Dutch Baby Pancake
Meet your new favorite breakfast! This Dutch baby pancake puffs up tall and golden brown in the oven, with crisp buttery edges and a soft custardy center. It’s somewhere between a pancake, a popover, and a crepe, and it’s just as delicious.
This pancake is perfect for if you want something a little more decadent than a stack of buttermilk pancakes. It’s eggy, lightly sweet, and smells like warm vanilla. Top it with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a drizzle of maple syrup.
The best part? You probably have everything you need already. Just butter, eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and vanilla. That’s it!
The trick to getting it to puff up
The skillet and butter both need to be hot before the batter goes in. That’s what gives you those crispy edges and the big puffy rise. So don’t skip the step of melting the butter in the oven first.
Don’t be surprised if it deflates some after it comes out of the oven. That big puff is normal in the oven, and it will settle as it cools. The edges should stay golden and crisp, while the center stays softer and a little custardy.
How to make a Dutch baby pancake
Melt the butter. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and add the butter to a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. Place the skillet in the oven so the butter melts while you make the batter.
Blend the batter. Add the eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar, and vanilla to a blender or stand mixer. Mix until smooth. You can also whisk by hand if preferred.
Pour and bake. Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet right over the melted butter. Place it back in the oven, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are puffy and golden brown.
Serve warm. Top with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a little squeeze of lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅔ cup whole milk, room temperature
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, and place the butter into a 10-inch oven-safe skillet.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place the skillet in the oven and allow butter to melt.
- While butter is melting, place the eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer or blender. Combine until smooth.3 large eggs⅔ cup whole milk⅔ cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet over the melted butter.
- Place the skillet back in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes and cook until the center of the pancake is set.
- Serve warm with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs and milk. Cold ingredients don’t mix as well and keep the pancake from rising as high. Set the ingredients on the counter for about 30 minutes before you start.
- Blend until fully smooth. Lumps in the batter can keep it from rising evenly. You can use a whisk, but a blender works better.
- Don’t open the oven while it bakes. Opening the door lets the heat out and can make the pancake deflate.
- Use a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. A bigger pan will give you a thinner, flatter pancake. A smaller one may not cook the pancake through in the middle.
- Storage: Leftovers are best eaten the same day, but you can cover and refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through.
