Crepes Suzette

Get ready to transport your taste buds to a Parisian café with this elegant yet approachable Crepes Suzette recipe. This classic French dessert combines delicate, paper-thin crepes with a luxurious orange-butter sauce that’s simply irresistible.

What makes this recipe truly special is the harmonious blend of fresh orange zest, rich butter, and a splash of orange liqueur that creates a sauce so divine, you’ll want to lick your plate clean. The best part? These restaurant-worthy crepes are surprisingly simple to master at home.

Ingredients

For the Crepes:

• 1¼ cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus more for greasing)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt

For the Orange Sauce:

• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 navel oranges, segmented
• 1-3 tablespoons orange liqueur

Steps

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups whole milk, 2 eggs, and 2 tablespoons melted butter until completely combined. The mixture should be smooth and free of egg streaks.
2. Add 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk vigorously until no lumps remain – about 2-3 minutes. The batter should be thin and pourable, similar to heavy cream consistency.
3. Cover batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. This crucial rest allows the flour to hydrate fully and gluten to relax, resulting in more tender crepes. (If pressed for time, minimum 15 minutes rest will do.)
4. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat (around 350°F/175°C). Add a small pat of butter – just enough to leave a thin coating when swirled.
5. Pour ½ cup batter into the center of the hot pan, immediately lifting and tilting the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly. Cook for 2-3 minutes until edges begin to lift and bottom is lightly golden (peek underneath with a spatula).
6. Flip crepe (use a thin spatula for best results) and cook additional 1-2 minutes until second side is golden. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
7. For the sauce: Combine orange juice, ¼ cup sugar, zest, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil (212°F/100°C) and cook 15 minutes until reduced by half and syrupy.
8. Add orange segments and 1-3 tablespoons liqueur (start with less, taste, add more if desired). Warm through for 1 minute.
9. Fold crepes into triangles, dip in warm sauce, and plate immediately. Garnish with orange segments and additional sauce. Optional: serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Smart Swaps

• Use almond milk instead of whole milk (same amount) for a dairy-free version
• Substitute coconut sugar for granulated sugar (use 1:1 ratio)
• Replace orange liqueur with 2 tablespoons orange extract for alcohol-free version

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar (¼ cup = 4g net carbs vs 48g)
• Replace white flour with almond flour (1¼ cups) to reduce carbs by 80%
• Serve with sugar-free whipped cream (saves 12g carbs per serving)

Pro Tips

• Room temperature eggs and milk create smoother batter
• Let pan cool slightly between crepes if it gets too hot
• Sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently before serving