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
I grew up eating German pancakes and have always loved them. This recipe is delicious! Thank you!!
So simple and so yummy! I always omit the 2 T of butter at the end. My kids love to eat the pancakes with ice cream and syrup.
Joining to the comment board a tad late, but we love this recipe. One of our favorite variations is eliminating the melted butter on the bottom and spray the bottom and sides of the pan instead. Then add cooked sausage, cheese and spinach to the pan and pour the pancake batter on top. Cook as usual. Serve with warm syrup. Sweet and savory. So good!
I’ve had the single, made in a cast iron pan version my whole life. Recipe from my German Grandmother, only she called it a Pop Cake. I’ve never seen it anywhere else. My Mom made them for me, I made them for my kids, and now my grandchildren – everyone loves them, especially when the bottom gets crispy. I’ll have to try the family style one, so much easier than all those individual cast iron pans. Thanks
Sometimes when I make these they turn out dense and eggy instead of light and fluffy. I can’t figure out why. Anyone have any ideas? (I always use a blender, usually 1% milk).
Happens to me every once and a while too- I actually have no idea!
Definitely longer than 15 min. I added 5 more minutes but looks like it could have used 5 more…after tasting it seemed 25 mins. Would be spot on.. Maybe the 5,000′ elevation played a part ..but as for taste , it was delicious, anxious to try the 25 min. time…thxs. good recipe..
We have these in Finland! They are traditionally eaten on Thursdays, with fruit and whipped cream (and the recipe is just a teeny bit different). I had to laugh at your note about making two pans – we have to make two pans for our family of five, easily. They are just too good!