Dutch Baby Pancake
This Dutch Baby Pancake recipe is a great way to change up your weekend brunch menu. Just mix together the batter, pour it all into one pan, and bake. It’s unique, delicious, and only takes 25 minutes to make!
If you think of pancakes running on a spectrum, super thin Crepes are the polar opposite of a Dutch baby pancake. This German pancake is big and puffy, and served in slices. You’ll be hooked once you try it!
If you’re not familiar, a Dutch baby is a very eggy baked pancake that tastes kind of like bread pudding. You mix up the batter and bake one big pancake in a skillet for everyone, then cut it into slices to share. The texture is eggy but puffy, with a satisfying bite to it.
I started making dutch baby pancakes regularly during a stretch of time in my husband’s Naval career where he had to work the late shift, so the only meal we could sit down together for was breakfast. One of the most common pieces of advice we got when we got married was to make sure we sit down at least once a day to eat together. And this was the period of time when I started getting really creative and well versed with breakfast.
There were the standard Buttermilk Pancakes and Crispy Waffle Recipe, but I also branched out into more indulgent and fun things like Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Carrot Cake Pancakes, and Dutch Babies.
This base recipe is flavorful enough to be served on its own, or simply with fresh fruit on top, a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, or a drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Another great option is to top it with cooked bananas, as I do in my Caramelized Banana Topped Dutch Baby that I bake in a cast iron skillet. Think of this as a blank canvas that you can customize quite easily, any time of year.
Tips for Best Results
Make sure the pan is hot before adding the batter – Part of the fun with a dutch baby is the variation in texture. Make sure to get the pan nice and hot before pouring the batter in, which will give the bottom a head start in getting crisp and puffy.
Use good milk and butter – It’s incredible how different brands produce wildly different tasting butters, milks, and dairy. Some have zero flavor, while others have that quintessential rich, slightly sweet dairy fat flavor all humans love. Use the best quality butter and milk you can here. My favorite butter is made by Kerrygold. Plugra and Vermont Creamery also make great butter. If you look up butter taste tests online, you’ll see that they are definitely not all equal.
Serve hot – I recommend serving the dutch baby pancake straight out of a hot oven, and bringing the skillet right to the table (set it on a trivet or towel, so you don’t scorch your table). The warm skillet will keep the pancake warmer for longer.
Step by Step Overview:
The great thing about this recipe is there’s no fancy equipment required! Leave your stand mixer or food processor in the cabinet for this easy recipe.
To start, whisk together eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and nutmeg in a medium bowl, until combined and a little foamy on top. There should be no streaks of unmixed egg white.
If you wish, you may substitute almond milk for the cow’s milk.
Next, add all-purpose flour to the batter, and whisk until the flour streaks disappear.
It’s okay if the batter is still lumpy in spots, as you don’t want to overmix the batter and make it tough. It will be a fairly thin batter.
Next, melt a couple tablespoons of butter in an ovenproof nonstick skillet. You may use either salted or unsalted, though I recommend adding a pinch of salt if you use unsalted butter.
I’m using an 8 inch pan here, but you could do a 10 inch too. I’ve also used cast iron skillets with great results. You need something nonstick and ovenproof, because this dutch baby recipe is so egg-heavy and otherwise risks sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Also make sure you’re using a hot pan here, as it’s essential for your puffy pancake to get that head start on the heat with a preheated skillet.
Once the butter is melted and hot, pour your batter in all at once into the hot skillet. It’s fine that the butter pools around the edges a bit.
Immediately pop the pan into a 425F oven for about 20 minutes, until your oven-baked pancake is lightly golden brown. Make sure there is no oven rack close to the top of the pan, as the dutch baby pancake will inflate quite a bit, especially toward the edges of the pan.
It’s like a souffle, and will deflate some once it comes out of the oven. What you’re seeing is all those eggs in action!
And similarly, do not open the oven door during baking. If you’ve ever made Yorkshire pudding before, something similar is happening here. You want to give the eggs a chance to rise and set as much as possible.
How to Serve
When the dutch baby is done baking, bring it straight to the table in the skillet and serve immediately. I recommend cutting it into slices and serving from the pan, as the warm skillet will keep the remaining slices warm while you eat.
While there are a variety of toppings you can do here, I like to finish the top of the pancake with a dusting of confectioners sugar and garnish with fresh berries. A drizzle of pure maple syrup is also excellent.
To get fancier, Homemade Orange Honey Butter, Blueberry Sauce, lemon curd, or even a drizzle of Caramel Sauce are all great options.
Whole Wheat Pancakes and this English Style Scone Recipe are some of my other favorite sweet breakfast ideas. Potato Frittata, Bacon Cheddar Waffles, and a classic Breakfast Wrap are some of my favorite ideas for savory. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Yes, it freezes beautifully! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight.
The microwave works well, so long as you take care not to overcook the leftovers. Heat in 30-second intervals at 70% power until warmed through. Or, you can reheat in a 300F oven for about 10 minutes, until warm. If reheating straight from frozen, you will likely need to add a few minutes.
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Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk*
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 2.5 oz all purpose flour by weight, or use 1/2 cup measured
- 2 tbsp butter**
- confectioner’s sugar for dusting
- fresh berries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and grated nutmeg.
- Add the flour and whisk until any dry pockets of flour have disappeared. The batter should still be a little lumpy in spots.
- Heat an ovenproof 8 inch nonstick skillet on the stove over medium high heat, and add the butter. Let it melt, and once it begins to turn brown, pour in the pancake batter all at once.
- Immediately place the pan into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden brown.
- Dust the pancake with confectioner’s sugar and garnish with fresh berries. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated in September 2018. Originally published July 2013.
52 Comments on “Dutch Baby Pancake”
I’ve made this dozens of times and figured it was time I comment. This Dutch Baby is heaven and puts pancakes to Shame. It comes out perfectly every time. So fluffy and crisp at the same time. And love that it’s for an 8” skillet. Thank you!
Hubby loves Dutch Pancakes, but I have never made one. So, this was his surprise Christmas Breakfast. He is loving it! It was cooked in an 8″ cast iron skillet and it was the perfect amount. Of, course, I did not get a taste–he at the whole thing. But that’s okay!
Very simple easy recipe!
Do you know if this would work in a cast iron skillet?
If it’s well seasoned, then definitely!
This recipe is amazing. I am not a fan of nutmeg so I left it out. However, my daughter is a huge fan of nutmeg and once she tries this recipe, I am sure she will feel the same.
Doubled recipe; subbed 1 cup gluten-free flour plus 1/2 tsp. guar gum for all-purpose flour; a scant cup of dairy-free vanilla rice drink for milk; coconut oil for butter; two 8” round cake pans for two iron skillets. What an easy, delicious center to build our brunch around! We’ll enjoy again and again, thank you so much!