Dutch Baby with fluffy edges, a soft custard center, and rich buttery flavor—it’s always a hit!
Author’s Note
Custardy, Buttery, and Totally Worth the Hype
All three of my kids—and my husband—say breakfast is their favorite meal of the day. So when busy mornings only leave time for a quick protein shake as we’re running out the door, we love doing breakfast for dinner instead.
The usual lineup? Eggs (scrambled or over medium), crispy bacon, toast, and a choice between waffles, pancakes, crepes—or this German pancake recipe.
It took me months to perfect this one. It’s buttery, creamy, and has more of an egg custard texture—nothing like those overly eggy Dutch babies that miss the mark.
And don’t even get me started on the syrup—we drown ours in it, and it’s so dang good.
Featured Comment
“I was a pastry chef and worked in French bakeries for 18 years and was very impressed with this formula…Perfect every time. Thanks for sharing this one.”
– Justin
Ingredients
The full recipe is below, but here are a few Dutch Baby Recipe tips and swaps:
- Butter: For extra flavor, brown the butter before pouring in the batter.
- Flour: Stick with white, all-purpose flour for best results.
- Milk: Whole milk is best, but 1% or 2% will work too.
- Eggs: Dutch babies rise as eggs expand in the oven & fall when steam escapes.
Quick Tip
What Exactly Is A Dutch Baby?
Also called a German pancake or Dutch Baby Pancake; it’s a big, puffy pancake baked in the oven. The edges turn crisp while the center stays soft and custard-like. It puffs up fast in a hot pan, then gently deflates when it comes out. Like a popover!
Top it with sweet or savory toppings—both work great!
Do I Have To Use A Cast Iron Skillet?
Nope, you don’t have to use a cast iron skillet!
A 9×13 metal or glass baking dish works great for this Dutch Baby. It still puffs up beautifully and gets those crispy edges. Just make sure it’s hot before you pour in the batter—preheating the pan with the butter is key.
How to Eat Dutch Baby Pancakes
There’s no wrong way to enjoy a Dutch baby!
- Cut it into big pieces and eat with a fork and knife (our go-to).
- Roll it up with toppings and eat it like a burrito.
- Topping ideas I love:
- Fruit & Syrup: Berries, powdered sugar and buttermilk or blueberry syrup.
- Creamy & Light: Whipped cream and berries.
- Rich & Gooey: Bananas and caramel, nutella, or dulce de leche
- Savory toppings: Ham, cheese, bacon, mushrooms, onions & herbs—great for brunch or dinner!
How To Make A Dutch Baby (Tips)
- Room temperature eggs & milk help the pancake rise better.
- Don’t open the oven early, or the pancake might deflate too soon.
- Blend for about 50 seconds—blending too long adds too much air.
- Let batter rest for 10–15 minutes (or overnight) for a better texture and flavor.
- Use a metal pan for crispier edges and a better rise.
- Pour batter into pan in a figure-8 pattern to help it puff evenly.
What To Serve With A Dutch Baby:
Beverages
Mango Smoothie
Eggs And Potatoes
BEST Skillet Breakfast Potatoes
Breakfast
Egg Skillet
Breakfast
Breakfast Toast
Dutch Baby Recipe (German Pancakes)
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan or 10.25-inch cast iron skillet see note 1
- Blender high-powered
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-1/3 cups whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- Fresh berries for serving, optional
- Whipped cream for serving, optional
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 9×13-inch pan (or 10.25-inch skillet; see note 1) with cooking spray. Add cold butter pieces to the pan and set aside.
- In a high-powered blender, combine flour, milk, eggs, egg yolk, salt, vanilla, and, if using, sugar and cinnamon. Blend until smooth, about 50 seconds. You can refrigerate the batter at this point and bake it the next day if desired.
- Place prepared pan with butter in the oven. Once butter is melted, use a pastry brush to evenly coat the bottom and sides of the pan. For extra flavor, you can return the pan to the oven briefly to brown the butter—until golden brown and nutty-smelling—just watch it closely; don’t let it burn.
- As soon as the butter is fully melted or browned, pour the batter into the pan in a figure-8 pattern. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until puffed, golden at the edges, and no longer glossy.
- Dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve immediately with berries, whipped cream, or caramel syrup, if desired. Dutch baby is best eaten fresh.
- Optional Caramel Syrup: In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine butter, brown sugar, cream, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5–8 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir frequently as it cools slightly. Add vanilla and mix well. Drizzle over your Dutch baby.
Video
Recipe Notes
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole milk (or 1% or 2%)
- 2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoons
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What should the texture be like? Firm? Gooey? I followed the recipe, but after 24 minutes I still had glossy spots/pools of butter on top. The edges and peaks were brown.
The texture was somewhat gooey. I’ve not have German pancakes before, so I was not sure what the texture should be.
It should be firm around the edges and quite gooey/custardy in the centers 🙂 Sounds like it was perfect!
I made this for Mother’s Day last weekend and we loved it! My husband actually asked me to make more right then and there, but we decided to wait a week to enjoy it again, build up the anticipation you know 😉 QUESTION: : how come it’s okay to use a dark cast-iron skillet but not a dark colored 9×13 pan?? I would like to make the full recipe but only have a dark pan. This morning, I’m going to pour into a glass pie dish and a light colored cake pan so that we have more than we did last week, but I’d love to see it all in one pan.
Hi Chelsea! There are only 2 of us; can i cut this recipe in half?
I started at 18 minutes and kept adding time. I took it out at 24 minutes and the bottom was burned but it was still not done. What did I do wrong?
Hey Nancy, did you make any changes to the recipe? What size pan did you bake it in? And is your oven correctly calibrated?
Does the nutritional fact sheet just account for the pancake? Not the syrup?
Yes, just the pancake
Doies the nutritional fact just account for the pancake? Not the syrup?
We LOVE making German pancakes! So easy to throw together with minimal work! Perfect!
Made this last weekend when my family was visiting and everyone loved it!!
Yay!! So thrilled to hear that 🙂 Thanks Heather!
Turned out great, I cooked it in a bundt pan which gave it a fun look! This dish earned a spot in the recipe box to get handed to the the next generation! Thanks for posting!
That is so fun! I love that idea! Thanks Mike! 🙂
Wow! Not only delicious but a beautiful dish as well!
I made this on Mother’s Day and our family loved it! It’s quick and easy (which is wonderful for this chica for whom recipes usually take double the amount of time), AND it’s delicious! Making it again this morning for Father’s Day 🙂
Do you recommend baking it in a glass pan? If so…what temp?