This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy
Watch the recipe
Wondering what to make for a special brunch? I always get excited for crepes! They can be so simple, but to me they’re super special!
One of my favorite dates back in the day included going for crepes. Of course, Nutella Strawberry Banana Crepes are always a favorite, but I’ve been wanting to expand my horizons with some new combinations! In my free motivational guide to inspire you in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!, I describe how enjoying a meal out can spark your creativity! I’ve never actually had lemon crepes at a crêperie since my bias just wants me to go for the chocolate, but I do see those wonderfully simple crepes on the menus and I’ve always wanted to try them! If I want to dedicate my outing to my favorite combination, that’s where the power of cooking at home comes in! Not only are these Gluten Free Lemon Mascarpone Crepes easy to make, but they’re unbelievably tasty! If you want a memorable breakfast, then time is not an issue at all! You can even make these crepes as a special dessert! Crepes are a wonderful way to celebrate French cuisine, so if you want to take a trip to France, then be sure to try out this simple lemon crepe recipe as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge to explore your potential in the kitchen! You can get started for free by signing up to my email newsletter, in addition to having all of my new recipes being sent right to your inbox!
To have the ultimate crêperie experience, I definitely recommend you pair them with a wonderful coffee! You could try a hot coffee beverage such as a Cocoa Cappuccino or a White Chocolate! For cold coffee, you could try out your own Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso or even a Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino if you want to go all out! Not a fan of coffee? The perfect hot drink may be a Ginger Chai, among other types of tea!
To grasp all the concepts of the technique to make the perfect crepes at home, then be sure to watch the video! I’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already, and be sure to hit the bell button to get notified when all of my new videos go live along with the written ones! Let’s get cooking!
What Tools Do You Need for Gluten-Free Lemon Mascarpone Crepes?
If you’re serious about making crepes regularly in the long term and want the best results, then your best bet is to invest in a crepe kit, which will consist of a crepe pan and the crepe spreader and spatula.
Don’t be discouraged now if you don’t have these tools! You can still make wonderful crepes at home with these more common tools you probably already have:
- ZWILLING MADURA Plus - non-stick pan
- Fish Spatula
- Ladle
With those three essentials, you’ll still get high quality delicious crepes! Having the entire kit will enhance your crepes by about 5% and really make them authentic, but with your standard pan you’ll be just fine! It really comes down to technique!
These are other items that can help you make the best lemon crepes at home:
Tools Needed
Ingredients for Crepes with Mascarpone Filling
Let’s quickly go over the ingredients needed to make our Lemon Crepes with Mascarpone Filling! We’ll see what we need to make the crepe batter, the lemon mascarpone filling, and what we’ll need for topping. Get all ingredient quantities and save the recipe for later by scrolling to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card! This will also allow you to scale the recipe based on how many crepes you want to make. By default, this will make 6 crepes.
For the Batter
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the optimal flour choice to make the perfect thin crepes at home. However, if you or whomever you’re making these Lemon Mascarpone Crepes for has a gluten intolerance, then I recommend you use the 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. That’s the flour I’ve used here, and I like to use this one because, as the name suggests, you use the same amount of this flour as you would all purpose flour for the same amount of liquid you use in a recipe calling for all purpose flour. Rice flour is also a good option, but may be a little tougher.
- Eggs: They act as a binding agent for the batter.
- Milk: Whole milk will provide a rich and fluffy batter. You can use a non-dairy or lower fat milk if you want, but I recommend full fat dairy milk for optimal results.
- Lemon: Some lemon zest in the pancakes really makes them so fresh and adds a ton of flavor!
- Salt: An essential ingredient to bring out the flavors!
- Sugar: Only a little bit of sugar to sweeten up the batter. The filling will be quite sweet, so we don’t need to overdo it - just balance out the lemon flavor.
- Butter: Required to cook the crepes on the pan.
For the Lemon Mascarpone Filling
- Mascarpone cheese: You can use store-bought mascarpone cheese, but even better, you can make it yourself! It’ll be so soft and fresh and really will allow the other ingredients in the filling to blend.
- Brown sugar
- Lemon zest
- Heavy cream
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
For Topping
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon slices
How to Make Gluten Free Mascarpone Lemon Crepes
Let’s cook up a very special breakfast with these crepes! I’ll show how to prepare the batter, the lemon-mascarpone filling, and how to bring everything together. Don’t forget to check out my Classic Crepe Batter recipe if you want more specific details about the batter!
Make the Batter
How to Make Batter by Hand
- Measure the flour, milk, salt, sugar, lemon zest and eggs in a bowl and whisk until combined. Do not over-mix the batter.
- Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 15-30 minutes.
How to Make Batter in a Blender
Add the flour, milk, lemon zest, salt, sugar and eggs in a blender and blend until combined. Do not over mix the batter.
Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 15-30 minutes.
How to Make the Lemon Mascarpone Filling
Combine all the ingredients for the mascarpone filling in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until the mascarpone mixture thickens and has hard peaks. It should resemble thick whipped butter and the texture should be smooth and creamy.
Cover and chill in the fridge until the crepes are prepared.
Preparing the Crepes
Heat a non-stick or crepe pan over medium heat and add about a teaspoon of butter. Swirl it around the pan until melted. Pour ¼ to ⅓ cup of batter into the center and tilt the pan to spread the batter into a thin, even layer. If you have a crepe spreader, it’ll make this step even easier.
Let the crepe set until it slides easily in the pan, then carefully flip it using a crepe turner or fish spatula. Cook briefly on the other side, then flip it back once more to ensure even cooking.
Transfer the cooked crepe to a plate and lightly dust it with powdered sugar to prevent sticking as you stack the rest. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
Spread 2–3 tablespoons of mascarpone filling down the center of each crepe and roll it into a cigar shape.
Dust the tops with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices. Serve and enjoy! 🍋✨
Tips to Make the Best Gluten Free Crepe Recipe
- Do NOT over-mix the batter: By making sure we mix the batter just enough, the eggs don’t be over-worked, resulting in fluffy and soft crepes.
- Refrigerate the batter: You don’t need to let the batter set for too long. About 30 minutes is enough to give the batter spread easier on the pan.
- Maintain reasonable heat: Make sure the pan is not too hot otherwise the pancakes will become too brown and crispy. A good way to test for this is when you add butter to the pan it should remain white. If it turns brown and nutty instantly, take the pan off the heat for a minute or so.
- Use a delicate hand: Crepes are delicate, use a crepe turner/fish spatula/thin spatula to turn the crepes.
Can I make Gluten Free Lemon Mascarpone Crepes ahead of Time?▼
I believe that crepes were meant to be served as soon as they’re prepared! Eating crepes when they aren’t fresh just won’t be the same…
What you can do to save time is to prepare the batter a couple of hours in advance, and store it in an airtight container, or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. I wouldn’t keep it for too long, however, or else it’ll split.
You can also prepare the mascarpone filling in advance and keeping it in the fridge until ready to serve.
If you really need to make your crepes in advance, you can cook the crepes and leave them without filling in the fridge, making sure to store them properly. When ready to eat, ensure that you gently reheat them over the stove on low heat. Cooked crepes will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. However, if you can avoid doing this, then I really advise that you do!
Tips for the Best Mascarpone Cream Filling
The lemon mascarpone cream is the heart of these crepes — here's how to get it just right:
- Whip it smooth: beat the mascarpone with the heavy cream, brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla using a stand or electric mixer until it's light and spreadable; whip just to soft peaks so the filling stays airy rather than stiff.
- Chill before you fill: let the mascarpone cream rest in the fridge while you cook the crepes to a light golden brown — it firms up so it spreads cleanly instead of running.
- Balance the lemon: the lemon juice and zest keep the cream bright while the brown sugar and vanilla round it out, so taste and adjust before filling.
- Fill and fold gently: spread 2–3 tablespoons down the center of each crepe, then fold or roll with a light hand, since crepes are delicate.
Serving Suggestions for Lemon Mascarpone Crepes
Dressed up or kept simple, these crepes are made for a special brunch — think Mother's Day, a birthday, or a slow weekend morning:
- Classic finish: dust the folded crepes with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh lemon slices.
- Add fresh berries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries look and taste beautiful against the lemon cream.
- A little drizzle: a light drizzle of honey or a squeeze of extra lemon adds a glossy, pretty finish.
Lemon Mascarpone Crepe FAQ
Can I use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?▼
Yes. Cream cheese or creme fraiche both work in place of mascarpone for the filling, though mascarpone is the richest and most delicate.
How do I make the crepes gluten-free?▼
Use a good one-to-one gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour, and the batter comes together the same way.
Why should I let the batter rest?▼
Resting the batter relaxes the flour so the crepes cook up tender and thin rather than rubbery.
Can I make them ahead?▼
Yes. Cook the crepes and make the mascarpone filling ahead, keep them chilled, and fill and roll just before serving.
Easy Swaps
Swap the mascarpone for cream cheese or creme fraiche, the heavy cream for half-and-half or coconut cream, and the lemon zest for orange or lime zest to change up the citrus.
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).