Buckwheat Crepes Recipe

These Buckwheat Crepes are simple to make and can be made in advance, then reheated when you’re ready to eat. They’re much more filling than flour-based crepes, with just as much flavor.

Crepes can be enjoyed with a sweet or savory filling, and are a delicious and easy way to turn some protein and vegetables into a morning meal. 

A white, round plate holds three rolled crepes that are topped with sliced banana, strawberries and drizzled with some chocolate syrup.

What Is Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a grain-like seed. Buckwheat is not related to wheat at all, I promise!

What Are Buckwheat Crepes Called?

Buckwheat crepes are known in Northern Europe as “blini” or “Dutch pancakes”.

An overhead view looking down on a white, round plate holds three rolled crepes that are topped with sliced banana, strawberries and drizzled with some chocolate syrup.

FAQs

Are Crepes French?

While Crêpes are generally associated with France (as far back as the year 472!), Buckwheat pancakes are actually associated with the more northern regions of Russia and Ukraine. However, you can find different versions of buckwheat pancakes in France, Korea, and Canada. This recipe combines the thin, French crepe with the Buckwheat pancake of the north, and they don’t disappoint.

Is Buckwheat Good For You?

It is! Buckwheat has certain proteins, as well as magnesium, quercetin, and rutin. These have antioxidant properties that are quite good for your heart.

Are Crepes And Pancake The Same?

This can be answered differently, depending on what part of the world you live in. But generally speaking, pancakes are thicker, sturdier, and heartier, while crepes are thinner and more delicate which makes them pliable for rolling or folding.

Are Buckwheat Crepes Gluten-Free?

Despite its name, buckwheat is actually, naturally gluten-free. Whether it contains gluten from cross-contamination is another matter. But buckwheat itself is indeed gluten-free.

Are Buckwheat Crepes Healthy?

As with most foods, it all depends on how you fill them! If you fill them with healthy fillings (sweet or savory), then there is no reason to consider them anything but healthy.

What To Do If The Crepe Batter Is Very Dark In Color

This is not uncommon. The color of the flour can change based on where the buckwheat is grown. It can range from very light in color to quite dark. If your batter is dark, there is nothing wrong with it. Proceed with cooking your crepes. They are not bad and there will be no difference in flavor or in your finished crepes. It’s perfectly normal, even if it looks a bit odd.

Can You Substitute Buckwheat For Regular Flour In This Recipe?

No! I do not recommend it. If you want to use a different flour, try these recipes for either wheat flour crepes or oat flour crepes.

What Kind Of Pan Should I Use For My Buckwheat Crêpes?

While it’s not impossible to make crepes in a regular skillet, you will have a MUCH easier time making them in a crepe pan. This is the pan I have myself, and it’s been a fabulous pan from the start. It’s easy to clean, doesn’t scratch easily, and makes great crepes every time. It also comes with a crepe spreader, which is pretty much an indispensable tool for making crepes. If you don’t have the pan, you’ll need, the crepe spreader at the very least. (affiliate link – amazon)

Crepe pan sold on Amazon (affiliate link)

What To Serve With Buckwheat Crepes?

If you are serving these for dinner and filling them with savory fillings, then a brothy soup is a great thing to pair with these.

However, if they are for breakfast, or filled with sweet fillings, they are really more of a stand-alone meal. However, with sweet fillings, I highly recommend a good cup of coffee!

Savory, sautéd mushrooms and spinach with cheese spooned onto an open crepe.

What To Put In Buckwheat Crepes

As with regular crepes, you can fill them with just about anything. Here are some ideas.

Sweet Crepes

  • Pears
  • Berries
  • Banana
  • Apples
  • Strawberry
  • Maple syrup
  • Cinnamon
  • Peanut butter
  • Apple butter
  • Cottage cheese

Savory Crepes

  • Spinach
  • Mushrooms
  • Peanut butter
  • Cheese
  • Mixed veggies (carrots and peas are delicious with cheese)
  • Ham and cheese
  • Cottage cheese

Making Vegan Crepes

While I have not tried this myself, you could use an egg replacer if you want these to be vegan. And of course, use non-dairy milk.

A stack of just-made crepes sit on a white plate.

Tips For Making Buckwheat Crepes

  1. Crepe #1 – It is well known that the first one to two crepes you make can be disasters. They can easily fall apart and become a general mess. Why? Typically because the pan is adjusting and reaching the proper temperature for the batter. So don’t get frustrated if the first crepe or two end up in the trash. (Or at the very least, as scrambled pancakes on your plate). This is normal for any kind of crepe, even buckwheat crepes.
  2. Eggs – This recipe calls for 1 egg. However, if you have made your third or fourth crepes and they are not holding together, you can add an extra egg.
  3. Whisk – You’ll want to whisk this batter well to get it to the right consistency. In fact, an electric hand mixer is a very good idea here. In a pinch, you can even mix this all in a blender and simply pour the batter onto the skillet from the blender cup.
  4. Oil – Whether you use oil or not will depend on your pan. If you have a non-stick pan, you may not need it. Or like me, you may need to use it with the first few crepes only. If you need to use oil, I highly recommend using an oil sprayer for even coverage. If your pan is not non-stick, you may need to use a bit of oil with every crepe you make. Avocado oil or coconut oil work well here.

About The Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat flour

4 cups unsweetened milk – Any type will work, even non-dairy. The only type I would not recommend is full-fat coconut milk. Whole milk will work just fine.

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract – Use the real stuff, not vanilla flavoring.

2 large egg whites – You can also use 1 whole egg instead of two egg whites if you don’t want to waste a yolk.

How To Make Buckwheat Crepes

A spoon lifts some just-made batter from the bowl towards the camera.

Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl (both wet ingredients and dry ingredients), and whisk well to remove as many clumps as possible.

A crepe pan with a cooked crepe on it.

Pour the batter in a thin layer onto a hot, non-stick pan over medium heat. Keep it thin and on the smaller side. Spread it evenly with a crepe spreader. This will help with thinness as well. Flip, and when done cooking, use a spatula to transfer the crepe to a plate.

An overhead shot looking down onto a plate of rolled crepes, topped with sliced strawberries and bananas.

When cooked, add your favorite filling and either roll it up like a carpet or fold it in half, twice.

Can You Make Buckwheat Crepes Ahead Of Time?

You can! Make them one to two days ahead of time and keep them well wrapped in the fridge until you are ready to serve them. See below for reheating instructions.

How Long Does Buckwheat Crepe Batter Last In The Fridge?

If you can’t make all of the batter in one go, you can pack up the patter in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Do not freeze the batter.

How Long Do Buckwheat Crepes Last In The Fridge?

Once cooked, buckwheat crepes will last in the fridge for up to 3 days, if packed well. Plastic wrap is always a good option.

Can You Freeze Buckwheat Crepes?

You can. However, I recommend putting at least a small piece of parchment between each crepe to help with separation when you get ready to use them.

How To Reheat Buckwheat Crepes

From Fridge – You can briefly microwave them for about 10-20 seconds at most (for a stack). A single crepe will take, at most, 5-10 seconds in the microwave. Otherwise, you can simply reheat them on low to medium heat in your crepe pan or any skillet.

From Freezer – Thaw these in the fridge overnight, then proceed as instructed above.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Buckwheat Crepes Recipe Card

Copyright Information For The Gracious Pantry
A close up, overhead shot of rolled crepes topped with sliced strawberries, bananas an a chocolate drizzle.

Buckwheat Crepes

Delicious crepes made with healthy buckwheat!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, French
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 10 crepes (approximately 10 inches diameter)
Calories: 77kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 4 cups unsweetened milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large egg whites (or 1 whole egg)

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl, and whisk well to remove as many clumps as possible.
    A spoon lifts some just-made batter from the bowl towards the camera.
  • Pour the batter onto a hot non-stick pan over medium heat. Keep it thin and on the smaller side.
    A crepe pan with a cooked crepe on it.
  • When cooked, add your favorite filling and either roll it up like a carpet or fold it in half, twice.
    An overhead shot looking down onto a plate of rolled crepes, topped with sliced strawberries and bananas.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1crepe | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe is from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 11/10/2009.

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15 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing. What a simple recipe!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      You’re very welcome! Let me know how you like it!

  2. questianna says:

    5 stars
    Ahhh, I just got my answer from my question/comment under your Apple Butter recipe. Apparently, any ingredient or measurement change is not necessary when homecanning because the honey (presumably the agave and molasses, too) have high acidity which is preferred in homecanning to enhance preservation.

    Wow, with your ability to create clean recipes, you would be an ideal homecanner. I, myself, am pretty green (as in new) to it, but find that in general, homecanned recipes are superior in quality to storebought/manufactured simply because of the use of natural and homefound ingredients.

    I will be using your Apple Butter recipe for my next homecanning endeavor! Thanks for this suggestion as well.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Questianna – I wish I could can! Someday, maybe somebody will take pity on me and show me how. I so desperately want to learn! Let me know how it goes for you!

  3. questianna says:

    Tiffany, homecanning can be tedious, but it is so worth the benefits, and once you learn, you just keep going. You can also expect to make some mistakes, but I can assure you that you will never make the same mistake twice. My biggest mistake with homecanning was taking advice to use a makeshift canner with a huge pot and an inside rack which allowed the jars to be covered by 1″. The problem was that as the pot boiled with such a great quantity of water, it boiled over (messy on cooktop) and decreased the water volume thereby compromising the safety of the food product.

    Once you are ready to begin, I wholly recommend that you do not cut corners like I did in using makeshift materials. Rather, invest in a STEAM CANNER, which runs about $40 online. A Steam Canner is used for processing high acid foods (best for preserving) like fruits, including tomato based recipes (sauce, salsa), and is best for the beginner. It also pays for itself many times over in the long run. Instructions are everywhere for homecanning. They even come with your canner. A good site for reference is Ball/Kerr which answers every question imaginable and then some, because of its chat forum.

    Anyway, I am going on and on because I have fallen in love with homecanning for health and economic benefits. And, with some patience, you can produce simple, wholesome recipes that are shelf stable for generally up to a year or more (I go by the year mark). I am not sure where you are located, but when you are thinking about homecanning, think local. For instance, I networked with people in a church who had fruit trees on their properties (apricots, peaches, apples) so that my main ingredient was FREE. I even went to a food bank once and found boxes of pre-ripened beefsteak tomatoes and set them out on my kitchen counters and refrigerator top for a few days until they ripened beautifully and used them for a couple dozen jars of a basic tomato sauce.

    Obviously, I could go on with excitement, but I just wanted to encourage you. Also, buying new jars can be pricey, so I found some coupons for jars and ended up saving 50%. Many people scour thrift stores for their jars, and then just buy new lids. Hopefully, you’ll find some time to read up on homecanning!

  4. Anonymous says:

    Laura – Fantastic! Some day, I’ll learn to can myself.

  5. Vbraun8981 says:

    5 stars
    I can’t wait to try this!  I am always looking for something warm in the morning and oatmeal is getting old!  This looks great!  Thanks for posting! 🙂

  6. Will it work the same if I use ‘cream of buckwheat” instead of buckwheat flour.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      I doubt it. You really need the flour for this.

  7. For the buckwheat crepes, can you suggest another filler besides cottage cheese?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Ricotta? You can use pretty much anything you like. Even plain yogurt if you sweeten it with honey a bit. I think without the honey would be a bit tough to take in this particular recipe.

  8. Tiffany, is buckwheat the only type of flour that would work, do you think? I have almond, oat, quinoa, brown rice, coconut and tapioca flour…trying to use as little gluten as possible…just wondering if any of those might work instead. Just not at all with buckwheat flour, so not sure what I would even try. Thanks!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Liz – You could certainly try it with other flour. I don’t think it would cause any major issues. Let me know how it turns out!

  9. I’m VERY new to clean eating, so this may be a dumb question, but could these be made thicker to be more like pancakes? If so, think they could be made during the weekend and then frozen for breakfast throughout the week? My mom used to make buckwheat pancakes and I loved them!!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Bethany – I would use slightly less liquid to get a thicker batter, cook them on lower heat for a longer time. Then place parchment between each pancake to freeze or you will end up with a big block of frozen pancakes. The easier thing to do would be to make the batter slightly thicker and just make waffles. 🙂