Impress the family with a stunning yet easy-to-make Dutch Baby! This family-style breakfast bakes up quickly using only four ingredients!
Impressive and wonderfully delicious Dutch Baby is the perfect eye-catching dish for breakfast or brunch. Whisk together flour, milk, eggs, and butter to quickly create a breakfast treat that tastes like a combination of a pancake and a crepe that’s not too sweet and makes brunch feel like a special occasion!
Puffy Perfection
The first time I made a Dutch Baby, I was hooked on how easy it was to make and how amazing it looked fresh out of the oven. It came out so puffy and golden, and after I sprinkled powdered sugar and fresh fruit over the pancake while it settled, it was almost too pretty to eat! I couldn’t believe how a simple batter poured into a hot pan could make something so light and utterly delicious. Dutch Baby (AKA German pancake) is a must-have dish whether it’s a fun breakfast morning or a special brunch occasion!
Sweet brunch treats starring delicious fruit are always a hit, so brighten your brunch with Apple Cinnamon Puffed Pancakes or Peaches and Cream Dutch Baby!
Other Recipes to Serve with Dutch Baby
- Balance the sweet with a savory breakfast of decadent Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce!
- White Chocolate Mocha Latte is a wonderful and tasty drink with a beautiful Dutch Baby dish!
Ingredients
Flour: For the batter, you will need all-purpose flour.
Milk: You can use whatever milk you have on hand, but 2% milk is recommended.
Eggs: Set out a few eggs to come to room temperature for a nice and fluffy pancake
Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. Salted butter and a nice balance to the powdered sugar topping.
Garnish: Top your German Pancake with powdered sugar, freshly squeezed lemon, fruit, Nutella, syrup, or other favorite toppings.
How to Make Dutch Baby
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add the butter to a 10-inch cast iron skillet, an oven-safe pan, or a baking dish, and pop the pan into the oven to heat up. If your oven takes a while to heat up, wait to add the butter until it has reached 425 degrees F to avoid burning it.
STEP TWO: While the pan heats, whisk together the flour, eggs, and milk.
STEP THREE: When the oven has finished preheating, carefully pour the batter into the hot pan and bake for 20 minutes until the pancake is golden and puffed up.
STEP FOUR: Once out of the oven, let the pancake sit for a couple of minutes so it can fall. Then sprinkle powdered sugar over the Dutch Baby and serve it family-style with an assortment of toppings for everyone to enjoy.
Tips for Success
- The pan must be hot before adding the batter, so preheat it and be careful when taking it in and out of the oven. Adding the butter to the pan while the oven preheats is fine for ovens that heat quickly, but for slower ovens, wait to add the butter until the oven is hot so the butter doesn’t burn.
- Cast iron is the preferred pan for this recipe but any oven-safe pan will work. A 10 or 11-inch pan is a good size. Glass casserole dishes will also work.
- If you wish to add fruit either wait until the Dutch Baby is out of the oven and top it with fruit.
Where did Dutch Baby come from?
If you’ve ever been to The Orginal Pancake House, you know that Dutch Baby is one of their most popular and well-loved dishes. The Dutch Baby didn’t get its start there, however, as this is credited to chef Victor Maca of Seattle’s Maca Cafe. Maca used German pancakes to inspire this dish; his daughter named it after him.
Why did my Dutch Baby collapse?
If you’ve pulled your Dutch Baby out of the oven with a large domed top, only to watch it deflate and collapse, congratulations, you’ve made it correctly! Pouring the liquid batter into a hot buttered pan will create steam, which causes an air pocket inside the dough. As the pancake begins to cool, it loses that steam and begins to deflate, creating a delicious variety of textures. The middle of a Dutch Baby is soft and sometimes more custard or souffle-like, while the edges are crispy.
More Outstanding Brunch Ideas
- Perfect Waffles from Scratch
- Farmers Casserole
- Spinach and Mushroom Quiche
- French Toast
- Banana Pancakes
*This post was originally posted on 09/21/2014.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
Toppings
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh fruit
- Lemon wedges for squeezing
Instructions
- Add the butter in a cast iron skillet. Place the skillet into the oven and set the temp to bake at 425 degrees F.
- While the oven is heating, mix the flour, milk, and eggs together in a large mixing bowl until smooth and combined.
- When the oven is ready, the skillet is hot, and the butter has melted – carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and return it to the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the pancake has puffed up and is golden around the edges.
- Carefully remove the skillet from oven and let sit for 1-2 minutes so the pancake can deflate.
- Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and add fresh fruit or lemon slices for serving. Enjoy warm.
Debra Faucheux says
I have made this over and over. The pancake is so impressive when baking, and taste delicious. I did add a tablespoon of sugar and some vanilla. We add powdered sugar when it comes out of the oven. We serve with pure maple syrup and cherries on top. This is our cheat meal once a month. I use a 10″ black iron skillet. My whole family loves this recipe. I am often asked to make this when they visit. Put the coffee and dutch baby on…..a winner for sure! I actually found the recipe in a group I belong to and tried it. I can’t say enough about this pancake – it is delicious!
Aubrey Cota says
It is wonderful!! Thank you, Debra.
Gail Giltner says
Maybe I followed the recipe too close because I put the butter in the skillet put the skillet in the oven to preheat to 425 and I ended up with a skillet full of burned butter? Did I miss something? Help?? P.S. I tried to leave 3 stars anytime you press the star area all five light up and you can’t change it so I didn’t mean to leave no stars
Julie Kotzbach says
Hi Gail! if the butter is burning I’d preheat the pan, then add the butter, and once it’s melted and a little bubbly move forward with the recipe. Different ovens preheat at different rates and that can affect the butter. Hope this helps!
Brooks says
You never say what size cast iron skillet!
Julie @Real Housemoms says
We’ve made this recipe in a 9-inch and 11=inch skillet and both work great. 🙂
Snoopy64 says
Long before the Original Pancake House opened in Portland, OR. 1953 to be exact, I’m talking in the 20’s.. my German grandmother was making making Dutch Babies.. they are not and never were German pancakes.. they are called babies because they are small, almost like a pop over, a German Pancake is big, almost too big for one to eat alone… Dutch Babies are are individual, you can eat one or two..or three…because they are so good.. but please stop calling them German Pancakes…
Howie says
The Original Pancake House called them German Pancakes. I remeber going in 1961 and until 1964 when we moved away. My Father’s good friend from Tampa U always ordered it. The waitress who served it would fold it for him into a big square. Later on, they stopped serving it and it became a special order item.
Garnet Hall says
What size cast iron pan did you use?
Kat & Mel says
I used a 10 inch cast iron pan for mine, but slightly smaller or larger will work just fine.
KMP says
I was thinking of adding vanilla & cinnamon to give it more of a French toast taste. Would that affect the rising?
Kat & Melinda says
I haven’t done it before but I don’t think it would be a problem.
Cat says
Can i make this with apple pie filling?
Kat & Melinda says
Sure, you can put any kind of pie filling on top.
Ashley says
Can you use almond milk?
Kat & Melinda says
I have tried it with almond milk and it just doesn’t rise the same way. It still tastes good though!
Ashley says
Thanks! Also, what if I just use a regular skillet and not cast iron? Thank you 🙂
Kat & Melinda says
As long as it can go in the oven to bake it doesn’t matter what kind of pan you use. I have used stainless steel, cast iron and even a glass casserole dish. They all worked 🙂
heather @french press says
the Original Pancake House was our families favorite too, and my gram always got the dutch baby with berries – yours looks perfect!
Kat & Melinda says
Thanks so much Heather!
Donna Arrington says
Gee, I thought the original pancake house was unique to las Vegas. We had two but one caught on fire. Had my first dutch baby in Minnesota. Love the recipe
Sue T. says
This looks wonderful ! Would really appreciate knowing what size skillet you suggest ??
Thank You So Much !
Kat & Melinda says
Sue, I used a 9″ skillet but I have used an 11″ skillet also and it didn’t make much of a difference.
Deb says
What if you don’t have a cast iron pan. Can you use a stainless or all clad?
Kat & Melinda says
Yep, you can use anything that can go in the oven. I have even used a glass casserole dish!
Kristina and Millie says
Oh man this sounds and looks so scrumptious!! I will definitely have to give it a try! Thanks ladies!
Kat & Melinda says
Thanks girls!