This Dutch baby recipe starts with a simple batter that’s easy to make in the blender. It bakes into a big, puffy, golden brown pancake in the oven!
This Dutch baby pancake is for you if 1) you love popovers, 2) you love crepes, and/or 3) you want making brunch to be as easy as possible. This recipe couldn’t be simpler!
Unlike stovetop pancakes, a Dutch baby bakes in a hot skillet in the oven. As it cooks, its eggy batter puffs up (think popovers) and turns a gorgeous golden brown. The custardy slices taste a lot like crepes, and they’re a delicious vehicle for toppings like fresh fruit.
I shared a raspberry lemon Dutch baby recipe in my first cookbook, but I’ve never shared one here. With Mother’s Day this weekend, I thought now would be the perfect time to change that!
This classic Dutch baby recipe takes about 20 minutes to make and calls for less than 10 ingredients. The pancake is puffy, delicate, and beautifully golden brown. Piled with your favorite toppings (mine are berries and powdered sugar!), it would be a delightful treat for Mother’s Day…or any day you’re in the mood for an easy, delicious brunch.
Dutch Baby Pancake Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make a Dutch baby pancake:
- Eggs – They make the pancake puff up in the oven. No baking powder here!
- All-purpose flour – It gives the simple batter its structure.
- Milk – I find that whole milk yields the best results, but 2% works too.
- Cane sugar – I’ve tried making Dutch babies without any sugar, but they end up tasting bland. A little sweetness brings out the rich flavors in the batter.
- Nutmeg – For warm, earthy flavor. A pinch of cinnamon or cardamom would be lovely too. You could even add a drop of vanilla extract!
- Unsalted butter – It adds buttery flavor and prevents the pancake from sticking to the pan.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make a Dutch Baby
You could whisk together this batter by hand, but I think it’s even quicker and easier to make in the blender!
Just add the eggs, flour, milk, sugar, salt, and nutmeg to a blender and blend until smooth.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F with a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside it. You want the pan to be hot when you add the batter. When the batter hits the hot pan, it will create steam that helps the pancake start puffing right away.
- Tip: Don’t have a cast-iron skillet? Any 10-inch oven-safe pan will work here.
Remove the skillet from the oven (careful—it’ll be hot!) and add the butter. Tilt the pan so that the butter coats the bottom and sides as it melts.
Pour in the batter and bake in the hot oven until the edges of the Dutch baby pancake are puffed and golden and the center is set.
That’s it!
Dutch Baby Recipe Tips
- Start with room temperature ingredients. Just like when you’re making popovers, using room temperature milk and eggs in a Dutch baby will help it puff up more in the oven. Take them out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before making this recipe. Or, to warm them up more quickly, zap the milk in the microwave (not for too long—it should be room temp, not hot!) and let the eggs sit a small bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- Your pan size matters. This recipe makes a good amount of batter for a 10-inch skillet. A 9-inch pan will work too, but you may need to increase the bake time because the pancake will be thicker. I wouldn’t go smaller or larger than 9 or 10 inches. If the pan is too small, the pancake will be too thick. To big, and it’ll be too thin. If you don’t have the right size skillet, you could use a 9-inch pie dish or other baking dish instead!
- Preheat the pan. This easy step is super important for helping your pancake puff! I like to put my pan in the oven when it’s still cold and let the pan preheat along with the oven.
How to Serve
Flavorful toppings are half the fun of a Dutch baby pancake!
Most often, I serve mine with fresh berries and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
These options would be delicious too:
More Favorite Brunch Recipes
If you love this Dutch baby pancake recipe, try one of these delicious brunch dishes next:
Dutch Baby
Serves 4
This Dutch baby pancake cooks in a hot skillet in the oven, becoming beautifully puffed and golden brown as it bakes. Its edges have a delicious crisp texture, and the middle is soft and custardy—perfect for piling with your favorite toppings.
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside it and let the pan preheat for at least 5 minutes.
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In a blender, place the eggs, flour, milk, sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.
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Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the butter. Swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan, then pour in the batter. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the edges are puffed and golden brown and the center is set.
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Remove from the oven and use a spatula to remove the Dutch baby from the pan. Transfer to a serving dish and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with fresh berries.
Recipe adapted from The New York Times
