Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake
Whether you call it a German pancake or a Dutch baby, this puffy oven pancake is an easy crowd-pleasing breakfast with a light flavor. A snap to customize!
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Table of Contents
About Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake
If you’re as picky about pancakes like I am (or breakfast foods in general), then trust me when I say that this Dutch baby pancake is going to be a real treat.
I tend to think that “traditional” pancakes can be a bit heavy, especially if you like to have fun and pile on the toppings (cause, well, I totally do). It’s hard to find the perfect balance between fruit, cream, and baked goodness. A little too much of any of these and it all becomes a huge mess on your plate.
And that’s where this easy dutch baby recipe comes in to save the day. Not only is it light and flavorful on its own, but you also get to mix it all together with a blender. A blender! So no mixing bowls, no overmixing touchy batter – just toss in the ingredients and press blend.
When you add in the fact that that it’s all cooked in a cast iron skillet (no frying pan! No grease!) it really can’t get any easier than this.
Trust me, you guys, cast iron skillet pancakes are where it’s at. As they say, it’s what the “cool” kids are doing.
When planning our breakfast, I went with simple toppings for this dutch baby (also commonly known as a German puff pancake, a Bismarck, or a Dutch puff). I scooped on a tab of cool whip, tossed together some raspberries and blueberries, and dusted it all with some powdered sugar.
But the best part? Even though this puffy oven pancake is a whole different recipe, you can still use any topping you already love with traditional pancakes.
So if whether you like strawberries, Nutella, or peanut butter, banana, and honey, all of them would be perfect with this easy dutch baby recipe.
What is a Dutch baby pancake?
A traditional Dutch baby pancake is made without any chemical leveling ingredients (such as baking soda) and is always baked in the oven (never fully fried on a stovetop). Dutch babies tend to be thicker than stovetop pancakes and puff up around the sides and middle while baking.
What does a Dutch baby pancake taste like?
If I had to compare the taste, I’d say a Dutch baby falls somewhere between a stovetop pancake and a crepe. The texture and simple flavor is more like a crepe (which is what makes it so great for adding fruits and cream) while the thickness is reminiscent of a pancake.
What is the difference between a Dutch baby and a German pancake?
I mentioned this in the post above, but a Dutch baby and a German pancake are the same things – essentially.
I say “essentially” because there’s plenty of debate over the subtle differences in the look, style, and presentation between a Dutch baby and a German pancake. But in the end, they both use the same batter, which results in a baked puffy pancake.
The true difference between the two boils down to the pan you cook them in, and this is where the water gets muddy. As the internet brings the world together and traditional recipes are shared, both of these names are now commonly credited to any pancake that’s baked in a standard cast iron skillet. So it’s not “wrong” to use the names interchangeably, though you’ll certainly find some purists who appreciate the history behind both.
If you’d like to read more about Dutch babies versus German pancakes, check out this article.
Notes & tips for Dutch baby pancakes
- If you don’t already own a trusty piece of cast iron, I highly recommend picking one up. A good piece of cast iron will last you ages. I still use (and love!) this reasonably priced 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- Many will tell you that cast iron is hard to take care of, but I think the biggest challenge is just knowing how to do it. This post about the truth about cast iron has some great tips and tutorials!
- You’ll also need a trusty food processor for this recipe. I bought the Ninja Blender System almost 10 years ago and it hasn’t failed me yet!
- I used cool whip for this recipe because I like the taste and I knew it would look good in the photographs (cause, you know, food blog). So if cool whip isn’t your thing, you could easily substitute for whipped cream you like, whether it be homemade or storebought.
More great breakfast recipes
How to make Dutch baby pancakes
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – Add eggs, milk, sugar, flour, salt, and nutmeg to your trusty food processor and blend until foamy, about two to four minutes. The fluffier the batter, the puffier the pancake will be.
Step 2 – Melt some butter in a cast iron skillet, then use a basting brush to thoroughly coat the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. Pour in the dutch baby pancake batter.
Step 3 – Quickly transfer the skillet to the oven to bake.
Step 4 – Garnish the baked Dutch baby with cream, fruit, and sugar.
Step 5 – Enjoy!
Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
- 2 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- cool whip, for topping, to taste
- 2 cup berries, your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a food processor, add eggs, milk, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, and nutmeg and blend until combined and foamy, about 2-4 minutes. If necessary, stop food processor and scrape sides for any stubborn dry ingredients, then blend again. Set mixture aside.
- In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, add unsalted butter and allow to melt. Use a to cover the sides of the skillet with butter. See above video for example.
- Turn off heat and immediately pour in Dutch baby mixture into the skillet. Quickly transfer hot skillet directly into the oven and bake for 18 minutes or until top of pancake is puffy and a deep golden color.
- Serve Dutch baby pancake immediately with toppings of your choice (fruit, cool whip, powdered sugar, etc).
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I'm not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
