How to make gluten-free vegan crepes that are pliable, tender, flexible, and perfect for enjoying with sweet or savory fillings. All you need is 6 simple ingredients and just minutes of prep for this vegan crepe recipe!
As a teenager, I remember going on a short school trip to Paris… actually, correction, I remember seeing the Eiffel Tower and eating lots of crepes. Even over two decades later, I still fondly remember the Nutella-stuffed crepes; perfectly thin crepe batter folded over a generous filling of oozing Nutella. So much so that I made it a mission when I became vegan to come up with the perfect gluten-free, vegan crepes (chocolate spread included!). Well, mission officially accomplished!
What Is a Crepe?
Unlike American-style pancakes, which are thick and fluffy (also a favorite of mine – like these chocolate chip, chocolate stuffed, and apple-cinnamon pancakes), well-made crêpes are meant to be thin, delicate, and flexible (perfect for filling and rolling up). Unfortunately, this makes them particularly tricky to make not only vegan but gluten-free, too.
Are crepes gluten-free? Not usually. Regular crepes are made with flour, eggs, milk, and often fried in butter- so neither gluten-free nor vegan. Luckily, after lots of recipe testing, I’ve managed to make it so, though.
Over the years, after going vegan, I’ve tried countless disappointing gluten-free crepe recipes. I’ve had crumbly crepes that tear and gummy pancakes that stick to the roof of your mouth- until finally, I found the perfect ingredient and method combination. At least, the recipe testing gave me lots of excuses to try out fillings – like this apple cinnamon filling or even savory veggie filling.
These oat flour crepes turned out tender and flexible and make for the perfect gluten-free and vegan crepe alternative! Best of all, the batter takes just minutes to prepare with no resting time needed – meaning you can have the crepes from initial craving to table in less than 30 minutes! Save leftovers covered in the fridge or freezer, ready to reheat the next time your crepe cravings hit!
Want more pancake inspiration? You might like these chocolate crepes with banana, blueberry sheet pan pancakes, caramel stuffed chocolate pancakes, or banana oat flour pancakes!
The Gluten-Free Crepe Ingredients
- Oat flour: Use gluten-free certified oats if necessary. Make your own by blending the oats into a floury consistency. Alternatively, you could use buckwheat flour for this gluten-free crepe recipe – though the texture will vary.
- Tapioca flour/starch: This is very important in this recipe for making flexible gluten-free crepes that don’t crumble/fall apart, so don’t omit it.
- Cornstarch: Or another starch like potato starch.
- Flax seeds: Use ground flaxseed or chia seeds. These work as an egg replacer in these eggless crepes and will bind the batter. However, I also tried a version without flax seeds, and it worked as well!
- Coconut milk: I use tinned light coconut milk for these dairy-free crepes. However, most kinds of dairy-free milk should work, preferably one with a little more fat.
- Sweetener: You can use maple syrup, agave syrup, or even a liquid sugar alternative like stevia drops to slightly sweeten the batter. Granulated sugars would also work. Omit it if you plan on serving these gluten-free crepes with a savory filling.
- Oil: Use a neutral cooking oil or butter in the pan to cook the crepes.
- Chocolate spread (optional): I use this healthy, homemade chocolate spread.
Optional add-ins and recipe variations:
- Salt (optional): A pinch of salt helps to enhance the flavors of the oat flavor and in the batter.
- Protein Powder: A reader has reported success in replacing half the oat flour with protein powder.
- Vanilla: A little vanilla extract can be added to the vegan crepe batter for additional flavor.
- Orange blossom water: A common addition to French crepes, I recommend using around ½ tsp for a very subtle aroma.
- Citrus zest: Orange or lemon zest would work.
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Gluten-Free Vegan Crepes?
- First, prepare the batter. To do so, either process all the ingredients in your food processor. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Then, heat a non-stick pan (I used a 10-inch ceramic skillet) with a little oil or cooking spray over medium heat.
- Once hot, pour about ¼ cup of the batter into the pan and swirl it around quickly until it coats the pan in a thin, even coating. Cook for between 2-4 minutes, or until you’re able to lift the side of the crepe easily. Then flip it and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
Just like with regular crepes, don’t try to flip these vegan crepes too soon. Wait until the crepe is beginning to pull up at the edges and the top is completely dry. Then use a thin spatula to gently loosen the edges, slide it towards the middle of the crepe, and then flip.
- Repeat this with the remaining batter, lightly oiling the pan in-between when needed, until you’ve cooked all the crepes (I made 8).
You can keep the oat flour crepes warm until serving by stacking them under a clean tea towel or in the oven on a heatproof plate at 200F/100C until you’re ready to serve.
- Then, spread with the filling of your choice – enjoy!
How to Make Ahead and Store
Make ahead: You can prepare the eggless crepe batter up to 3 days in advance and store it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. The ground flaxseed will cause it to thicken a little over time, so feel free to add an extra splash or two of coconut milk to bring it back to the desired consistency.
Store: Store any cooked dairy-free crepes in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Make a stack of pancakes layered with parchment paper between (to stop them sticking), transfer to a Ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat: You can use a microwave or skillet to gently reheat individual crepes or place a stack in the oven on low heat until warmed through.
How to Serve Vegan Crepes?
You may have guessed that one of my favorite ways to enjoy this recipe is with my homemade vegan Nutella (and, optionally, some strawberries or banana). However, here are some of my other favorite ways to enjoy these gluten-free crepes.
- With sugar (or Erythritol) and cinnamon
- With whipped coconut cream or yogurt, berries, granola, and powdered sugar
- Add sliced bananas and a drizzle of vegan caramel sauce
- Spoon over strawberry compote
- Drizzle with maple syrup
- Spread with nut butter and berries
- Top with a scoop of ice cream – like this vegan chocolate ice cream
- Fill with spinach, mushrooms, and dairy-free cheese (or other sautéed vegetables)
- Scrambled tofu with avocado, beans, etc.
Recipe Notes and FAQs
- Use a non-stick pan: While it’s unnecessary to buy a crepe pan if you don’t have one, I’ve found that it’s crucial to use a non-stick pan to make perfectly thin crepes without sticking and falling apart.
- Ensure the pan is hot: It must be preheated before adding the crepe batter, or the vegan crepes will stick to the pan.
- Beware the test crepe: For anyone that’s made crepes before, there’s a ‘curse’ of the ‘test crepe,’ where the first crepe never goes entirely to plan. If this does happen, don’t worry – the first crepe is the perfect way to determine if you need to change the consistency of the batter (extra milk, flour) or the heat of the pan.
- Don’t skimp on oil: Vegan crepes tend to stick more than regular ones, so it’s important to use a non-stick pan AND oil (or butter) between crepes.
More Sweet Vegan Breakfast Recipes
- Strawberry granola parfait
- Strawberry oatmeal bars
- Chocolate chip oatmeal bars
- Blueberry banana bread
- Banana baked oatmeal
- Chocolate granola bars
- Apple muffins with streusel topping
If you try this gluten-free vegan crepe recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan – I love seeing them.
Gluten-Free Vegan Crepes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (90 g) oat flour (gluten free if needed)
- 4 tbsp (28 g) tapioca flour (see notes)
- 4 tbsp (28 g) cornstarch or potato starch
- 1 tbsp (5 g) ground flax seeds (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) light coconut milk or any other dairy-free milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp (30 g) maple syrup or agave syrup
Instructions
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.Process all ingredients in your food processor/blender, or just whisk them together in a bowl.If you mix the ingredients in a bowl and the batter has a lot of lumps, you can get rid of them with an immersion blender.
- Heat a non-stick pan/skillet (I used a 10-inch ceramic skillet) with some oil over medium heat.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan, swirl the batter around to coat the pan evenly. Cook for about 2-4 minutes or until you can easily lift a side of the crepe (don't try to flip the crepe too early). After you carefully flipped the crepe, cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- After a while, the batter will get thicker (because of the ground flax seeds), just add a little more plant-based milk.
- Fill your crepes with a chocolate spread. Enjoy!
Notes
- It's important to not substitute tapioca flour/starch in this recipe, as it makes the crepe more elastic/flexible.
- Flaxseed: You can also omit the ground flax seeds (either option will work).
- The recipe makes 6-8 crepes. Nutrition facts are for one crepe made with light (canned) coconut milk. If you use boxed dairy-free milk, the crepes will have less fat and kcal. However, the result won't be as good.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Julie
These are perfect! I used Oatly full fat milk and potato starch instead of cornstarch . They released very easily from my new nonstick pan (Tramontina: Wirecutter best nonstick).. I used just enough Miyokos to cover the bottom of the pan. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Ela
So happy to hear! Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Maria
Hi Ela, I made this with 15% fat coconut milk and soya milk mixed together. I left it to rest for a good hour and you’re right, it becomes much thicker after it has rested. So I thinned it out with quite a bit of soya milk. These are the best vegan gluten-free crepes of all time! I ate them all and I think I might make some more tomorrow… Me and the kids loved them, thanks so much for all your amazing hard work. You’re a genius! Had mine with freshly squeezed lime juice and a sprinkling of white sugar..
Ela
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Maria! I am so happy you like my recipe. 🙂
Laura
Ciao Ela,
First of all thank you for all the delicious recipes!
Could I use arrowroot flour/starch instead of the corn one?
Thank you!
Ela
Yes, that should be fine! 🙂
Pauline
Amazingly perfect! I used oat milk and a tiny bit of coconut milk kefir and they worked perfectly. Hardest bit was trying not to eat them before I finished marking the batch. ❤️
Ela
Yay, that’s awesome, Pauline! 🙂
Aureliane Pierret
Hi,
Can you use a different GF flour, and e.g. soy or oat milk in this recipe?
Thanks,
Aureliane
Ela
Hey, you’ll have to experiment. This version was tested by me many times and works perfectly. If you change the recipe, you will have a different result (it might still work, though). 🙂
Tréza
How is Oat flour gluten free? Out are loaded with glyphosates? Can I simply use gluten free flour? . .
Ela
Oats are naturally gluten-free, however, they are often processed in facilities with the risk of cross-contamination. For that reason, if you are celiac, use certified gluten-free oats, or you can, of course, experiment with gluten-free flour (but every blend is different).
Tam
This recipe was incredible!!! I had been looking for gluten-free crepe recipes for a long time and finally found one that tastes HEAVENLY!!! THANK YOU so much for creating this delicious recipe for those of us who are gluten-sensitive! And I made the chocolate spread per your recipe as well to go with this delicious soft, yummy crepe- and it was AMAZING! Thank you Ela for creating so many wonderful gluten-free vegan recipes, since I am also vegan (for 10 years) and also gluten-free (sensitive), and it is so difficult to find delicious gluten-free vegan dishes. I am so glad I came across your site. I’ve already browsed and planned to try more of your creations! Thank you again!
Ela
Aww, that makes me so happy, Tam! Thanks for your wonderful feedback, I really appreciate it. 🙂
Ida
Made it without flax seeds and added egg replacer instead of corn starch as we were out of it and this turned out amazing!
Ela
That’s so interesting, Ida, thanks for sharing. 🙂
David
this was good
Ela
Hi David, I am glad you liked it! 🙂
Colleen
This recipe was surprisingly easy, the crepes were delicious and I had fun making them. My husband who can’t have gluten was quite complimentary, saying they were far better than the GF versions he’s had with buckwheat. We will be making these again.
Ela
Yay, that’s awesome! Thanks for sharing, Colleen. 🙂
Aysia
I had an issue with this recipe. My batter was way too thick and wouldn’t spread in the pan. I used full fat coconut instead of lite because that’s what I had leftover in the fridge. Would that have been why it came out thick? I ended up putting more plant based milk to thin it out and it sort of worked. Still a little thick but the taste was great! I love all the recipes I’ve tried so far <3
Ela
Hi Aysia, yes, full-fat coconut is thicker, so that’s probably why. It was a good idea to add more plant-based milk. Happy you liked the taste. 🙂
Viktoria
Thank you, Ela for the recipe. Crepes are very tasty and look amazing!
Ela
I am glad you like the crepes, Viktoria. Thanks for your great feedback! 🙂
Elyse
These were so yummy, thin, and foldable! They don’t crumble and tear like other gf crepes I’ve tried, and they aren’t too gummy like vegan pancakes sometimes are. I will definitely be making these again! The batter worked well immediately after mixing it, and I left the extra in the fridge overnight and it made great crepes the next morning too 🙂
Ela
I am so glad they turned out amazing! Thanks so much for your great feedback, Elyse. 🙂
Eyal
Great recipe, I sometimes replace about half of the oat flour with vegan protein powder and it’s also came out delicious and full of protein. Highly recommended!
Ela
Oh, that sounds like such a great idea! Thanks for sharing, Eyal. 🙂
Lars
Hi Ela! I just want to let you know that this crepe is DELICIOUS!! The flavour, the texture, everything!!! I made this a few days ago and I’ve been thinking about how good it was I had to make it again for my breakfast today! My boyfriend and my brother LOVES them!! This crepe is also good with savoury filling, like my boyfriend ate this crepe with fried ‘chicken’ and he said it was heavenly! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Ela
You are very welcome! I am glad you both liked the recipe. 🙂
Carolina
I just made this recipe, turned out great! Thanks for sharing.
Ela
Awesome! I am glad you liked it, Carolina. 🙂
Maria Lick
I”m not vegan but want to make this recipe. How many eggs do I use?
Ela
Since I am vegan, I cannot answer this question as I won’t make the recipe with eggs. You could try using one and see if that works.
Maria Lick
Thank you, I will try that 🙂
Connie
can these me used for savory as well? Are they fluffy crepes or more on the thin brittle side? Thanks!
Ela
Hi Connie! Yes, they can be used for savory as well. Simply leave out the maple syrup then. They aren’t very fluffy since this is a gluten-free recipe. You can make them pretty thin depending on how much batter you pour into the pan. If you want them thicker, then use less plant-based milk. 🙂
Louisa
hello ela! is it ok to exclude the corn starch if i don’t have it? how does it help the recipe? 🙂 thanks for posting such amazing food recipes that are gluten free! kudos to you!
Ela
Hello Lousia, you can use potato starch or arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch. Gluten-free flour blends often contain a form of starch, as they also act as a binder. 🙂