This delicious breakfast dish is known as a Dutch baby. It looks impressive, but it’s surprisingly easy to make! Blend up a thin batter, pour into a hot skillet, and bake. Like a popover or Yorkshire pudding, this eggy batter puffs up as it bakes, then falls once it’s out of the oven. The result: A beautifully wrinkled, light and airy pancake, with the tender texture of a crepe that’s ready for all your favorite sweet or savory toppings.
One reader, Greta, commented: “I’ve made many dutch babies but this recipe is the best for sure!! It puffed perfectly and the lemon zest took it to another level. Well done! ★★★★★“
One reader, Carie, commented: “My 12-year-old son and I enjoyed making this fun and interesting recipe! He loved the drama of the puffy pancake that then settled into the perfect “bowl” for our toppings. The recipe is accessible to all skill levels and yields great results! We will be making this again. ★★★★★”
What Is a Dutch Baby Pancake?
A Dutch baby pancake is an impressive-looking (but actually very easy!) type of pancake baked in a skillet. It originated in Seattle at a cafe called Manca’s and may have been derived from Pfannkuchen (German pancakes). The batter puffs up like a balloon in the hot oven, then collapses down when you take it out.
The taste and texture is sort of a cross between a Yorkshire pudding or popover and a crepe: slightly sweet eggy pancake, with crisp edges and a tender middle. This makes a great base for tons of topping options and combinations—sweet as well as savory. I’ve included my two favorite ways to top it in the recipe below, but have fun discovering your own favorite version!
While it’s typically thought of as a breakfast or brunch dish (and would be a perfect Mother’s Day recipe if you’d like to make someone a special breakfast), Dutch baby pancakes can really be enjoyed any time of day!
Here’s Why You’ll Love It:
- Easy to make, but looks super impressive
- Crispy buttery edges, tender center
- Just 8 simple ingredients
- Your blender and oven do most of the work—no standing over the stove and no flipping
- Versatile—makes a fantastic canvas for your flavor artistry!
Let Me Show You How to Make a Dutch Baby Pancake:
The batter is a snap to make with a blender, just like how we make crepes. Start by blending 3 eggs until they’re foamy and fluffy (takes less than a minute):
Then add flour, milk, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla.
Purpose of these ingredients: While the eggs, flour, and milk make up the bulk of this batter, be sure to include the flavor-enhancing ingredients of lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Without those, the overall flavor would taste pretty bland. If you don’t have a lemon you can zest, you could use cinnamon instead, for a different flavor.
Blend to combine all the ingredients, then let the batter rest for 15–20 minutes before baking. This rest is key, because it allows the flour to soak up some of the liquid and slightly thicken the batter:
What Pan Do I Use for Dutch Baby Pancakes?
I use this cast-iron skillet, which is the same one I use for frittata and this asiago-crusted skillet bread. You can use any oven-safe skillet this size, though. If you don’t have a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, you can use any 3-quart size baking dish, a 10-inch pie dish, or 9-inch square baking pan instead.
Melt butter in the oven in your pan, and then pour the batter into the hot pan. Bake for 15 minutes at a high temperature, to really lift the Dutch baby pancake up nice and high, then reduce the temperature and bake for another 10 minutes.
Unlike with most American pancake recipes, there’s no leavening agent in Dutch baby pancakes. All the height comes from the eggs and from the steam lifting up the batter in the hot oven. Like a souffle, this batter rises high when baking, then falls when cooling.
Success Tip: Room temperature batter will puff up quicker in the oven, giving the pancake more height. So, use room temperature eggs and milk.
When it’s done baking, watch the magic of the puffy pancake pillow settling down into its final form—now it’s a beautiful bed ready for your toppings!
Sweet or Savory Dutch Baby Pancake
My favorite way to enjoy a sweet Dutch baby is with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, and some fresh berries (whipped cream and strawberry sauce take it to another level!). But I am also a big fan of savory Dutch baby pancakes… especially when we are talking smoked salmon and herbs. You can find the details for how to make the sour cream and chive Dutch baby pancake pictured here in the Notes section beneath the recipe instructions.
Big List of Dutch Baby Topping Ideas
- Strawberry sauce
- Raspberry sauce
- Blueberry sauce
- Lemon curd
- Whipped cream
- Nutella & sliced banana
- Butter & a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
- Sautéed apple slices & cinnamon
- Salted caramel
- Homemade pesto & sautéed veggies (spinach, mushrooms, peppers)
- Fresh mozzarella, basil, & cherry tomatoes
- Cooked ham, Canadian bacon, or prosciutto & a drizzle of hollandaise sauce
Can I Make the Batter Ahead of Time?
Though it’s a very quick batter to whip up, you can certainly prep it ahead of time. After blending it, you can cover and refrigerate the batter for up to 24 hours before using. There’s no need to bring it to room temperature before baking.
Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Make a sweet Dutch baby pancake using this simple recipe. See recipe Notes for a savory version, and other pan suggestions if you don’t have a cast iron skillet. For a list of optional toppings, see headnotes above.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature (or nondairy)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest*
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
Toppings
- 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for sifting
- optional toppings: berries, whipped cream, maple syrup, and/or strawberry sauce
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a blender and blend on medium-high speed until frothy and fluffy, about 45 seconds. Add flour, milk, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla, and blend until combined. The batter is thin. Set aside and allow to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. (No need to bring to room temperature before baking.)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Place butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (or any 3-quart baking dish), and place in the oven for just 5 minutes to melt the butter. (Be sure not to leave it in the oven to burn!) Remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter up the sides of the pan.
- Pour the batter into the center of the hot pan. No need to swirl it around. Place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Keeping the Dutch baby pancake in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for 10 more minutes, or until the edges and center are browned.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before adding desired toppings. Slice and serve.
- The pancake is best enjoyed right away, but you can cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Blender | Citrus Zester | 10-inch Oven-Safe Skillet
- Milk: I like this best with whole milk, but you can use any milk, dairy or nondairy.
- Lemon Zest: The lemon zest adds a touch of fresh flavor; the baked pancake doesn’t particularly taste like lemon, though. Add more zest for a stronger flavor, or skip it entirely. Instead, you can add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- If You Don’t Have a Cast Iron Skillet: You can use any oven-safe skillet that’s around 10 inches in diameter. If you don’t have a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, you can use any 3-quart size baking dish, a 10-inch pie dish, or 9-inch square baking pan instead.
- Sour Cream & Chive Savory Version: Reduce sugar to 1 Tablespoon. Increase salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Add 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tablespoon sour cream, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Continue with the recipe. For toppings, use the following: pickled red onions, halved cherry tomatoes, smoked salmon, more sour cream, arugula, and more chives and/or parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice without toppings
- Calories: 171
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 437.1 mg
- Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.9 g
- Protein: 5.9 g
- Cholesterol: 108.9 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
Yummy and pretty easy!
Dutch babies are a staple in our house, great recipe! We love them with fresh fruit and/or maple syrup!
A yummy breakfast! Simple to make, but hard to wait for! It was good, but I personally enjoy my other recipe better.
Great alternative to pancakes. I have made Dutch babies for years and this recipe is a winner. We like to experiment with different toppings. Berries in summer, caramelized apples in fall. Also great with some homemade ricotta and bbq veggies for a savoury alternative.
I had never made a Dutch Baby before and was excited to try it out. My son wanted to help so we made it together. He had fun cracking the eggs and putting everything into the blender. He was surprised at how easy it was to make the batter. While it didn’t quite puff up the same as in the recipe,it was still delicious!
Easy to make and versatile since it can be either savory or sweet.
I made this for my husband and parents last weekend. It was gone in 10 minutes – everyone loved it!
So yummy and such an easy way to feed the whole family without having to do individual pancakes.
Super simple recipe and the addition of lemon is such a nice “a ha!” that’s why it tastes so good ingredient. Will definitely keep this on hand as a Saturday morning breakfast staple.
This was such an easy recipe, with so much variety possible, and incredibly delicious!
This recipe was so easy and fast to whip up. We didn’t have to worry about the leftovers because we finished it all in one meal!
A big hit with my family. Some had it with syrup, or jam, and some had it with stir fried sausage and peppers. Good both ways!
This was perfect! I have made other recipes before and this one was the most satisfying to watch rise out of the pan. I used an extra egg and topped mine with homemade apple pie filling.
A big hit with my family!
I was thrilled to make this delicious breakfast treat. The easy to follow directions made it easy to achieve the desired results. Mine was just as good as any I have had in a restaurant.
This was so easy! We will definitely be making again!
I am so glad I made this for your monthly contest or I never would have tried it since I had a recipe for a German Puff Pancake that I have been making for years. I made this Dutch Baby recipe today and we loved it! My whole family liked it better than my old recipe so I promptly deleted the old recipe and replaced it with this one. It was absolutely delicious topped with maple syrup or fruit and whipped cream and it was so quick and easy to make. I added some sausage patties on the side and it was a complete meal. Thanks, Sally!
Super easy to put together. Paired perfectly with the recipe included for the Strawberry sauce. Will repeat this, I’m sure!
Turned out perfect
Made the Dutch Baby Pancake, but was not our favorite. Served with cinnamon apples and whip cream
This was a delicacy intended for a king. At least that’s how my husband described the results. I served with Sally’s lemon curd, whipped cream, fresh raspberries and toasted pecans. Super easy to whip up and amazingly gorgeous!
A fun variation on regular pancakes, and all served up in one pan! Yum!
Such an easy and delicious recipe. Adding fruit on top was a delight..
I don’t have a blender; could I whisk the eggs with a hand mixer instead and achieve the same result?
Hi Aubrey, the result may not be the exact same, but a whisk attachment on a hand mixer will work just fine.
it didn’t quite get the rise I was hoping for! But tasted great and was fun to try
Wow!! So easy and what a beautiful presentation! Would be great for overnight guests or holidays! Delicious and I could definitely imagine this with savory toppings!
I made this for the challenge. I’d never had one before so I enjoyed getting to try some new. It turned out great and was super easy to make. Thanks again for another wonderful recipe!
I made a savory version of this recipe using Brie cheese and walnuts which was inspired by my visit to a Dutch pancake restaurant in Holland. It was just as delicious as my fond memory! I will definitely make this again.
I loved the custard like base of this pancake. It made it very filling. I thought 3 tablespoons was too much butter, however, so I would use less next time. I made both a sweet and a savory version.
Easy recipe for brunch or breakfast!