I vividly remember the first time I had a “German Pancake.” I was a little girl and my parents had gone out of town and one of my favorite babysitters, Amy Arneson, was staying with us. She placed a big glass cake pan in the oven and I remember watching in wonder as it morphed from a flat, silky batter, into an enormous fluffy cloud in the hot oven. To be honest, I’m not sure if German pancakes have anything to do with Germany because when you make a smaller batch in a cast iron skillet, they’re called “Dutch Babies.” Either way we apparently have Europeans to thank? And thank them you will, because this easy recipe is bound to become a family favorite!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Eggs
- Milk
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Butter – Always use real butter if you can!
- Powdered sugar
- Additional toppings – As desired- berries, berry sauce, maple syrup, whipped cream, buttermilk caramel syrup, etc.
How to Make German Pancakes
- This couldn’t be easier. First of all, you’ll toss some butter in a pan and place that pan in the oven to get hot. You want and need a hot pan for the best pancake so leave it in there until the butter melts, and it will even start to brown.
- While it’s heating up, you’ll mix up eggs, milk and flour with a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla. Then you just pour it in your hot pan. (My cute pan is from Crow Country Home, by the way. I bought it here.)
- Pop that pan in the oven and in 15-20 minutes or so it will puff up into a delicious pillowy pancake. My kids love standing near the oven and watching it morph. I actually go less by a timer and more by sight since it seems to cook a little different every time. It will start to sink down once it comes out, but no worries, that’s normal!
- Drizzle it with a little more melted butter, and we like a dusting of powdered sugar and additional toppings as desired.
Storing and Other Tips
- These are definitely best fresh, straight out of the oven! If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within a couple of days for best results.
- When it comes to toppings, the sky is the limit! You can do good ol’ maple syrup, or fresh berries and whipped cream, or lemon juice and powdered sugar just to name a few. We love this Kodiak Cakes Berry Syrup, and if you want a homemade version, check out our Strawberry or Blueberry Syrups, or this Buttermilk Syrup is also fantastic.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make the batter up to 24 hours in advance, but definitely bake fresh!
A good hot pan helps the batter puff immediately when it hits the oven, which is key to getting those tall edges and tender center.
Yes, you can divide the batter among smaller oven-safe dishes or skillets. Just keep in mind they’ll bake faster than a larger pancake, so keep an eye on them and try to keep them in similarly-sized dishes so they will cook at the same time. You may want to set your baking dishes on a baking sheet for easy removal from the hot oven.
German Pancakes
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups milk
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick butter, divided
- powdered sugar
Additional toppings as desired
- Berries, berry sauce, maple syrup, whipped cream, buttermilk caramel syrup, etc.
Instructions
- Chop 6 tablespoons of the butter into chunks and place in a 9×13 pan. Place pan in oven and preheat to 400℉. Place remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small dish and microwave until melted completely. Set aside.
- While the oven is preheating, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, and vanilla in a blender, or simply whisk until completely smooth. Remove pan from oven when butter is melted and tilt pan to distribute butter evenly on the bottom of pan and slightly up sides, or a silicone brush.
- Pour batter into pan and then return to oven. Bake for 15-25 minutes or so, or until puffed up and golden brown on top. All ovens cook differently, so just keep an eye on it!
- Remove from oven and immediately pour remaining melted butter over the top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into large pieces and top with desired toppings.
Notes
- Although a 9×13 pan seems like a lot, these will go fast! I find 1 pan feeds my family of 6 if there are other things to accompany the meal, or hearty toppings (like lots of fruit.) If it’s all we’re eating, I often make 2 for my hungry boys!
- Nutrition info was calculated for 1/6th of a pan, with no toppings other than the butter poured on at the end of baking.
- These are definitely best fresh and hot from the oven. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2 days for best results.
- If you need to plan ahead, you can make the batter up to 24 hours in advance, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Questions & Reviews
Love German Pancakes! I’ve been making them forever. So easy and yummy! I like how you drizzle melted butter on top, I’ve never done that before but I think it would make them even better! Thanks!!
We make these every Sunday before church! They are so easy, my kids are now making them. I love the tip of making them in the blender.
The first time I had a German pancake/Dutch baby was when I spent the night with a friend in grade school. I had no idea what she was talking about when she told me what we were having for breakfast. I am not the most adventurous eater and I was already trying to think about what I would say when I took my first bite (trying to be gracious but at that same time trying to hide the fact that I didn’t like what was being served – because I was sure I would not like it). Luckily, it was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had. My friend’s mom served it with homemade strawberry jelly and bacon. Everytime I see a recipe for this I immediately think of them. It brings back an awesome childhood memory.
Peel and thinly slice an apple, and arrange in pan. The apples will begin baking as the butter is melting in the oven. Then pour the egg, flour and milk combination over the sliced apples and melted butter as directed. Serve with the caramel syrup- it’s a delicious combination!
ooh, sounds good!
My boys are going to get German pancakes on a regular basis now that I have this large-batch recipe! At The Original Pancake House in Salem/Portland, you can get a Dutch Baby like this, or these amazing apple pancakes that are basically the same batter, only smothered in gooey cinnamon apples. You have to let them know the moment you walk in the door that you want one so they can put it in the oven. If you come across a recipe for the apple one, please pass it along! = )
Can fruit be cooked in the pancake or should it be added after?
I’d add it after, I’ve never tried cooking it in the batter- not sure how that would turn out!
Once I made German pancakes, they were completely flat by the time we were able to eat them. Is that normal? Yours looks fluffy even after flattening a bit.
It was still pretty yummy though! Maybe I’ll try these someday!
They’re kind of different every time- but flattening out is definitely normal!
So funny story, my family always called these Hootin’ Nanny Cakes. When I went to college I used to tell my roommates how much I missed a good Hootin’ Nanny Cake. Finally they got sick of hearing about it and I made it for them and when they saw it they said, “oh, these are German Pancakes”. Needless to say we were all disappointed. I still think my name sounds more fun to eat! Lol.
Haha, I DO love the name!
Now that’s my kind of snowy-day recipe – super easy and the kids get an oven show to watch for free. I love seeing kids who still get a thrill out of this kind of thing and aren’t dependent on electronics for that sense of wonder!
We love german pancakes in our house! One of our favorite easy meals!
Paige