German Pancakes

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Quick Summary

German Pancakes- You only need 6 ingredients to make this delicious oven pancake. The giant, buttery pancake puffs up in the oven, creating a fun, light, and fluffy pancake that kids and adults love! Serve hot, right out of the oven with confectioner’s sugar, berries, maple syrup, or your favorite pancake toppings!

German Pancakes

Our family LOVES a good breakfast. We love making French toast, waffles, pancakes, egg casseroles, smoothies, and more!

German Pancakes are definitely a staple at our house. They are super easy to make and SO fun! If you haven’t tried a German pancake, let me introduce you! I guarantee they will be a favorite breakfast at your house. Hint, you only need 5 minutes of prep time and they are made with basic ingredients!

What are German Pancakes?

A German pancake, sometimes called a Dutch Baby, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, or a Hootenanny, is a large American crepe-like popover pancake. You only need six ingredients and you don’t have to stand by the skillet filliping pancakes all morning.

You make the giant pancake in the oven in a large baking dish or an oven-safe skillet. The pancake puffs up while baking and climbs the sides of the pan. Kids love watching this step because the pancake is like magic. It gets puffy, golden, and forms a different shape every time. The pancake is supposed to look a little crazy and that is all part of the fun!

German Pancake Recipe

German Pancake Ingredients

You only need 6 ingredients to make this giant German pancake, and the ingredients are VERY basic! This is a no-fuss recipe!

  • Butter– You will melt the butter in the oven, in the pan!
  • Flour– Use all-purpose flour.
  • Salt– A little salt to bring out the flavors!
  • Milk– I recommend using whole milk for a rich pancake, but any milk will work.
  • Vanilla extract– Vanilla adds the best flavor, don’t skip it!
  • Eggs– You need 6 large eggs for this recipe! The pancakes are more “eggy” and taste similar to crepes or popovers.
German pancakes on plate with berries and whipped cream

How to Make German Pancakes

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. You want to bake the oven in a hot oven so it can puff up!
  • Put the butter in a 9×13-inch pan and place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Pour in the milk and vanilla and whisk until combined.
  • Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well in between each addition, this will make sure the German pancake is nice and fluffy! Alternatively, you can use a blender to blend all of the ingredients together.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and swirl it around so the butter evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Make sure the butter is hot when you pour in the butter.
  • Pour the batter slowly into the pan, in a figure 8, swirling motion, so the batter hits the hot butter. Don’t just pour it in in one spot. You have to swirl!
  • Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 15 to 23 minutes or until puffed up and light golden in color.

How to Serve German Pancakes

The German pancake does get nice and puffy in the oven, but when you remove the pan from the oven the pancake will start to deflate as it cools.

I recommend serving the pancake immediately! It is ok if it falls a little, it will still be good, but German pancakes are best right out of the oven!

Use a sharp knife to cut the pancake into squares.

The pancake fills a 9×13-inch pan, BUT because the pancake is so light and airy, it doesn’t feed a ton of people. One pan typically serves 4-6 people. If you have a large crowd or a big family, I recommend making two pans.

German Pancake Toppings

Now for the fun part, the toppings! We usually keep things simple and top our oven pancake with berries, whipped cream, maple syrup, and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.

Here are some other topping ideas!

  • Confectioner’s sugar– It’s so pretty! My boys call it snow, ha!
  • Fruit: Berries, peach slices, banana slices, or cinnamon skillet apples are all good options! Use whatever is in season!
  • Whipped Cream– you can’t go wrong with whipped cream!
  • Syrup– Syrup is a classic pancake topping. Use traditional maple syrup, strawberry syrup, or even brown butter buttermilk syrup!
  • Lemon & Sugar– Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the warm pancake and sprinkle with granulated sugar! So refreshing!
  • Nut Butter– Spread peanut butter or almond butter on top of your pancake!
  • Nutella– So decadent and divine, especially with strawberries or raspberries!
  • Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt– This may sound odd, but I promise cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are good toppings! Plus, you get an extra boost of protein!

How to Store German Pancakes

I highly recommend enjoying the pancakes RIGHT out of the oven. You can’t beat a fresh German Pancake.

If you have leftovers, we rarely do, you can store them in the refrigerator for up 2 days, BUT they tend to get a little rubbery after being reheated. Still edible, but not the very best:)

How to Make German Pancakes

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German Pancakes

You only need 6 ingredients to make this delicious oven pancake. The giant, buttery pancake puffs up in the oven, creating a fun, light, and fluffy pancake that kids and adults love! Serve hot, right out of the oven with confectioner's sugar, berries, maple syrup, or your favorite pancake toppings!
4.69 from 22 votes

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Put the butter in a 9×13-inch pan and place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted, about 2 to 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Pour in the milk and vanilla and whisk until combined.
  • Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well in between each addition, this will make sure the German pancakes are fluffy.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and swirl it around so the butter evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Make sure the butter is hot when you pour in the batter. Pour the batter slowly into the pan, in a figure 8, swirling motion, so the batter hits the hot butter.
  • Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 15 to 23 minutes or until puffed up and light golden in color.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Cut into squares and serve immediately with berries, whipped cream, and maple syrup, if desired.

Notes

The pancake will rise above the pan in the oven and deflate after it comes out of the oven, that is normal.
You can make German pancakes in a blender. Put all the ingredients in a blender, except the eggs. Blend, then add the eggs ,one at a time, blending about 15 seconds between each addition.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 282mg, Sodium: 413mg, Potassium: 210mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 810IU, Calcium: 114mg, Iron: 3mg

Have you tried this recipe?

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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  1. Do you know that I actually learned how to make these in cooking class in middle school? I was so obsessed with them, but haven’t made them in ages! Your version looks spectacular- especially with all the fresh fruit!! Hope your picks are winning!

  2. i love german pancakes! there’s one at a little place we used to live by in dallas that served it with roasted apples…HOLY.YUM.

  3. I went to Germany the summer I was 13. I lived on these!! and have been wondering for the past 2 decades how to make them. Now i know..thankyou!!!!

  4. Yum! I love the looks of that German pancake. I did stand flipping pancakes over the weekend, and I think I would have preferred this 😉

  5. Love that german pancakes can be made in the oven! Sounds like a fun weekend 🙂 xo

  6. German pancakes are one of my absolute favorites and yours looks AMAZING! Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it! 🙂

  7. I always love finding recipes for “german pancakes”. They all look delicious, but I have to say that they are very different from a traditional German Pancake. The real ones have a very different egg-flour-milk ratio, do not contain any flavors or fat and are baked in a skillet. Although I have tried a lot of different variations already, I’ve never seen any that were baked in the oven. They do look delicious though, I guess I have to try some American German Pancakes 🙂

    This is my recipe:
    http://myfirstkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/german-pancakes.html
    I hope you’ll find the time to try it one time 🙂

  8. We make these all the time, in fact, I was going to post my recipe next week! it’s a little different than yours, but yours definitely looks delish! We call ours Dutch Babies, like you mentioned. I may have to try your recipe next time!

  9. I make these often for my family. In fact we had them on Saturday. My absolute favorite way to eat them is with fresh peaches or some sauteed apples. They are so easy to make that it’s one of the first things I learned how to cook and now my older kids know how too.

  10. I make pancakes for my son almost every morning – I’ve never made them this way. I’m going to have to give it a try!

  11. I haven’t had a German pancake in years, but I grew up being SO excited when my dad would make them for Sunday brunch. These look fabulous 🙂

  12. So sweet of Josh to make breakfast, this looks great 🙂 I’ve been watching tons of March Madness game too!

  13. This looks delicious! My bracket is somehow doing really well… too bad I know nothing about college basketball!

  14. Love these!! Made one yesterday for brunch!! My family calls them mircacle pancakes! I will have to add the berries next time! That sounds so yummy!!

  15. I love the fresh berries on these pancakes…and the fact that you can just throw them in the oven instead of standing over the stove!

  16. looks divine! And btw, catching up now on my blog reading and want to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! I’m so excited for the third pea in the pod 🙂

  17. Congratulations on your big news! I am sure the baby, when old enough, will enjoy this gorgeous pancake!

  18. looks fantastic!! I can’t wait to make this! It was so fun having lunch last week. Congrats again!

  19. We adore Dutch babies and yours looks wonderful. One thing can be certain – that little baby of yours is going to be a sports fan.

  20. He’s got “babies” on his mind, eh? 🙂 I just made one of these a few weekends ago, a nice switch sometimes from griddle pancakes (which, of course, I still love).

  21. Mmmmm dutch babys! I always loved them growing up. Speaking of babies, congrats on your soon to be new pea!

  22. dutch babies are a big-time favorite at our house – especially w/fresh summer berries! and CONGRATS MARIA & JOSH on the new soon-to-be pea!!

  23. These looks like a must try now that I have my cast iron skillets that I love and can’t believe I ever lived without. *swoon*

  24. I love German pancakes and these look as good as any I’ve seen. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll give it a shot one of these days!

  25. I’ve been dyinggg for a German pancake recipe from someone in the food blog world!! Now i have a great excuse to make this! Thanks and congrats on the third little pea 🙂

  26. I luv dutch babies too!! I do have a problem with the rising part. Is it because I used a nonstick pan? Please help with advise.

    1. We’ve never had a problem with them not rising. The pancake usually puffs right up and climbs up the side of the pan. Hmmm…I’ve used a non-stick pan before too.

  27. Darn I just made this and it came out flat as a board and hard as a rock… I’m trying to figure out where I messed up… maybe because I added the eggs to the flour instead of the flour (gradually) to the eggs. I will try it again, I’ve been wanting to make this for years!

  28. My MIL makes a fierce Dutch baby! I love to the treat when we go home to visit. Don’t tell her I said this, but yours may be prettier. 🙂

  29. i love german pancakes. problem is, i can eat one by myself. i am sure i would do the same with your version. yummy stuff!

  30. I just saw these in my Bon Appetit Mag… and now I want one even more than I did! YUM!

  31. I love, love, love Dutch Babies! 🙂 We just had one at a B&B last week….and now your post. I think it’s a sign that I need to make one….or several! 😉

    I love the picture of the powdered sugar raining down on it!

  32. Dutch Babies are a fave around here, too. I wish that my hubz would get closer to that skillet and make them from time to time… ahhhh, it was just a dream! 😉

  33. I am with you on the March Madness obsession! it is all I did this weekend! Those German Pancakes look amazing…. definitely on my breakfast list for next weekend!

  34. German pancakes or Dutch babies…however people call them…they are delicious! Love your cast iron skillet

  35. Gorgeous! And look, a husband-proof pancake! I’ll have to show mine this post, huh? 😉

  36. I’ve been making these for years back when I first discovered a recipe for a “big pancake” in a magazine ad! Way easier than making traditional pancakes with a delicious payout. Anyway, I wnat to tell you that you should try a little nutmeg the next time. I’ve always added nutmeg and somehow it really makes the flavor of a dutch baby come alive.

  37. I have never had this! I had no idea what a Dutch baby was when it saw it mentioned on twitter…thought it was a roast chicken of some sort, lol. This looks so delicious. I’m so curious and a little intimidated by it though! I am going to have to try it out!

  38. This looks so good! I haven’t tried making a Dutch baby before, but I really should give it a try. I love the photos of yours… It’s just stunning!

  39. I love German pancakes – I need to make them more often! This is the perfect breakfast for a Sunday morning.

  40. My mom made German pancakes/dutch babies often for us when we were kids. Now my kids loves them. They are such a fun breakfast to make.

  41. I am German and have never eaten these kind of pancakes in Germany. We bake very big ones on the stove top. They don’t have a rim.

  42. Thank you so much for this recipe. Just made it for my boys and we all LOVE it. It is so simple and delicious.

  43. Looks yum! I just saw a German Pancake on FN the other day for the first time. My cast iron skillet would be too big. Do you think a cake pan would work?

    1. I have never used a cake pan because we have a cast iron skillet that works well, but I am sure a cake pan would work just fine. Enjoy!

  44. We just made this tonight! I’ve been craving some food from my time in Germany and this was just the thing. I only have a 61/2″ cast iron pan, so we made four little ones… YUM! They got eaten as they came out of the oven…slathered in some Nutella! 🙂

  45. I made a gluten free version of your recipe and it came out delicious! My mom and I used to order and share one of these once a week before she’d drop me off for preschool. I never realized how easy they are to make at home. Thanks for the recipe!

  46. I do believe my mother made these for me when I was little. Has anyone ever made them with white whole wheat flour? I am trying to stay away from refined flours and wondered if the texture is greatly affected by using wheat.

  47. I added a little bit of sugar let over from making candied ginger and freshly grated lemon peel to the batter.

    So. Delicious.

  48. 5 stars
    I feel like I’m losing my mind. I saved this link weeks ago and used it to make a perfect German pancake in a 9 in skillet, not a 9×13 pan. I clicked this link today to share with someone and this is a different post and recipe. What happened to the other one?? That’s the one that fits the pan I have.

  49. Loved the recipe but sadly I melted the butter in my favorite ceramic pan in the oven and when I poured the batter in it cracked my pan!!! maybe should say eggs and milk at room temperature! The pancake was awesome though!!!!!

  50. It came out as the directions said but we didn’t like it. You really have to love eggs. It was exciting watching it rise.

  51. You. Issued the step where you add the flour and egg bowls together! figured it out from the comments. All my kids loved this! Thanks for the recipe

  52. 5 stars
    Perfect and amazing! For us, it took the full amount of cooking time. My kids (5 and 7) don’t always like “new” foods the first time. But, they gobbled these up and asked for seconds! Was also an easy meal to chop up for my 1 year old! Will definitely be making these again and again!

  53. This recipe turned out just as pictured; stunning when it came out of the oven, and delicious as well! I preferred it as a savory dish, with just salt and perpper, but it was great with maple syrup as well.

    I’m thinking that it’d be great topped with cheese and spinach, but I’m not sure when I’d add them. Would it keep it from rising if I put it in the oven after sprinkling with cheese? What do you think?