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
Quick, easy, delicious!
My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe. It was easy to make, and it tasted amazing.
Very easy recipe
Thank you Sally for this easy and delicious recipe.
I make this three times a week for breakfast! Everyone loves it so much. It feels like I’m eating sweet Yorkshire pudding for breakfast but it’s actually healthy!
This was not only fun but delicious! We loved watching it bake up in the oven and topped it with fresh strawberries and powdered sugar. Yum!
This was so yummy and easy. I’m surprised I’ve never made it before, but I’ll definitely make it again. I think mine would taste a little better if I let it get a bit more golden, but it was still delightful.
I really enjoyed this recipe! The process was quick, easy, and straightforward. It was simple to serve with some cut strawberries and sweetened Greek yogurt. Tasty! I will make this again!
Really very easy to do and delicious! Also easy to adapt as GF
This was super east and delicious! Kids loved helping and could do it alone!
This was pretty good!
So delicious! Loved it as a slightly different type of pancake!
Excellent recipe! I made a savory BLT version of it and my family loved it! Excited to try a sweet version in the future!
This recipe was easy, and yummy too! It was more eggy than I anticipated, but I suppose that is just the nature of the “Dutch” pancake. The best part was watching the batter puff up like crazy in the oven, and then watching it sink down afterwards. Also, putting fruit on it really enhances its flavor.
It was delicious!
Can confirm that this recipe works beautifully in a pie plate! Took just a tad longer to cook though, possibly because the cast iron gets a little hotter. Filled mine with caramelized cinnamon apple slices since I didn’t have any berries on hand and have been hearing requests to make this on the regular ever since.
Pure nostalgia! Perfect with some powdered sugar & lemon.
I am usually not the biggest fan of a Dutch baby pancake, but these were phenomenal! Easy and well cooked, which I feel is the normal culprit, soggy pancakes. My kids devoured both the regular and sour cream and chive (my preference)! Well done again Sally!
My Dutch Baby Pancake fresh out of the oven, unadorned. The pancake was delicious and I will definitely make it again. I will cook it for a few minutes longer. I would like the center to be a bit more golden.
I loved this recipe!!! My skillet was too big so I had to use my pie pan and I was nervous it wouldn’t turn out well but it turned out great!!! It was an easy recipe to follow and turned out delicious!
This was so easy-way easier than making pancakes for the family! We topped it with a squeeze of lemon and powdered sugar and it was a huge hit!
Such an easy and delicious recipe. I made it savory but can’t wait to try a dessert version!
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 to a perfect “bowl” for our toppings. The recipe is accessible to all skill levels and yields great results! We will be making this again.
I can’t wait to make this recipe and change up the toppings every time! So fun and so good
This recipe was so yummy! Mine didn’t raise up the side like Sally’s but it was still delicious. My whole family enjoyed it. I will make it again!
This was delicious! My husband and I made a “His and Her” Dutch Baby. His was savoury and tasty but my side was even better topped with whipping cream and strawberries. Guaranteed we will make this again!
Delicious! Puffed very high and has rich eggy flavor. Used cinnamon instead of lemon and added Blueberries.
I loved this recipe for baking for little kids. First of all, it’s an easy recipe to allow them to practice some essential baking/cooking skills. Secondly, with Sally’s suggestion of ensuring there’s an extra quarter cup of each milk and flour for each egg added made it so easy increase the recipe according to family size. Then the batter was perfectly fine sitting for a little longer than 15 minutes when a muddy toddler needed a surprise bath. We did Nutella and banana slices but my kids started discussing ways we could do their favorite savory toppings next time. And, considering they devoured it in six minutes, there will be a next time!
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!
This recipe was quick and easy and turned out so well! I put blueberries, strawberries, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. It was a perfect summery treat and my kids loved it too.