A delicious and puffy Dutch Baby Pancake (German pancake) Recipe that is so simple to make, you will be making this at every brunch gathering!
And while you’re at it, be sure to serve this huge skillet pancake along with our quiche Lorraine or vegetable loaded frittata.
What is a dutch baby pancake?
A Dutch baby pancake is pretty much a sweet popover baked in the oven (usually in a cast-iron skillet). It’s typically served for breakfast with sweet lemon butter on top. But you can top it with whatever you like.
I topped mine with Nutella, berries, sliced almonds, and powdered sugar. A Dutch baby pancake might look fancy, but it’s incredibly easy to make. Just blend all the ingredients in a blender and pour the batter into a heated cast iron pan. Place it in the oven and wait for all the magic to happen. When it comes out, it should be very puffy.
What does it taste like?
The inside of German pancakes or dutch baby is sweet ad moist like a classic pancake and the outside has a nice crunch to it. Pairing it with Nutella and berries is just pure bliss!
Ingredients for a Dutch baby pancake
- Wet ingredients: You want all your wet ingredients to be room temperature. Including the eggs, milk, and butter should be melted. Also, add vanilla extract for extra flavor.
- Dry ingredients: All you need here is flour, salt, and a little bit of sugar.
How to make Dutch baby pancake
- 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 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. For the full recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
German pancake vs regular pancake
A Dutch baby pancake (also called German 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 Dutch baby pancake is baked in the oven. It is usually thicker than regular pancakes but it doesn’t use any baking powder.
How do you eat a dutch baby pancake?
Typically this type of pancake is served for more the one person so you would slice it into wedges or (pie slices). Then add your favorite toppings, if it’s not already topped with something.
Topping ideas for German pancakes
- Lemon butter
- Blueberry Sauce
- Nutella (hazelnut spread)
- Chantilly cream
- Maple syrup
- Chocolate sauce
- Fresh Raspberry Sauce
- Strawberry sauce
- Berries
Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
For the pancake
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups milk room temperature
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Toppings
- Nutella
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Powdered sugar
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
Add everything into the blender
- In a blender, pulse the room temperature eggs, milk, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla. After a few pulses, scrape the sides of the blender to ensure that no flour is left behind. Blend once again until everything is well incorporated.
Preheat your skillet
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a 10 inch cast iron pan into the oven for about 10 minutes. This step is crucial. Heating the pan before adding the batter helps create that puffy look of a Dutch baby.
Bake in the oven
- Pour the melted butter into the hot cast iron pan and swirl it around. Then pour in the pancake batter and place it back in the oven for about 20 minutes. Once it's done, drizzle with Nutella and top with berries, sliced almonds, and powdered sugar. Serve hot.
Notes
Serve this pancake right away
The best way to serve a dutch baby is by enjoying 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 🙂