My Favorite Dutch Baby Puff Pancake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a Dutch baby pancake made of? ›

Eggs and milk: This light and fluffy Dutch baby recipe starts with two eggs whisked with milk. Flour: All-purpose flour lends structure and helps hold the batter together. Seasonings: These sweet Dutch babies are flavored with nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

There are two main culprits to flat, sad Dutch baby pancakes: Your oven wasn't hot enough. The hotter your oven, the more puffed your Dutch baby pancake will be. Make sure to preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before baking the batter.

They are generally thicker than most pancakes and contain no chemical leavening ingredients such as baking powder. They can be sweet or savory and can be served at any meal. The idea of a Dutch baby pancake may have been derived from the German Pfannkuchen, but the current form originated in the US in the early 1900s.

Assuring doneness will also prevent it from deflating too quickly. The longer you let it bake 20-22 minutes the puffier and more stable the Dutch baby will be.

What's the difference between a Dutch pancake and an American pancake? A Dutch pancake is usually larger and much thinner than the thick and fluffy American pancakes. If you order a Dutch pancake at PANCAKES Amsterdam, you will get a delicious thin pancake with a diameter of 32 centimeters.

The Dutch Baby has sugar added to the batter, whereas the Yorkshire Pudding has none. The Yorkshire Pudding is usually cooked in beef fat or oil, while the Dutch Baby is cooked in melted butter.

The recipe doesn't contain any chemical leavening as the milk and eggs create steam that causes the Dutch Baby to rise. If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough.

If you would like the inside of the finished dish to be a little less "egg-y" then cut the number of eggs down to 3, and many many reviewers also found that just 3 Tablespoons of butter worked better for them.

More About the Origin

And although these pancakes are typically obtained from the German pancake dish, it's believed that one of Victor Manca's daughters coined the name Dutch baby. As you might know, the term “Dutch” was most likely her corruption of the term Deutsch, a German antonym.

Though “Dutch baby” is a frequently used moniker when referring to this giant pancake, it has also been referred to as a German pancake, a puffed pancake, a baked pancake, a Bismarck and even a giant Yorkshire pudding due to its resemblance.

Do you have to use a cast iron skillet for a Dutch baby? ›

The pan doesn't have to be cast iron; you can use any oven-safe pan or baking dish of a similar size. I've even done them in a pie dish!

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The constant heat leads to a more evenly cooked pancake, that never runs the risk of having the batter poured too early. If the heat is always at the right level, it's always the correct time.

Why Didn't My Dutch Baby Puff Up? Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

Storage: If you have leftover German pancakes, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350ºF oven or microwave for 30-60 seconds until hot.

The name "Dutch Baby" actually came about by mistake. These pancakes were originally served in a diner in Seattle in the early 1900s. The owner's daughter struggled to pronounce Deutsch, (the German word for German) and instead pronounced it Dutch.

Different cooking vessels, different accompaniments, otherwise very similar," test kitchen manager Kelsey Youngman said. "Probably the biggest difference, in my opinion, would be Yorkshire Pudding uses the beef drippings to grease the popover pan, while a Dutch Baby uses melted butter in a cast iron skillet.

The Dutch Baby is another Original Pancake House exclusive. Like the Apple Pancake it is made from fresh German batter, but there are no apples or cinnamon sugar. This delicacy bakes up into a large puff in the oven and is served to you immediately. It will deflate right before your eyes just like the Apple Pancake.

In essence, a Dutch baby pancake is a large, baked pancake. According to Taste of Home Test Kitchen's Mark Neufang, this giant, fluffy treat got its name from German origins, rather than Dutch. As the legend goes, the name came from a historic cafe in Seattle called Manca's.