Chocolate Crepes

This chocolate crepes recipe can hold the spotlight at an ultra-decadent brunch, but it can also serve as an elegant dessert. Cocoa crepes are filled with a lightly sweetened, creme de cacao cream cheese filling and drizzled with a warm fudge sauce.

Continue the luxurious brunch theme with a leek tart and a fennel orange salad.

Ingredients for Chocolate Crepes

• Milk and eggs: Whole milk and large eggs help thin and enrich the crepe batter.
• Vanilla: Chocolate and vanilla complement each other, so this extract adds vanilla aroma and flavor.
• Flour: All-purpose flour adds structure to the crepes.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the batter, but not too much.
• Cocoa: Baking cocoa is the simplest way to add deep chocolate flavor to the crepes.

Filling

• Cream cheese and sour cream: Rich sour cream and cream cheese combine to make a smooth filling with a bit of tang.
• Sugar and vanilla: Granulated sugar and vanilla extract sweeten and flavor the filling.
• Creme de cacao: This dessert liqueur is distilled from raw cacao beans, and adds a boozy, chocolate note.
• Whipped topping: Thawed frozen whipped topping lightens up the crepe filling.

Fudge sauce

• Chocolate chips and butter: You’ll melt semisweet chocolate chips with butter to form the foundation of a smooth fudge sauce.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar balances the slightly bitter chocolate.
• Half and half: This cream lightens and adds richness to the fudge sauce.
• Chocolate mint candies: If you love mint, scatter a few chopped Andes chocolate mint candies over the top when serving. If you don’t, we have other suggestions below.

Directions

Step 1: Blend batter until smooth

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Add the milk, eggs, water, oil, vanilla, flour, sugar, cocoa and salt to a blender. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Step 2: Make a fluffy filling

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In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the liqueur and whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to chill and thicken up.

Step 3: Melt chocolate for fudge sauce

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In a saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the sugar and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until thick and glossy. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Step 4: Cook chocolate crepes

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Lightly grease an 8-inch nonstick skillet, then heat it over medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan. Working quickly, lift, tilt and rotate the pan to coat the bottom evenly with batter. Cook the crepe until the top appears dry, then flip it and cook for an additional 15 to 20 seconds. Set it on a wire rack to cool.

Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan as needed. When the crepes are cool, they can be stacked with parchment paper or paper towels between them.

Step 5: Fill crepes, garnish and serve

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Add 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of each crepe. Roll up, drizzle with warm fudge sauce and sprinkle with mint candies, if desired.

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Chocolate Crepe Variations

• Add fresh fruit: Chocolate and fresh berries are a complementary match. Instead of mint candies, serve the chocolate crepes with sliced strawberries, raspberries or blackberries.
• Double down on chocolate: Skip the filling and spoon chocolate-hazelnut spread down the center, roll up the crepe and top with sliced bananas.
• Pair chocolate and orange: Instead of adding creme de cacao to the filling, replace with an orange liqueur such as Cointreau and add a tablespoon of orange zest.

How to Store Chocolate Crepes

Store cooked (but not filled) crepes in an airtight container, separated with parchment paper, in the refrigerator for two to three days. The filling and sauce can be stored separately. The fudge sauce will need to be gently reheated.

Can you make this chocolate crepe recipe ahead of time?

Yes, in two different ways. The batter can be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator overnight. The cooked crepes can also be stored in the fridge as noted above or, alternatively, frozen for two months. Store the filling separately in the refrigerator. Make sauce and fill crepes when ready to serve.

Chocolate Crepe Tips

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What type of pan is best for thin pancakes?

If you’re making Danish pancakes or crepes, the pan is important. An 8-inch pan works best. It can be nonstick, such as an omelet pan, or a seasoned carbon steel pan. No matter which pan you use, greasing it is important, and add more butter or oil after you cook a few pancakes.

What if I don’t have a blender?

A blender makes quick work of efficiently blending the batter ingredients, but a whisk and a strong arm can get the same results. Mix batter ingredients and whisk until completely smooth.

What’s a quick way to soften cream cheese?

If you aren’t able to leave cream cheese out on the counter for a few hours to soften, you can speed it up by putting the foil brick in a zipper top bag, squeezing out the air and immersing in a bowl of warm water. The cream cheese should be ready in about 15 minutes.