These French buckwheat crepes are easy to make, naturally gluten free and with a lovely slightly nutty flavor. They're perfect loaded up with cheese, ham and egg for a classic "crêpe complete" for brunch/ lunch, or with many other tasty savory fillings.
![These French buckwheat crepes are easy to make, naturally gluten free and with a lovely slightly nutty flavor. They're perfect loaded up with cheese, ham and egg for a classic "crêpe complete" for brunch/ lunch, or with many other tasty savory fillings. French buckwheat crepe filled with cheese ham and egg on plate](jpg/buckwheat-crepes-photo.jpg)
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I'll admit, my first experience of buckwheat was not a good one. It was when I was on a project in rural Russia as a teen and we had batch-made buckwheat porridge every day. It wasn't exactly the easiest to eat.
But then in later life I had it cooked properly and grew to like it more. And I also discovered buckwheat flour used in a few traditional recipes from different parts of the world.
![These French buckwheat crepes are easy to make, naturally gluten free and with a lovely slightly nutty flavor. They're perfect loaded up with cheese, ham and egg for a classic "crêpe complete" for brunch/ lunch, or with many other tasty savory fillings. buckwheat crepes cut open to show cheese, ham and egg filling](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cut-buckwheat-crepes.jpg)
Does buckwheat contain gluten?
Despite the name, buckwheat is not a form of wheat and in fact not even a grain, though it's treated as one. Buckwheat is naturally gluten free, and high in protein - you can find out more interesting facts in this article.
The lack of gluten does mean it can be a little challenging to use in baking, for example. You typically have to blend it with wheat flour. However it works on it's own in thin pancakes such as these classic French crepes and Russian blini.
You will find buckwheat flour comes in light and dark varieties. The lighter is hulled, while the darker is unhulled. You can use either here - dark is higher in protein, but light I think has a milder flavor.
![ingredients for buckwheat crepes ready to mix ingredients for buckwheat crepes ready to mix](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ingredients-buckwheat-crepes.jpg)
Where are these crepes from?
These crepes originate in the Brittany area of northwest France. They are sometimes referred to as a "galette". I know, that name can be confusing as that's also the name for a free-form pie/tart (like my blueberry galette and mushroom galette). So be aware these would be a "galette de sarresin" or "de blé noir" (the two names for buckwheat).
Some recipes include some wheat flour to help with the consistency, but traditionally, you just use buckwheat flour, as I have done here. This has the bonus of meaning they are gluten free crepes. You can make them with water or milk - I think milk is better flavor-wise but as you prefer.
This recipe has a relatively high proportion of egg which counteracts some of the challenges you can have with buckwheat - it can make them prone to cracking. If you like, you can thin out the mixture to make it less "eggy" with a bit more flour and milk/water.
![curled edge of cooking buckwheat crepe in skillet curled edge of cooking buckwheat crepe in skillet](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/curled-edge-buckwheat-crepes-sq.jpg)
Tips for cooking these crepes
Traditionally, these are made on a crepe maker called a billig that's basically a big round hot plate. You use a tool called a roselle to spread the batter really thin and even.
Obviously, it would be unrealistic to have one of these at home, though I do find my crepe pan pretty useful as an alternative (sadly, don't have it here right now). But you can still have pretty good success with these on an everyday skillet/frying pan. They might just be a little thicker, which makes folding them a little harder, but it's a minor thing.
To help them to turn out well, I'd recommend using a nonstick skillet or crepe pan over a medium-high heat and butter it slightly just before cooking the first one. You shouldn't need to butter again unless you seem to have problems with it sticking.
Once you add the batter, lift the pan off the heat and quickly rotate it to spread the batter right around the pan. If you need some help with how to do this, it's the same principle as I do for my ficelle picarde (mushroom and ham crepe au gratin) and my apple crepes and which both have a video. Though I admit my technique not as good as it could be in the video, so please don't judge! Also, I found I only needed to rotate the pan once with this batter as it's a bit thicker.
![all toppings added to crepe - ham and egg visible over cheese all toppings added to crepe - ham and egg visible over cheese](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/all-toppings-buckwheat-crepes.jpg)
Toppings!
Typically, these crepes are served with savory toppings. Sweet crepes usually use a wheat flour batter. One of the most classic toppings is with cheese, typically gruyere, ham and egg called a "crêpe complete". That's what I've shown here, and it's definitely worth trying.
In some cases, the egg will be added directly onto the crepe to cook, but that's less successful without the crepe maker. So instead, it's better to fry the egg separately then tuck it in. You can also scramble the egg, if you prefer.
If you are looking for other topping ideas, you are really only limited by your imagination. I remember having these from a market one time and the stall had chopped wilted spinach, sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, caramelized onions, cheese, ham, chopped chicken and more to choose from. So get creative!
![buckwheat crepes being kept warm in cloth buckwheat crepes being kept warm in cloth](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/buckwheat-crepes-in-cloth.jpg)
If you're making a few of these, to be able to serve them more or less together, the best idea is to cook all the crepes first. Then, store them wrapped in a clean dishcloth and warm one at a time to add the toppings.
Have the toppings prepared before you start filling the crepes ie grate the cheese, fry the eggs. You only need a minute to add the toppings to the warmed crepe, fold in the edges, then serve.
These buckwheat crepes have a lovely flavor to them, that pair perfectly with a range of savory toppings. The classic ham, cheese and egg version shown here makes a delicious brunch or lunch. So give these gluten free crepes a try for a French twist to your morning.
![These French buckwheat crepes are easy to make, naturally gluten free and with a lovely slightly nutty flavor. They're perfect loaded up with cheese, ham and egg for a classic "crêpe complete" for brunch/ lunch, or with many other tasty savory fillings. buckwheat crepe with fillings - egg showing - on plate](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/buckwheat-crepes-picture.jpg)
Try these other tasty pancake recipes:
- British pancakes (relatively similar to French wheat flour crepes, classically served with lemon and sugar)
- Chestnut pancakes with honey-rose mascarpone (also gluten free)
- Chicken crepes with leek and mushrooms (the filling would also be good with these)
- Plus get more French recipes in the archives.
If you're looking for more ways to use buckwheat, both as flour and groats, this Food 52 article has lots of ideas.
Buckwheat crepes
Ingredients
For crepes
- ½ cup buckwheat flour
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
To cook/serve
- ½ tablespoon butter approx
- 8 tablespoon grated gruyere cheese (approx)
- 4 slices ham
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil, or more as needed to cook eggs
- 4 eggs
Instructions
For the crepes
- Mix together the ingredients for the crepes either by hand with a whisk or with a blender. Ideally, chill the mixture, covered, overnight or at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to use, stir the batter well. The consistency should be similar to heavy cream (double cream) - if it is too thick add a little water (I needed around 2 tbsp).
- Warm a crepe pan or large skillet/frying pan (approx 12in/30cm diameter) over a medium-high heat. When warm, add the butter - it should bubble immediately but not brown.
- Pour approx ¼ cup of the crepe mixture into the warm frying pan/skillet. Do this with the pan off the heat and at the same time swirl it round the pan so it covers all of the base, as far as possible. Fill any gaps with a little extra batter.
- After a couple minutes, the top will be dry. Loosen the edge and once the edge starts to curl up and go crisp, turn the crepe over with a spatula/palette knife. Cook a couple more minutes on the other side.
- Remove to a plate with a clean dish towel on top and cover with the towel. Repeat with the rest of the batter - you should get 4 crepes.
To fill the crepes
- Prepare fillings first - grate the cheese and separate into 4 piles of 2tbsp each ready to use. Break up the ham if larger pieces. Fry the eggs in a medium-high heat skillet with butter or oil so that the whites are cooked but yolks are still soft (unless you prefer cooked more).
- Re-heat a crepe in the crepe pan/skillet over medium heat for around 30 seconds. Add the cheese in the middle, leaving, top with the ham then the egg leaving the sides without any filling (or at least not too much).
- Fold in two opposite sides over the filling but leaving the yolk of the egg visible. Fold in the two other sides so that you form a pocket. Press the sides down with a spatula to get them to hold, as far as possible, then remove from pan and serve. Repeat with rest of crepes.
Notes
Nutrition
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![These French buckwheat crepes are easy to make, naturally gluten free and with a lovely slightly nutty flavor. They're perfect loaded up with cheese, ham and egg for a classic "crêpe complete" for brunch/ lunch, or with many other tasty savory fillings. #crepes #buckwheat #glutenfree #frenchfood These French buckwheat crepes are easy to make, naturally gluten free and with a lovely slightly nutty flavor. They're perfect loaded up with cheese, ham and egg for a classic "crêpe complete" for brunch/ lunch, or with many other tasty savory fillings. #crepes #buckwheat #glutenfree #frenchfood](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/buckwheat-crepes-pin.jpg)
Alejandro Barreda
I love crepes and galettes since I remember, we make wheat crepes all the time, sometimes 75% wheat with 25% buckwheat for savory galettes, they come great. Wheat crepes are more likely for dessert, but you can use them for savory dishes like my mother did to us. Great article.
Caroline's Cooking
Yes, wheat are definitely more common for dessert but I, too, have used them for savory as well. The slightly nutty flavor from buckwheat is particularly good with some savory fillings, though, I find. And yes, a 75/25 blend sounds good as well.
Iga
Nice crepes, as I am not very experienced in that matter, I made the first one quite thick. But the rest came out really nice. Def will come back to this recipe.
And I used soy milk, instead of the normal one.
Caroline's Cooking
To be honest, with many pancakes and crepes, no matter how experienced you are the first one is never quite as good, so don't worry. But glad the rest turned out well and you enjoyed.
Hangrybob
There is an error in the ingredients section. 1/2 cup of milk is 125ml not 60ml as the recipe states. Also, the recipe definitely doesn't work with 60ml of milk, so half a cup is correct (and thus 125ml).
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks for spotting, now updated. And actually while it would be 125ml in Australia, US/UK cups are slightly smaller and 1/2 cup = 120ml so I have used this to be consistent in the measurements across the site.
Jacqueline Meldrum
Those crepes look great! I've never made them with buckwheat before. Something new to try!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, they are definitely worth a try! They have a lovely flavor.
Dannii
I have never made crepes with buckwheat before, but I am definitely going to give it a go.
Caroline's Cooking
Hope you enjoy - they're tasty!
Emily Liao
I had leftover buckwheat flour so decided to give this a go, and my crepes turned out great! Still soft and chewy 🙂
Caroline's Cooking
Great, glad to hear!
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter
I make buckwheat wraps a lot, so I have to try your recipe! Love all the toppings too x
Caroline's Cooking
They are probably very similar - definitely worth trying with the toppings too!