Dairy Free Crepes with Coconut Milk

Light as air dairy free crepes folded over lemon-streaked strawberries and toasted coconut. These crepes substitute coconut milk for traditional dairy milk and are lovely for a plant based brunch. {Post first published July 12, 2014. Last updated, January 25, 2022}.

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If you’ve found yourself in a breakfast rut, have you ever made crepes?

These dairy free crepes are so beautifully crisp on the edges with the slightest hint of coconut and perfectly sweet when layered with macerated strawberries and toasty coconut.

They make the perfect breakfast (or dessert) and are bursting with summery flavors. They have a subtle coconut nuance that comes from using coconut milk in place of the more traditional whole milk (also making them dairy free—bonus!).

What You Need To Make Crepes

If you are super excited about crepes and plan on making them all the time, then I highly suggest you invest in a classic cast iron crepe pan. They heat evenly and have a natural nonstick surface. You can’t wash them with soap however, and never put them in the dishwasher. Just wipe out with a bit of kosher salt and a paper towel and only use it for crepes.

I use my nonstick frying pan and it works beautifully. The downside to using nonstick is you can’t use a metal spatula to flip the crepes, make sure to use a rubber spatula or wooden spatula so you don’t scratch the pan.

To make these dairy free we are using coconut milk and olive oil for cooking the crepes. You can substitute any plant-based milk and any neutral-flavored oil. Don’t use extra virgin olive oil it will be too strong. Coconut oil would also up the coconut flavor in these crepes.

How To Make Dairy Free Crepes

Crepes get a bad wrap for being hard to make but with the right pan, they’re not any more difficult than making a stack of pancakes. And just like pancakes the first one you make will probably be a disaster, but then you get the hang of it. At least that’s what always happens in my case. Here’s how to make them:

1. Blend ingredients together. Combine coconut milk, flour, egg, sugar, and salt in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. You may have to scrape down the sides of the blender to mix in any flour that has stuck to the side and blend again. Let rest on the counter at least 30 minutes.
2. Pour in batter. Heat a crepes pan or a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, pour 1/3 cup of the crepes batter into the pan and tilt the pan up and down swirling the batter so it spreads out over the entire pan.
3. Cook crepes. Let the crepe cook for 2 minutes without touching it at all. When the bottom is golden and the top is almost dry with a few wet spots, slide a rubber spatula underneath and flip it over. Toast the other side briefly and remove from the pan.

What to Serve With the Crepes

For sweet crepes

Lemon-flecked strawberries and a sprinkling of toasted coconut lend a textural contrast to the all at once chewy, crispy crepes.

If you are not so concerned with the whole dairy thing you can serve them with a heaping dollop of vanilla-scented whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream—you can’t ever go wrong with that.

For something more simple, a drizzle of maple syrup and sliced bananas would also be delish.

Savory Fillings

These dairy-free crepes would also be good with savory fillings but I would leave the sugar out of the crepe batter if you are going in that direction. You could fill these with shredded sharp cheese like aged gruyere and roasted potatoes, maybe with a drizzle of salsa macha—yum!

If the coconut milk is too strong for savory crepes, feel free to swap almond milk or oat milk instead.

Tips For Perfect Crepes

It’s a lot of fun to make crepes and if you mess up the first couple, who cares? I call those chef snacks. Here are a few pointers to become a crepe master.

1. Let the batter sit at least 30 minutes before you use it. This allows the flour to soak up the liquid and makes it easier to work with. After it has rested, beat the batter with a whisk before you pour it into the pan to redistribute the flour.
2. Use just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. For a 8-9 inch pan that should be about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter.
3. Make the crepes ahead of time and keep them in a stack separated by pieces of parchment paper. Keep them warm in a low oven then fill when you are ready to serve.
4. You can also freeze them! Make them in a stack as described above. Once cool, place in a freezer bag and freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before rewarming in a hot skillet with a slick of oil.

More Breakfast Recipes To Try!

• How To Make Mexican Chorizo From Scratch
• Soft Ricotta Banana Bread
• Jugo Verde {Mexican Green Juice}
• Grilled Chicken Chilaquiles Verdes
• Simple Stovetop Chia Pinole
• Dairy-Free Conchas Recipe
• Molasses Banana Bread Recipe

Sweet or Savory, These Dairy-Free Crepes Are Pure Deliciousness

Everyone who has tried it has loved this recipe because there is So. Much. To. Love! Give them a try! Let me know when you do by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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