A delicious and puffy German Pancake (Dutch baby pancake) recipe that is so simple, you’ll be making this at every brunch gathering! It’s sweet, fruity, and scrumptious.
And while you’re at it, be sure to serve this huge skillet pancake along with our quiche Lorraine or vegetable loaded frittata.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love this German Pancake recipe for when I’m serving brunch. It’s so easy and I can slice off pie wedges of it for each guest. It’s also versatile and makes a great addition to your table.
- TASTE: This popover is fruity and nutty, with a topping of berries, Nutella, and almonds. It tastes sweet, but not too sweet.
- TEXTURE: Light, fluffy, and moist, this German Pancake is delicious. It’s got a slight crispness to the bottom from cooking in a cast iron pan.
- TIME: It will take 25 minutes.
- EASE: A German Pancake might look fancy, but it’s incredibly easy to make. This simple recipe is a breeze when you follow my step-by-step instructions.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Flour- All-purpose flour is the base for this batter.
- Sugar- This adds sweetness to the German Pancake. Granulated white sugar is fine.
- Butter- Adds flavor and moisture to the pancake. Melt it before adding it to the batter.
- Eggs- These will give the pancake its fluffiness and rise.
- Milk- This also adds moisture to the batter.
- Vanilla- For a touch of vanilla flavor.
- Salt- To offset the sweetness and enhance it.
- Toppings- You can use lemon butter, or what I used, which was Nutella, berries, powdered sugar, and sliced almonds.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add fruit- From orange juice to slices apples, you can add fruit to this German Pancake to give it more heft and flavor.
- Substitute buttermilk- Add some tangy flavor to this pancake by substituting buttermilk for the regular milk. You can make your own by adding 1 Tbsp. of white vinegar to your milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.
- Add baking powder- This isn’t required, but if you want to get some extra fluff in your pancake, add some baking powder for leavening.
- Substitute vanilla bean- For a real vanilla kick to this dish, substitute vanilla bean paste for the vanilla extract. It’s very potent.
How to Make German Pancakes
- Add everything into a blender– Just throw everything into the blender and pulse it a few times until no more patches of flour appear. It helps to scrape it down with a spatula.
- Preheat the skillet– This is crucial!! You want to make sure the cast iron skillet is very hot prior to pouring the pancake batter in. This will ensure a big puffy German pancake.
- Bake– Now bake it in your preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until nicely puffed and the edges are slightly brown.
Pro Tip: If you don’t have a silicone pastry brush to spread the butter, then you can just carefully swirl the butter around by tilting the handle of the pan.
Recipe Tips
- Keep all the wet ingredients at room temperature– For the pancake to rise, steam must form. Keeping the ingredients at room temp helps the steaming process start sooner.
- Heat the cast iron pan- This step is critical. Heating the pan before adding the batter helps create that puffy look of a German pancake.
- Add toppings- Try this dish with Lemon butter, Blueberry Sauce, Nutella, Chantilly cream, Maple syrup, Chocolate sauce, Fresh Raspberry Sauce, Strawberry sauce, or Berries.
- Eat immediately- The best way to serve this pancake is by enjoying it right out of the oven while it’s still puffy. The moment it comes out, it will slowly begin to deflate, so eat it quickly!
FAQs
A German pancake (also called Dutch baby pancake, Bismarck, or Dutch puff) is different from a traditional pancake. It is a sweet popover. Regular pancakes are fried on a stovetop whereas a German pancake is baked in the oven. It is usually thicker than regular pancakes but it doesn’t use any baking powder.
This is likely because the skillet was not hot enough. The batter needs to get hot enough that steam forms from the liquids and the pancake rises before the flour cooks and sets.
The inside of German pancakes is sweet and moist like a classic pancake and the outside has a nice crunch to it. Pairing it with Nutella and berries is just pure bliss!
Serving Suggestions
This German Pancake is the perfect addition to any brunch table. Serve it with eggs, bacon, muffins, and smoothies.
- Eggs: Serve it with Easy Poached Eggs with Caramelized Onions, Hash Brown Quiche, Eggs Benedict, or Shakshuka.
- Meats: Pair this pancake with Crispy Air Fryer Bacon, Homemade Biscuits and Gravy, ham, or Canadian bacon.
- Muffins: Serve it alongside some Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (VIDEO), Cinnamon Apple Muffins (VIDEO), or Blueberry Muffins (VIDEO).
- Smoothies: Enjoy this German Pancake with a Mandarin Banana Smoothie, Blueberry Smoothie Bowl, or an Acai Bowl.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the batter for this German Pancake ahead of time and store it in the fridge, but you will need to bring it to room temperature before cooking.
Storing: Store any leftovers of this pancake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will become flat as it cools, but it still tastes good!
Freeze: You can freeze it without toppings for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
More Delicious Brunch Dishes!
Watch Video Recipe Here
Full Recipe Instructions
German Pancake
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
For the pancake
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
Toppings
- Nutella
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Powdered sugar
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a blender, pulse the room-temperature eggs, milk, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla for about 30 seconds. Then scrape the sides of the blender to ensure that no flour is left behind. Blend once again for about 15 seconds or until everything is well incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a 10-inch cast iron pan into the oven for about 8-10 minutes. This step is crucial. Heating the pan before adding the batter helps create that puffy look of a Dutch baby.
- Pour the melted butter into the hot cast iron pan and spread it evenly on the bottom and sides of the hot pan using a silicone pastry brush. If you don't have one you can just carefully swirl the butter around by tilting the handle of the pan.
- While the pan is hot, quickly pour in the pancake batter and place it back in the oven for about 15-18 minutes or until it's puffed up and golden brown. Once it's done, drizzle with Nutella and top with berries, sliced almonds, and powdered sugar. Serve hot.
Notes
- Keep all the wet ingredients at room temperature– For the pancake to rise, steam must form. Keeping the ingredients at room temp helps the steaming process start sooner.
- Heat the cast iron pan- This step is critical. Heating the pan before adding the batter helps create that puffy look of a German pancake.
- Eat immediately- The best way to serve this pancake is by enjoying it right out of the oven while it’s still puffy. The moment it comes out, it will slowly begin to deflate, so eat it quickly!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on Feb 7, 2017, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
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Anna says
Well, most of it was soft on the inside but the very center seemed like it was a little too soft, almost under cooked. I think next time I will use the regular bake setting on my oven. Because this is almost easier than pancakes- I don’t have to stand there flipping anything! 😉
simplyhomecooked says
Give that a try and see how it turns out Anna 🙂 I also love the easiness of a Dutch baby pancake compared to regular pancakes 😉
Anna says
I have made this several times already and I love how easy it is to assemble! It literally took me a few minutes, Everyone loved it!
I do have one question about the oven temperatures. I used the temperature given but my oven was on convection mode and when the outside looked perfectly done, the inside needed extra baking. Should I turn off my convection mode or do you have any other suggestions?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Anna, can you explain the texture of the inside of the pancake? Dutch babies are supposed to be a little softer on the inside and crusty on the outside 🙂
Anna says
This looks yummy. Does it slide easily out of the pan or do you just slice it up in the pan?
simplyhomecooked says
We slice it in the pan. if it’s just Mike and I, we eat it straight out of the pan 😉
Lilly says
Would stoneware cake pan possibly work?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Lilly, a stoneware cake pan should work for the recipe 🙂
jessica says
What can be used instead of cast iron? Thank you
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jessica, I’m not too sure what could be used in place of a cast iron skillet. A cast iron is used in this recipe for its durability and even heat distribution. I don’t know of any other pans that will do that.
Marina says
I’ve used a Pyrex glass dish before and it worked just fine.
simplyhomecooked says
Thanks for letting me know Marina 🙂