Make easy Baby Dutch Pancake with its dramatic poof and rumply puddles of eggy custard. A versatile and universally popular breakfast or brunch recipe that’s easily made at home. Once you start making it, you’ll never order it at a restaurant again!
What is a Dutch Pancake?
A Dutch Pancake is a puffed, golden, crepe-like recipe that’s similar to a popover. Eggs, flour, and milk are whisked together into a thin batter. Then poured into a hot skillet and baked at high heat. A dramatic POOF results! The edges get tall and crispy while the interior stays custardy and eggy.
A snowfall of confectioners sugar and various sweet and/or savory toppings make this easy Dutch baby delicious and unique. Add toppings of your choice and make it your own!
Dutch Pancakes are sometimes called German pancakes. The origin of this oven-baked, versatile dish is not actually Dutch at all.
Dutch Baby Pancakes are a popular recipe served at breakfast or brunch. They are so pretty and fancy-looking when ordered at restaurants. But honestly? It’s so simple and economical to make at home. Make it once and see how easy it is!
Ingredients:
Basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- Eggs. Use the best you can find. I recommend organic free-run large eggs for their flavor, structure, and color.
- Milk. Whole, full-fat milk has the most flavor and creates the most dramatic poof, because of the fat content. But 2% and 1% are great options, too. Plant-based milks (almond, oat, soy, etc.) or skim milk (non-fat) also work great but it won’t get as puffy.
- Butter. A little bit of richness. Also prevents sticking.
- Vanilla. Just a splash!
- Flour. Regular all purpose flour. Not too much — the batter will be very thin.
- Sugar. A little bit of sweetness.
- Salt. A pinch enhances all the flavors.
Possible Toppings:
After the Baby Dutch Pancake has finished baking, add your toppings of choice. Make it simple or go all out! Enjoy sweet or savory preparations. Some suggestions:
Sweet:
- Fresh berries + maple syrup
- Powdered Sugar
- Whipped Cream + Berries (Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- Thinly sliced apples or pear
- Thinly sliced stone fruit (peaches, plums)
- Scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Drizzles of warmed nutella, chocolate sauce, or butterscotch sauce
- Whipped Cream
- Dollops of jam
- Strawberry or Apple butter
Savory:
- Smoked Salmon
- Goat cheese
- Sautéed mushrooms + herbs
- Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley – add to the batter)
- Blue cheese
- Gruyere cheese
- Ham slices or Prosciutto or Bacon
- Burrata + Pesto
Instructions:
- Preheat oven and skillet. Place cast iron pan in the oven and preheat the oven and skillet at 450F.
- Make batter. Whisk eggs. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Add milk, vanilla (if using), salt, and sugar. Whisk again.
- Add batter to skillet. When the oven has reached 450F, take out the cast iron pan with oven mitts. Be careful! It will be hot! Add 2 Tbsp butter and swirl to make sure the bottom of the pan is well coated. The butter will sizzle and brown. Using a spatula, pour the batter into the pan. Immediately transfer to the oven.
- Bake. Bake until puffy and golden. Don’t open the oven door or it will deflate!
- Garnish and serve. Add toppings of choice and eat immediately. Enjoy!
PRO Tips:
- Preheat the skillet. A hot skillet is the key to a dramatically puffy Dutch baby pancake. Make sure the butter sizzles and browns when added to the pan. Otherwise, it’s not hot enough.
- Whisk batter very well. Make sure the batter contains no lumps. When adding ingredients, whisk after each addition. If there are stubborn lumps, whizz in a blender or Vitamix until smooth.
- Rest Batter. After whisking, let the batter rest until the oven has reached 450F.
- Do not open the oven door. While the Baby Dutch Pancake bakes, don’t open the oven door. It will deflate! Even a slight change in temperature will stop the rising process.
- Garnish quickly. The Dutch pancake will immediately start to deflate. Prep garnish ahead of time and add quickly.
Helpful Kitchen Tools:
- Cast iron pan. Cast iron is a great heat conductor and retains heat well. They are perfect for dramatically poofy Dutch Pancakes. A 10-inch cast iron skillet makes for a thicker, more custardy Dutch Baby with taller sides. A 12-inch cast iron skillet makes for a thinner, more crepe-like Dutch Baby with crispier edges.
- Oven-proof container. Although my preference is a cast iron skillet, not everyone owns one. Not to worry! Any oven-proof dish will also work. Make sure it can withstand heat up to 450F. Over the years, I’ve baked Dutch Baby Pancakes in casserole dishes of various sizes, glass pie pans, as well as metal square tins used to bake brownies.
FAQ:
Why didn’t my Dutch Baby rise?
I’m not sure. It may be the size of your pan. The bigger the surface area, the less height the Dutch pancake will achieve. I recommend a 10″ pan for the most rise.
Follow these steps to achieve the most rise: preheat the pan properly, use a cast iron skillet, whisk well, rest batter, and do not open the oven door. Also, use good eggs and whole milk.
More Brunch + Breakfast inspiration:
- Crispy Hash Browns with Kimchi + Bacon + Eggs
- Dark Chocolate Buckwheat Granola
- Buttermilk Waffles + Black Sesame Whip
- Air Fryer Hong Kong style French Toast
- Korean Street Toast
Easy Dutch Baby Pancake
Equipment
- 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk (can be subbed with plant based milk of choice)
- 2/3 cup flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla (leave out for savory dutch baby)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Sweet Topping Options:
- maple syrup
- powdered sugar
- fresh fruit
- ice cream
- whipped cream
Savory Topping Options:
- smoked salmon, prosciutto, or ham slices
- burrata + pesto
- fresh herbs (1 Tbsp each rosemary, thyme, parsley, chopped finely) (add directly to the batter)
- goat cheese, blue cheese, gruyere
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F/230C. Place a 10 or 12 inch cast iron pan into the oven. The goal is for the pan and the oven to preheat together. (Alternately, you can use a ceramic dish that is 10-12 inches in diameter.)
- Make batter. In a large bowl, add eggs. Whisk well until frothy. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Add milk, vanilla (if using), salt, and sugar. Whisk vigorously, making sure there are no lumps. Let the batter rest while the oven finishes preheating.
- Add batter to skillet. When the oven has reached 450F, take out the cast iron pan with oven mitts. Be careful! It will be hot! Working carefully, add 2 Tbsp butter and swirl to make sure the bottom of the pan is well coated. The butter will sizzle and brown. Using a spatula, pour the batter into the pan. Immediately transfer to the oven.
- Bake. Bake until puffy and golden brown with crispy edges, about 12-15 minutes. Do not open the oven door while it bakes or it will deflate!
- Garnish and serve. Remove the Dutch Pancake from the oven. As soon as you remove it, it will begin to deflates. Work quickly to garnish with toppings of choice. Eat immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Preheat the skillet. A hot skillet is the key to a dramatically puffy Dutch baby pancake. Make sure the butter sizzles and browns when added to the pan. Otherwise, it’s not hot enough.
- Whisk batter very well. Make sure the batter contains no lumps. When adding ingredients, whisk after each addition. If there are stubborn lumps, whizz in a blender or Vitamix until smooth.
- Rest Batter. After whisking, let the batter rest until the oven has reached 450F.
- Do not open the oven door. While the Baby Dutch Pancake bakes, don’t open the oven door. It will deflate! Even a slight change in temperature will stop the rising process.
- Garnish quickly. The Dutch pancake will immediately start to deflate. Prep garnish ahead of time and add quickly.
For savoury version, do you still include the 2tbsp of sugar?
No, I don’t include the sugar when making a savory dutch baby. Thank you for asking!
This was my first time making a Dutch pancake. It was so easy and my family loved it! A special and healthy breakfast! Thank you 🙂
I like the use of an oven in this recipe. In The Netherlands we bake the pancakes in a skillet and flip them once upside down.
Great recipe. We say, it aint much if it aint Dutch. But .. I really enjoy your Korean recipes ?
I made this today and loved it! It was simple to make and delicious! It may just be my new favourite breakfast food 🙂
Thank you Justina! I’m so glad you enjoyed it ☺️