Is there anything better for a weekend breakfast than pancakes? Not much, I’d say. And the classic Dutch Baby is one of the best and easiest pancake breakfasts I can think of. I had no idea why this recipe was called “Dutch Baby” so I did a little online research and here’s what I found on Wikipedia:
According to Sunset magazine, Dutch babies were introduced in the first half of the 1900s at Manca’s Cafe, a family-run restaurant in Seattle owned by Victor Manca. While these pancakes are derived from a German pancake dish, it is said that the name Dutch baby was coined by one of Victor Manca’s daughters. It is thought by some that the “Dutch” moniker refers to the group of German-American immigrants known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, where “Dutch” is a corruption of the German ”deutsch.”
I like to make a Dutch Baby so that I don’t have to flip pancake after pancake and everyone can sit down to eat at the same time. You simply make your batter, pour it over some apple slices in a cast iron skillet and pop it in the oven. 35 minutes later…voila! The pancake is a lovely golden brown around the edges and the center is almost custard-like. Sprinkle on a little lemon juice and confectioner’s sugar, add a side of bacon or sausage and breakfast is served!
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
6 tblsp. butter, divided
3 tblsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 apple or pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 lemon
2 tblsp. confectioner’s sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Peel, core and thinly slice one apple and set it aside. I used a nice, sweet Fuji apple this time.
Add the eggs, milk, flour, 4 tablespoons melted butter, sugar and vanilla to a blender. Blend until well mixed. You can use your regular blender, a stick blender like I’ve shown here or a food processor. Whatever works for you. Or you can whisk it by hand if you’re into that.
Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in a heavy, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple slices and stir to coat them with the butter.
Pour in the batter and transfer the skillet immediately to a preheated oven. Don’t stir the batter, just pour it over the apples.
Cook for approximately 35 minutes or until the edges have puffed up and are a beautiful golden brown. I wanted to show you how nicely the pancake puffs while it’s in the oven. Not the best conditions for photography, though. Yikes!
Remove the skillet from the oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
A light fluffy Dutch baby is just a big pancake cooked in the oven! Topped with lemon juice and powdered sugar, this breakfast treat is simply delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2/3 cup flour
- 6 tblsp. butter, divided
- 3 tblsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 apple or pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 lemon
- 2 tblsp. confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the eggs, milk, flour, 4 tablespoons melted butter, sugar and vanilla to a blender. Blend until well mixed.
- Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in a heavy, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the apple slices and stir to coat with the butter.
- Pour in the batter and transfer immediately to preheated oven.
- Cook for approximately 35 minutes or until edges have puffed up and are golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Serve immediately.
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{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks scrumptious! Making it this weekend for the little one!
Kay – He’s sure to like it! It’s not overly sweet. You can also use pears if you prefer.
Wow! That looks great! I’ve eaten these but never ever tried to make one myself! Ok, here’s my prediction..this is going to make top 10, you heard it here first.
Thanks, Kathy! I hope you’ll try making one yourself. It really couldn’t be easier.
I make this pancake for a fun dessert! Whatever my mood is…sometimes I’ll sprinkle a little powdered sugar over top, or add some whipped cream, even maple syrup is yummy! Will have to try it with apples next time!
This looks splendid, Lana, and I can’t wait to try this on my normal waffle/pancake/French toast day of Sunday. Just a wonderful looking recipe, although I do find myself wondering about the strange “Dutch Baby” name.
Anne – Yes, this would definitely also serve as dessert! I think even a little ice cream alongside would be great.
Barbara – I do hope you’ll try it and find that you like it. It seems that the name was given it by the original restaurant owner’s daughter.
You know i’ve been wanting to try and make myself a dutch baby. I recently had just gotten a small six inch cast iron skillet and I’m trying to thing of other dishes I can make aside from eggs.
Jenn – I made this in a 10″ skillet so you might want to adjust your amounts for a smaller pan.
This looks so good! I have only tried to make something like this once and failed. I really think I should try again!
This recipe really never fails for me. Sometimes the center is semi-soft almost custardlike but that’s just fine with me!
You mean I’m supposed to share that? I can’t eat a whole one just myself? ;)
This is so awesome looking! Beautiful!
this is a great morning pancake, love the idea … could almost be a dessert….
You’re right, Drick, it certainly could be dessert. Top with whipped cream instead of powdered sugar. Or eat it still hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Beautiful. And congratulations on a feature picture on Refrigerator Soup! Great photo!
Fabulous looking. I think this would be excellent in the fall season, when apples and a touch of cinnamon remind us of times gone by.
However, you are welcome to make it for me any season of the year.
Miss P
I love this! I learned of Dutch Babies when I was a little girl and it was one on the first recipes I learned. My mother had measurements for the the different sizes you could make depending on the number you were feeding. I never baked apples into the pancake but w9ould serve them along the side. Great post and now I kind of want to make a Dutch Baby! It’s been years!
I am going make this..looks like a great easy delicious alternative to pancakes. I think it would good with other fruits …strawberries blueberries peaches what ever is in season…thanks
You surely made me hungry and motivated to make that for breakfast tomorrow.
I actually normally leave them plain. I haven’t tried it with fruit just yet. I have to try it one time.
i haven’t had a good dutch baby since college, when we used to go out for pancakes on sunday mornings. because we were giant dorks, but still, i miss a dutch baby and this one looks just about perfect.
That looks amazing. I want to try your recipe right away. I just found your blog and I looked it through a bit – it’s really great! Keep up the good work.
I’ve made this for years and my mother before me and my grandmother before her.
We always called it a German pancake but your article reminded me of another use of Dutch for Deutsch. My grandparents lived in a southside area of St. Louis inhabited primarily by German-Americans and the people there were often referred to as ‘scrubby Dutch’ for their propensity for keeping things immaculately clean.
Thanks for the memories; it shows just how much food is tied into the fabric of our lives.
Hey there -
Got this recipe via a link from “Laura’s Best Recipes”…Looks soso delish!! I really want to make one – like tomorrow morning…BUT I don’t have a cast iron skillet!!! Do you think it will work in my stainless cookware???
I’m really not sure, Amy. I’ve only ever seen these made in cast iron skillets, but if you do give it a try, please let me know how it turns out.
I’ve always done mine in a stainless skillet with great results.
Thanks, Barbara. That’s good to know. Several commenters had wondered about using stainless.
Fond, fond, fond memories of an apple dutch baby I had in college once on a road trip. What’s better than an doughy, sweet, puffy pancake? For some reason never though to try making one at home. So psyched I stumbled across your recipe.
What a fabulous breakfast treat!
Oh dear me! I can feel my butt getting bigger just looking at this recipe!
http://sprucehill.typepad.com/
Oh, it’s not that bad. Really. Okay, so just have a small slice!
Now this is different. At least to me. I’m going to try this for stepson’s next sleep over.
Made this over the weekend and LOVED it. My son said “it’s definitely one I’ll need to make again…except with chocolate chips” : )
Thanks for making a difficult sounding recipe sound so easy!
Hmmm…chocolate chips? That actually sounds pretty good!
Must make this!
Try it with pears…sprinkle on a bit of cinnamon sugar….Yummy
Me and the wife have been making these for 20 years don’t do it with apple most of the time just melted butter and lemon juice sprinkle with powdered sugar also a great way to season cast iron pans
My fondest memories of my Grandmother are sleep overs at her house with my cousins and “German Pancakes” in the morning. We “required” them each time.
I have never had one with fruit in it. Hers were just plain with lemon and sugar. I have wonderful memories of those mornings and these delicious “pancakes”.
Thank you for sharing your recipe and providing fond memories to future generations.
Lana, that Dutch Baby was fabulous! My 11 year old son helped take pictures
of the process. We had a blast with the result. Everything was perfect!
Thank you,
Seth
dutchovendad
fixcastiron@gmail.com
I looove Dutch babies for breakfast! I just may have to indulge this morning… Thanks for linking up to our Flu-Fighting Foods; we’d love to see you again tomorrow with a green tea recipe!
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