Dutch Baby Pancake | The Modern Proper (2024)

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March 15, 2024

Extremely simple ingredients yield a showy, puffed-up, popover-like, oven-baked Dutch baby pancake that’s buttery, delicate, and delicious.

Categories

  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Lunch
  • Vegetarian
  • 30 Minutes
  • Kid Friendly

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More Favorite Pancake Recipes From The Modern Proper.

  • Pumpkin Pancakes

  • Buttermilk Pancakes

  • Homemade Pancake Mix

  • Banana Pancakes

A Dutch Baby Pancake That’s As Light and Fluffy As Your Favorite Pillow

Dusted in powdered sugar—or whatever topping you love best—a fluffy, poofy, piping hot Dutch baby is the speediest way to get breakfast on the table. Sometimes called a German pancake, this all-American brunch favorite is easy to make at home and the recipe is nearly foolproof, despite its grandiose appearance. For more fancy pancake recipes to celebrate a special day — or just the fact that it’s the weekend — try out our Trail Mix Pancakes or our Almond Poppyseed Pancakes.

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What Is A Dutch Baby?

A Dutch baby — sometimes called German pancakes — is a big, buttery oven-baked pancake. It’s cooked in a lot of butter in a super-hot cast iron skillet in the oven, and it gets all puffy with crisped edges when it bakes. You can make a sweet Dutch baby or a savory Dutch baby by topping the finished pancake with whatever your heart desires, though a simple squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of confectioner's sugar is probably the most classic way of serving it.

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Dutch Baby Ingredients: Magically Simple

  • Eggs

  • All-purpose flour

  • Whole milk

  • Vanilla

  • Sea salt

  • Salted butter

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Let’s Learn How To Make A Dutch Baby Pancake

  1. Put the empty, dry cast iron skillet in the warm oven to get nice and hot.

  2. Dump all of the ingredients except for the butter into a blender.

  3. Blend until you’ve got a smooth batter. If you’d rather blend the batter with a whisk, you can, but be sure to really whip it up — you need to incorporate air in order for the Dutch baby to rise like it should.

  4. Grab that hot skillet and pop in the butter. Let it melt completely.

  5. Pour the batter into the buttered pan.

  6. Bake!

  7. Serve!

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How To Store + Tips for the Best, Easy German Pancakes

  • Store any leftover pancakes in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy them cold with jam on top, or warm them up briefly in the microwave.

  • What is the difference between a Dutch baby and a German pancake? There isn’t one! They are the same thing. You can call this recipe either one!

  • What makes a Dutch baby rise? The magic that makes that Dutch baby pancake rise to its signature heights is simple: Steam! The combination of air that’s whipped into the eggs when you mix the batter and the super hot cast-iron skillet (and oven) create the conditions needed for the lift we love.

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Dutch Baby Toppings: The Sky’s The Limit

One of the best things about Dutch baby toppings is that they’re really adaptable to what you’ve got on hand. A lot of people are bonkers for apples as a topping—caramelized, or in apple butter form. But other combos we love are:

  • Butter and syrup

  • Butter and jam

  • Powdered sugar and lemon juice

  • Whipped cream and fresh berries

  • Cinnamon sugar

  • A fried egg and some shredded cheese and herbs

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More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes To Try

  • French Toast

  • Banana Bread

  • Belgian Waffles

  • Baked Oatmeal

  • How to Make French Toast Nothing fancy—simply how to make the very best French toast you’ve ever had! Now, pass the maple syrup.
  • Banana Bread We started with our very favorite homemade banana bread recipe and we made it even more decadent by topping it with sweet, creamy maple mascarpone.
  • Belgian Waffles Buttery, rich and perfectly golden-crisp, these restaurant-perfect Belgian waffles are what lazy brunch dreams are made of!
  • Baked Oatmeal We’re always looking for ways to brighten up our day at breakfast, and this baked oatmeal dish really helps get the wheels turning. Make this on a Sunday, and just add milk and warm it up all week.

The Best Dutch Baby Recipe Is Also Fast & Easy — Yay!

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Dutch Baby Pancake | The Modern Proper (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a Dutch baby pancake and a Pannekoeken pan? ›

Both Netherlands-style Pannenkoeken and Dutch Baby pancakes make a wonderful breakfast option as the batter can be made the night before and, in the case of the Dutch Baby, the pancake is baked in the oven, making it a relatively hands-off recipe.

What is the difference between Dutch pancakes and regular pancakes? ›

What's the difference between a Dutch pancake and an American pancake? A Dutch pancake is usually larger and much thinner than the thick and fluffy American pancakes. If you order a Dutch pancake at PANCAKES Amsterdam, you will get a delicious thin pancake with a diameter of 32 centimeters.

What is the difference between Yorkshire pudding and Dutch baby pancake? ›

A Dutch baby is very similar to a Yorkshire pudding, with a few differences: the Yorkshire pudding is more likely to be baked in individual servings, the pan is usually greased with beef drippings, and the result is rarely sweet. Dutch babies are larger, use butter rather than beef fat, and are frequently sweet.

Why are German pancakes called Dutch babies? ›

The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German). “Baby” referred to the fact that the restaurant served miniature versions.

What is a pancake in Dutch slang? ›

Pannenkoek — Among the more benign Dutch insults you could call someone to let them know that they're an idiot? A pancake.

What is the difference between German and Dutch pancakes? ›

A dutch baby pancake is sometimes referred to as a puff pancake, a dutch puff, or a German pancake. It is essentially a large popover or Yorkshire pudding with a custardy base and crisp tall edges. It is typically served for breakfast.

Is a Dutch baby the same as a popover? ›

Dutch babies, popovers, German pancakes, Yorkshire pudding are all the same thing just different names. Technically these are all baked puddings and delicious. Try serving them with my delicious strawberry syrup.

What is the US version of Yorkshire pudding? ›

History. The popover is an American version of Yorkshire pudding and similar batter puddings made in England since the 17th century, The oldest known reference to popovers dates to 1850. The first cookbook to print a recipe for popovers was in 1876.

What is Holland pancakes? ›

A pannenkoek is a delicious crepe with a variety of ingredients cooked right into the batter, making this not your average North American pancake. In the Netherlands, they are eaten primarily for lunch or dinner, but our variety of choices makes them perfect for any meal!

Are Dutch babies supposed to be eggy? ›

The term “Dutch baby” is often attributed to Manca's, a long-shuttered Seattle diner. The dish is an eggy German pancake, which means that Dutch has more to do with “Deutsch” than it does the Netherlands. Baked in the oven, this “pan cake” is actually nothing like an American-style pancake (or a cake, for that matter).

Does a dutch baby have to be made in a cast iron skillet? ›

Be sure to use a 9- or 10-inch skillet for making this pancake. The smaller size increases the puff while helping the pancake keep its shape. The pan doesn't have to be cast iron; you can use any oven-safe pan or baking dish of a similar size. I've even done them in a pie dish!

How to eat a dutch baby pancake? ›

The classic way to serve a Dutch baby is with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and the juice of a lemon wedge spritzed on top. But you can serve them like pancakes, with maple syrup and butter or your favorite fruit compote. I love a savory Dutch baby, so I often top mine with sautéed greens and fried eggs.

Is a German pancake the same as a pannekoek? ›

Folks tend to use the two names, German pancake and pannekoeken, interchangeably. But a German pancake is made in a casserole dish or baking pan, not a specialty pan as used for pannekoeken.

What are three types of pancakes? ›

15 Types of Pancake Recipes from Across the Globe
  • French Crêpes. French crêpes are well known in the UK and are officially made in a crêpe pan to form a thin pancake. ...
  • American-Style Pancakes. ...
  • Scotch Pancakes. ...
  • Indonesian Serabi. ...
  • Russian Blinis. ...
  • Moroccan Msem*n. ...
  • Danish Aebleskiver. ...
  • Irish Boxty.

What is a Dutch baby original pancake house? ›

The Dutch Baby is another Original Pancake House exclusive. Like the Apple Pancake it is made from fresh German batter, but there are no apples or cinnamon sugar. This delicacy bakes up into a large puff in the oven and is served to you immediately. It will deflate right before your eyes just like the Apple Pancake.

What's the difference between crêpes and pannenkoeken? ›

Pannenkoeken are usually larger (up to a foot in diameter) and much thinner than their American or Scotch pancake counterparts, but not as thin as crêpes. They may incorporate slices of bacon, apples, cheese, or raisins.

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