I love pancake day so much. It’s one of the best food days in my opinion since all rhyme and reason goes out the window and I find myself eating pancakes for breakfast and dinner, maybe lunch too. These Banana Crepes are my go-to, not just for pancake day but any breakfast or brunch too. Thin and soft crepes, topped with sliced bananas, whipped cream and a drizzle of melted rich Nutella.
These banana crepes couldn't be any simpler. You mix up the batter, which I do in a blender for maximum ease and to avoid any lumps. Then fry until golden in a buttery non-stick pan. Once fried, top with sliced banana, melted nutella and some whipped cream. Done! It honestly doesn't take longer than 20 minutes, since crepes are so quick to cook.
Nutella and banana is such a great combination, it’s such a classic. But you could also do so many other toppings such as tiramisu, berry cheesecake, or mango. Or the classics - lemon and sugar, icing sugar, whatever you like.
To Rest Or Not To Rest (that is the question)
I was always taught that it's very important to rest your pancake batter but truly, I've tried it both ways and I don't find it makes much difference. If you want to rest the batter, by all means, you can but I find it's not necessary. I like to make the batter the night before for maximum ease in the morning. I blend it up and then put the blender container directly in the fridge (sealed) and leave it overnight. Then in the morning, give it a shake (it may have separated) and it's ready to go!
Jump to:
Why you will love this recipe:
- Simple and easy to make.
- You can make the crepes in a blender to take out any hassle at all.
- The banana and nutella is the perfect combination and both ingredients which you are likely to already have in your cupboard.
- You can scale up the recipe easily if making for a crowd.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Eggs: large eggs work best here. Try to use free range eggs if you can!
Whole milk: whole is ideal but it would be fine with semi skimmed or even skimmed milk too. Whole just gives the best, well-rounded pancake.
Plain flour: also known as all purpose flour, this keeps the banana crepes nice and thin without a rise (unlike fluffy banana pancakes)
Butter: I like to fry in butter (salted or unsalted is fine) as I find this gets you a golden colour and tastes the best.
Caster sugar: I like a touch of sugar, although of course, it's optional.
Banana: I like bananas with a few brown speckles on them and not green, as I find they have the best flavour this way. Use whatever bananas you have on hand, it is still good without a very ripe banana.
Whipped cream: optional but I like to use whipped cream from a can for this as I find it so nostalgic and it’s also so easy.
Nutella: the delicious chocolate-hazelnut spread. You could use other kinds of spread too but I like to use nutella that’s been slightly melted in the microwave so you can drizzle.
Substitutions and Variations:
Sugar - you can leave out the sugar altogether if you like (if you’re making for young children for example) but it does add a nice hint of sweetness. Other sugar works too - granulated, soft light brown, dark brown.
Whole milk - you could use semi skimmed or skimmed milk. Or swap for a dairy free milk.
Dairy free - swap for a dairy free milk and plant-based butter. Fry in plant based butter too or you could use some veg oil.
Toppings - I did it with Nutella but it would also be great with Hazelnut Creme or even peanut butter. Or just chocolate spread. Melted dark, milk or white chocolate would also be great drizzled over the top. Or go back to basics with honey, maple syrup or golden syrup. Even a sprinkle of sugar!
Nuts - topping these banana crepes with flaked almonds or coconut flakes would be delicious for a bit of crunch. Peanuts or hazelnuts would complement the Nutella. Just toast the nuts beforehand as it brings out the flavour. I like to toast in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Shake the pan often until they are fragrant then remove to a heatproof dish to cool.
Caramelised bananas - to take these banana crepes to the next step, I have done this before with caramelised bananas. I often forego nutella in this scenario as I find it sweet enough as it is. To do this, slice your two bananas up and add to a frying pan. Add a generous knob of butter and a tablespoon of caster sugar. Mix together and heat over medium heat. The sugar will melt and it’ll bubble. Once it’s golden and bubbling, it's ready and you can remove them from the heat. Serve as you would a regular sliced banana.
Here's how to make Banana Crepes:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Simply mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre and crack in your eggs. Add the melted butter and whisk well. Then add the milk and whisk again to bring it all together.
TWO: Alternatively, add all ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth.
THREE: Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and then grease with butter using a scrunched-up bit of kitchen paper.
FOUR: Use a ladle and add batter to the pan. Getting the right amount of batter in the pan is a bit of trial and error. Remember that the first pancake never turns out right – it’s a scientific fact, so don’t stress and then just enjoy it as a chef’s perk.
FIVE: Use a wooden crepe spreader or hold the man and tilt it to spread the batter across the base of the pan.
SIX: Cook for 30 seconds or so without touching it, then loosen the edges and flip! Cook for another 30 seconds or so until it's a lovely colour and then slide onto a plate.
SEVEN: Add some whipped cream to the edge of the pancake, top with banana and melted nutella.
EIGHT: Fold into quarters and arrange on a plate. Then I like to top with more banana and melted nutella. Enjoy!
Cooking Tips:
Using a blender: you can be team blender or team elbow grease - both work well! Blender makes it super smooth and makes it super easy. But elbow grease with a whisk is also a good technique too. The trick is that once the dry ingredients are in the bowl, add the eggs and whisk really well until as smooth as possible. Then add the milk, only once it’s as smooth as possible. That gives you the best chance of getting rid of lumps.
Non-stick pan: I would really recommend using a non-stick pan here as it means you avoid any banana crepe mishaps.
When to flip: After 30-60 seconds, the edges should slightly curl up. Once they do that, that means they are ready to flip. The edges will be darker and slightly loosened.
Tilt the pan: Once the batter hits the pan, immediately spread the batter out with a wooden crepe spreader or tilt the pan so that the batter spreads around evenly. If you wait too long, the banana crepe will set and it’ll be too thick or an odd shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely use a non-stick pan for best results. I like a crepe pan as it's so thin and wide as well as non-stick.
No, you don’t need to rest the batter. To be honest, I’m rarely organised enough to do this in time, and they come out perfectly even without resting.
Make sure you are using a non-stick pan and grease well with butter. You may need to grease between each crepe to make sure that it’s fully non-stick. I use a bit of kitchen roll scrunched up to smooth butter across the base of the pan.
This is why I like to use a blender! As I find that’s the easiest way to remove any lumps. If using elbow grease, I find the best way to do it is to beat the dry ingredients with the egg and egg yolk until really as smooth as possible. Then I add splashes of milk and whisk really well until the base is really totally smooth. Then you can add the rest of the milk and it should make the whole batter lump-free.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
Cool and transfer to a plate with sheets of greaseproof paper in between each one. Then clingfilm tightly and place in the fridge for 2 days. I wouldn’t store any banana crepes with the filling and cream already in them as this makes them soggy.
Any leftover crepes can be reheated in a pan over medium-low heat. Flip over once until heated through, it shouldn’t take more than a minute or so. Otherwise, heat in the microwave in 20 second bursts until hot.
Yes, cool then stack up with sheets of greaseproof paper in between each crepe. Then clingfilm the whole thing tightly and place in a freezer bag (or wrap with a final layer of foil). Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. I wouldn’t freeze any banana crepes with the filling and cream already in them as it won't freeze well.
You can store crepe batter in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. But I would use it in the first 24 hours when it’s at its best. You can also freeze crepe batter for up to 2 months. When ready to use, defrost overnight until it’s liquid and then give it a good whisk to bring it together.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you liked this recipe, try my tiramisu pancakes, vegan banana pancakes (they're fluffy) or poffertjes.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintBanana Crepes
These easy Banana Crepes are perfect for breakfast, brunch or pudding. Complete with melted Nutella and whipped cream, they are so good.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Makes 6 pancakes 1x
- Category: Pancakes
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 110g plain flour
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 280ml (½ pint milk)
- extra butter for greasing the pan
To serve:
- Whipped cream - I like using it from a can here as I find it looks so cute with the piped nozzle. You could also whip up double cream for this.
- 2-3 bananas, peeled and sliced
- 4-8 tablespoon Nutella, softened in the microwave until drizzling consistency (this is a large difference in how much Nutella to use, it really will depend on personal preference. Use as much or as little as you'd like!)
Instructions
- Simply mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre and crack in your eggs. Add the melted butter. Add the milk and whisk well to bring it all together. Or add all ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth. Either works.
- Grease a nonstick frying pan with butter using a scrunched-up bit of kitchen paper. I use a ladle to get the right amount of batter in the pan, but this is a bit of trial and error. Remember that the first pancake never turns out right – it’s a scientific fact, so don’t stress and then just enjoy it as a chef’s perk.
- Cook for 30 seconds or so without touching it, then loosen the edges and flip! Cook for another 30 seconds or so until it's a lovely colour and then slide onto a plate.
- If you want to do these ahead of the game, just stack them up using a little greaseproof paper between each pancake to stop them sticking and then they reheat well in a low oven (around 90-100c)
- When ready to eat, take a hot crepe and add whipped cream to one of the edges, don't pile in the middle or it'll be hard to fold. Top with sliced banana and a drizzle of melted nutella. Fold into quarters and enjoy. I often top the folded quarters with more banana and nutella.
Notes
Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide on how to make these banana crepes.
To store: Cool and transfer to a plate with sheets of greaseproof paper in between each one. Then clingfilm tightly and place in the fridge for 2 days. I wouldn’t store any banana crepes with the filling and cream already in them as this makes them go soggy.
To reheat: Any leftover crepes can be reheated in a pan over medium-low heat. Flip over once until heated through, it shouldn’t take more than a minute or so. Otherwise, heat in the microwave in 20 second bursts until hot. Don't reheat crepes that have cream and banana already in them as the cream will melt and turn liquid.
To freeze: Cool then stack up with sheets of greaseproof paper in between each crepe. Then clingfilm the whole thing tightly and place in a freezer bag (or wrap with a final layer of foil).Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. I wouldn’t freeze any banana crepes with the filling and cream already in them as it won't freeze well.
Make ahead: You can store crepe batter in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. But I would use it in the first 24 hours when it’s at its best. You can also freeze crepe batter for up to 2 months. When ready to use, defrost overnight until it’s liquid and then give it a good whisk to bring it together.
Using a blender: you can be team blender or team elbow grease - both work well! Blender makes it super smooth and makes it super easy. But elbow grease with a whisk is also a good technique too. The trick is that once the dry ingredients are in the bowl, add the eggs and whisk really well until as smooth as possible. Then add the milk, only once it’s as smooth as possible. That gives you the best chance of getting rid of lumps.
Non-stick pan: I would really recommend using a non-stick pan here as it means you avoid any sticking mishaps.
When to flip: After 30-60 seconds, the edges should slightly curl up. Once they do that, that means they are ready to flip. The edges will be darker and slightly loosened.
Toppings: I did it with Nutella but it would also be great with Hazelnut Creme or even peanut butter. Or just chocolate spread. Melted dark, milk or white chocolate would also be great drizzled over the top. Or go back to basics with honey, maple syrup or golden syrup. Even a sprinkle of sugar!
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