Apple Dutch Baby: German Pancakes
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This Apple Dutch Baby, or German pancakes, is an oven-baked puffed pancake, deliciously perfect in the fall apple season, and always a popular breakfast treat.
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Mush like our Blueberry Dutch Baby recipe, it’s an easy fall weekend breakfast. Or whenever you’re craving pancakes… and apples.
For me, this is a nostalgic breakfast that reminds me of childhood days where the family gathered for my mom’s Dutch Baby. Often it would be topped with peaches or other seasonal fruit.
But always, always, always, the family came running. Because you knew the drama happened when the Dutch Baby was first retrieved from the oven, puffed, and tall… and gorgeously delicious looking.
Today, my family still comes running on those mornings when breakfast is all about a Dutch Baby oven pancake.
Tips for Making a German Pancakes
These beautiful, German pancakes are very simple to make, and only require a couple of steps.
First, you need an oven-safe 10-inch skillet. A cast-iron skillet is absolutely perfect.
Secondly, while the ingredients are simple and the recipe is very easy to whip up, the pancake batter must be poured into a hot skillet in order to puff correctly.
And finally, I like to slice the apples very thinly, but that’s a personal preference. Use your favorite baking apple, or whatever you have on hand.
Dusting with confectioners’ sugar is a bonus, but is our traditional way to serve it.
Apple Dutch Baby Ingredients
These simple ingredients are likely already on hand. Specific measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Butter
- Apple, thinly sliced
- MIlk
- Large eggs
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
- confectioners’ sugar
How To Make an Apple Dutch Baby Pancake
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven as it’s heating. In the last couple of seconds, add the butter and let it melt. Remove the skillet from the oven before the butter browns.
Step 1: Make the Batter
Meanwhile, make the batter and thinly slice the apples. In a bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt; whisk until very smooth with no dry flour remaining.
Step 2: Pour the Batter into the Hot Skillet
Remove the skillet from the oven and brush the melted butter to grease the sides of the skillet. Very carefully lay thin slices of apple in a pretty pattern.
Quickly but carefully pour the batter over the apples in the hot skillet.
Step 3: Bake the Apple Dutch Baby
Return the skillet to the oven and bake until browned and nicely puffed; 20 to 25 minutes.
Call the family so they’re standing near the oven as the Apple Dutch Baby comes out of the oven!
More Breakfast Recipes We Love
- Breakfast Cookies: Easy Healthy Morning Starts
- Make Ahead Easy Vegetable Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Kale
- Easy Rice Cooker Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon
- Healthy Breakfast Quinoa with Blueberries and Bananas
- Make Ahead Mini Frittatas in Muffin Tins
- Healthy and Protein Rich Simple Egg Bites
Apple Dutch Baby: German Pancakes
This Apple Dutch Baby, or German pancakes, is an oven-baked puffed pancake, deliciously perfect in the fall apple season, and always a popular breakfast treat.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven as its preheating. In the last couple of seconds, add the butter and let it melt. Remove the skillet from the oven.
- Meanwhile, make the batter and thinly slice the apples. In a bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt; whisk until very smooth with no dry flour remaining.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and brush the melted butter to grease the sides of the skillet. Very carefully lay thin slices of apple in a pretty pattern.
- Quickly but carefully pour the batter over the apples in the hot skillet.
- Return the skillet to the oven and bake until browned and nicely puffed; 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
- Make ahead: Make the batter the night before and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let the batter come to room temperature before pouring into the hot skillet.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 334Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 263mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 1gSugar: 38gProtein: 8g
Didn’t puff at all and I used room temp ingredients
Hi Lisa, I’m so sorry it didn’t puff up. That can be super frustrating. Most of the time, I find that the culprit is either the oven or the skillet wasn’t hot enough. And as you know, ovens can differ and vary! It’s important for the skillet to be quite hot. When it’s cooler than it should be, the batter doesn’t get hot enough to rise quickly before setting.
I cannot find the recipe card with specific ingredients t measurements. Can you please sendvthem to me? Id really like tobyrybthusvrwvioe today. (9/30/22)
Hi Pam! Here is the link for the printable recipe card which will give you all the measurements and instructions. The recipe card is always at the very bottom of the posts. Have a great day!
https://www.31daily.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/739/print
Made 3xs never got it to rise
Hi Rory. I’m so sorry it didn’t rise for you. Dutch Baby pancakes rely on steam to rise since there isn’t any leavening. It’s really important for the skillet and the oven to be hot enough before adding the batter. This could take up to 20 minutes. The second thing that helps them rise is whipping enough air into the eggs and the batter before adding it to the pan. Ovens vary and I’m sorry it didn’t for you.