Banana Nutella Crepes

These Banana Nutella Crepes are a perfect afternoon snack! Crepes are so easy to make and are topped with Nutella and sliced bananas in this recipe.

The “goûter” is one of my favorite French dining concepts. Unlike in the United States, there is not a snack culture in France. Kids are encouraged to eat breakfast and full lunches, and do not snack throughout the day. There’s one exception to this rule though, which is the goûter. Goûter is typically served around 4pm, after children come home from school. Typical goûter might be open face baguette toasts with butter and jam, or a pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant). A baguette split and filled with a few squares of chocolate might also be served, or a cake like this one.

The idea is for kids (and some adults as well!) to have a light meal while waiting for the dinner hour—not until at least 8pm. I admit that we have embraced the goûter culture chez Pisula. We often grab pain au chocolat or a croissant for the kids on our walk home from the bus stop. But these Banana Nutella Crepes are another favorite.

Here in France, pre-made crêpes can be found in any supermarket, but that is not the case elsewhere. Luckily, basic crêpe batter is very easy to make. Just combine your ingredients in a blender, wait for the batter to rest, and then cook your crêpes. You can make your batter in advance and let it sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. Cooking crepes does take a bit of practice. Once you get the hang of it though, they’re not any more difficult than pancakes. And if you ruin the first one, you can slather it with Nutella and consider it a reward for the cook. 

How do you make Banana Nutella Crepes?

To begin, combine 1 c. flour, 2 eggs, 1 c. milk, ½ c. water, 2 T. melted butter, and ½ t. salt in a blender, and blend until the mixture is smooth. This does not take much time at all—10 seconds at max. Your crepe batter should be much thinner than pancake batter—closer to the consistency of heavy cream. Then let the batter rest for at least an hour. Feel free to make this in the morning and pop it into the fridge until snack time. Resting is important because the starch in the flour has time to absorb liquid. Air bubbles rise to the surface and are released. Finally, the gluten which develops when you mix the batter has a chance to relax. This is good because while you appreciate gluten in a nice chewy artisan bread loaf, you don't want a chewy crepe.

Once your batter is ready, heat your pan on medium, and grab a stick of butter. I use a Cuisinart brand crêpe pan. You don’t need one, but I make crepes often, and I love having a dedicated pan. This one is a sturdy pan, fairly heavy for its size, which means it conducts heat nicely. That helps you get an even cook on your crêpes. And its sides are fairly low, which helps you get your spatula under the crêpe to flip it. Plus, since I don’t use it for anything else, its nonstick coating doesn’t get scratched up by an oblivious child or, ahem, husband. But, as I said, you don’t need a crêpe pan specifically. Use any nonstick pan or even a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.

Cut off a sliver of butter, swirl it around your pan, and use a paper towel to coat the pan evenly. Pour about ¼ cup of batter directly in the center of the pan. Then quickly lift the pan up and roll your wrist around as you hold it, so that the batter spreads out in a thin even layer over the pan. Cook until you see the lacy edges begin to brown. Then use a non scratch spatula to flip your crêpe and cook the other side.

You can always peek with your spatula to see if the crêpe is ready to flip. You want a nice golden brown pattern on it. Keep an eye on your heat. You want the crêpes to cook about 1 minute on the first side, and 30-60 seconds on the second side. If it’s going slower than that, turn your heat up a bit. If you’re turning more quickly than that, turn it down. Repeat the butter coating on the pan before each crêpe. And remember, it’s totally ok to ruin the first crêpe. You’re very likely not going to get the amount of batter, the swirling around the pan, and the cook time right on the first one. As you finish your crêpes, stack them on a plate separated by squares of wax paper or parchment paper.

To assemble, spread a crêpe with Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread) and lay out banana slices on half of the crepe.

Then fold over the empty side, and fold again to make a quarter-circle shape. If you have leftover crêpes, you can wrap them up and store in the refrigerator or freezer. If you freeze them, thaw in the refrigerator before using. When you’re ready to eat one, heat it gently in the microwave for 15 seconds. While Nutella and bananas is one of my favorite fillings, you can also fill your leftovers with any number of other options: from butter and sugar, to berries and whipped cream. Powdered sugar never hurts as a garnish. On the savory side, ham and cheese or eggs with crumbled up bacon are delicious for breakfast, or really any meal of the day.

How do you melt Nutella for crepes?

Depending on your Nutella, you may or may not need to warm it up. If your Nutella looks like it won’t spread onto your crepe easily, just scoop out ½ cup and put it into a microwave-safe container. Then microwave it on medium-high power for 15 seconds. Stir and give it another 15 seconds if it is not smooth enough. 

Can you make Nutella crepes in advance?

Yes! Because crepes keep so nicely in the refrigerator or freezer, they are perfect for making ahead. If you are just making Nutella crepes, you can fill them and pop into the refrigerator. Then heat them up for 15 seconds in the microwave before serving. If you’re making Nutella crepes with banana, I would wait to add the Nutella and banana until you are ready to serve. Banana slices will turn brown quickly once sliced. 

Other Delicious Crêpe Recipes

If you’re looking for more great crêpe ideas, be sure to check out these recipes!

Love bananas? Me too! How about trying my Banana Mug Cake or this delicious Banana Cream Pie from our friends at Simply Scrumptious Eats?

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