Home > Breakfast > Dutch Baby (German Pancakes) Dutch Baby (German Pancakes) February 2, 2020 | 26 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This Dutch baby (also known as a German pancake) is the best I’ve ever had! It has a light custard base, fluffy sides and edges, and a rich buttery flavor. There are so many ways to top your Dutch baby, but today I’m sharing our favorite way — with plenty of fresh berries, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and an easy buttermilk syrup. My toddler Bentley is probably the biggest breakfast eater around. He’ll wake up most mornings bright-eyed at 5:30 or 6:00 am, rush into my room, and beg me to make him “a big breakfast.” He has a checklist of what this “big breakfast” entails: eggs (scrambled or over medium), bacon, fruit of some kind (usually clementines), toast, and either waffles, pancakes, crepes, or a German pancake. While I certainly don’t make him his dream breakfast every morning, we’ll have a big breakfast a few times a week and then he’s totally on cloud nine. I’ve been working on perfecting a Dutch baby for the past couple of weeks and I’m so excited to share this recipe with you today. My boys are obsessed with it and I hope you love it as much as we have! First things first though: here’s a little background in case you’re not familiar: What is a Dutch pancake called? You may have noticed I’ve used the two terms Dutch baby and German pancakes interchangeably and that is because they are the same thing. There are actually several other names; they also go by a Dutch puff, large American popover, or a Bismarck. Why do they call it a Dutch baby? According to Wikipedia, Dutch babies were introduced in the 1900s in a family-owned restaurant owned by Victor Manca. The name “Dutch baby” was coined by the owner’s daughter. Dutch baby pancakes are basically a hybrid of a pancake, a crepe, and a popover — all in one giant pan. They’re also often made in a skillet, and today I’ll share how to make them either way. 🙂 What is a German pancake made of? The ingredients in German pancakes are simple and straightforward, so here’s what you’ll need: white, all-purpose flour white sugar whole eggs 1 egg yolk vanilla extract: optional, but adds a hint of vanilla flavor salt: enhances the flavors and balances everything butter cinnamon: optional, but it adds a great subtle flavor How do you eat Dutch pancakes? Some people roll up Dutch pancakes (topping and all) before they cut the roll into pieces and eat it, or they eat it by hand like a burrito. We like cutting the pancake into large pieces and serving it on a plate with a fork and knife. Either way works. 🙂 Our favorite way to top Dutch pancakes is with fresh berries, a light sprinkle of powdered sugar, and buttermilk syrup. How about this fruit-filled Dutch baby? Arrange fruits like blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches over the bottom of the skillet and then pour the batter over top (scattering fruit on top of the batter will keep it from rising as impressively). Some other ways to enjoy Dutch pancakes: fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar (my husband’s family always served it with a lemon butter syrup) maple syrup and fresh berries a scoop of fresh whipped cream and berries (How to make whipped cream tutorial here). sliced bananas and a caramel sauce or dulce de leche vanilla sauce and fresh berries a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and whipped cream a spoonful of lemon curd and fresh blueberries a dollop of Nutella, peanut butter, or almond butter How to make a Dutch baby in a cast iron skillet: Frequently German pancakes are made in a cast iron skillet. I’d say the skillet typically serves 2 people, so it’s never enough for our family, and that’s why I’m sharing a version made in a 9 x 13 pan. That said, I have tested it both ways — in a skillet or pan. The skillet you use doesn’t have to be cast iron; you can use any oven-safe pan (or baking dish) that is approximately 9 by 12 inches. You can even make a dutch baby in a pie pan! To halve the recipe to the following quantities(for baking in a smaller pan): 1/2 cup white flour 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons whole milk 1 large egg and 2 large egg yolks 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 and 1/2 tablespoons white sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 3 tablespoons butter Follow the same recipe instructions below using the cast iron skillet or pie pan instead of 9×13 pan. Bake for 13-17 minutes (ours takes 15 minutes). Buttermilk syrup This syrup is sweet, just barely tangy, and in my opinion, the perfect topping for a Dutch baby. It’s easy to make and the perfect thing to work on while your dutch baby is cooking! One tip here: when the baking soda is added to the syrup, the volume with double (or even triple) so make sure to start with a large enough pot so it doesn’t spill over. Dutch baby: quick tips on how to make them better! Blend the batter: not only is this the easiest way to make the batter, it also makes it easier to pour into the hot pan. Blending the batter will ensure there are no lumps of flour and all the ingredients are well combined. When pouring the batter into the pan, swirl the batter in a figure-8 pattern: This helps give the German pancake peaks and valleys which contributes to a better overall texture. Use a light-colored metal pan: This 9 x 13 pan is my favorite for Dutch babies. Pancakes made in a dark pan will get overly dark. Use a hot skillet or hot pan: This will help the pancake puff and you’ll get those beautiful caramelized edges. Bake in the bottom 1/3 of your oven: I’ve seen the best results from baking lower in the oven. More breakfast recipes: Bread Pudding Recipe with a caramel sauce Blueberry Syrup another great topping for a dutch baby! One Pan Breakfast Potatoes and Bacon Chocolate Muffins bakery style Egg Skillet with potatoes & peppers FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Dutch Baby (German Pancakes) 5 from 11 votes - Review this recipe This Dutch baby (also known as a German pancake) is the best I've ever had! It has a light custard base, fluffy sides and edges, and a rich buttery flavor. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Dutch Baby (German Pancakes) 5 from 11 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This Dutch baby (also known as a German pancake) is the best I've ever had! It has a light custard base, fluffy sides and edges, and a rich buttery flavor. Course Breakfast Cuisine American Keyword dutch baby, german pancakes Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 4 servings Calories 415kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 1 cup white all-purpose flour▢ 1 and 1/3 cups whole milk▢ 3 large eggs▢ 1 large egg yolk▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt)▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract▢ 3 tablespoons white sugar, optional▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ Optional: fresh berries for servingButtermilk syrup (optional)▢ 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, loosely measured/not packed (can use light brown sugar)▢ 3/4 cup white, granulated sugar▢ 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda▢ 1 teaspoon vanillaUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 pan and generously on the bottom and sides with cooking spray. Cut 6 tablespoons of cold (straight from the fridge) butter into 1 tablespoon pieces. Place the pieces in the prepared pan.COMBINE: In a high-powered blender, combine 1 cup flour, 1 and 1/3 cups whole milk, 3 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt (reduce if using table salt or if sensitive to salt), 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 tablespoons of white sugar, and (if desired) 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Before blending mixture, place the prepared pan (with butter in it) in the fully preheated oven.BLEND: Blend the batter until smooth. Check the pan in the oven; the butter should be mostly melted. Pull out the pan and swirl it around to coat all the bottom of the pan with butter. Return to the oven (if needed) until 100% melted. As soon as the butter is completely melted, immediately pour the batter from the blender into the pan. As you pour, pour in a figure-8 pattern.BAKE: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 18-23 minutes or until puffed, lightly browned at edges and peaks, and no longer glossy. (This is right at 20 minutes for me) Remove from the oven.SERVE: Immediately sprinkle on powdered sugar and cut into slices to serve. Serve with fresh berries and buttermilk syrup, if desired. Other serving options are described in the post. Dutch baby is enjoyed right after being made -- it doesn't store well. BUTTERMILK SYRUP (optional): In a medium-sized pot (bigger than you think, as the syrup doubles or triples in volume!), add in the loosely measured 1/4 cup of dark or light brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Heat over medium heat and stir occasionally until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved and syrup is smooth. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Whisk quickly to dissolve and evenly disperse the soda. The volume of the syrup will greatly increase. Stir in vanilla extract. Serve warm over pancakes. Video Nutrition FactsServing: 4servings | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.7g | Protein: 11.6g | Fat: 24.3g | Cholesterol: 237.9mg | Sodium: 100.4mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 12.9g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
I made this on Mother’s Day and our family loved it! It’s quick and easy (which is wonderful for this chica for whom recipes usually take double the amount of time), AND it’s delicious! Making it again this morning for Father’s Day 🙂 Reply
Turned out great, I cooked it in a bundt pan which gave it a fun look! This dish earned a spot in the recipe box to get handed to the the next generation! Thanks for posting! Reply
I started at 18 minutes and kept adding time. I took it out at 24 minutes and the bottom was burned but it was still not done. What did I do wrong? Reply
Hey Nancy, did you make any changes to the recipe? What size pan did you bake it in? And is your oven correctly calibrated? Reply
I made this for Mother’s Day last weekend and we loved it! My husband actually asked me to make more right then and there, but we decided to wait a week to enjoy it again, build up the anticipation you know 😉 QUESTION: : how come it’s okay to use a dark cast-iron skillet but not a dark colored 9×13 pan?? I would like to make the full recipe but only have a dark pan. This morning, I’m going to pour into a glass pie dish and a light colored cake pan so that we have more than we did last week, but I’d love to see it all in one pan. Reply
What should the texture be like? Firm? Gooey? I followed the recipe, but after 24 minutes I still had glossy spots/pools of butter on top. The edges and peaks were brown. The texture was somewhat gooey. I’ve not have German pancakes before, so I was not sure what the texture should be. Reply
It should be firm around the edges and quite gooey/custardy in the centers 🙂 Sounds like it was perfect! Reply
The best Dutch Baby recipe by far! I made half the recipe in my iron skillet and it was perfect for the two of us. I topped it with slices bananas, blueberries and chopped pecans. It is a lot less work than making pancakes. Reply
Made these for my kids and husband!! It was a hit! Also made the syrup and my youngest loved it and keeps asking me to make more! Does the syrup need to be refrigerated if there is leftovers? Reply
Can Dutch Baby pancake batter be made the night before then refrigerated in an airtight container until the next day? If so does batter need to be brought to room temp before pouring in buttered baking dish & putting in hot oven? Reply
I was a pastry chef and worked in French bakeries for 18 years and was very impressed with this formula, you can achieve a very custard like base by getting the eggs and milk up to room temperature and barely pulsing the food processor as to not incorporate air, just getting ingredients to come together, you probably will get an even better turnout if you overnight the batter but there has been no need for that. Perfect every time. Thanks for sharing this one. Reply
Thank you so much for the comment Justin and thank you for sharing your tips 🙂 What a cool profession!! I’m jealous 🙂 Reply
