Crêpes Suzette embody the elegance of French gastronomy in all its simplicity. This delicate dessert consists of crêpes topped with a creamy orange or mandarin sauce flavored with Grand Marnier, then flambéed.
Often found on upscale restaurant menus, this plated dessert is especially impressive when flambéed tableside. Tasting it is a true moment of indulgence, with the intense flavor of the subtly caramelized orange sauce warming and delighting the senses.
Homemade crepes suzette
Crepes Suzette are enjoyed all year round, not just on Candlemas. Loved around the world, they have played a key role in shaping the reputation of French gastronomy, so widely admired for its elegance and refinement.
This is a very simple recipe prepared in two steps and can even be made ahead of time. All you need are light, fluffy crepes and a rich, silky citrus sauce made with orange or mandarin, which brings all the flavor and character to this classic dessert.
The exact origin of Crêpes Suzette remains uncertain. They are attributed either to Auguste Escoffier or to Henri Charpentier, two major figures in French cuisine. Above all, this dessert owes its lasting success to its fragrant orange sauce and its delicate flambéing, which never fails to impress.
Table of Contents
Tips for a Successful Homemade Crepes Suzette
Why miss out on such an easy yet elegant dessert? If you’re hosting friends and want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen, this recipe is just what you need.
1. Perfect Batter: The success of this dessert starts with the right crêpe batter. I recommend using a reliable recipe for light, tender crêpes. Prepare the batter ahead of time and let it rest for at least 1 hour for the best texture.
2. Orange Sauce: Make a silky orange sauce by combining freshly squeezed orange juice, sugar, and butter. For extra depth of flavor, add a splash of cognac or orange liqueur.
3. Assembly: Fold the crêpes into quarters and place them in the pan with the orange sauce. Let them gently soak in the sauce until warmed through and beautifully fragrant.
4. Finishing Touch: Just before serving, flambé the crêpes with a small amount of orange liqueur. This final step adds a dramatic, tableside flair and enhances the citrus flavors.
Ingredients for 8 crêpes
Note: You’ll find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
Crêpe Batter
- 1/2 liter whole milk (17 fl oz)
- 60 ml water (2 fl oz), preferably mineral
- 4 large eggs
- 30 ml orange juice (2 tablespoons) (rum or Grand Marnier in the original recipe)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 200 g all purpose flour (7 oz)
- 50 g granulated sugar (1.75 oz)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
- 20 g unsalted butter (0.7 oz), melted
Orange Sauce
- 200 ml freshly squeezed orange juice (7 fl oz), about 4 oranges
- 120 g granulated sugar (4.2 oz)
- 100 g unsalted butter (3.5 oz)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Candied Orange Peel
- 1 untreated orange, preferably organic
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Juice of the orange
- A small amount of water
How to Make Crêpes Suzette
Prepare the crêpe batter
To make delicious Crêpes Suzette, start by preparing the crêpes. The success of this recipe depends above all on achieving thin, light, and tender crêpes.
You can use a blender to make the batter, but I prefer doing it by hand. It works perfectly and results in a smooth, lump-free batter.
1. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, then add the salt and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the milk, water, orange juice, and orange zest.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and gradually pour in the liquid ingredients, whisking from the center outward. As you whisk, the flour will slowly incorporate, creating a smooth, fluid batter with no lumps.
4. Melt the butter and add it to the batter, whisking until fully incorporated.
5. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature. The batter can also be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
6. After resting, the batter is ready to be used for cooking the crêpes.
Cooking the Crêpes
1. Lightly butter a nonstick skillet.
2. Heat the pan over medium heat.
3. Pour a small ladle of batter into the pan, tilting it immediately to spread the batter evenly. The batter should form a thin, even layer. If you’ve added too much, once the bottom of the pan is coated, pour the excess back into the bowl.
4. Cook the crêpe until the edges begin to lift, about 2 minutes. Before flipping, check that the underside is lightly golden.
5. Using a silicone spatula to avoid scratching the pan, flip the crêpe and cook the other side until just lightly browned. Remove the crêpe as soon as it is cooked to keep it soft and tender.
6. Repeat with the remaining batter.
7. Stack the cooked crêpes on a plate and cover with aluminum foil or a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.
Preparing the Orange Sauce
1. In a skillet, combine one third of the orange juice with the sugar, butter, and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will foam, then gradually darken and become smooth as the orange flavor intensifies.
2. Add the remaining orange juice and stir well to combine.
3. Let the sauce cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it slightly reduces and thickens.
4. The orange sauce is ready. Remove it from the heat and set it aside until needed.
5. Place one crêpe folded in half into the sauce, then fold it in half again to form a triangle. Repeat with the remaining crêpes.
Flambé the crêpes
1. The final step in making restaurant style homemade Crêpes Suzette is the flambé step.
2. Pour a small amount of Grand Marnier or Cointreau into the pan. Carefully ignite the alcohol by gently tilting the pan toward the flame of a gas burner, or by using a long match or lighter.
3. Gently swirl the pan until the flames die out. Let the crêpes lightly caramelize, adjusting the browning to your preference.
Note: You can skip the flambé step, especially if you don’t drink alcohol.
4. Your Crêpes Suzette are ready to serve. Enjoy them hot with the orange sauce. Garnish with julienned candied orange peel and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert.
5. If you prepared the crêpes in advance, reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave or for a few minutes in the oven before serving. Serve on warm plates to help retain the heat.
Candied orange peel
1. Wash the orange thoroughly, scrubbing the skin well. Using a peeler, remove the peel in thin strips, taking care to remove only the colored outer layer and leaving the white pith behind, as it can be bitter.
2. Cut the peel into thin julienne strips, keeping them roughly the same size for even cooking.
3. Place the orange peel in a skillet and cover with water and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender.
4. If a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat to allow it to evaporate until only a small amount is left, as shown in the photo below.
5. Add the sugar and cook until the orange julienne becomes translucent.
6. There should be no liquid left, only a light syrup that coats the orange peel.
7. Let cool completely before using to garnish the crêpes.
Can Crêpes Suzette Be Made Ahead of Time?
The crêpes can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator, well covered, for up to 24 hours. The orange sauce can also be made a few hours ahead and gently reheated. However, the flambé step should always be done at the last minute, just before serving, to preserve the aromas and overall enjoyment.
More Crêpe Recipes You Might Enjoy
Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl Crêpes
Moroccan Thousand-Hole Crêpes (Baghrir)
Homemade Crepes Suzette Recipe (Orange Sauce)
INGREDIENTS
Crêpe Batter
- 1/2 liter whole milk
- 60 ml water preferably mineral
- 4 large eggs
- 30 ml orange juice 2 tablespoons (rum or Grand Marnier in the original recipe)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 200 g all purpose flour
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt 3 g
- 20 g unsalted butter melted
Orange Sauce
- 200 ml freshly squeezed orange juice about 4 oranges
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Candied Orange Peel
- 1 untreated orange preferably organic
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Juice of the orange
PREPARATION
Prepare the crêpe batter
- To make delicious Crêpes Suzette, start by preparing the crêpes. The success of this recipe depends above all on achieving thin, light, and tender crêpes.
- You can use a blender to make the batter, but I prefer doing it by hand. It works perfectly and results in a smooth, lump-free batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, then add the salt and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the milk, water, orange juice, and orange zest.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and gradually pour in the liquid ingredients, whisking from the center outward. As you whisk, the flour will slowly incorporate, creating a smooth, fluid batter with no lumps.
- Melt the butter and add it to the batter, whisking until fully incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature. The batter can also be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- After resting, the batter is ready to be used for cooking the crêpes.
Cooking the Crêpes
- Lightly butter a nonstick skillet.
- Heat the pan over medium heat.
- Pour a small ladle of batter into the pan, tilting it immediately to spread the batter evenly. The batter should form a thin, even layer. If you’ve added too much, once the bottom of the pan is coated, pour the excess back into the bowl.
- Cook the crêpe until the edges begin to lift, about 2 minutes. Before flipping, check that the underside is lightly golden.
- Using a silicone spatula to avoid scratching the pan, flip the crêpe and cook the other side until just lightly browned. Remove the crêpe as soon as it is cooked to keep it soft and tender.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Stack the cooked crêpes on a plate and cover with aluminum foil or a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.
Preparing the Orange Sauce
- In a skillet, combine one third of the orange juice with the sugar, butter, and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will foam, then gradually darken and become smooth as the orange flavor intensifies.
- Add the remaining orange juice and stir well to combine.
- Let the sauce cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it slightly reduces and thickens.
- The orange sauce is ready. Remove it from the heat and set it aside until needed.
- Place one crêpe folded in half into the sauce, then fold it in half again to form a triangle. Repeat with the remaining crêpes.
Flambé the crêpes
- The final step in making restaurant style homemade Crêpes Suzette is the flambé step.
- Pour a small amount of Grand Marnier or Cointreau into the pan. Carefully ignite the alcohol by gently tilting the pan toward the flame of a gas burner, or by using a long match or lighter.
- Gently swirl the pan until the flames die out. Let the crêpes lightly caramelize, adjusting the browning to your preference.
- Note: You can skip the flambé step, especially if you don’t drink alcohol.
- Your Crêpes Suzette are ready to serve. Enjoy them hot with the orange sauce. Garnish with julienned candied orange peel and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert.
- If you prepared the crêpes in advance, reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave or for a few minutes in the oven before serving. Serve on warm plates to help retain the heat.
Candied orange peel
- Wash the orange thoroughly, scrubbing the skin well. Using a peeler, remove the peel in thin strips, taking care to remove only the colored outer layer and leaving the white pith behind, as it can be bitter.
- Cut the peel into thin julienne strips, keeping them roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Place the orange peel in a skillet and cover with water and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender.
- If a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat to allow it to evaporate until only a small amount is left, as shown in the photo below.
- Add the sugar and cook until the orange julienne becomes translucent.
- There should be no liquid left, only a light syrup that coats the orange peel.
- Let cool completely before using to garnish the crêpes.
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