An easy breakfast with very little prep, this Dutch Baby (or German Pancake) is a family favorite. Serve it with fresh berries, powdered sugar, or syrup and watch it disappear!
Need more breakfast recipes worth getting up for? Also try these Strawberry Pancakes or Creme Brulee French Toast.
As much as I love a good old fashioned pancake breakfast, there is just something about a Dutch Baby that I can’t resist. Maybe it’s because they are so easy – no sitting and flipping pancakes. Maybe it’s because of the soft interior and puffy edges. Or maybe it’s because they are the perfect vehicle for berries and powdered sugar and syrup.
I just know that they are a delicious way to start the morning!
What is a Dutch Baby?
Wondering what a Dutch Baby is? Also known as a German Pancake, it is an easy breakfast recipe made from a thin egg based batter. Mix your ingredients together and pour them into a hot pan, and pop it in the oven. When it is done, the sides will have puffed up high, sort of like a popover.
Once the Dutch baby comes out of the oven, it will start to deflate, but you are left with a delicious breakfast that is somewhere between a crepe and a pancake.
Dutch baby pancakes are also known as German pancakes, and are actually not Dutch at all. But no matter what you call them, they are delicious!
Ingredients
Eggs: The eggs are the base of the pancake. You’ll need large eggs, and it is best if they are at room temperature.
Flour: I have only tested this recipe using all-purpose flour.
Milk: I usually use 2% because that is what we keep on hand, but whole milk would be even better.
Sugar: The pancake is not super sweet, so all you need is 2 tablespoons.
Salt: This is to balance and enhance flavors.
Vanilla Extract: I like to use a pure vanilla extract.
Butter: Don’t try to skip the butter! You’ll melt the butter in the baking dish – it makes it so that it won’t stick, but also provides fat for the pancake to work correctly.
How to Make a Dutch Baby
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender except for the butter. Pulse it together a few times until everything has been incorporated.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. When it is almost done preheating, place the butter in a baking dish and place it in the oven. Let it sit there for a few minutes, until the butter has melted and the pan is hot.
Remove the pan from the oven and pour in the batter. Carefully return the hot pan to the oven and bake until the pancake is puffed and golden brown on the edges.
How to Make a Dutch Baby in a Cast Iron Skillet
While I love the look of a Dutch baby in a cast iron skillet, it doesn’t work well for my family of 5. If you are only feeding 2-3 people, a cast iron skillet is a great way to make this recipe.
If you want to use a cast iron skillet, you will need a well seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet. Cut all of the ingredients in half:
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
You’ll want to put the skillet in the oven a little earlier than with the baking dish so that it will get nice and hot, then add the butter to the hot skillet at the end so you just melt the butter and you don’t burn it.
It will still take about 20 minutes to bake.
Tips and Tricks
You can serve the Dutch baby up with berries, (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are my favorite), sprinkle it with powdered sugar, or drizzle it with maple syrup – you really can’t go wrong!
Another popular way to serve this is with lemon juice sprinkled over the top and sprinkled with cinnamon.
The Dutch baby will deflate as it cools – don’t worry, this is normal. If you want to impress your guests, bring it to the table right as it comes out of the oven.
This is best served right after it is made. I don’t recommend making it ahead of time. You can eat the leftovers later in the day, but it won’t be quite the same.
More Breakfast Recipes
Cinnamon Muffins
Kolaches Recipe
Blueberry Waffles
Waffle Recipe
Breakfast Pizza
The Best Pancake Recipe
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
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Dutch Baby (German Pancake)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Pulse for about 30 seconds, then scrape down any flour stuck to the sides of the blender, and blend for another couple seconds.
- When the oven is almost finished preheating, add the butter to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the dish in the oven until the oven is finished preheating and the butter is melted. (You want to watch this – you don’t want the butter to burn. You just want it Ito melt and for the baking dish to start warming up.)
- Remove the dish from the oven and carefully pour the batter from the blender into the dish. Return to the oven.
- Bake until the edges have puffed up are are golden brown, 18-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, cut into slices, and serve immediately.
John Dill says
Simple and delish. I think folks are intimidated by the final look of it, but it’s easier to make than a stack of standard pancakes.
Deborah says
Thanks Jon – so glad you liked it!