These Meyer Lemon Crepes are just fancy enough that you’ll impress everyone with how easy they are to make. Sweet Meyer lemons (part lemon, part tangerine, all delicious) meet warm cardamom in a stack of tender crepes that are easier to pull off than they look. Perfect for Mother’s Day or whenever you want to treat yourself. Originally published May 9, 2014.
Table of Contents
What are you guys doing for Mother’s Day?? My mom and I are going on a local Garden Tour. That’s right, we are actually paying to walk around a hoity-toity neighborhood and feel jealous of other people’s fake waterfalls and overly manicured lawns. Then we will go back home and cry over our scrawny tomato plants and barely-surviving crabgrass. And then we will stuff our faces with these crepes, and everything will be better.
These Meyer lemon crepes are so delicious and so easy to make
Have you guys hopped on the Meyer lemon train yet? Honestly, I was resistant for a long time. I thought Meyer lemons were just a different variety of lemon, and I haughtily disregarded all the fuss I kept hearing. It’s just a stupid lemon; it can’t taste THAT different. (Now you know what a fine palate I have.)
But then I read somewhere what a Meyer lemon actually IS: a cross between a lemon and a tangerine/mandarin orange, like a pluot (plum-apricot). Now that’s a game changer, my friends. I apologize to all food bloggers and cooks everywhere whose Meyer lemon recipes I brushed aside. Now I’m on the bandwagon. Meyer lemons be rockin’ the house.
I’m dying to try it as regular lemonade. (Except I would probably add basil because didn’t we just talk about how I’m obsessed?) I feel like most of the time you see Meyers in desserts, but you can definitely get creative on the savory side too.
For the love of crepes!
Raise your hand if you love crepes! My mom makes a mean crepe and I used to beg her to make them when I was kid. (I especially loved these Chicken Crepes with Jalapeno Cheese; still a favorite of mine.)
Don’t fret if your crepes look like a train wreck on the first couple of tries flipping (See all my tips for making great crepes!). It takes some practice. If your crepe turns out looking fabulous on the first try, then head to Vegas, because you have an awesome case of beginner’s luck. Honestly, it doesn’t matter much what they look like because you are folding or rolling them anyway.
Key ingredients
- Try to find Meyer lemons for this recipe. I promise you it will be worth it. They are sweeter than a lemon, but you still can’t just bite into one. They work just like lemons would most of the time, but with a tangerine-y citrus flavor that I’m kind of failing at describing right now. Just trust me, you guys, it’s delicious.
- Don’t be freaked out by the cardamom. It’s delicious. Cardamom and lemon, sittin’ in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage…
How to make lemon crepes
For my newest and best crepe cooking tips, check out my recipe for the best crepes I’ve ever had. As you follow the instructions in the recipe below, one of the keys to great crepes is briskly whisking your batter to get it smooth. Once you’ve done that, it takes some trial and error to figure out the right amount of batter for your pan and the ideal amount of time. You want it just thin enough to cook through quickly and just brown enough, but still on this side of crispy.
I promise crepes are hard to mess up, but if you are hoping for traditional crepes, then you want them looking more like the one on the left than the one on the right above. The brown one is a little crispy on the edges because, technically, it is overcooked. I actually kinda like it that way. (BOOM, that was the sound of me getting hit upside the head by French people everywhere.)
When you serve these lemon crepes, my suggested order of applying the toppings is first brush on the lemon juice, then sprinkle with sugar, and finally add lemon zest on the rolled up crepe. The sugar dissolves just a bit in the juice, but still adds a slightly satisfying crunch to the texture of your bite. Yum!
You can fold your crepes however you like. I like to fold it in half, add toppings, then roll.
I love that you can see the specks of cardamom. CardaMOM. See, I told you this was perfect for Mother’s Day. Okay, Karen, here’s your sign. Time to shut up.
How to store and reheat
Crepes are one of those magical recipes that are still perfect the next day. Here’s how to keep them tasting fresh:
How to store leftover crepes
Let your crepes cool completely, then stack them with a piece of parchment paper in between each one to prevent sticking. Transfer the stack to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
How to reheat
Crepes reheat beautifully, and you’ve got options depending on your patience level:
Skillet (best method): Warm a nonstick pan over medium-low heat and heat each crepe for about 20–30 seconds per side.
Microwave (quickest): Place crepes on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in 10–15 second intervals until warm.
Oven (for a batch); Stack crepes, wrap them in foil, and warm at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
Can you freeze leftovers?
Yes! Crepes freeze surprisingly well, which makes them perfect for planning ahead. Just stack crepes with parchment paper between each one. Place in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight or let them sit at room temperature for about 30–60 minutes. You can also reheat straight from frozen in a skillet over low heat. Just make sure to give them a little extra time to heat through!
More great lemon dessert recipes!
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Meyer Lemon Crepes with Cardamom
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon meyer lemon zest
- 2 cups milk
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons meyer lemon juice
- 3 & 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
- melted butter, to brush the pan
- juice from 3 meyer lemons, warmed in the microwave
- zest from 3 meyer lemons
- sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, and meyer lemon zest.
- Gradually add the milk while whisking. Get out all the lumps. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter, and whisk for a couple minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, brush some melted butter on the bottom of the pan. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of crepe batter into the pan. Quickly lift the pan with your hand and rotate it so that the batter swirls around to coat the bottom of the pan. You want a very thin layer. Here’s a good crepe video.
- Cook for about 1 minute, until the top of the crepe is mostly dry. Then carefully flip with a large spatula. Cook for another 15-45 seconds. Some brown spots are okay, but don’t overcook them or the edges will get crusty.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter. You can remove the crepes to a plate and then cover them with foil to keep warm.
- To serve, lay a warm crepe flat on a plate and brush generously with warm Meyer lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1-3 tablespoons sugar. Top with a sprinkling of zest. Then either fold the crepe into quarters or roll it. I folded mine in half, then rolled. Top with additional juice, sugar, and zest.
My husband makes crepes during Conference, every six months. (Yes. I got a winner.) But usually he just sprinkles jello powder over them. I might just casually mention this blog post in passing and see what happens. Fingers crossed.
Wow!! Don’t these look so beautiful and delicious!! YUM! I love that you made them lemon flavored! Perfect for Spring time!
Meyer lemon crepes with cardamon? Sign me up! These look super fresh and zesty…and amazing. Although I must admit I’m terrified of making crepes…mine have looked like bloody train wrecks more than a couple times….but, what the heck, I’m gonna give these a try! Yum!
Yum, yum!! I love crepes. I just checked out your chicken and jalepeno cheese recipe. That dish sounds amazing too! Happy Mother’s Day! : )
Oh yes….Fresh, warm crepes are my ultimate weakness. Karen, these gorgeous crepes look amazing! Love the combo of meyer lemon and cardamom. These would be perfect for Mother’s Day brunch tomorrow! pinned and sharing on FB later! :)
I love your writing and your recipes!! I read your bio and I, too, left home with limited cooking abilities…(i.e… only nobake cookies). If it weren’t for my mother in law teaching me a few things my husband would have starved to death in the first year. LEMON IS MY FAVORITE! I just made lemon bars. Will have to try these : )
Love those bright yellow little orbs! I could sit there and sniff a Meyer lemon all day (exaggeration, but still). Also, cardamom is a perfect fit for it–so warm for that bright tang!
Oh crepes. How I love. These look fantabulous. I’m kind of obsessed with cardamom.
We live off of crepes every weekend! Thanks to hubs :) He’s the crepe man in our house. This is such a great combo though. Will have to try!
Love the idea of the lemons and crepes.. and I never knew the “technical” difference of a meyer lemon. I have to admit a little scared of the cardamon…. but I had a bad cardamon cookie experience in the not so distant past… Garden tours are fun… I usually get about 50 great ideas… and then realize how much work they are :)
Hand raised here. 2 hands actually, love crepes. And with this lemon flavoring? Forget about it. These look amazing! Hope you have a great Mother’s Day weekend.
Karen, these look great. I am sure you could also fill these with many great ingredients.
These crepes look wonderful, what a great combination. Love cardamom and lemon together, a match made in heaven.
These look delicious! I finally was able to find Meyer lemons in a store near me. Now what to make…possibly these.
Karen, you are too cute with your stories — you have me giggling every time! You definitely have a way with words; don’t let anyone (or any aspect of blogging) change that. :) Although we’re celebrating Mother’s Day a few weeks late this year (so my brother can finish up finals at college and I can pack for a trip — yikes!), we almost always celebrate with crêpes too! My brother, the one who used to be kitchen-challenged, is actually the crêpe master. He makes perfect ones every time because they’d have a Crêpe Night every week in his dorm where he and his friends would all hang out and eat strawberries and nutella all night. But I digress… Have a wonderful time with your mom on Mother’s Day, and I hope your little ones treat to you a fun gift too! (P.S. Are you really awake right now, or did you schedule your post ahead of time??)
Thank you so much Amy! That means a lot coming from you, your blog is so awesome. I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day too! Mine was great. Lots of food :) And yes, I really was awake at publication time for this post BECAUSE I’M INSANE. I don’t write posts when my kids are awake, so that means I usually finish around 1 or 2…or 3. Bad, bad. someday it’s going to catch up to me. until then I’m just going to lay on the foundation underneath my eyes, lol!
Aww you’re so sweet — thank you! :) You’re a great mom to wait to write blog posts until your kids go to bed! They might not express it very well now, but when they grow up they’ll definitely appreciate the time and attention you gave them instead. And I was awake when you posted it too, so shame on me! I don’t even have kids to blame it on! ;) My guy’s nocturnal, not just a night owl, so even though I’m a morning person, I try to stay up late to spend quality time with him. Oof, hand me that foundation!