepes suzette with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Adjust the temperature while cooking the crepes to keep the heat around medium-low. The longer you use the pan, the more heat it will retain, so you may need to reduce the heat to low.
- If you don’t have a blender, you can whisk the batter together by hand. I’d recommend slowly sifting the flour into the egg mixture while whisking it to combine.
- Do not skip chilling the crepe batter. Doing so enhances the batter’s flavor and allows the flour to hydrate fully. It also lets the gluten in the batter rest, so your crepes get a light and airy consistency.
- It would be best if you brushed the crepe pan between each crepe, as that is how you get the iconic buttery crisp edges that crepes are known for.
- If you do not want to add ice cream to your crepes suzette, add a dollop of my homemade whipped cream recipe instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can make the crepe batter ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about two days. Assemble the crepes suzette the day you plan on enjoying it.
How do I store extra crepes?
Once the crepes have cooled to room temperature, layer parchment or wax paper between each crepe and transfer them to an airtight container or ziptop bag. Store them in the fridge until ready to enjoy. Store the syrup separately in an airtight container, so the crepes do not get soggy.
What is the difference between pancakes and crepes?
A classic pancake recipe has a thicker batter with a leavening agent, which makes pancakes fluffy and thick. A classic crepe recipe is a French-style pancake made with a thinner batter with no leavening, making it light and delicate.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Crepes Suzette recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Crepes Suzette
Video
Equipment
- Blender or whisk (see Notes)
- Small skillet
- Large skillet
- Tray or plate
Ingredients
Crepes:
- ¾ cup whole milk (180ml)
- ½ cup cold water (120ml)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted plus more for brushing
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges/ 180ml)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ⅓ cup orange liqueur (80ml)
Instructions
For the Crepe Batter:
- In a blender, combine the milk, water, eggs, melted butter, sugar, orange zest, and salt. Blend until well combined, about 15 seconds. With the blender running on medium speed, gradually add the flour until combined, about 15 seconds more. Let the batter sit at room temperature, until slightly bubbly, about 20 minutes. Continue with the sauce while the batter rests.
For the Sauce:
- In a large skillet, bring the orange zest, orange juice, butter, and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir in orange liqueur. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrupy, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat enough to just keep the sauce warm.
For the Crepes:
- Brush a crepe pan or small skillet with melted butter; heat over medium-low heat. Add about 1/4 cup batter, swirling into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip the crepe and continue cooking until light golden brown, about 30 seconds more. Remove from the skillet. Gently fold into quarters and place on a tray or plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the pan lightly with melted butter in between each crepe.
For the Assembly:
- Once cooked, add all of the folded crepes to orange sauce. Cook over medium-low heat, undisturbed, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately, spooning additional sauce over crepes. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- Adjust the temperature while cooking the crepes to keep the heat around medium-low. The longer you use the pan, the more heat it will retain, so you may need to reduce the heat to low.
- If you don’t have a blender, you can whisk the batter together by hand. I’d recommend slowly sifting the flour into the egg mixture while whisking it to combine.
- Do not skip chilling the crepe batter. Doing so enhances the batter’s flavor and allows the flour to hydrate fully. It also lets the gluten in the batter rest, so your crepes get a light and airy consistency.
- It would be best if you brushed the crepe pan between each crepe, as that is how you get the iconic buttery crisp edges that crepes are known for.
- If you do not want to add ice cream to your crepes suzette, add a dollop of homemade whipped cream instead.