If you're hosting a crowd for brunch, try making German pancakes. This easy recipe serves 8 without the need for standing over the stove or flipping. Here's how to make German pancakes at home, including our Test Kitchen's favorite ways to top them.
What Are German Pancakes?
German pancakes, also known as a Dutch Baby, are baked in the oven rather than being cooked on the stovetop. As they bake, they puff up and become golden. The texture is similar to a Yorkshire pudding or popover.
What Is a German Pancake Made Of?
Many of the ingredients you need to make classic pancakes are here. Here's a quick look at what you'll need to make this German pancake recipe.
- Butter: You'll need 1/4 cup, or half a stick, of butter for this recipe. Melt it directly into the pan and mix up the rest of the ingredients for the batter.
- Eggs: Six large eggs are the key ingredient to this recipe. They help the pancake puff up and become almost souffle-like in the oven.
- Buttermilk: Our Test Kitchen likes to use buttermilk in this recipe, but you can also swap in regular milk.
- Flour: For the best results, use all-purpose flour. There's no need to sift the flour first as its being blended in a blender.
- Salt: A pinch of salt helps round out the flavors.
What Toppings Are Good on German Pancakes?
There are so many ways to top a German pancake. Go the classic breakfast route with butter and maple syrup. Or, try fresh berries and whipped cream. You can also take the dish in a savory direction with sausage gravy and fried eggs on top.
Our recipe testers loved the combination of berries and a homemade lemon syrup. To make the syrup, combine sugar, butter, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a pan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and store in the fridge.
How to Store German Pancakes
Allow German Pancake to cool to room temperature. Place in an airtight container or if freezing, wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator up to three days or label and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat pancake in the microwave 10 to 20 seconds or in a 350°F oven 10 to 15 minutes.
Ingredients
German Pancake
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1/4 cup butter
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6 large eggs
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3/4 cup buttermilk or milk
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3/4 cup all purpose flour
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1/4 teaspoon salt
Lemon Syrup and Toppings
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1/3 cup granulated sugar
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1/3 cup butter
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1/3 cup lemon juice
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1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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2 cups blueberries, raspberries and/or sliced strawberries
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Powdered sugar
Directions
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Place butter in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat pan in oven until butter is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Tilt pan to coat the bottom evenly with butter.
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In a blender combine eggs, buttermilk, flour, and salt. Cover and blend until smooth. Add batter to the baking pan, tilting to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Lemon Syrup and Toppings
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Meanwhile in a small saucepan combine granulated sugar, butter, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Transfer to a severing container. Top pancake with berries and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with syrup to top individual servings.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 334 | Calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 38g | Carbs |
| 7g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 334.1 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 17.6g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat 9.9g | 50% |
| Cholesterol 176.7mg | 59% |
| Sodium 239.3mg | 10% |
| Total Carbohydrate 38.3g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.3g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 26.9g | |
| Protein 7.1g | 14% |
| Vitamin D 1mcg | 5% |
| Vitamin C 5.1mg | 6% |
| Calcium 58.5mg | 4% |
| Iron 1.3mg | 7% |
| Potassium 140.5mg | 3% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 0.6g | |
| Vitamin D 42IU | |
| Alanine 0.4g | |
| Arginine 0.4g | |
| Ash 1.2g | |
| Aspartic acid 0.6g | |
| Caffeine 0mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 0mcg | |
| Choline, total 121mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0.1mg | |
| Cystine 0.1g | |
| Energy 1398.8kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 1.7mcg | |
| Folate, total 43.8mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 1.3g | |
| Glycine 0.2g | |
| Histidine 0.2g | |
| Isoleucine 0.3g | |
| Leucine 0.6g | |
| Lysine 0.4g | |
| Methionine 0.2g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 12.9mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0.2mg | |
| Niacin 0.9mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 117.3mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 0.8mg | |
| Phenylalanine 0.4g | |
| Phytosterols 0mg | |
| Proline 0.4g | |
| Retinol 183mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 16.4mcg | |
| Serine 0.5g | |
| Starch 0.2g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 0.3g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1mg | |
| Tryptophan 0.1g | |
| Tyrosine 0.3g | |
| Valine 0.4g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 680.8IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 186.5mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0.5mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 8.5mcg | |
| Water 93.6g | |
| Zinc, Zn 0.8mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.