How to Make Crepes with Pancake Mix

Out of flour, or just want crepes in a hurry? A box of pancake mix makes surprisingly good crepes. The key is to thin it out: pancake batter is thick so the pancakes rise, and crepe batter needs to be thin enough to swirl across the pan in a few seconds.

Adding an egg and extra milk to the mix does exactly that, and makes the crepes more flexible. Because pancake mix contains baking powder, they come out a little softer and thicker than classic crepes, but they fold and roll just the same.

Tips for pancake-mix crepes

• Thin the batter more than you think. It should pour like heavy cream, not like pancake batter.
• Add an egg, even to “complete” mixes. It makes the crepes thin and pliable instead of cakey.
• Rest it briefly. Ten minutes lets the mix hydrate, and the batter thickens slightly, so check it again before cooking.
• Spread it fast. Tilt the pan as soon as the batter goes in, so it spreads before the leavening sets it.

When you have flour on hand, the classic batter is just as quick: see Classic French Crepes or the Blender Crepes method. For the differences between the two, see Crepes vs. Pancakes.