Beer Is The Unexpected Ingredient For Outstanding Texture In Crepes

Crepes are a popular dish in many places worldwide. Their delicate chew and mild, versatile flavor make them both an excellent foundation for a main course as well as a light and satisfying dessert. Making crepes at home, however, can be a tricky process, and getting the perfect texture usually requires a practiced hand. If you are new to mastering crepes, one reliable way to ensure your crepes are perfectly thin, golden, and slightly fluffy is by including an untraditional yet helpful ingredient: beer.

While it may seem strange, beer brings to the table two key factors that will ensure a superior outcome once the crepe batter hits the pan: carbonation and yeast. Both have the effect of adding small air bubbles to the batter. This not only loosens the batter, which makes it much easier to spread, but it also creates air pockets inside the crepe once it has been cooked. The result is a crepe that is beautifully tender and delicious.

To add beer to your crepes, you will want to substitute the beer in place of the water that goes into a traditional crepe batter. As you can see in our basic crepe recipe, water is added in a 1-to-4 ratio with milk. To make the swap, simply remove the water, replace it with an equal amount of your beer of choice, and prepare your crepes as you normally would.

It is worth noting that beer does add a detectable flavor to your crepes, so be sure to make your beer selection carefully. A light lager will have the least significant flavor, while a dark stout will bring a strong, hoppy flavor to the equation. This factor does create some opportunities for creativity — some soft pretzel recipes add beer to enhance the savory flavor of the dough, for example, so choosing a stronger beer for your batter may be an experiment worth trying when making a savory crepe. If you plan on trying this technique with a dessert crepe, however, we recommend doing so with hard cider, which will have the same effect as beer but with a more compatible sweetness.