<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-02</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000918958</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CRESCENT REAL ESTATE EQUITIES CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CEI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000904422</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRANK ANTHONY M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.45</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>14000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>14000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">08/08/1988 is &quot;Dummy Date Entry&quot; per SEC.  Grant on June 2, 2003. pursuant to Issuer's Third Amended and Restated 1995 Stock Incentive Plan.  Option becomes exercisable in 20% increments on the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the grant.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Not applicable.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>David M. Dean, as Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of Reporting Person</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

