Dutch Baby
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Meet your new brunch obsession: a Dutch Baby that’s as delicious as it is effortless—just blend, pour, and let the oven do the work. Perfect for weekend mornings or special occasions!
Sometimes called a German pancake, a Dutch Baby is a family-style pancake with a custardy center—think of it as a cross between a crepe, a pancake, and a popover. It never fails to get “oohs” and “ahhs” when you bring it to the table, and it’s surprisingly easy to make. Just whirl the batter in a blender, pour it into a piping-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 powdered sugar, add fresh berries if you like, and slice into wedges to drizzle with maple syrup. After you fall in love with this one, try my ham and cheese oven-puffed pancake—it’s a savory take on the classic Dutch baby recipe.
“Super easy and tasty! I bake this on the weekends and serve it with bacon. My boys devour it within minutes every single time!”
Why Is It Called A Dutch Baby?
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.
What You’ll Need To Make A Dutch Baby
- Large Eggs: Help the pancake puff up in the oven and give it that custardy texture inside.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the Dutch baby pancake its structure—think of it as the backbone of the batter.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps keep the texture light and delicate. Any kind works, dairy or non-dairy.
- Maple syrup: Adds just a hint of sweetness to the batter and is perfect for drizzling over the finished pancake.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor with warm, cozy notes.
- Butter: Makes the edges golden and crispy while adding rich flavor—and keeps the pancake from sticking to the pan.
- Fresh berries and confectioners’ sugar: A classic way to top it off. I usually use a combination of fresh blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, but any seasonal fruit will work (think fresh peaches with a pinch of nutmeg or sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon).
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven and make the batter. Preheat your oven to 400°F and set a rack in the center. Put a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or any oven-safe nonstick pan) in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes. Preheating the skillet helps create immediate lift when the batter hits the pan, giving the Dutch baby its dramatic rise.
Meanwhile, blend the eggs, flour, milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, salt, and vanilla in a blender until smooth—about 30 seconds total. Using a blender not only makes the batter silky smooth, but it also adds air, which helps the pancake puff up in the oven.
Step 2: Melt the butter and add the batter. Open the oven door and drop the butter into the hot skillet. Close the door and let it melt for about 2 minutes (just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t brown too much). Carefully take the skillet out, swirl the butter to coat the bottom, then pour the batter in. Act quickly once the butter is melted—the hot pan plus immediate batter contact is what creates those tall, crisp sides.
Step 3: Bake the Dutch baby. Gently return the skillet to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the Dutch baby is puffed and golden. It’s fun to watch it puff up, but look through the window; opening the oven door during baking can cause the pancake to collapse before it sets.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy. Dust your Dutch baby with confectioners’ sugar and add berries, slice into wedges, and serve with maple syrup. Dutch babies are best straight from the oven—they tend to deflate quickly—but you can prep the batter a few hours ahead and keep it chilled until you’re ready to bake.
Video Tutorial
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Dutch Baby
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 (205°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Put a 10-in (25-cm) 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
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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Mine turned out flat – well it was a little puffy right out of the oven, but then went really flat. What did I do wrong?
Hi Rachel, I don’t think you did anything wrong – that’s just the nature of a Dutch baby. They puff up in the oven and then fall down pretty quickly.
This is an amazing discovery, or a re-discovery. Growing up, my nana used to make these as a special treat and I haven’t thought of them in years. This came through my email and I thought I’d give it a try. Turns out, it is possibly easier than making pancakes or eggs on a cold winter morning! SO easy. Blended with my immersion blender and voila! Longest part was waiting for the over to heat up! I might need to buy a second cast iron pan so I can make this for a bigger crowd. Three of us (including a 6 year old) ate the whole thing.
Hi Jenn: I recall seeing these on a menu served with butter, powdered sugar and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Is this the same pancake that would have that topping?
Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw it with those toppings.
We’re only two people and cannot eat 4 pancakes at one sitting. Can the batter be stored in the refrigerator for later use?
Sure, Loretta, that should be fine. 🙂
Absolutely fabulous! Quick and easy to make breakfast before school. My kids loved this, a fun change from regular pancakes.
Any adjustments you’d make for a 12″ skillet? More batter, or shorter cooking time?
Hi, I’d make 1.5 times the batter for a 12 inch skillet. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks. This worked out well, and it’s astoundingly easy. Being able to use a blender makes it so simple to do.
Everybody’s favorite part was the crust around the perimeter. If I had a smaller pan, I’d have a higher ratio of crust to interior. But the interior was great too.
Excellent! My first time making these. I cooked some green apples with cinnamon, butter and brown sugars for my topping. Will make again but more than one next time.
Such a simple breakfast. Put maple syrup in the batter, per the directions, but did not use it after it was cooked. I just added fruit and powdered sugar. Delicious.
Très bonne recette pour un déjeuner le dimanche. Délicieux.
Reg
I just made this today for Saturday breakfast. It was so easy. I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious!