For people like myself who brunch so hard, deciding what to order between two classic meals, pancakes vs. crepes, can be the hardest part of your weekend mornings. Okay, maybe second hardest part compared to actually getting out of bed.
But really, brunch time is the best time. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh coffee, and the sound of food hitting a hot griddle. From eggs Benedict to avocado toast, the possibilities are endless when it comes to the best meal of the weekend.
Before your next brunch, here’s the breakdown of crepes vs pancakes so that you don’t have to flip out over the difference between the two when you’re looking at the menu.
Pancakes
Pancakes are amazing, that's just a fact. There are few things better than a stack of golden, fluffy pancakes on a Sunday morning. Eating pancakes is essentially an acceptable way of eating cake for breakfast, and I fully support that.
The classic American pancake is known to be thick and fluffy. This is because the batter has a rising agent in it, like baking soda or baking powder. Pancakes can be cooked in a pan on a stovetop, but a griddle is recommended.
One of the best parts about pancakes is the endless flavors you can create. Because of the nature of pancake batter and the technique used to cook them, any toppings you want to add to create a flavor must be added to the batter before cooking them. This leaves the opportunity to create anything from Nutella-Filled Chocolate Chip Banana pancakes to Nutty Ombre Matcha pancakes.
Crepes
When you’re feeling bougie at brunch, but were considering ordering pancakes, crepes are the way to go. The French version of the pancake, crepes are thin and delicate.
While pancake batter is a little thicker to create fluffiness, it's critical that crepe batter is thin and smooth. Usually, it's best to let crepe batter sit for 1 to 3 hours to ensure that it will be smooth enough to create the right texture.
Like pancakes, crepes are cooked on a hot pan. But where the two differ is the technique. Instead of being poured in a circle in the middle of the pan and then being flipped, crepe batter is spread thin so that it covers the entire base of the pan. Tilting the pan so that the batter is spread all around it creates the smooth paper-thin texture that crepes are known to have.
Crepes can also come in different flavors, but the flavors are not directly added to the batter. Because crepes are made thinner and wider than pancakes, they can easily be filled and folded after the they're cooked. Crepes can be filled with a wide range of ingredients, ranging from sweet to savory. Anything from fruit and Nutella, to chicken and asparagus can be added to crepes, which is perfect for when you can’t decide between the breakfast and lunch side of brunch.
Whether you decide to go for a tall stack of fluffy pancakes, or prefer delicately folded crepes, both are awesome options for a delicious brunch!