A thin, soft, tropical fruit crepe filled with a combination of colorful tropical fruits! Place the simple batter in a blender and cook each crepe in just minutes. Add juicy tropical fruit and fold in for a bright, kid-friendly recipe that will feel special for birthdays, holidays, or weekend brunch.
Why You’ll Love These Tropical Fruit Crepes
These easy tropical fruit crepes combine soft, buttery crepes with a refreshing blend of naturally sweet fruits. It looks beautiful on a plate, but is simple enough to prepare with just basic ingredients.
You might also like that they:
- Full of colorful fresh fruits
- easy customization
- natural sweetener
- Fun for kids to assemble
- Perfect for breakfast or dessert.
- Easy to prepare in advance
- Perfect for brunches and celebrations
The combination of green kiwi, golden pineapple, pink or white dragon fruit and dark blue berries makes this recipe especially colorful and appealing to children.
What are crepes?
Crepes are thin, delicate pancakes that originated in France. Unlike traditional American pancakes, crepes do not contain baking powder or other leavening ingredients. This gives it a soft, pliable texture, perfect for folding and rolling sweet and savory fillings.
Sweet crepes are often filled with fruit, yogurt, chocolate, nut butter, or whipped cream. Savory versions can be filled with eggs, cheese, vegetables, chicken, or ham.
How to make crepe batter
Using a blender is the easiest way to make smooth crepe batter. Add the liquid ingredients first, then add the flour and salt. Mix just until everything is combined.
Letting the dough rest is an important step. During this time, the flour will absorb the milk and the foam created during blending will begin to subside. This will help the crepes cook evenly and achieve a softer texture.
Crepe batter should be much thinner than pancake batter. It should pour easily and spread quickly when the skillet is tilted.
Tips for making the perfect crepe
Use a non-stick frying pan
Using a good non-stick skillet will make it easier to flip the crepes and reduce the amount of butter needed between each batch.
Keep the dough thin.
The batter should spread easily throughout the skillet. If it becomes too thick while resting, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and whip.
Give the pan a stir right away.
As soon as the batter is in the skillet, lift the pan and tilt it in a circular motion. This will create thin, even crepes before the batter hardens.
Don’t use too much batter.
About 1/4 cup of batter will fit an 8- to 10-inch skillet. Adding too much batter will create a thicker crepe that will be more difficult to fold.
Be careful of the heat
Cook the crepes over medium heat. If the pan is too hot, the dough may harden before you can roll it out. If the heat is too low, the crepe may become dry or rubbery.
Don’t worry about your first crepe
Your first crepe will help you decide if your skillet needs more heat, less heat, or a little butter. It may not look perfect, but it’s still delicious.
Tropical Fruit Crepe Variations
Add creamy filling.
Spread a thin layer of vanilla Greek yogurt, lightly sweetened cream cheese, cottage cheese, or mascarpone inside each crepe before adding the fruit.
Add Coconut
For an added tropical flavor, sprinkle toasted coconut or unsweetened shredded coconut over the fruit.
Add banana or mango.
Sliced bananas and diced mango are delicious additions to kiwi, pineapple, dragon fruit, and blueberries.
Add Nut Butter
Spread almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter inside the crepe for added protein and extra flavor.
Add fruit sauce
Drizzle strawberry sauce, mango puree, blueberry sauce, or passion fruit curd on the finished crepe.
Add chocolate
A drizzle of melted dark chocolate or chocolate hazelnut spread transforms these fruit crepes into an even more decadent dessert.
Avoid using dairy products
Use your favorite unsweetened, dairy-free milk for the dough and replace the butter with coconut oil or a dairy-free butter substitute. Serve with dairy-free whipped cream topping.
Use whole wheat flour
Replace half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. Crepes may be slightly less delicate, but they add whole grain flavor and texture.
Can I make crepes in advance?
Crepes are a great make-ahead breakfast. Prepare and cool the crepes, then stack small pieces of parchment paper between each crepe.
Store in an airtight container or resealable bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the crepes individually in a skillet for a few seconds per side, or reheat the entire covered stack in the microwave.
Add fruit, powdered sugar, and whipped cream just before serving.
How to Store Leftover Tropical Fruit Crepes
Filled crepes are best eaten right away because the fresh fruit releases moisture and softens the crepe.
Store unfilled crepes and fruit in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator. While crepes will stay fresh for up to three days, the prepared fruit mixture is best eaten within a day or two.
Can I freeze crepes?
Regular crepes can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Let cool completely, then place parchment paper between each crepe. Transfer the stack to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Thaw the crepes in the refrigerator overnight or warm them one at a time in a skillet. Freeze crepes without fresh fruit, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do crepes tear?
Crepes may tear if you flip them too early, if the batter is too thin, or if they are not cooked long enough to harden. Wait until the surface is dry and the edges lift easily before flipping.
Why are my crepes rubbery?
If you overcook the crepes, they may become tough. Cook the first side until lightly golden, then cook the second side for only 20 to 30 seconds.
Can I make dough without a blender?
yes. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey, vanilla, and melted butter. Slowly mix in the flour and salt until the dough is smooth. If any lumps remain, strain the dough through a fine mesh sieve.
Can I make the dough the night before?
yes. Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight. Stir or mix briefly before cooking, then add a little milk as it thickens.
Are the crepes served hot or cold?
Crepes can be served warm, room temperature, or cold. In this recipe, warm or room temperature crepes go especially well with cool tropical fruits and whipped cream.
More of our favorite pancake recipes:
Tropical Fruit Crepes
A thin, soft, tropical fruit crepe filled with a combination of colorful tropical fruits! Place the simple batter in a blender and cook each crepe in just minutes.
Serving Size: 8
tropical fruit filling
- 1 mango peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Peeled and chopped kiwi peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
- 1/2 cup chopped dragon fruit
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- Honey, powdered sugar, whipped cream, additional fresh fruit and lime zest Optional, for serving purposes only
-
Place flour, eggs, milk, honey, vanilla, melted butter, and salt in a blender.
-
Blend for 20 to 30 seconds or until the dough is smooth and no lumps remain.
-
Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and helps create soft, pliable crepes.
-
While the dough rests, combine the kiwi, pineapple, dragon fruit, and blueberries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice, if using, and gently toss to combine.
-
Heat an 8-inch or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with butter.
-
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the skillet. Immediately lift and rotate the skillet to spread the batter into a thin, even circle.
-
Cook the crepes for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the surface looks firm and the edges begin to rise from the pan.
-
Carefully flip the crepe over with a thin spatula. Cook for 20 to 30 seconds more, or until lightly golden.
-
Transfer the cooked crepe to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly buttering skillet as needed. Stack the crepes on a plate and cover with a clean paper towel to keep them soft.
-
Spoon the tropical fruit mixture into the center of each crepe. Fold the sides over the filling or fold each crepe into quarters.
-
Top with honey, powdered sugar, and/or whipped cream. Serve immediately.
