Easy German Pancake also known as a Dutch baby is a classic breakfast or brunch recipe! All you need is a blender and a skillet to make this sweet or savory dish!
German Pancake:
This giant, skillet pancake is so easy to make with simple and mostly pantry staple ingredients! A German pancake is also called a Dutch baby, and there really isn’t a difference. The terms are used interchangeably. This pancake is different than a regular pancake in that it uses no baking powder or soda to make it rise! The trick is to whip lots of air into the batter, and then create steam in the oven! This is why we use a blender (or food processor) to make our batter and get a lot of air in there. The batter gets poured into a very hot skillet of melted butter and then bakes. As it bakes it sort of “steams” and that is what causes the pancake to puff up! Keep in mind that this remains somewhat puffy, but is thin and deflates slightly as it starts to cool down. We love this recipe because it’s so fast and simple, and there is no standing over the stove flipping pancakes! It’s a classic for us around the holidays, and great for a special Christmas morning brunch. You can serve this one savory, or sweet and we’re giving you some of our favorite topping ideas! If you’re looking for more holiday breakfasts, try out our super popular Pumpkin Pancakes too!
German Pancake Toppings and Serving Ideas:
- A lot of people classically love serving this with a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Simple but tangy/sweet and so delicious!
- The photo above with the sweet berries, and powdered sugar is my favorite! Serve this way with your favorite maple syrup too.
- You could drizzle a Raspberry Sauce over this, or use any of your favorite sliced fruits, jam, or preserves.
- In the picture below is our favorite savory version. We top with cherry tomatoes, basil, prosciutto (or any ham) and a little balsamic.
- This is great topped with sliced breakfast sausages, crumbled cooked bacon, green onions, parmesan, or any shredded cheese you love.
- For a savory sweet version, add your sausage or bacon and powdered sugar and syrup. It’s so good!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Easy German Pancake
Ingredients
SWEET VERSION:
- ¾ Cup + 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 5 Tablespoons Butter at room temperature** SEE NOTE
- ¾ cup of milk
- Pinch of salt*
*2 tablespoons of butter will be used for the Dutch baby and 3 will be used to butter the pan.
SWEET VERSION TOPPING IDEAS:
- Strawberries halved or quartered
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Maple syrup or pancake syrup for drizzling
SAVORY VERSION:
- ¾ Cup + 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 5 Tablespoons Butter At Room Temperature
- ¾ Cup Milk
- ½ teaspoon Salt
*2 Tablespoons of butter will be used for the Dutch baby and 3 will be used to butter the pan.
SAVORY VERSION TOPPING IDEAS:
- Sliced prosciutto or ham
- Baby tomatoes cut in half
- Cooked sliced or crumbled sausage
- Cooked and crumbled bacon
- Parmesan or cheddar shredded cheese
- Fresh Basil
- Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place a large oven safe skillet (I used a 10 inch, cast iron skillet) into the oven and let it heat for 5-6 minutes.
- Add all of the ingredients (using only 2 Tablespoons of the butter) except for the flour to a blender and blend until smooth, about 15 seconds. Then add the flour and blend for only 5-10 seconds.
- Remove the skillet from the oven, carefully as it will be piping hot!
- Add the remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter to the pan and swirl it around to coat.
- Pour in the batter and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top turns a dark golden color.
- Remove from the oven and let it deflate a bit before adding the toppings serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So many sweet and savory ways to enjoy this German pancake. I’m usually more of a savory person, but I have to say the berries and powdered sugar is captivating!
Enjoyed this for breakfast this morning and it did not disappoint! So delicious and sweet; a great way to start my day, indeed!
I love that these can be utilized for both sweet and savory dish. Can’t wait to give them a try!
Wow! I love all the variations with this German pancake recipe! My favorite is with the berries and powdered sugar.
This looks amazing and yummy! I can’t wait to give this a try! So excited!
Such a treat and super simple to make! A new family favorite in our house!!