This Christmas Crepe recipe is here to make your holiday season a little sweeter! With a luscious orange cream and cream cheese filling and cranberry sauce, these Christmas Crepes are the ultimate festive treat-perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
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Crepes With A Festive Twist
There's something magical about waking up on Christmas morning, the house filled with the scent of pine and anticipation.
For years, in my family, we'd always start with something simple (like Christmas Eve leftovers), but one year I thought, why not up the game? Light, golden crepes filled with zesty orange cream and tart cranberry sauce. My parents love this festive recipe, although I still need to convince Seb, who overdosed on cream-filled crepes in France as a child...
So whether you're hosting a Christmas brunch or need a dessert that screams holiday cheer, this is the perfect recipe to bring some festive sparkle to your table.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Here's everything you will need to make these Christmas crepes:
- plain flour: also known as all-purpose flour.
- eggs: we used medium eggs.
- milk: dairy milk works best. Full-fat milk reduces the chances of the crepes sticking to the pan!
- butter or oil: for frying.
- cream cheese: also known as soft cheese in the UK, like Philadelphia.
- icing sugar: also known as powdered sugar.
- orange: we use both zest and juice. If you wish, you can achieve tasty results with lemons too, but increase the sugar in the filling slightly.
- double cream: also known as heavy cream or whipping cream.
- cranberry sauce: whole or smooth, you choose.
You can find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional data in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
There are a couple of important steps to follow in this Christmas Crepes recipe. We start by baking crepes themselves (if you keep a sourdough starter, you may like to try our Sourdough Crepes instead). We then make the orange cream filling, and assemble it all together for an irresistible treat.
Step 1: Make Crepe Batter
1. Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle.
2. Crack the eggs into the well, and using a balloon whisk, start whisking the eggs grabbing a little bit of flour from around the edges. You may also use an electric mixer on the lowest setting.
3. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth thin batter.
4. Cover the batter and leave it to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
TOP TIP: If your crepe pan is known to stick, stir in 2 tablespoon of melted butter to the batter. Extra fat in the pancake batter will prevent the crepes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: Cooking Crepes
1. After resting, stir the batter again.
2. Lightly grease the bottom of a non-stick pan (or crepe pan) and heat it over medium heat. You may also use a large nonstick skillet or a crepe maker.
3. Pour a ladleful of the crepe batter into the pan and distribute it across the base by moving the pan in a circular motion.
4. Cook the crepe on the first side for 60-70 seconds, or until the edges start coming away from the pan and turn slightly crispy.
5. Flip the crepe and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds. Note that the first crepe is very likely to turn out right! Repeat with the remaining batter.
How To Keep Crepes Warm?
To keep your crepes warm while you finish cooking the whole batch, stack them on an ovenproof plate or another baking dish and place them in the oven on a low setting. There's no need to separate the crepes with parchment paper; they'll stay warm and ready to serve without sticking together.
This simple method ensures that your crepes remain perfectly warm and pliable until you're ready to enjoy them.
Step 3: Make The Orange Cream Filling
1. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar until combined.
2. Add the orange juice and zest and beat again to combine.
3. Finally, pour in the cream and beat the mixture to soft peaks.
Step 4: Assemble
1. With the back of a spoon, spread the cranberry sauce on one-quarter of the crepe, then spoon the cream onto another quarter and fold the crepe into a rectangle. Or you may roll the crepes into tubes if you prefer.
2. Dust the tops with more icing sugar and extra orange zest if you wish. Serve with fresh fruit on the side.
TOP TIP: Make sure your crepes are lukewarm or at room temperature before spreading the cream filling, otherwise it will melt. If you want your Christmas crepes hot, we suggest serving the orange cream on the side.
More Christmas Breakfast Recipes
Looking for more ideas for a festive holiday breakfast? We've got you covered with delicious recipes to make your mornings merry and bright!
Christmas Crepes With Orange Cream and Cranberry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g (1⅗ cups) plain flour all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs medium
- 600 ml (2½ cups) milk
- butter for frying
For The Filling:
- 120 g (4.23 oz) cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar powdered sugar
- 1 orange all zest + 1 tablespoon juice
- 200 ml (1 cup) double cream whipping cream
- 12 tablespoon cranberry sauce
- extra orange zest and icing sugar to top
Instructions
Make the Crepes
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle.
- Crack the eggs into the well, and using a balloon whisk, start whisking the eggs grabbing a little bit of flour from around the edges.
- Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth thin batter.
- Cover the batter and leave it to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- After resting, stir the batter again.
- Lightly grease the bottom of a non-stick frying pan (or crepe pan) and heat it over medium heat.
- Pour a ladleful of the crepe batter into the pan and distribute it across the base by moving the pan in a circular motion.
- Cook the crepe on the first side for 60-70 seconds, or until the edges start coming away from the pan and turn slightly crispy.
- Flip the crepe and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds. Note that the first crepe is very likely to turn out right!
- Repeat with the rest of the batter, stacking the cooked crepes in the oven preheated to the lowest setting.
The Filling
- To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar until combined.
- Add the orange juice and zest and beat again to combine.
- Finally, pour in the cream and beat the mixture to soft peaks.
Assemble
- Spread the cranberry sauce on one quarter of the crepe, then spoon the cream onto another quarter and fold the crepe into a rectangle. Or you may roll the crepes into tubes, if you prefer.
- Dust the tops with more icing sugar and extra orange zest if you wish.
Video
Notes
- If your crepe pan is known to stick, stir in 2 tablespoon of melted butter to the batter. Extra fat in the pancake batter will prevent the crepes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- If you like LOTS of cream filling, you may want to double the filling ingredient quantities.
- Make sure your crepes are lukewarm or at room temperature before spreading the cream filling, otherwise it will melt. If you want your crepes hot, we suggest serving the orange cream on the side.
Nutrition
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