Buttermilk Dutch Baby

A Dutch baby satisfies a pancake craving without standing at the stove flipping batches of pancakes in a pan. It’s a baked pancake with a rich custard-like texture with puffy, crispy edges and a subtle tangy flavor from the buttermilk in the batter. It’s easy to make, goes with all the pancake toppings, and is a pretty centerpiece for breakfast or brunch.

There’s a reason I’ve only shared a few pancake recipes since starting this here blog almost 12 (!) years ago: standing at the stove flipping pancakes like a short-order cook is not my idea of a relaxing Saturday morning. Maybe you feel the same?

If so, I am happy to report we can have our pancakes without the hassle – a Dutch baby satisfies those pancake cravings without the fuss of cooking them in batches on the stove.

A Few Recipe Notes

If this is your first time making one, a Dutch baby or German pancake is a delicious thing. It’s not light and fluffy like regular pancakes – instead, it is rich and custardy. I like to think of it like a flapjack’s more refined and fancy cousin. Please don’t confuse that with fussy, however, because it’s anything but high-maintenance.

Instead of cooking it on the stove, it’s baked in the oven. Like popovers or Yorkshire puddings, it puffs up around the edges while it bakes, so you end up with two distinct textures: crispy, golden brown edges with a soft and eggy center.

It’s so easy to make – blend the batter, pour it into a warm pan with melted butter, and stick it in the oven. In less than 30 minutes, it’s puffy, hot, and ready for all of your favorite pancake toppings.

There are variations, and I love to make mine with some buttermilk – the tanginess is a nice contrast to the richness and is so, so good.

I first shared this buttermilk Dutch baby a few years ago after finding a recipe from the NYT cooking site. I’ve since tweaked and changed it – I use an oven-safe frying pan instead of a cast-iron skillet. Also, I melt the butter on the stove instead of in the oven. Finally, I altered the ingredient amounts, so the pancake gets nice puffy edges.

All in all, it’s a wonderful way to treat yourself for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

• Eggs
• Granulated sugar
• Warm whole milk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Unsalted butter
• Buttermilk

How to Make a Dutch Baby Pancake

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the eggs, sugar, warm milk, flour, melted butter, flour, and buttermilk in a blender. Blend until the batter is smooth.

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Melt two tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Once the butter is melted, pour the batter into the pan.

Place the hot skillet in the oven and bake the pancake at 400°F for about 25 minutes or until the edges have puffed up, are golden brown in spots, and the pancake is set in the center.

Take the hot pan out of the oven and slice and serve.

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Topping Ideas

At this point, it’s ready to serve but you’ll want some toppings – you can make it as simple or as fancy as you want.

• A dusting of powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar).
• Maple syrup or fruit syrup.
• Fresh berries like blueberries, chopped strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries or other fresh fruit like sliced bananas.
• Spread some fruit perserves over the top.
• Serve it with lemon curd.
• A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice is also nice.

Tips and Suggestions

Maybe you’re wondering, “do I have to use a blender”? And the answer is yes, please. There isn’t a leavening agent in this recipe, so incorporating air into the batter is very important. A blender makes this easy. You can try a food processor if you have one, but if you want to make the batter by hand, you will need a whisk, a strong arm, and the fortitude to get enough air into the batter.

And, speaking of the batter, once you’ve mixed it, don’t let it sit too long because the air will go bye-bye. It’s a good idea to give the batter another whirr just before you pour it into the pan.

Bake it in the center of the oven and keep an eye on it. The baking time is an estimate and, depending on your oven, you may need more or less time. Once the pancake is puffed and golden around the edges and the center is set, it’s ready.

The pancake is flat in the center – the puffiness will happen around the edges. Also, as mentioned, the texture is different from regular pancakes.

How many it serves is up to you. If it’s the only thing for breakfast, a 10-inch pancake will serve two happy people. However, if you have other side dishes like eggs, bacon, or sausage, it can stretch to serve four less happy people. Less happy only because more is better when it comes to this buttermilk Dutch baby recipe.

Happy breakfast-making,

More Breakfast Recipes

• Fully Loaded Breakfast Tacos
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Muffins
• 4-Ingredient Mocha Smoothie
• Sheet Pan Oven Pancakes
• Breakfast Crepes – recipe from On the Go Bites

📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

Post, recipe, and photos updated from the archives. First published in February 2017.