What Exactly Is a Dutch Baby Pancake?

Updated: Oct. 13, 2023

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Taste of Home

You won't want to go back to regular pancakes once you've tried a uniquely delicious (and giant!) Dutch baby pancake.

Planning a beautiful brunch, or simply looking for an unusual breakfast the whole family will love? A giant baked pancake with plenty of delicious toppings is sure to do the trick!

What Is a Dutch Baby 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. The owner’s daughter couldn’t quite pronounce Deutsch, the German word for German. With a slip of the tongue, Dutch came out instead, and the rest was history.

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.

Made from a simple mixture of eggs, salt, flour, and milk, the batter rises in a cast-iron skillet while baking. Once it puffs up and is removed from the oven, it will deflate to create the perfect vessel to dress up with tasty toppings. The exterior is lightly crisp, while the inside of a Dutch baby is a slightly eggy, custard-like texture and flavor.

And the best part? There’s no messy flipping involved!

How to Make a Dutch Baby Pancake

A Dutch baby pancake can come together in just a few simple steps, with easy-to-find ingredients. You can make a plain Dutch baby, top it with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or add sweet or savory toppings.

Ingredients

3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Confectioners’ sugar

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Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

Preheat the oven to 450°F. To achieve a beautifully crisp outer layer for your Dutch baby, put the skillet in the oven to heat up prior to pouring in the batter.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until very light. Add salt, flour and milk; beat well. Thoroughly rub the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet with butter. Pour the pancake batter into your skillet.

Step 2: Bake

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake until set, five minutes longer.

You can serve this Dutch baby pancake with a variety of toppings. Drizzle with maple syrup, chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. You can also top the pancake with fresh fruit or homemade jam, or even crushed nuts or chocolate chips.

For a savory breakfast, top the Dutch baby with avocado, scallions, cheddar cheese, bacon, chives or fried eggs.