Whipped up in a blender, this simple Dutch Baby Pancake in Cast Iron Skillet puffs up beautifully as it is baked into an impressive light, tender, and custardy pancake. It is then topped with fresh berries, pure maple syrup, dollops of whipped cream, and a dusting of fresh lemon sugar! This easy and delicious one-pan recipe is perfect for a spring or summer breakfast or brunch.
Dutch Babies, or German pancakes, are quick, easy, and scrumptious. They are much better than regular pancakes - and one of my favorite breakfast recipes.
These make a perfect breakfast-in-bed recipe that works well for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day!
The addition of fresh lemon sugar on a hot Dutch baby pancake adds a fresh and bright flavor to the pancake.
This is seriously the best Dutch Baby pancake recipe - and it is the perfect breakfast or brunch option for a crowd - especially around the holidays or weekends.
The quick and easy recipe makes a beautifully browned, fluffy pancake that will impress everyone.
This Dutch baby pancake with fresh lemon sugar is a delightful treat for any occasion. It’s an easy, cost-effective breakfast option that’s sure to impress your loved ones.
Whether you’re enjoying a lazy weekend morning or celebrating a special event, this dish will be a hit that everyone will enjoy.
Also, check out my Savory Dutch Baby recipe!
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🥞 What Is A Dutch Baby?
A Dutch baby pancake, also known as a German pancake, is a large, puffy pancake typically baked in a cast-iron skillet. It is made from a batter of eggs, milk, flour, and sugar and is often flavored with vanilla and lemon zest.
The batter is poured into a hot, buttered skillet and baked in a hot oven until it rises and becomes golden and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and custardy on the inside.
Dutch baby pancakes are often served with a variety of toppings such as fresh fruit, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or whipped cream and can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It's a simple and easy breakfast recipe that comes together in no time.
- The cast iron skillet gives the pancake a nice crispy edge while remaining light and fluffy.
- Basic ingredients mean that this dish is affordable and accessible to make.
- This Dutch Baby recipe can be customized with different toppings like fruit, syrup, or whipped cream.
- This Dutch pancake is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a lazy weekend dinner.
- It's a show-stopping dish that will impress your family and friends.
- This dish can serve a crowd; simply double or triple the recipe and use a larger cast iron skillet or bake them in batches.
- The best part: it's a one-pan wonder, so cleanup is a breeze.
🍓 Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
All that is required to make this easy Dutch baby pancake is basic pantry staples you likely already have.
- Flour: I used unbleached all-purpose flour, which is the best for getting a light and puffy pancake. However, you could substitute it with gluten-free flour or a mixture of whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour - but keep in mind this will give you a heavier, denser pancake.
- Milk: Whole milk is best as it gives the oven-baked pancake more structure to prevent it from deflating.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla adds a warm, sweet flavor to the pancake. You could also use almond extract.
- Sugar. I used granulated sugar, but you could also use cane sugar or a sugar substitute.
- Unsalted butter: Helps to make the pancake crispy and prevent it from sticking to the pan. You could also use margarine.
- Lemon zest: The addition of fine lemon zest to granulated sugar is a quick and simple way to create a fresh and tangy sugar topping that takes the flavor of this German pancake to the next level. It's also delicious served on Buttermilk Belgian Waffles and Sheet Pan Pancakes.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
🥣 How To Make A Dutch Baby Pancake In A Cast Iron Skillet
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place your 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the center rack in the oven to preheat.
Step 2: If you want to serve your pancake with lemon sugar, mix ¼ cup granulated sugar with zest from 1 whole lemon. Add to a food processor and pulse until fully combined (any extras should be stored in a container and refrigerated). Set aside.
Step 3: Put the flour, milk, room-temperature eggs, salt, vanilla extract, and sugar into a blender. Blend the Dutch baby pancake batter for 15 seconds and then pause, scraping down the sides of the blender with a spatula. Blend for another 5-10 seconds. Make sure the batter is smooth but not over-blended!
Step 4: Place butter in the hot cast iron skillet and swirl it around to ensure it coats the skillet.
Step 5: Pour the pancake batter into the preheated skillet and swirl it around. Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes - mine was cooked in 17 minutes. Turn on the oven light so you can see how the pancake puffs up beautifully through the oven door!
Step 6: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven when the pancake is golden. Add fresh berries, lemon sugar, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, whipped cream, or any other toppings you like - the choice is yours!
Step 7: Slice into wedges and immediately serve the Dutch baby pancake while it's hot. Enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Preheat the cast iron skillet along with your oven to ensure even cooking. This will also help avoid any sticking.
- Ensure you use enough butter to thoroughly coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Be sure to use room-temperature ingredients, so the pancake will puff up properly.
- Don't overmix the batter in the blender. Blend on high speed for 15 seconds, pause and scrape down the sides, then blend for another 5-10 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Overblending can cause the pancake to be tough.
- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Use fresh, in-season berries for the best flavor, and don't hesitate to mix different types of berries for a more colorful and flavorful topping.
- Serve the pancake immediately to ensure it stays puffy and airy. If you wait too long the pancake may start to deflate.
- Dust the pancake with some powdered sugar before serving for a beautiful presentation.
- Don't be afraid to play around with the toppings and flavors! Try adding other ingredients like sliced almonds, grated chocolate, or confectioners’ sugar for a more decadent dessert version of the pancake.
❓ Recipe FAQs
The cast iron skillet helps to create a crisp crust on the pancake, so it is best to use one if possible. However, you could try using a heavy oven-safe pan or a cake pan as a substitute.
Yes, you can reheat a Dutch baby pancake. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place your pancake in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet and place it in the preheated oven. Bake the pancake for 5-10 minutes. This will depend on the size of your pancake, so keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't burn. Remove the pancake from the oven once it is heated and slightly crispy on the outside. Serve and enjoy!
At first glance, Dutch babies and Yorkshire puddings may seem nearly identical. Both use a batter consisting of flour, eggs, and milk and are baked in a hot oven. However, despite their similarities, there are a few key differences. For instance, Yorkshire pudding is a beloved dish in traditional English cuisine and is commonly served with roast dinners. It is cooked using either beef drippings or oil in a muffin tin, resulting in a smaller, individual-sized dish that is usually not sweetened or flavored. On the other hand, Dutch babies are typically larger and rounder and are cooked in a buttered cast-iron skillet. They are often topped with sweet toppings, such as fruit, syrup, powdered sugar or lemon sugar, and served for breakfast or brunch.
Dutch baby pancakes are best served immediately out of the oven, so making this recipe ahead of time is not recommended. However, you can prepare the batter a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
The pancake should be golden brown and puffy when done. The edges will also be crispy, and the center should be cooked through. This typically takes about 17-20 minutes in the oven.
Fresh berries, lemon sugar, whipped cream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar are classic toppings for Dutch baby pancakes. You could also try serving it with a dollop of Greek yogurt or a drizzle of maple syrup.
To store leftover Dutch baby pancakes, place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can store them at room temperature for up to two hours, but after that, it's best to refrigerate them. When you're ready to eat them, you can reheat them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-10 minutes or until they're heated through and slightly crispy.
Either your pan was not properly seasoned, or you didn't use enough butter. Cast iron pans must be seasoned properly to create a non-stick surface; otherwise, the pancake batter can stick to the pan. To season it, rub your pan with oil and bake it in the oven at 450 degrees F for 1 hour to season.
Fresh berries, lemon sugar, whipped cream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar are classic toppings for Dutch baby pancakes. You could also try serving it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.
👩🏻🍳 More Delicious Brunch Recipes
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Best Ever Dutch Baby Pancake in Cast Iron Skillet
Equipment
- 10-inch diameter Cast Iron Skillet
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- fresh berries for topping
- lemon sugar for topping *see Note 1 or confectioner's sugar
- maple syrup for topping
- whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place your 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the center rack in the oven to preheat.
- To serve your pancake with lemon sugar, mix ¼ cup granulated sugar with zest from 1 whole lemon. Add to a food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined (any extras should be stored in a container and refrigerated). Set aside.
- Add flour, milk, eggs, sea salt, vanilla extract, and sugar in a blender. Blend on high for 15 seconds. Stop and scrape down the batter from the sides of your blender. Blend for another 5-10 seconds. The mixture should be smooth and clump free. It is very important that you do not over-blend your batter!
- Place butter in the hot cast iron skillet and swirl it around to ensure it coats the skillet. Pour pancake batter into the skillet and swirl it around. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes (turn on the oven light so you can see how the pancake puffs up beautifully through the oven door!)
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven when the pancake is golden brown. Top with fresh berries, lemon sugar, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, whipped cream, or any other toppings you like - the choice is yours!
- Slice into wedges and immediately serve the Dutch baby pancake while it's hot.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Preheat the cast iron skillet along with your oven to ensure even cooking. This will also help avoid any sticking.
- Ensure you use enough butter to thoroughly coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Be sure to use room-temperature ingredients, so the pancake will puff up properly.
- Don't overmix the batter in the blender. Blend on high speed for 15 seconds, pause and scrape down the sides, then blend for another 5-10 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Overblending can cause the pancake to be tough.
- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Use fresh, in-season berries for the best flavor, and don't hesitate to mix different types of berries for a more colorful and flavorful topping.
- Serve the pancake immediately to ensure it stays puffy and airy. If you wait too long the pancake may start to deflate.
- Dust the pancake with some powdered sugar before serving for a beautiful presentation.
- Don't be afraid to play around with the toppings and flavors! Try adding other ingredients like sliced almonds, grated chocolate, or confectioners’ sugar for a more decadent dessert version of the pancake.
Lindsey
I’ll definitely give this recipe a try. Love that the ingredients are super simple but the end result is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Jeri Walker
Thanks, Lindsey! I'm glad you're excited to try the recipe! Simple ingredients can create stunning results. Enjoy and let me know if you need any help!