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This cast iron dutch baby pancake is the perfect breakfast recipe. This dutch baby recipe has cinnamon, vanilla, and citrus notes for one flavorful batter. Top this easy dutch baby pancake with your favorite fruits, lemon zest, and powdered sugar.
What is a Dutch baby?
The ‘Dutch baby’ actually originated in Germany, not the Netherlands like the name suggests. “The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German). “Baby” referred to the fact that the restaurant served miniature versions.” [Quoted from Cook’s Illustrated]
How to be successful making a Dutch baby
My key takeaways for making a successful Dutch baby pancake:
- Make sure your ingredients are room temperature. The first two times I tested this recipe, my ingredients were cold and my pancake did not rise correctly.
- I prefer to use bread flour to get a higher rise, but all purpose flour is traditional and can be used as a substitute in my recipe. I also sift the flour prior to adding it to the other ingredients.
- Mix your batter in a blender. The first time I used an electric mixer and the texture was off. I believe the egg became more frothy from the blender, making the batter lighter.
- Place your cast iron in the oven while it preheats and add the butter after the cast iron has heated in the oven.
- Do not open the oven early to peak, the dutch baby will deflate.
Making the batter
Again the biggest tip is to allow your ingredients to come to room temperature prior to making. I take all my ingredients out 30 minutes prior to baking. This recipe calls for 2 tbsp of melted butter, melt and allow that to also sit out for the 30 minutes.
Cast iron skillet
- Preheat your cast iron skillet while the oven preheats. With an oven mitt, remove the hot pan at 425F.
- Add in 2 tbsp of butter
- Swirl the butter around the pan until it’s fully melted and bubbling
- Pour in the pancake batter and place in the oven at 450F.
Baking the pancake
Allow the dutch baby to bake for 20-25 minutes. The sides of the pancake should shoot up the sides of the cast iron skillet and the inside will poof a little as well. Do not open the oven prior to 20 minutes or it will ruin the rise of the pancake. If your pancake does not rise, it could be that your ingredients were too cold, batter wasn’t mixed well enough, or your cast iron is too large. I use an 8 or 10 inch cast iron when I make mine.
Post bake
When you remove the dutch baby pancake from the oven, it will deflate. You should have a soft center and crispier edges.
Toppings
You can top your dutch baby pancake with whatever type of toppings you prefer. I usually top mine with berries, lemon zest, and a dusting of powdered sugar. Then serve with a side of maple syrup.
You can cook fruit inside the dutch baby by adding it to the batter, but I found that it didn’t rise as much and the center baked much slower. I prefer to just add toppings after the pancake has baked.
Looking for other baked breakfast recipes?
- Overnight French Toast Bake
- Cast Iron Buttermilk Biscuits
- Cinnamon Streusel Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Poppyseed Baked Donuts
- Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts
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Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
Dutch Baby
- 3/4 cup bread flour (or all purpose flour, sifted)
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided, 2 tablespoons melted)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Optional Toppings
- Fresh berries
- Lemon zest
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
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Instructions
- 30 minutes "additional time" is to allow all ingredients to come to room temperature. Melt 2 tbsp butter and allow to cool. Ingredients must be room temperature.
- Place cast iron skillet in oven and pre-heat oven to 450F. Remove cast iron at 425F.
- While the oven and cast iron preheats, add room temperature ingredients to a high speed blender: flour, eggs, milk, 2 tbsp melted butter, kosher salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and ground cinnamon. Blend on high for 2 minutes. You may have to pause and use a spatula to scrape the flour from the sides.
- Using a heat safe mitt, carefully remove the cast iron pan from the oven. Add the 2 tbsp of butter and swirl around the pan until it fully melts and is bubbling. Pour in the batter and place in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Do not open the oven prior to the 20 minutes or the dutch baby will collapse.
- Once done baking, carefully remove from the oven. The pancake will naturally deflate once you remove from the oven. The center should be just set and the outsides crisp.
- Top with your favorite toppings and serve!
Notes
- If your pancake does not rise, it could be that your ingredients were too cold, batter wasn’t mixed well enough, or your cast iron is too large. I use an 8 or 10 inch cast iron when I make mine.
- I prefer to use bread flour to get a higher rise, but all purpose flour is traditional and can be used as a substitute in my recipe. I also sift the flour prior to adding it to the other ingredients.
- You can cook fruit inside the dutch baby by adding it to the batter, but I found that it didn’t rise as much and the center baked much slower. I prefer to just add toppings after the pancake has baked.
