Gluten-Free Corn Crepes
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Simple gluten-free crepes made with corn flour, eggs, and milk. Light, slightly grainy texture from corn flour. Butter for cooking adds richness and ensures easy flipping. Adjust flour for batter thickness. Cook on medium heat, listen for gentle sizzling. Flip when edges dry and bottom is golden. Keeps warm under foil to stay soft. Can swap oat milk for dairy, or coconut oil for butter. Watch out: too thin batter tears, too thick makes heavy crepes. Ideal for sweet or savory fillings.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
18 min
Servings:
4 to 5 crepes
#gluten-free
#breakfast
#French-inspired
#corn flour
#easy crepes
#dairy-free option
Gluten-free has its quirks. Corn flour, for crepes? Tried tapioca, rice flour, every combo. The grainy pop corn gives—whisper of cornfields under heat—interesting texture, not rubbery or gluey like some gluten-free flours. Keep batter just right, not too runny; thin enough for edges to crisp slightly but thick enough not to tear mid-flip. Pan temperature, butter amount, and watchfulness essential. Flip too soon or late, crepe fights back. On resting, foil cover keeps them soft, avoids drying. Useful little base for anything sweet or savory. Changed milk to oat once—different mouthfeel but worked. Butter for the pan is non-negotiable. Coconut oil shakes things up if dairy-free. Best crepes are the ones that whisper, not shout.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 260 ml (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) milk of choice
- 240 ml (1 cup) corn flour
- 1.25 ml (1/5 tsp) fine salt
- Softened butter or coconut oil for pan
About the ingredients
Switched corn flour to a slightly finer grind once—better mouthfeel. Keep an eye on powder freshness; old corn flour gives off odd taste. Salt is low—just enough to balance without over-salting, as fillings often salty or sweet. Eggs add bind and richness; no skipping, no water instead—that’s a trap. Milk’s flexible: dairy, oat, or almond. Used oat milk recently, crepes slightly more brittle but OK if eaten immediately. Butter or coconut oil in pan prevents sticking and adds that nutty aroma. Grease sparingly; too much fat ruins edges, crepes turn greasy and flop. If batter thickens waiting, tiny pools on edges warn to add milk dropwise. Batter’s consistency is king—like syrup but slightly thicker, coats back of spoon. Overbeat? Results tough crepes.
Method
- First, crack eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk briskly. Add milk, then salt, whisk well until combined.
- Gradually sprinkle corn flour into wet mix. Whisk constantly to avoid lumps, batter should be loose but not watery. Adjust by adding tiny splash more milk or a spoonful of flour if needed.
- Preheat nonstick pan to medium heat (around 5-6 on electric). It has to shimmer, not smoke.
- Smear pan lightly with softened butter or coconut oil—too much fat ruins edges, too little makes sticking.
- Pour about 120 ml (1/2 cup) batter; swirl quickly to cover base evenly and thinly. Look for edges drying and bubbles forming, slight browning underneath.
- When edges lift easily and bottom is golden with spots, flip with spatula. Cook other side briefly, 20-25 seconds, no longer or it dries out.
- Stack finished crepes on warm plate, cover loosely with foil to keep pliable.
- If batter thickens on standing, whisk in a splash of milk.
- Test first crepe for doneness; adjust heat or cooking time accordingly.
- Serve warm, as is or with favorite fillings.
Cooking tips
Whisk eggs first, get uniform. Add dry slowly to avoid clumps—those are flattened lumps forming chewy spots, annoying. Medium heat needed—pan too hot, crepes burn edges but raw inside; too cool, no color, rubbery. Butter melts and foams—listen for soft hiss, not crackling sizzle. Pour batter, tilt pan fast to cover evenly, a thin, lacey layer. Bubbles appearing on top signal cooking. Edges should become dry and loose when ready to flip, use thin metal spatula carefully. Flip quick but gentle, cook just seconds more—overcooking dries and ruins softness. Keep finished crepes covered under foil, avoid stacking air gaps to prevent drying. If first crepe oddly thick or thin, tweak batter consistency. Serve immediately or wrap tightly for brief hold; reheating tricky without tearing. Fat in pan key; scrape excess between crepes.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Whisk eggs first for uniform mix. Sprinkle corn flour slowly, avoid lumps. Batter should drip but not swim, like thick syrup. Add milk dropwise if thickening while resting. Too watery makes tears, too thick fights flipping.
- 💡 Heat pan medium. Watch shimmer not smoke. Butter or coconut oil coats edges lightly. Too much fat means greasy soggy edges; too little sticks and rips crepes. Listen for soft hiss, no crackle or sizzle.
- 💡 Pour quick 120 ml batter, swirl fast to thin even layer. Bubbles on top signal cooking. Edges drying means ready to flip. Use thin metal spatula, quick gentle flip to prevent tearing.
- 💡 Stack crepes covered loosely with foil, traps moisture avoids drying. If batter sits thick, break up with splash milk, whisk brisk. Adjust heat if bottom browns too fast or crepe remains wet inside.
- 💡 Substitutions matter: oat milk works but crepes get brittle fast. Coconut oil gives nutty aroma, less slippery than butter. Salt very low, balance fillings instead. Eggs must stay; no water swaps, batter fails binding.
Common questions
How to fix lumpy batter?
Whisk dry flour in slowly, not dump. Use constant stirring. Lumps mean chewy pockets. If lumps too firm, strain batter with fine sieve, or whisk vigorously to break.
Can I use almond milk?
Yes but crepes might crisp quicker. Adjust batter thickness with milk volume, slightly reduce flour if needed. Coconut oil helps with sticking when dairy-free. Butter swap affects taste.
Crepes tearing when flipping?
Usually too thin batter, pan temp too low, or spatula too thick. Batter should coat thin but not watery. Heat must be medium, pan warm enough for quick set edges before flip.
How long keep crepes warm?
Covered with foil on warm plate, 10-15 mins max. Beyond that, crepes dry or get gummy. Cooler temps cause rubbery texture. To store longer refrigerate wrapped, reheat gently steam or low heat.
