German or Dutch Baby Pancakes make for a simple, quick hot breakfast … or lunch or dinner. I mean what is better than a baked pancake with tall, crispy edges and a tender, custardy bottom?
If I'm honest, we eat them all the time. They are our go to last minute meal plan. 5 ingredients, 30 minutes and so, so, so delicious.
The German Pancake sometimes called a "Dutch Baby" is really just one big, giant pancake. German or Dutch Baby pancakes are especially great for serving on holiday mornings or for a weekend brunch.
If you are looking for other brunch inspiration you've got to check out our favorite gooey Cinnamon Rolls, Buttermilk Waffles, Sheet Pan Breakfast Pizza or yummy Bran Muffins!
🥘 Ingredients
- Eggs
- Flour
- Milk
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Butter
🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Blend or Whisk Eggs
Firstly, use a blender or hand mixer to mix your eggs. You will know the eggs are ready as soon as the yolks and whites have been combined. At this point the egg mixture will appear bright yellow or lemon colored. Then add milk your salt and vanilla to the blender.
Measure Flour
Secondly, add your flour to the blender and mix till smooth. The first thing to remember here is to measure your flour properly. There is a right and wrong way to measure flour.
I grew up grabbing a measuring cup, sticking it in the flour container then scooping out what I needed and leveling off the top. But this is NOT the right way to measure flour.
Measuring that way can totally ruin a recipe. Scooping flour directly from the container compacts it into the measuring cup ultimately giving you more flour than was originally intended.
The proper technique for measuring flour is to place your measuring cup on a flat surface. Using a smaller measuring cup or spoon, fill the measuring cup with small scoops or spoonfuls till full. Gently level off the measuring cup.
For more exact measurements the most pro of chefs measure flour by weight for an exact amount every single time. Once you have the flour measured mix the batter together in the blender till smooth.
Prepare the Pan
Then once the batter is ready it is time to prepare the pan. Firstly, melt that butter in the microwave.
The butter needs to be HOT when the batter goes in, so let it go for at least a minute. This helps the pancake to rise properly before the flour has a chance to weigh it all down.
So after hot and melty, add butter to the pan tilting it all around to make sure the bottom is nice and coated. After that there should be extra butter in the bottom of the pan. Do not discard!
In particular this butter is super important for cooking the center of the German or Dutch Baby Pancakes. The steam created from the butter and eggs heating up is what gives your pancake everything it needs to rise up and get all puffy.
Prepare the Oven
Being sure to NOT preheat the oven, place the casserole dish in a cold oven. This is key for an even cook and for giving time for the pancake to rise. If the oven is pre-heated, the edges will cook quicker and as a result the center will not have as much opportunity to rise and get fluffy.
So be sure to leave the oven off until ready to put the pan on the rack. Then place it in the middle of the oven.
Bake the Pancakes
After placing in the oven let the pancakes bake for 30 minutes. When you open the oven they will be tall and fluffy. After pulling from the oven they pancakes will fall or deflate. Don't worry that is exactly what they are supposed to do!
🍽 How to Serve
There are many ways to dress up this decadent breakfast treat. If you are able to exercise a little extra self control, try sprinkling with powdered sugar and serve the traditional way with Meyer lemon juice.
Or you can try it my favorite way, slathered in Costco's berry syrup. And if neither of those is striking your fancy give Dallin's way a try, dressed in peanut butter and maple syrup.
I've also seen others enjoy it with fresh fruit, nutella, butter, or sprinkled with cinnamon. Above all, truly the best advice I can give you, is just to follow your heart and ENJOY!
🥗 Side Dishes
One of our favorite things to make alongside German Pancakes are smoothies! Smoothies like our best ever Green Smoothie are a great way to add in some fruit and greens.
Some of our other favorites would be our Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie, Watermelon Chia smoothie and delicious Orange Mango smoothie.
📋 FAQ's
Can you substitute whole wheat flour for white flour?
I've tried this before and it isn't a good idea. All I can say is that weird things happen. Traditionally whole wheat flour makes much denser baked goods. A dense baked pancake is no bueno. Especially a dense German Pancake.
It pretty much defies the entire purpose of what you are trying to achieve here with your baked breakfast. If you are set on only using whole wheat flour, this may not be the recipe for you.
Can I substitute butter for cooking spray?
No, No, NO! The butter is crucial here. It is doing way more than just creating a non-stick environment for your baked pancake.
The hot melted butter assists in the lift process for this dish. Do not skip this step. I repeat. DO NOT skip the butter, you will be sad if you do.
Why is it called German Pancakes?
It is the Americanized version of the German Apfelpfannkuchen. It would also be in the same family as a Yorkshire pudding or popover. So where did this dish get it's nickname? Is it a German dish or not? The name "Dutch Baby" actually came about by mistake.
These pancakes were originally served in a diner in Seattle in the early 1900s. The owner's daughter struggled to pronounce Deutsch, (the German word for German) and instead pronounced it Dutch.
Both her father and customers thought it was adorable and the name just kind of stuck. So whether you know these pancakes as German or Dutch Baby, I think we can all agree, this dish is a gift from the gods.
How are German Pancakes different than American Pancakes?
German pancakes use a whole lot more eggs and no added leavening agent. German Pancakes are also baked in the oven to a golden perfection. Whereas the traditional American pancake uses baking soda or powder to help it fluff up and is cooked on a hot stovetop or grill and is much fluffier when done.
📖 Recipe
German Pancakes (Dutch Baby Pancakes)
Ingredients
- 7 eggs
- 1 cup flour spooned
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Add eggs, flour, milk, salt and vanilla in blender. Mix until combined well.
- Melt butter in microwave and when hot pour into the 9x13 casserole dish. Making sure to coat both bottom and edges.
- Immediately pour batter into the casserole dish with butter and place on the middle rack of a cold oven.
- Close oven and set temperature to 375℉ and bake for 30 minutes. Avoid pre-heating oven (see note below).
- Serve while hot with dusted powdered sugar and lemon juice or whipped cream, fresh fruit and syrup.
Video
Notes
- Instead of scooping flour out of the container or bag with a measuring cup, (so that it becomes slightly compacted) spoon flour into the measuring cup till filled to ensure a more accurate measurement.
- Whole milk is preferred but not necessary if not on hand. Any variety will work.
- DO NOT preheat the oven. Placing the casserole dish in a cold oven allows the edges and center of the pancakes to cook a little more evenly. If oven is preheated, edges will cook quicker and the center does not have as much opportunity to rise and get fluffy.
- Do not be alarmed if pancakes seem to grow while in the oven. It will inflate significantly while baking and then immediately "wilt" after pulling out of the oven. It is supposed to do this.
Courtney says
The Dashley’s Vlog inspired me to make these a long time ago! It is now a staple in our home. So easy and delicious. I don’t know why anyone would make regular pancakes, when these are so much easier. Adding vanilla and cinnamon are great additions!
Carolina says
Amazing!!!!
Mary says
Love these. I have seen this recipe call for 2 to 7 eggs all with a cup of milk and a cup of flour. I usually do 3 eggs as I prefer it to be more bready as opposed to more eggy. Very versatile depending on preference.
Amanda Dallmann says
I've watched you make these so many times, I just had to try it. The recipe turned out great! I also added about a half teaspoon of cinnamon right into the mixture. My 2 year old enjoyed it too!
Samantha Purdy says
I made this recipe with gluten free flour and unsweetened oat milk and my goodness was it delicious!
It didn't look nearly as pretty but it sure was tasty. It was more of a sheet pan French toast for us. I will definitely be making again! 😁
Jessica says
I am always looking for new recipes that I can adjust to fit my gluten free, dairy free food restrictions. I made this recipe with a 1:1 gluten free flour and unsweetened almond milk. My crew loved them! Thank you!
Natasha says
Super easy, super delicious.
Lexie Pellegrino says
Unpopular opinion: pancakes aren’t good. They’re messy, and doughy, and bland. You also have to use three pans if you want them all to be the same temperature when you eat them. But these!?! A simple recipe that creates no mess, just put it in a blender and pour! I already have the recipe memorized. And they are so tasty! They’re eggy while not being dense, they’re fun to look at, and it serves 8! (Even though I cut them for 6!) thank you thank you thank you for this recipe, I will be using it for many years to come.
Wanda says
I haven't had a german pancake in probably 40+ years (yes, THAT long!), but when I discovered this, I was taken back to a simpler time, when my grandmother made them for us on the weekends and/or special days. I remember eating it with hot peach preserves spooned on top. Today I made this for my family and served it the same way. It was a hit! Thank you!
Kimberly Olchewsky says
Delicious with berries and syrup! Healthier pancakes! Highly recommended!
Ren says
This recipe is a must!! I will forever be making this on Sunday mornings. It is super easy and quick to make but also tastes like heaven. Super thankful that Ashley posted this recipe!!!
Sara says
I made these for the first time as a morning surprise for my family. My wife LOVED them and my 2.5 year old was so excited to watch them rise in the oven. We will definitely come back to this recipe for fun breakfasts in the future!
Bethany Heitmann says
We love this recipe! I follow it exactly and serve it many ways - peanut butter and maple syrup, or butter with maple syrup and powered sugar. Thank you for sharing this.
Grace Hauff says
I made the German pancakes this morning and they were a hit!
Nicole M says
We made this for breakfast 2 days ago and it was amazing. We have never had anything like this before but have seen it on the Dashleys vlog before and it looked great, I am glad we tried it.
Sarah says
Love this recipe!
Kaitlin Kean says
Love this recipe! Super easy and delicious!!
Julie says
I made it for the first time yesterday and it was already requested for todays breakfast! Both times it vanished and every one in the family likes it surprisingly. I have two picky boys that don’t like regular pancakes so it’s a winner for sure!
Rebecca Taylor says
I made this for the first time for my husband and I and it was so good! I can always count on Ashley for providing the best recipes.
Bethany says
I made this on a whim this morning after seeing the recipe on TikTok. It was super easy and I added homemade cinnamon apples. We loved it and it will be a repeat recipe. Thanks!
Meredith says
This recipe is clear, easy, delicious! It was a hit with all ages for brunch! Easily serves 8 as a component of brunch.
Lisa says
This recipe was super easy and everyone loved it!! We added powdered sugar and syrup on top!
Maria says
These are amazing! My whole family enjoys them (5, 7, 36, 39 and 67 year olds)
Amanda D. says
My husband and I had never had a Dutch baby before so we decided to give it a try. We only have Pyrex dishes which explode in an oven while it preheats PYREX is a different brand which will not explode. So, we used a rectangular Dutch oven. It took about 5 extra minutes to cook and I put foil over it during the last 7 or so minutes. It came out great!
Heather says
We absolutely love this. My kids ask for 2nds and 3rds. It’s easy to make and I’m so happy to have found this recipe. My picky nephew even loves it!
Emily Cox says
I grew up eating German pancakes, but these are the best ones I’ve ever made! So good!
April says
This is one of my favorite recipes that I've seen Ashley make on the volgs! I am so happy she shared the recipe! It is a keeper for sure!
S miller says
Easy. Fast. Delicious! Substituted almond milk for whole milk and still was great! My husband, 2 yr old, and 11 month old all give it two thumbs up!
Kenzie says
This recipe is such an easy and delicious throw together meal that I almost always have all the ingredients for. Everyone enjoys it and the kids love picking out their toppings.