It seems like more of us are turning to dairy-free alternatives for our meals. It may be due to food sensitivities, allergies or other health conditions. Or perhaps to lower your carbon footprint a bit. Happily, there are many dairy free solutions that do not feel like you're giving up on "normal" food!
Sometimes breakfast can seem the most daunting. Can you really make a delicious breakfast that’s dairy free? You definitely can!
In addition to almond milk pancakes and oat milk pancakes, I’ve now adapted my fruit crepes recipe to make dairy free almond milk crepes.
Why this recipe works
Crepes are so much easier than you think. They are another variation on pancake batter: flour, eggs, milk and butter. The proportions are different: less flour, more egg. And since we don’t want a fluffy volume in a crepe, we eliminate the baking powder. The goal is a thin, flat pancake which we can wrap around some delicious fruit or other filling.
Ingredients
How to make these almond milk crepes
Nothing could be easier than making this batter! Melt the butter (plant based for dairy free) and then add all the ingredients to a bowl.
Mix the batter until smooth. When mixing regular pancake batter, a few lumps don’t matter, but for crepes we want it smooth and not lumpy. I use an immersion blender for this. A regular blender will also do a fine job or use a good whisk if you’d like a bit of an arm workout. 💪
Prepare your pan by preheating on medium heat and adding a little butter or oil.
Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the hot pan and immediately tilt/rotate the pan to spread the batter evenly.
Cook the crepe for 1-2 minutes and then flip and cook for one more minute. If you keep a close eye on the edges of the batter you’ll get a sense for how quickly your crepe is cooking. Use your spatula to lift an edge to peek – this will also verify whether the crepe is stable enough to be flipped. A nice long spatula helps make the flipping easy.
You might be worried about needing a special pan and/or spatula but I have neither and have no trouble making these crepes. Check out the video in the recipe card if you want to see it demonstrated.
Filling the crepes
This is the fun part! Crepes are so versatile and can be sweet or savory depending on how you fill them. We always go the sweet route, with fresh fruit and raspberry or other berry sauce. Maple syrup or honey are great choices as well.
Here are a few other ideas for filling those crepes:
- Hazelnut spread or peanut butter – yummy! These tastes can stand alone, but also good with some banana.
- Top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar
These other options do add back dairy, but might be good choices if some of the people you are serving do not have a dairy restriction:
- Mascarpone cheese with fruit
- Ricotta cheese can be sweetened with some powdered sugar and used for filling
- Cream cheese – whipped strawberry cream cheese would be a great choice!
- Whipped cream – always a great choice. You can either use it as a filling or as an additional garnish on top of your crepes.
Expert Tips/FAQ
Have you heard of “crepe pans”? These are pans designed specifically for making crepes. They are 9.5 to 10.5 inches in diameter with shallow sides to allow ease in flipping the crepe with a spatula. The good news is, any good frying pan will work. Ensure that it has a flat base that heats evenly, and sloped sides and a non-stick surface will make the cooking very easy.
I have done this and have not loved the results. Instead, I now keep the uncooked batter. Cover and refrigerate, then use it the next day to make more crepes. They turn out great, and no one will be angry when you serve fresh crepes 2 days in a row!
Nutella is made with milk powder; therefore it is not dairy free. There are some dairy free hazelnut spreads, just read the labels carefully if you need to be completely dairy free.
More Breakfast Ideas
Flour, eggs, milk and butter can make a great breakfast. Here are some variations for you to try:
Almond Milk Crepes
Ingredients
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ⅓ cup almond milk
- 2 Tablespoons plant based butter melted
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- Dash salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. (I use an immersion blender to get it very smooth)
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a small amount of butter or oil to grease. Spoon about ¼ cup of batter into the hot pan, and immediately tilt the pan to evenly spread the batter.
- Cook over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Fill with cut up fruit, roll up and top with fruit sauce and powdered sugar, as desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Sahar
Wonderful recipe! Can I save some of the batter in the fridge or will it get too thick?
Sula
You can definitely save some of the batter. I like to keep it in a covered jar. If it seems a little thick, you can always add a teaspoon of almond milk as needed. But I rarely need to do this, and can typically use it straight out of the jar to make fresh crepes on the second day.
Bianca
We love crepes and this dairy free version turned out amazing!
Sula
So glad you enjoyed them, they are a favorite in this house!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
We've started using almond milk quite frequently since it is a healthy lower fat and calorie alternative to cow's milk. These crepes look magnificent!!
Sula
Thanks Cindy! Yes, almond milk makes such a good and healthy substitute to cow's milk.
Gina Abernathy
These look wonderful. I have always wanted to make crepes. Now I can!
Sula
They are easier than you think - I hope you try them soon!
Nora
These crêpes look so delicious! Now I am hungry.😄 Gonna make them tomorrow for breakfast! Thanks for sharing!!
Sula
Thank you, they are a favorite here and I think I might have to make them tomorrow morning too! LOL
Addie
Such a great breakfast recipe!! Loved the use of almond milk.
Sula
Thank you!
Katie Youngs
Sounds like the perfect weekend breakfast.
Sula
Definitely!
Amy Roskelley
I always go the sweet route in filling crepes as well! Berries for the win!
Sula
I LOVE berries with my crepes!
Emily Flint
These crepes were so good and no one knew they were made with almond milk, they disappeared in no time! Great recipe!
Sula
Thank you. You really do get the same taste without any dairy!
Kirby
These crepes look perfect for my dairy sensitivity. Thank you so much for taking the time to create such a fantastic recipe.
Sula
You're very welcome. Being dairy free doesn't mean you have to give up everything delicious!
Sula
Wonderful - so glad you (and your kids) enjoyed them!