French

Serving

Crêpes Suzette

Name: Crêpes Suzette
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 8 thin dessert crêpes (pre-made or homemade); 1/2 cup unsalted butter; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges; zest of 1 lemon; 1/4 cup Grand Marnier; 2 tbsp Cognac

Paper-thin crêpes folded in a fragrant orange-butter caramel, then dramatically flambéed tableside with Grand Marnier or Cognac.

45 minutes

Serves 8

Dessert

16 min prep

25 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

6 steps

1
Prepare the crêpes according to your favorite recipe and set them aside covered with a warm towel.
2
In a wide, shallow skillet (preferably copper or stainless steel), melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the melted butter.
3
Allow the sugar and butter to cook together until the sugar begins to caramelize lightly (about 3-4 minutes).
4
Carefully stir in the orange zest, lemon zest, and fresh orange juice. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes until it reduces to a slightly thick, glossy syrup.
5
One by one, lay a crêpe into the simmering syrup, coat it completely, and then fold it in half and in half again to form a triangle. Push it to the edge of the pan and repeat with the remaining crêpes, arranging them in an overlapping circle.
6
Pour the Grand Marnier and Cognac over the folded crêpes. Stand back and carefully ignite the liqueur with a long match. Baste the crêpes with the flaming sauce until the flames die out. Serve immediately onto warm plates.

Crêpes Suzette — plated and served — Serving moment. How Crêpes Suzette looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

68/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 44

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

155

Calories

0 g

Protein

13 g

Carbs

11 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Crepes Suzette is traditionally traced to a tableside accident at a Monte Carlo restaurant in the early 1900s, where a sauce reportedly caught fire in front of the future King Edward VII, and whether or not every detail of that story holds up, the flaming tableside presentation has stayed part of the dish's identity ever since.

Listahan note

This version builds the caramel-orange sauce directly in the pan the crepes are folded into, rather than as a separate sauce poured over afterward, so the crepes actually cook briefly in it.

Technique cues

Melting the butter and sprinkling sugar directly into it, letting the two cook together until the sugar starts to caramelize, builds more depth than simply combining butter and sugar off the heat.
Orange and lemon zest and juice go in once the caramel starts forming, and simmering the mixture down to a glossy, slightly thickened syrup is what lets it coat the crepes instead of running off them.
Each crepe is laid into the simmering syrup individually, coated, then folded into quarters and pushed to the side of the pan, building an overlapping ring rather than stacking the crepes flat.
The liqueur is poured over the folded crepes and ignited only at the very end, since flaming it too early burns off the alcohol before it can actually flavor the dish.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: While Crêpes Suzette is in the oven, measure out any garnish or topping — like the zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges — so it's ready the moment the bake finishes cooling. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
Make-ahead: Crêpes Suzette's dough or batter (built around zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges) can usually be made a day ahead and refrigerated, then baked fresh — many doughs actually improve with an overnight rest. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
Leftover move: Leftover Crêpes Suzette freezes well — wrap individual portions tightly and thaw at room temperature, or crumble it over ice cream for a quick second life. This one leans on the zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the mixing bowl and beaters for Crêpes Suzette right away — sugar and butter residue hardens fast once it cools. This one leans on the zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

8 thin dessert crêpes

Flavor support

Purpose: thin dessert crêpes supports the balance of Crêpes Suzette and should taste integrated.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Richness and texture

Purpose: cup unsalted butter rounds the texture and helps the dish feel complete.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Sweetness and aroma

Purpose: cup granulated sugar adds aroma, sweetness, or warmth without needing extra garnish.

Handling: Measure before heating and break up clumps so the mix distributes evenly.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges

Flavor support

Purpose: zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges supports the balance of Crêpes Suzette and should taste integrated.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

zest of 1 lemon

Acid and brightness

Purpose: zest of 1 lemon balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

Technique notes

A wide, shallow pan, traditionally copper or stainless steel, makes it easier to fit all the crepes in one layer for the final flaming step.
Standing back and using a long match or lighter for the ignition step is a basic safety habit worth taking seriously given the open flame involved.
Serve the crepes immediately, still basted with the flaming sauce, since the syrup firms up and loses its glossy pour the longer it sits off heat.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free direction: Swap the unsalted butter for a neutral dairy-free butter and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut give the closest richness) — the texture shifts slightly but the dish holds together. This one leans on the zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges.
Lower-sodium direction: Cut the salt by about a third and taste before adding more — most of the dish's flavor comes from the other ingredients, not the salt itself. This one leans on the zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges.
Weeknight shortcut: Get the batter or mix-ins ready and refrigerated the day before; all that's left the night of is the oven. This one leans on the zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges.

Serve alongside

Fresh berries
Citrus fruit salad
Mint leaves
Black coffee
Hot tea
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store covered for 3 to 4 days, refrigerated when dairy, eggs, custard, or fresh fruit are involved.
Reheat gently only when warmth improves the texture.
Freeze sturdy baked portions up to 2 months; avoid freezing delicate fresh toppings.

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Baking dish or pan
Cooling rack

Make this household-aware

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