Vegan Pumpkin Buckwheat Crêpes

These vegan pumpkin buckwheat crêpes are naturally gluten-free and grain-free and require just 5 ingredients (plus water + salt). To make them, you'll add soaked buckwheat groats (a gluten-free seed) to a blender along with pumpkin purée, filtered water, pure maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt. Blend on high until a smooth, fluid batter forms. Then, cook the crêpes up in a hot skillet, top as desired, and serve!

I'm more of a savory brunch goer than a sweet one, but these vegan pumpkin buckwheat crêpes have me reconsidering my entire approach to leisurely weekend breakfasting.

Since testing and photographing this recipe a month ago, I've done nothing but crave these orange-hued beauties.

And I may have made them another 2... or 3 times since, as well. You know, just to be sure the recipe was thoroughly and completely tested, not because I'm obsessed or anything.

To make these vegan pumpkin crêpes, you'll start by soaking two cups of raw buckwheat groats.

What in the world are buckwheat groats? Excellent question.

First of all, don't be fooled by the glutenous-sounding name. Buckwheat groats don't contain wheat or gluten. In fact, they're not even a grain but a seed, which is why these crêpes are both grain- and gluten-free.

These heart-shaped, pale green and white seeds belong to a plant in the rhubarb family, and they're as nutritionally powerful as they are versatile. They can be ground into a flour, cooked whole, soaked and blended, or toasted up for a granola-like treat.

Nutritionally, buckwheat puts on a fierce show. It's considered to be a potent cholesterol-lowering food thanks to its dense phytonutrient content. It's also been known to lower blood glucose and insulin responses and has even been found to have preventive properties to protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers.

One powerful seed indeed.

And did I mention it's incredibly affordable, too? An entire pound typically costs just $2 or so.

When soaking buckwheat groats, it's important to add a splash of an acidic medium (e.g., lemon juice or apple cider vinegar). Doing so not only removes the phytic acid (a nutrient inhibitor), it also makes the seeds more digestible and allows for better nutrient absorption. Win-win.

After a simple overnight soak, rinse the buckwheat with plenty of cool water and then add it to a high-speed blender along with unsweetened pumpkin purée, filtered water, pure maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt.

Give everything a steady 2- or 3-minute blend to create a smooth, fluid, and pourable batter.

The batter should be a touch thinner than pancake batter but not thin or watery.

Once the batter is prepared, heat up a large skillet or griddle.

Once the skillet is hot, add a small amount of high-heat oil, such as grapeseed oil or refined coconut oil. Just a touch goes a long way, so no need to go crazy here.

Then, add about ⅓ cup of the crêpe batter and tilt the pan back-and-forth a bit to spread it into a thin circle. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until bubbles develop across the surface and the color shifts from pale yellow to a deep golden-orange hue. It's very important to cook the first side long enough, otherwise the crêpes are difficult to flip without tearing.

Once the first side has cooked, gently flip the crêpe and continue to cook for another minute or so. Then, transfer to a serving platter and repeat. The recipe yields about 14 crêpes, give or take a few.

Once the crêpes are ready, it's time to think about toppings.

The topping options are somewhat endless, but here are a few that I love and recommend:

» Pure maple syrup
» Ground cinnamon + nutmeg or more pumpkin pie spice
» Drippy almond butter or tahini
» Fresh berries or sliced bananas
» Hemp seeds
» Coconut whipped cream

Once you've outfitted your crêpes in toppings, serve them up and enjoy.

These vegan pumpkin buckwheat crêpes are nutritionally dense, subtly sweet, and incredibly satisfying.

They're pumpkin-y enough to be fall appropriate but not so pumpkin-y that they can't be enjoyed throughout the changing seasons.

I hope you love them as much as I do! ♥

📖 Recipe