Dutch Baby
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Start your day off right with a Dutch baby—a big, puffy, German-style pancake baked in a sizzling-hot buttered skillet.
Sometimes called a German pancake, a Dutch Baby is a big, puffy, family-style pancake with a custardy center—think of it as a cross between a crepe, a pancake, and a popover. Dutch babies are sure to get oohs and ahhs when you bring them to the table, and they’re incredibly easy to make, taking just 25 minutes from start to finish. Simply whirl the batter in a blender, pour it into a sizzling-hot buttered skillet, and pop it in the oven. As it bakes, the sides rise dramatically, creating a golden, puffy crust with a tender, eggy middle.
Dutch babies do deflate quickly as they cool, so be sure to have everyone ready when you pull it out for maximum wow factor. To serve, dust with confectioners’ sugar, add fresh berries if you like, and slice into wedges to drizzle with maple syrup.
Table of Contents
“Super easy and tasty! My boys devoured it within minutes and wanted more! Another hit that we’ll add to the brunch rotation!”
What You’ll Need To Make A Dutch Baby
- Eggs: Provide structure and richness, and help the Dutch baby pancake rise when heated.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the batter and gives the pancake its body and structure.
- Milk: Adds moisture and lightness, contributing to the custard-like texture of the finished pancake. Use any milk you like, from whole milk to plant-based.
- Maple syrup: Lightly sweetens the batter; also used for drizzling over the cooked pancake.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, aromatic flavor to the pancake.
- Butter: Provides fat and flavor; ensures a golden, buttery crust and prevents the pancake from sticking to the pan.
- Fresh berries and confectioners’ sugar: Serve as a topping for the finished pancake. Sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon would also make a delicious topper.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Put a 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe nonstick pan into the oven and heat for at least 5 minutes. In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, the salt, and vanilla.
Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary, about 30 seconds.
Open the oven door and drop the butter into the preheated skillet. Close the oven and allow the butter to melt, about 2 minutes (do not let it burn). Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and gently swirl the butter around.
Pour the batter into the buttered skillet.
Carefully place the skillet back into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.
Dust the Dutch baby with confectioners’ sugar and top with berries, if desired, then cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.
Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
The name “Dutch baby” is somewhat misleading, as this dish is neither Dutch in origin nor related to babies! This name actually stems from a mispronunciation. The story dates back to the early 20th century at Manca’s Cafe, a family-owned restaurant in Seattle, where the dish was first popularized. Originally called a “Deutsch (German) baby” due to its German pancake roots, the owner’s daughter mispronounced “Deutsch” as “Dutch”—and the charming name “Dutch baby” was born!
Dutch babies are best enjoyed fresh from the oven because they are known for their impressive puff and tender texture, which deflate and change texture as they cool. However, you can mix the batter a few hours ahead and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake. This can help you save time if you’re planning to serve it for breakfast or brunch.
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Dutch Baby
Start your day off right with a Dutch baby—a big, puffy, German-style pancake baked in a sizzling-hot buttered skillet.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Confectioners' sugar, for serving (optional)
- Fresh berries, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Put a 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe nonstick pan into the oven and heat for at least 5 minutes.
- In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, the salt, and vanilla. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary, about 30 seconds.
- Open the oven door and drop the butter into the preheated skillet. Close the oven and allow the butter to melt, about 2 minutes (do not let it burn). Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place an oven mitt or dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it's hot. Pour the batter into the buttered skillet and carefully place the skillet back into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (again, place an oven mitt or dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it's hot). Dust with confectioners' sugar and top with berries, if desired, then cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 214 mg
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this today and it was easy and perfect! I had to use my KitchenAid mixer with the whisk as my blender pooped out. I think whisking it on highest speed did the job! Delicious!
Jenn
I am planning on making this in a few days for a Brunch. Would I be able to substitute almond milk or should I stick with regular milk? Thanks.
Sure, almond milk is fine here. Enjoy!
This is a perfect weekend breakfast. The presentation straight out of the oven is sensational. This is often requested and today I made 2! Thank you Jenn for this perfect recipe ♥️
I followed the directions but it never puffed up. It’s a giant dense pancake. I did use GF flour and I am at a higher altitude. Any suggestions for next time?
Hi Sarah, sorry you had a bit of a problem with this! While I’ve never made it with gluten-free flour, I don’t think that was the issue and that it was more likely the altitude. I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though.
Absolutely brilliant and such an easy meal to made as a fun mid week dinner.
Really yummy but mine didn’t turn out quite so pretty. It never completely puffed up but it’s still really good. My kids are calling it breakfast pizza and trying different toppings. I do think my oven temp is a bit off so that’s hopefully why it didn’t work completely the same for me.
I HAVE MADE THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS AND IT ALWAYS TURNS OUT JUST PERFECT
How long do you think I would need to cook it if I doubled the recipe in a 12” pan??
Hi Leslie, I think it will take a little longer, but not much, so keep a close eye on it.
Not sure what happened in ours, but following each step and double checking, the recipe required over 35 minutes of cooking time and it still didn’t look like it was done yet. This isn’t our first time making dutch babies either and yet this didn’t really turn out
Hi, I wonder, Jenn, if I can use a whole wheat flour for this. What will be your suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Natalie, I haven’t used whole wheat four for this, so it’s hard to say. . I’d suggest starting by using half whole wheat and half all-purpose to make sure you like the texture. If you do like it, the next time you make this, you can use all whole wheat. Also, you may want to consider white whole wheat as it’s lighter and milder tasting than regular whole wheat flour (yet just as nutritious). I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Love it.
How would one store this for later consumption?
I made this into cupcake sized ones with extra batter. I figure into the fridge would be fine, but are they “shelf stable?”
Good question! You may be able to get away with storing it at room temperature, but to be safe, I’d refrigerate them.
We’re out of maple syrup. What would you recommend as a replacement?
Hi Stephanie, you can replace the syrup with honey (but you may want some syrup for serving). 🙂
Going to try it right now. I add blueberries to the batter and then top with fresh berries, so no syrup needed! Love your recipes!
Lemon and powdered sugar. Or Lemon curd.
How or where can I get lemon curd. I think that would be amazing in that Baby.
Audrey
Google for them.