How Long Does Crêpe Batter Last?
Making crêpes is a fun and easy way to show your culinary skills. Whether you’re planning to make a sweet or savory crêpe, you’ll need some crêpe batter! But what happens if you make too much?
How long does crêpe batter last? Crêpe batter will stay fresh for up to 2 hours at room temperature, up to 2 days in the fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
In this post, we’ll answer those questions and give you some tips for making your crêpe batter last as long as possible. With just a few simple tricks, you can enjoy delicious crêpes for days after making them!
How Long Should Crêpe Batter Rest?
Many people are surprised to learn that crêpe batter needs to rest before it is cooked. However, this practice is essential in order to produce the perfect crêpe!
Since crêpes are made with flour, they contain gluten. This protein must be given time to set before it is thermally processed. Otherwise, the crêpes will be tough and rubbery.
The molecules of the ingredients need time to relax and bond, which allows for a more consistent texture.
By allowing the batter to rest, you can ensure that the crêpes are light, fluffy, and easy to roll.
Without this process, the crêpe batter will remain very thick and difficult to work with, your crêpes will look cloudy and gray when you try to cook them, and when you try to roll the crêpes, there’s a higher chance of them falling apart as well.
Crêpe recipes always suggest that you rest the crêpe batter for at least 2 hours so that the texture will become softer and the crêpe will turn out stretchier. Some recipes even suggest letting crêpe batter last for 6–12 hours for the best results.
If your recipe suggests leaving the crêpe batter to rest for under 2 hours, you can safely do so at room temperature, as long as the weather’s not too hot. Otherwise, you’ll have better luck resting the crêpe batter in the fridge.
What Is The Ideal Crêpe Batter Consistency?
After resting your crêpe batter, how can you tell if it’s ready to be cooked?
Crêpe batter should be quite liquid (but not too watery) when it’s ready to be cooked — you should be able to pour it from a pitcher.
If your crêpe batter has the consistency of heavy cream, then it’s ready to be turned into the perfect crêpe.
How Long Does Crêpe Batter Last?
Crêpe recipes use fresh ingredients like eggs and milk, which are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria like salmonella.
These fresh ingredients can spoil very quickly, so if you accidentally forget about your resting crêpe batter, there’s a high chance of food poisoning.
1. At Room Temperature
If you let your crêpe batter rest at room temperature, it will only stay fresh for up to 2 hours.
Eggs and milk can attract harmful bacteria when left at room temperature, so if you leave the crêpe batter out on the counter for too long, the batter will become contaminated with bacteria and spoil.
You should only let crêpe batter last at room temperature if you are planning on making them right away.
If you are making the crêpe batter for the next morning, it’s best to let the batter rest in the fridge overnight to prevent any contamination.
When resting the crêpe batter at room temperature, make sure to cover it with plastic wrap to prevent contamination.
2. In The Fridge
The best way to let crêpe batter rest is in the refrigerator. The low temperature in the fridge will prevent the growth of bacteria, which will allow the batter to stay fresh for longer.
In the fridge, the batter will need to rest for about 12 hours, and it can stay fresh for up to 2 days.
However, since milk and eggs are perishable even in the fridge, you’ll find that the crêpe batter won’t last for longer than 2 days. After that, it will lose its taste and texture.
The best way to store crêpe batter in the fridge is in an airtight container. The container will prevent air circulation, which will stop the batter from drying out and prevent harmful bacteria from getting inside.
Using an airtight container will also prevent smells from other food items from getting into the crêpe batter, which will make them fresh for longer and turn out more delicious when you are ready to cook it.
If you are resting the batter inside a mixing bowl, you can wrap it tightly using plastic wrap and place the entire bowl in the fridge. Keep in mind that this method may not be as effective as storing crêpe batter in an airtight container.
3. In The Freezer
You can also freeze leftover or make-ahead crêpe batter in the freezer. This option is perfect for those who love fresh crêpes in the morning, but don’t want to make a new batch of batter every single night!
Crêpe batter will stay fresh in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips For Making The Perfect Crêpes
When you are ready to make your crêpes, use the following tips to get the perfect crêpes.
1. Use A Crêpe Pan
A non-stick crêpe pan usually has a flat surface and a shallow side that makes the crêpes easy to spread and flip.
However, if you don’t have a crêpe pan, any non-stick pan will work well.
2. Use Medium Heat
The ideal heat to cook your crêpes is medium heat.
Don’t use high heat to rush the process because if the pan is too hot, the batter will cook too quickly, and it won’t spread thin enough to be able to roll perfectly.
3. Add Butter
Adding a bit of butter to the pan before cooking your crêpes will add a tinge of flavor to the crêpes, and it will also prevent them from sticking to the pan, making them easier to flip.
You should melt the butter beforehand and coat the pan lightly with butter before pouring your crêpe batter inside.
4. Lift The Pan
Since crêpe batter is very runny, the best way to spread the batter around the pan for a perfectly thin and flat crêpe is by lifting the pan and tilting it to spread the batter around as it coats the pan.
5. Use A Rubber Spatula
Since crêpes are very light and thin, you will need to be very gentle while cooking so you don’t accidentally break them apart.
A rubber spatula is a perfectly delicate instrument to help you remove the crêpe from the pan without breaking it.
When you are ready to flip the crêpe, you can use a rubber spatula to gently dig the edge of the crêpe and lift it from the pan.
Just like pancakes, the first crêpe is never perfect, so don’t be discouraged if you follow all of these tips and still make a mess on the first try. Instead, you can think of it as a trial run and perfect your techniques the next time!
Related Questions
Now that we’ve learned all about crêpes, how long crêpe batter lasts, and some tips for making the perfect crêpes, here are some additional questions that we thought you might have.
How do you know if crêpe batter has gone bad?
Storing crêpe batter in the fridge can sometimes cause the batter to separate, with a layer of wet ingredients on top and the dry ingredients condensing at the bottom.
Don’t worry: this doesn’t mean that the crêpe batter has gone bad!
If it’s still within the freshness window, you can simply mix the batter again to combine all of the ingredients, which will restore the batter to its original consistency and get it ready for cooking.
However, sometimes there are clear signs that the crêpe batter has gone bad.
Eggs and milk can smell rancid after only a few days. If the batter still smells like eggs and milk, then you can safely assume that it’s still fresh enough to use.
However, if it has a strong sour smell, or you can see mold growth on or around the batter, then it’s definitely not safe to use.
If the color turns pink (rather than a pale white) or if it bubbles on the surface, then you should not use the batter anymore.
How long do cooked crêpes last?
After cooking, you can safely assume that crêpes will last longer than crêpe batter.
At room temperature, cooked crêpes can maintain their taste and texture for about 5 hours. You can also store crêpes in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
However, you should worry about the texture of crêpes if you want to store the leftovers. Crêpes can dry out very quickly, and the soft, chewy texture will turn hard and brittle as it dries.
That’s why the best way to store crêpes is in an airtight container with the crêpes stacked on top of one another to prevent them from drying out.
The cold temperature will prevent them from sticking to each other, so they should be easy to separate when you are ready to enjoy them.
