If somewhere in the human genome there is a gene for a sweet tooth, then my family has it! We always had desserts and sweets to nibble on when I was growing up and we all still need that little bite of something sweet after each meal. One of my favorite sweet treats that my mama use to make, and one I still love today is taking a piece of apple pie, topping it with a big slice of cheddar cheese and putting it under the broiler until the cheese melted all over the pie. These Apple Pecan Crepes are a lighter version of the apple pie and just as delicious.
To make Apple Pecan Crepes with Cheddar Cheese you first make some light crepes with a bit of dark rum. Fold grated cheddar cheese into the crepes and heat. Gently saute’ apples in butter, topped with cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of maple syrup, then place them on top of the crepes. Top with chopped toasted pecans and touch of warm maple syrup. Now if that doesn’t get your mouthwatering, then nothing will!
Apple Pecan Crepes with Cheddar Cheese
Crepe Recipe courtesy of a friend’s French mother-in-law I’ll usually make just enough crepes for brunch and then after brunch, make more crepes with the remaining batter and store in a tortilla warmer in the refrigerator. The remaining crepes can be used for a quick and easy breakfast later in the week.
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“*” See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 Tbsp. sugar optional
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cap full of dark rum optional
- Butter or margarine for the crepe pan
- 1 large apple, cored and sliced
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 generous gratings of nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese grated
- ¼ cup pecans toasted and chopped
- Warm maple syrup
- Powdered sugar optional
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar.
- Sift some of the flour into the eggs and whisk. Add some of the milk and whisk. Continue to alternate flour and milk until you have incorporated the flour and milk into the eggs.
- Add the rum. Whisk.
- Set aside and let rest while you start the apple topping.
- To make the crepes, heat a crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with a touch of butter. Add ¼ cup crepe mixture to pan and swirl to coat the pan with batter. (The amount of crepe mixture that you add depends on the size of your pan.)
- Cook for 45 to 60 seconds until light brown. Flip and cook about 30 seconds or until crepe starts to puff up and brown.
- Place on a paper towel and cover to keep warm.**
- Repeat with the remaining crepe batter.
I use a tortilla warmer with a paper towel inside. If you don’t have a tortilla warmer, you could use two deep plates, using one as the cover.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the apples and toss to coat. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until apples are a crispy tender.
- Add the cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook stirring for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and add 2 Tbsp. maple syrup. Toss to coat.
Using the crepe pan over low heat, place a crepe on the pan, and top half of the crepe with ¼ of the cheese (or desired amount). Fold the crepe in half, and repeat with another crepe.
- Heat both crepes, turning once, until the cheese has melted. Transfer to a plate.
Top each serving of crepes with apples, pecans, and a drizzle of warm maple syrup. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Crepes – This crepe recipe makes more crepes than you need for 2 people. However, we always have enough crepes leftover to have them again twice during the week either as another breakfast or a dessert. If I’m planning on making savory crepes for dinner, I’ll use the same recipe but omit the sugar and rum.
Seasoning – You can use a typical apple pie seasoning for this dish or adjust the amounts of cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg to your own personal tastes.
Pecans – If you don’t have pecans you can substitute with walnuts. To toast the pecans, heat a heavy skillet on the stovetop over a medium heat. Add the pecans and toast lightly, tossing in the pan frequently.
Sweet tooth factor – The primary sweetener in this dish is the maple syrup; therefore, you can control the sweetness of the dish with the amount of maple syrup that you use.
My crepe pan – For a couple of decades I didn’t make crepes because I had a really crappy crepe pan. It was one of those that you turn upside down into a bowl of batter, flip, and place on the burner. It was horrible! About 10 years ago I broke down and bought a crepe pan that I love! Because it’s steel, I treat it like castiron and it works great every time I use it!
Serve these Apple Pecan Crepes for breakfast, weekend brunch or dessert. Enjoy!
A breakfast like these fruit crepes satisfy both my sweet tooth and breakfast hunger. Here are a few more breakfast dishes that provide the same needs. The clafoutis is a lighter dish and not quite a sweet. I’ve served it for both breakfast and as a dessert. Hope you enjoy them all!
Since my mother was the inspiration for this recipe and I know that she would love them, I linked this post to Katherine Martinelli’s Mother’s Day Hop. Check out all of the other wonderful ideas for Mother’s Day.
Yum! Thanks
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Wow MJ, I never thought an apple-cheddar combination would be so delicious! I’d really like to try that soon 🙂 gorgeous photos as always.
Just wondering if I was to use the crepe recipe if I could swap out the cheese for other flavours like vanilla, chocolate, etc…? 🙂
Many thanks!
Thanks Fati! Absolutely you can swap out the cheese! Sometimes I’ll use a sweetened yogurt. Chocolate sounds good! 🙂
Merci beaucoup, MJ!
Pas de quoi, Carole.
Just discovered your blog via twitter: looking forward to following along. The hubs saw these crepes and his jaw dropped– we’re trying them for breakfast tomorrow morning!
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Great Crepe Recipe . I love to have Crepe Recipe in my breakfast . Thanks for sharing it with us.
Yum! Love the apples and cheese as a crepe filling! Can’t wait to try this out myself!
Mj, I want that crepe, I haven’ tried the combo of apple and pecan I will try,
Thanks Swathi! Oh you really need to try to combination of apples and pecans. It’s one of my favorite flavors and is used in the house a lot!
That is really a mouthwatering crepes, MJ! I like the sweetness combined with the sharpmess and kind of salty flavor of cheese. That is a good combination. Have a great week, MJ! 🙂
We used to do that with cheddar and apple pie. That sounds delicious right about now.
Wow that dripping syrup makes this sinful crepe even more amazing. So drooling right now.
Too perfect for words, MJ!
I love, love, love the combination of apples and cheddar, especially in sweets — can’t wait to try these out!!
Also, love your blog — I nominated it for a Liebster Award!
Thanks SO MUCH Ishita! That’s very sweet of you!
Hi MJ – I love the combination of apples and pecans (or walnuts which I’ve always thought are quite similar and much cheaper/more common in Europe) – it’s such a lovely flavour combination together and in this beautiful breakfast… well, what a treat, to be sure. I’m intrigued by the idea of the cheddar. I guess it must give a really nice background creaminess, with a slight hint of saltiness maybe… must give it a try sometime!
Thanks Charles! I love apples and walnuts as well, but Bobby isn’t a big walnut fan, so I use pecans more often. We both LOVE pecans! 🙂 You are right – the cheese does add a little salty creaminess to the dish. So good!
Apple crepes with rum and vanilla ice cream were a staple here in restaurants some years ago, but with cheese… wow, that makes them so, so much better! Love the idea.
Yup, my family has the gene, too…trying to figure if it’s dominant or recessive…as only my dad doesn’t seem to have the sweet tooth that the rest of the family does 🙂 Your crepes look amazing…I love all things apple, so these I couldn’t resist!
Thanks Liz! I think it’s dominant in our family since both of my parents LOVED the sweet stuff as well as all 4 kids. 🙂
If this doesn’t shoot you up to seventh heaven, nothing else will. Apples, crepes are both good on their own but together with cardamom, cinnamon nutmeg and cheese…I can imagine how fabulous that tastes.
Thanks Adora! I haven’t heard that expression in quite a while. Always makes me smile. 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
So much goodness on that plate MJ! Admittedly I don’t have your sweet tooth; but how can anyone deny the goodness that comes from apples and cheese together?! I’m so in love with this dish! 🙂
Crepes look wonderful! Tempting! Drooling over here! 😀
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Wow, MJ….this is something I would absolutely love eating for breakfast! You know, I love to eat apple slices with cheese. But I’ve never had the melted cheddar on apple pie thing. But these crepes look pretty amazing! A little sweet, savory, salty……these are definitely on my ‘must make’ list! : )
Thanks Anne! I’m quite surprised at all of the people that haven’t had cheddar on apple pie. I guess it is a southern thing. Gotta love that southern comfort food.
I love crepes and always try new recipe whenever I see it. Now I got your crepe recipe to try! I love that you prepared sauteed apples too. But the #1 surprise from this recipe was cheddar cheese! I love the surprise ingredient and can’t wait to taste the whole thing together! Gorgeous photography… It makes me want to try right now.
What delicious looking crepes…perfect for a brunch for Mother’s Day.
Hi MJ, Your recipe has me wanting to make this today. I haven’t made crepes in a long time. My daughters always remind me about the special dessert I would make for them when they were kids — crepes filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate syrup and fresh strawberries. I think it’s now time to step up my game and make your gourmet apple pecan crepes.
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe,
Joanne
Thanks Joanne! OK, now I need to make creeps with ice cream, chocolate and strawberries. I’ll be dreaming about that one. 🙂
My mouth is seriously watering right now MJ — simply wow! I have to try the cheddar next time I make apple pie. As for these crepes, they are now on my list to try and soon. Love the addition of rum too. Thanks so much for sharing:) Have a great weekend. xx
Thanks Nancy! Oh you must try apple pie with cheese. It’s SO good!
Oh my! Peach Lady you got me with that thin line of syrup down the middle. 🙂 Apple and pecans and crepes – all my favourites are here. I am leaving I didn’t need to see this this early in the morning! 🙂
Thanks Zsuzsa and sorry for the temptation. I know this doesn’t meet your diet plan. 🙁
Hi MJ,
This is stunning! The apples, cinnamon and rum is a heavenly combination.
My mouth literally watered when I saw the title and the photo! WOW!
This is the 2nd crepes post I’ve read today, MJ. I take this as a sign that I need to overcome my crepe making phobia and get to work. It’s that you added cheddar cheese to the mix. I so love that combination! As I mentioned in the other post, if I fail I’ll use the apples to top off my ice cream. That’s some failure!
Go for it John! You can do it. I have faith in you. Also, if you’re like me, when you do have a back plan (and yours is a great one BTW), things turn out right the first time. 🙂
Apples AND cheese? I’m just…speechless!
I have the same genes and I’d stand in a line outside your door for these crepes 🙂
I simply love the idea of cheddar cheese on it.
You are making me SO hungry right now. I love apples and cheddar together and putting them in crepes sounds heavenly!
I have never tried apple pie with cheddar cheese… the flavor combination is very intriguing to me. I like how you created the flavors you love together in a beautiful crepe. 🙂
Gorgeous, MJ! I can almost smell the apples & cinnamon. And I love the addition of rum. YUM!
Well, I don’t have your gene, then 😉
Honestly at first I thought I misunderstood.. cheddar cheese on apple pecan crepes?! But I read right the first time… I wonder how it taste like?!
You read right Darlin! Cheddar cheese is part of this recipe! You need to read it, it’s really good!
These crepes are rich and delicious!
MJ, your photos don’t even need words to describe how great these crêpes must taste… but your description makes them even more tempting. The cheddar’s addition to a sweet dish makes your crêpes even more intriguing!
I haven’t made crêpes for ages, but last several batches were the buckwheat ones (called “galettes” in Brittany region of France, where they come from). They are obligatory (for me!) for savoury versions now: the first time I tasted a buckwheat crêpe with savoury filling, I decided I would leave the white flour ones for desserts only.
Thanks Sissi! Buckwheat crepes – you are such a healthy eating person! I can see that they might be a little heavy for breakfast, but I do bet they are great in a savory dish. Maybe sauteed mushrooms, or a ratatouille filling? Yum! I love making crepes and do make them often, so I’m going to have to pick up some buckwheat flour at the co-op and give the savory ones a try. Thanks for the idea!
Completely, totally, utterly drool worthy! I adore crepes, especially since I got stuck with the sweet tooth gene too 🙂 Oh the rum…how naughty!
I really enjoy making crepes, although it’s been awhile. I just make them in a 7- or 8-inch frying pan; although a dedicated crepe pan would be fun to have. I remember those upside-down crepe pans, and everyone I know who’s had one really didn’t like it. Dark rum is a great ingredient in crepes, and I love the idea of including cheddar cheese in the batter. Not something I’ve done, but sounds wonderful! Really good stuff – thanks so much.
Thanks John! You’re the first person I’ve ran across that remembers the upside down crepes pans. What a silly invention. 🙂 BTW – the cheese is not in the batter, it’s folded into the cooked crepe. I know you have some dark rum in that liquor cabinet of yours, so you should try this.
Looks incredible! I’ve actually never had cheddar cheese on apple pie, but I have always thought it sounded really good! Thanks for the link to your crepe pan – I may just have an excuse to get it now! 🙂
Thanks Jane! As much as you like cheese, I’m sure you’ll love apple pie and cheddar. That crepe pan is relatively cheap and is a really good pan. If you get it, I hope you have fun with. I sure have. 🙂
Oh my!! These look fabulous. As always, your pictures are delicious! I want to eat that crepe right off my screen. 🙂 Have a great day, MJ!
I absolutely have that sweet tooth gene too 🙂 And apple sweets are one of my all-time favorite desserts – sounds wonderful with the pecans and maple.