Whether you call them German pancakes or Dutch babies, you’ll love this puffy pancake recipe for an easy weekend breakfast. Just add your favorite toppings and dig in!
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German pancakes are a family favorite recipe around here, right up there with our favorite crepe recipe and make-ahead breakfast sandwiches. They are incredibly easy to make and even more delicious to eat! These puffy pancakes only take about 5 minutes to throw together in a blender, and kids love them because they can be topped with just about anything!
The butter is melted in a hot oven in a 9x13-inch baking dish; when the simple batter gets poured into the pan, it puffs up, much like a popover. It's so fun to see how tall the German pancakes can grow, although they deflate rapidly after removing from the oven.
Technically, one batch of German pancakes will give you 8 servings in a 9x13-inch pan. If you’re making these for adults, though, most people will want more than one helping, so you might want to consider doubling the batch and making two pans! Our family of four usually doesn't finish the entire batch, but we're usually pretty close, with only a slice or two leftover.
We also make a smaller batch German apple pancake version with sautéed apples, but this classic German pancake recipe is the one we enjoy most often at our house. We usually top our German pancakes with sliced bananas or peaches when they are in season, along with buttermilk caramel syrup.
(We love pancakes from other parts of the world! Some of our other favorites are Fluffy Japanese Pancakes, Aebleskiver Danish Pancakes, and Hotteok Korean Sweet Pancakes!)
What Is the Difference Between a Dutch Baby and a German Pancake?
Nothing! They’re the same thing. The name “Dutch baby” comes from the fact that the German word for German is Deutsch, and in the United States, this often gets corrupted into “Dutch.”
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Large eggs
- Milk – Whole milk is best for German pancakes.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour will do.
- Salt
- Butter – I recommend unsalted butter, but if you have salted on hand, you can cut back on the amount of salt you add to the batter.
How to Make German Pancakes
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make classic German pancakes at home:
- Prepare. Place the butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish and set the dish in the oven. Preheat the oven to 475ºF, taking a peek at the butter occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Make the pancake batter. Add the eggs, milk, flour, and salt to a blender and blend for 10 to 20 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth.
- Bake the pancake. Carefully slide the pan out of the oven and pour the batter mixture over the butter. Return the pan to the oven, close the door, and bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until the German pancake is puffy and the edges are golden brown.
- Serve. Slice and serve immediately with your desired toppings.
Tips for Success
Here are some pointers for perfect German pancakes:
- Be careful with the hot pan and oven. It’s easiest to slide out the oven rack and pour the batter into the pan; that way you don’t have to hold the hot baking dish with one hand while pouring batter with the other.
- Getting the perfect puffy pancake. I have found that if I pour in a swirled figure-eight pattern rather than just one stream of batter into the center of the pan, I get a more craggy, puffy German pancake as a result.
- Don’t open the oven door while the German pancake is baking. The rush of air into the oven will make your pancake deflate!
- Serve immediately. German pancakes are best when served immediately after baking. As they sit, not only will they deflate, but they’ll also lose moisture.
Topping Ideas
Here are some ideas for serving your German pancakes:
- Make it traditional. Dust the pancake with powdered sugar, then squeeze lemon juice over the top.
- Make it fruity. Sliced bananas, fresh berries, peaches, and sautéed apples are all delicious on a German pancake.
- Make it decadent. Scatter chocolate chips over the top, drizzle it with hot fudge or caramel sauce, or serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
If you have leftover German pancakes, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, then reheat in a 350ºF oven or microwave for 30-60 seconds until hot.
Can German Pancakes Be Frozen?
Yes, German pancakes can be frozen, but they won’t be puffy when reheated! Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months, then thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat them according to the instructions above.
More Great Breakfast Recipes
- Easy Blackberry Turnovers
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Southern Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy
- Green Chili Egg Casserole
- Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
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How to Make the BEST French Toast
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Crispy Belgian Waffle Recipe
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
German Pancakes
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter
- Buttermilk syrup, for serving
- Fresh fruit, for serving
Instructions
- Place butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set the baking dish in a cold oven, then turn the temperature up to 475 degrees F and let the oven preheat, heating the pan and melting the butter at the same time. Check on the butter as it melts so it doesn't burn.
- Meanwhile, make the German pancake batter by adding eggs, milk, flour, sand salt to a blender and blend for 10-20 seconds until smooth.
- When the butter is melted, slide the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the melted butter.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 14-15 minutes, until the German pancake has puffed up around the edges and is golden brown.
- Slice and serve immediately with syrup, fruit, or lemon juice and sugar.
Notes
- Tip: I have found that if I pour in a swirled figure-eight pattern rather than just one stream of batter into the center of the pan, that I get a more craggy, puffy German pancakes as a result of more of the batter coming in contact with the hot pan and melted butter.
- Storage: If you have leftover German pancakes, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350ºF oven or microwave for 30-60 seconds until hot.
I'm a breakfast girl and this one checks all my yummy must halves!
Amy!!! My little boy's newewt obsession has been German pancakes. He had asked me to make him them for breakfast and I didn't have one... Thankfully I remembered seeing you share on social media that you had a recipe. This was fantastic and easy to make! The hardest part was waiting for it to finish baking so he could dive in 😂
Amy, your email recipes are like throwing pebbles in a pond -- I go from one recipe to another; it's never ending and they are delicious! However, I must slow down -- those jeans are getting a little snug.
Aww, thank you for such a nice compliment!
My family loved this German Pancake recipe!! They thought I slaved away in the kitchen LOL It was so easy, warmed up the house us and was delicious. My foodie daughter said it tastes like if pancakes and french toast had a baby. We have another warm breakfast in our rotation.
I was a little disappointed with this recipe. The texture was not nearly as light and fluffy as I expected. It did taste good but the texture was not the best.
Love these! Especially with fresh berries and whip cream. My mom was Hungarian and knew she was in a good mood when she made polechentas (sp?). She spread them with homemade jam and rolled them up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar voila heartwarming breakfast for me!