If you’re looking for an easy dish to serve several people at once, something that can double as a side or dessert, even a meal, look no further. This recipe for Dutch babies, also known as German pancakes, is a great way to use up your sourdough starter or Amish Friendship Bread starter discard, and is super simple to make.
First, some terminology. What are we making here exactly?
German pancakes and Dutch babies are essentially the same thing, but the dish is said to have originated in Germany, not the Netherlands. The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German). “Baby” referred to the fact that the restaurant served miniature versions.
ANDREW JANJIGIAN, COOK’S ILLUSTRATED
For best results, let all ingredients come to room temperature. You can make the batter up to 12 hours in advance; store in fridge and reblend well before using.
Our version puffed up beautifully and then deflated, which is normal, and the edges pulled away from the sides of the pan as it rested for a couple of minutes before cutting and serving. Because of the high sugar content in your Amish Friendship Bread starter, you’ll want to keep an eye on the pan to keep it from burning. It was reminiscent of Yorkshire pudding, and also our Amish Friendship Bread popover recipe.
Sweet and savory Dutch Baby recipe ideas
Get creative! Here are some Dutch baby tips and variations:
- If you want a less custardy-type Dutch baby, reduce the recipe by 1-2 eggs. Using a recently fed/active starter will also result in a puffier pancake. You can also experiment with reducing the amount of starter and adding 1 tablespoon flour (bread flour is ideal but all-purpose works too) for every ⅓ cup of starter you remove).
- Top with sliced bananas or berries, either before placing the cast-iron pan in the oven or after dusting with confectioners’ sugar.
- Blueberry-Lemon Dutch baby: omit vanilla (or replace with ½ teaspoon lemon extract if you have), combine 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest with ¼ cup sugar, mash and stir well–divide and set aside (this can be made in advance, which will give the flavors time to meld). Add half of the lemon-sugar mixture to the recipe before blending, then add ½ cup fresh blueberries to the batter in the pan before placing in the oven. Sprinkle the remaining lemon-sugar on top of the Dutch baby before serving.
- Spice it up: add ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg.
- Go savory! Add ½ teaspoon black pepper and top with a poached or fried egg and a combination of sliced avocado, chopped or cherry tomatoes, crispy kale, chopped bacon or thinly sliced Proscuitto, fresh herbs (thyme, chives, green onion, basil, dill), arugula, sliced jalapeños, sauteed mushrooms, and/or a sprinkling of grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan).
- For chocoholics: add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder to batter, and increase sale to ¾ teaspoon. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk 1 ounce of chopped chocolate with ¼ cup cream and a pinch of salt until smooth. Turn off heat, stirring occasionally. Once the Dutch baby is baked, drizzle the top with chocolate sauce and ¼ mini chocolate chips. Add a scoop of ice cream or sliced bananas.
- Lighten up: if you’re watching your fat intake, reduce the butter by half to 3 tablespoons (but make sure the pan is well coated before adding batter).
- Make them mini: instead of using a cast-iron pan, you can make these in a 12-well muffin tin for easy single servings. Divide the butter into an equal number of pieces for each muffin well. Using the butter wrapper or extra butter, grease each muffin cup well, then place the empty muffin tin in the oven as it preheats. Once everything is ready, carefully remove the preheated muffin pan, add one pat butter per well, and then pour about ⅓ cup of the batter into each well. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until Dutch babies are puffed up and a light golden brown.
The high sugar content in the starter can quickly burn, so you’ll want to keep an eye on the pan and remove it once it’s golden or light brown–it will continue to cook in the pan even after you remove it from the oven.
Easy Amish Friendship Bread Sourdough Dutch Baby
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted, cut into pieces
- 2 cups Amish Friendship Bread starter or sourdough discard (see note)
- 6 eggs large
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- confectioners' sugar to dust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F (218° C).
- In a blender or using a hand-held mixer, combine all ingredients except for butter and confectioners' sugar. Blend until frothy and well combined, approximately one minute. Set aside.
- Using a cast-iron pan, melt butter on low to medium heat, swirling to coat the entire surface of the pan. Once melted, stir batter once before adding, then pour into hot pan. Place immediately into preheated oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 300° F (149° C) and continue baking another 5-10 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Remove from oven and dust with confectioners' sugar–it will deflate as it cools. Serve with warm maple syrup or jam.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- If you want a less custardy-type Dutch baby, reduce the recipe by 1-2 eggs. Using a recently fed/active starter will also result in a puffier pancake. You can also experiment with reducing the amount of starter and adding 1 tablespoon flour (bread flour is ideal but all-purpose works too) for every ⅓ cup of starter you remove).
- Top with sliced bananas or berries, either before placing the cast-iron pan in the oven or after dusting with confectioners’ sugar.
- Blueberry-Lemon Dutch baby: omit vanilla (or replace with ½ teaspoon lemon extract if you have), combine 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest with ¼ cup sugar, mash and stir well–divide and set aside (this can be made in advance, which will give the flavors time to meld). Add half of the lemon-sugar mixture to the recipe before blending, then add ½ cup fresh blueberries to the batter in the pan before placing in the oven. Sprinkle the remaining lemon-sugar on top of the Dutch baby before serving.
- Spice it up: add ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg.
- Go savory! Add ½ teaspoon black pepper and top with a poached or fried egg and a combination of sliced avocado, chopped or cherry tomatoes, crispy kale, chopped bacon or thinly sliced Proscuitto, fresh herbs (thyme, chives, green onion, basil, dill), arugula, sliced jalapeños, sauteed mushrooms, and/or a sprinkling of grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan).
- For chocoholics: add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder to batter, and increase sale to ¾ teaspoon. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk 1 ounce of chopped chocolate with ¼ cup cream and a pinch of salt until smooth. Turn off heat, stirring occasionally. Once the Dutch baby is baked, drizzle the top with chocolate sauce and ¼ mini chocolate chips. Add a scoop of ice cream or sliced bananas.
- Lighten up: if you’re watching your fat intake, reduce the butter by half to 3 tablespoons (but make sure the pan is well coated before adding batter).
- Make them mini: instead of using a cast-iron pan, you can make these in a 12-well muffin tin for easy single servings. Divide the butter into an equal number of pieces for each muffin well. Using the butter wrapper or extra butter, grease each muffin cup well, then place the empty muffin tin in the oven as it preheats. Once everything is ready, carefully remove the preheated muffin pan, add one pat butter per well, and then pour about ⅓ cup of the batter into each well. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until Dutch babies are puffed up and a light golden brown.
Resources
- German pancake or Dutch baby? https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/459-german-pancake
- Need some help troubleshooting? See if this helps answer your problem: https://www.thekitchn.com/why-dutch-baby-didnt-rise-22994417
>> Have you tried this recipe? Give it some stars and leave a comment below letting us know how it worked for you!
This makes a lovely breakfast and is very easy to make. I pared down the recipe, using only 1.5 cups of starter and 5 eggs. This was delicious with raspberries, dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon, and a bit of maple syrup.
That sounds so delicious, Carol! Thanks for sharing your tips! If you have any pictures of your dutch babies, we’d love to see them on our group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amishfriendshipbread