Banana Crepes

Ripe bananas combine into a smooth batter with milk, eggs, and flour to create delicate Banana Crepes with natural sweetness and soft texture. Cooked until golden brown and tender, the crepes remain thin, flexible, and lightly fragrant with banana. Stack them up, fold them, and load them up with your favourite toppings.

Are you a sweet or savoury breakfast person? While I love the savoury tang of Turkish Eggs and the spicy heat of Papas con Chorizo, I’ll never pass up a stack of pancakes with maple syrup or Brioche French Toast with fresh fruit and whipped cream. You’ll find these breakfast recipes (and many more!) under the ‘breakfast’ category in the search feature.

Banana Crepes

There is something incredibly satisfying about a luxurious breakfast that only takes about ten minutes to make. These Banana Crepes are fancy enough for a lazy Sunday brunch, but easy enough to whip up on a random Tuesday morning.

It’s incredible how the same ingredients, in various combinations and preparation methods, can create completely different breakfast options. Like the simple combination of eggs, all purpose flour, milk, and sugar… add baking powder to make pancakes or whip the egg whites to make waffles.

This crepe recipe uses all four of those ingredients plus mashed banana in the crepe batter. It’s very thin and runny so that it spreads out evenly over a hot crepe pan. These crepes cook evenly into light golden-brown crepes in minutes.

Here’s a chance to use up one of those over ripe bananas you have sitting on the counter or in the freezer! In fact, spotted bananas mash easier and have a higher moisture (and sugar levels) than a ripe banana. Keep the ‘perfect’ bananas to make caramelized banana slices for on top of the crepes.

How you finish your crepes is up to you. I prefer sliced bananas caramelized in a bit of butter, a dusting of powdered sugar, and chocolate syrup but they’re also delicious with chocolate hazelnut spread or with toasted walnuts. That banana nut flavour combination is dynamite!

What are Crepes?

Crepes are ultra-thin, delicate French pancakes. They are made from a very thin, watery unleavened batter with a consistency like heavy cream. The thin batter spreads rapidly across a hot pan. Because there are no leavening agents, they cook up completely flat, light, and beautifully tender.

Ingredients for Banana Crepes

For this recipe, you’ll need a mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a wooden spoon, a flipper or spatula, and a crepe pan.

• Bananas
• All-purpose Flour
• Milk
• Eggs
• Granulated Sugar
• Cooking Oil
• Salt

For best mashing, texture, and flavour use over ripe bananas. Feel free to replace the granulated sugar with brown sugar and cooking oil with butter. Always add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract is optional.

The bananas already provide natural sweetness. You can reduce or omit the sugar if you prefer a less sweet crepe or if you plan to add sweet toppings.

How to Make Banana Crepes

To begin, peel the bananas and place them in a bowl. If using frozen bananas, thaw them before peeling. Mash them well using a fork.

Next, add the flour, milk, eggs, and sugar to the mashed bananas. Add a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional). Use a wooden spoon to mix the crepe batter until just combined.

Stir in the cooking oil until well incorporated then cover the crepe batter and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

To cook the crepes, lightly grease a skillet/ non-stick crepe pan and heat over medium heat. Pour about ⅓ cup of batter into the pan and gently spread it into a thin circle (I used a 9.5-inch pan).

Cook the crepe until the bottom becomes light golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden.

Remove cooked crepe from pan and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm and top with caramelized bananas, chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, Nutella, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream.

How to Caramelize Bananas

To caramelize bananas, you’ll need two ripe but firm bananas (do not use spotted bananas as they will release too much moisture). Additionally, you’ll need 1-2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (preferred for a deep, caramel flavor) or white granulated sugar.

Peel, then slice the bananas into 1/2-inch rounds then melt the butter in a skillet (non-stick or cast-iron works best) over medium heat. Add the sugar and allow it to dissolve into the melted butter for about 1 minute until it starts to bubble slightly.

Add the banana slices to the skillet in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Sear bananas undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottoms turn a rich, golden brown. Flip and cook the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes. The bananas should be golden brown but still firm. Serve warm with pan juices.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

1. Do not overmix the batter.
   Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the crepes dense.
2. Why chill the batter?
   Resting the batter for about 30 minutes allows the flour to fully absorb the liquid and the gluten to relax, resulting in softer crepes. It also allows the air bubbles to settle, giving smoother crepes
3. Can I skip the resting and chilling step?
   You can cook the crepes immediately if you’re short on time, but a short rest will usually give better texture and easier cooking.
4. Use very ripe bananas:
   Bananas with brown spots are ideal. They are naturally sweeter and provide a stronger banana flavour.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Crepes

Store leftover crepes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to eat, warm them in a skillet over low heat or heat briefly in the microwave until they are warmed through.

The crepes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Separate each crepe with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. Reheat directly from frozen in a toaster, pan, or microwave.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Banana Crepes recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in a recipe rating. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!