Dutch Babies are pancakes that are baked in the oven in a cast-iron skillet. They puff up like a popover then deflate like a soufflé. Top them with your favorite fruit or jam, or make an Apple Dutch Baby with apple pie filling or a simple apple compote.
If you've never had a Dutch Baby you're in for a treat! My friend, Kelly, has been telling me about these puffed pancakes for years! I've never been a huge fan of pancakes which is probably why I didn't try them sooner.
Come to find out, a Dutch Baby is more like a family-sized waffle than a pancake. At least that's what I think! It's crispy on the outside with a tender custardy center. Now waffles, I LOVE!
Dutch Babies are known by many names including Yorkshire pudding, turnovers, and German pancakes. However, they should not be confused with actual German pancakes, which are called Pfannkuchen.
Even though they are easy to make, they look quite impressive. Serve them on Christmas morning, for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, or Easter. However, since they're so quick and easy to prepare, you really don't need a special occasion to make them.
Dutch Babies are easy to dress up too! Top them with fresh berries, preserves, lemon curd, or wild huckleberry jam. So, what do you say I show you how to make one?
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- Dutch Babies are easy to prepare and a show-stopper at the same time!
- One apple Dutch Baby makes 6 to 8 servings depending on the size of the slices.
- Since the apple filling is not baked into the Dutch Baby, you can make variations of the recipe simply by using different toppings to suit everyone's taste.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions
- Eggs: You'll need 2 large room-temperature eggs.
- Milk: Since we're aiming for a rich, custard-like filling, you'll want to use room-temperature whole milk.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Butter: You'll need unsalted butter to fry the Dutch Baby and some more for the apple compote (¼ cup in total).
- Vanilla: Both the batter and the compote require vanilla extract.
- Lemon: Lemon zest from one lemon is divided for use in the batter and the apple compote.
- Apples: Any apples will work for the compote. Honeycrisp, granny smith, and my personal favorite, pink ladies are especially recommended.
- Brown sugar: If you don't have brown sugar you can substitute white sugar.
- Spices: I chose cinnamon, ginger, and freshly ground nutmeg. A pinch of cloves and some cardamom would also be good!
🔪Tools Required
- 10" cast iron skillet
- Blender (optional)
🥞 How To Make An Apple Dutch Baby
Preheat oven to 400F
Step 1: Whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl.
Step 2: In another bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, and half of the lemon zest. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and blend until completely smooth.
Pro Tip: You'll want to incorporate some air into the batter. If you prefer, you can mix the ingredients in a mixer or a blender. The extra aeration created while blending will help them rise even more.
Step 3: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10" cast iron skillet. Pour batter into the hot skillet over melted butter. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the Dutch Baby is puffed up and golden brown.
Pro Tips: Many recipes call for heating the pan in the oven first, then adding the butter and the batter to the hot, sizzling pan. I went against the grain and as you can see in the photo above, my Dutch Baby rose just fine!
Prepare Apple Compote
While the Dutch Baby is in the oven, prepare the apple compote.
Step 1: Core and slice apples then add the sliced apples to a small saucepan or skillet along with 2 tablespoons butter. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add brown sugar, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and spices. Mix to coat the apples then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: Another option is to make a batch of my cardamom apple pie preserves and use one 8-ounce jar for each Dutch Baby.
How to Serve the Apple Dutch Baby Pancake
Remove the Dutch Baby from the oven and top with apple compote or apple pie filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with honey or syrup (if desired). Slice and serve!
🤷🏻♀️FAQs
In a way, a Dutch Baby tastes similar to bread pudding. It's both tender and crispy and not overly sweet which is why it's usually topped with sweetened fruit, maple syrup, or powdered sugar.
Yorkshire pudding is the same as a Dutch Baby. In the UK they're referred to as Yorkshire pudding and in the US we call them Dutch Babies. When cooked in muffin tins they're referred to as popovers (because once baked, the batter inflates and pops over the pan).
The sides and middle of a Dutch Baby inflate and swell as it bakes. After removing the pan from the oven, the Dutch Baby has a tendency to deflate (but sometimes not entirely). If the center does not deflate, people will sometimes poke the center with a fork to deflate it in order to add a topping before serving it.
Dutch Babies are better served fresh out of the oven. For this reason, reheating them is not recommended. However, you can use any leftovers from the Dutch Baby to make a small batch of bread pudding!
🍎 What to do with Dutch Baby leftovers?
You can use leftovers to make a small batch of bread pudding. Just tear the leftovers into smaller pieces (I had ½ a pan left) and add them to a small buttered casserole dish. If you have compote, mix it in. Whisk 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, and ¼ cup sugar and pour into the dish. Bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Another way to serve the apple Dutch Baby is topped with whipped cream and drizzled with salted caramel sauce.
- Adding fruit or filling to the batter before baking is not recommended as it can keep the batter from rising as it bakes.
- You can even serve a Dutch Baby for dessert. Top it with whipped cream or French vanilla ice cream.
🥐 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Apple Dutch Baby Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10" cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Apple Compote
- 4 tablespoon butter (divided)
- 2 medium apples
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon whole milk (or half and half)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F
- Whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, and half of the lemon zest. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until completely smooth.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10" cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the Dutch Baby is puffed up and golden brown.
Prepare Apple Compote
- While the Dutch Baby is in the oven, prepare the apple compote. Core and slice apples then add to a small saucepan or skillet along with 2 tablespoons butter. Once the butter is melted, add brown sugar, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and spices. Mix to coat the apples then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
How To Serve
- Remove the Dutch Baby from the oven and top it with apple compote or apple pie filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (if desired), then slice and serve!
Notes
- If you prefer you can mix the ingredients in a mixer or a blender. The extra aeration created while blending is supposed to help them rise even more.
- Many recipes call for heating the pan in the oven first, then adding the butter and the batter to the hot, sizzling pan. I went against the grain and as you can see in the photo above, my Dutch Baby rose just fine!
- You can also try serving the Apple Dutch Baby topped with whipped cream and drizzled with salted caramel sauce.
- Adding fruit or filling to the batter before baking is not recommended as it can keep the batter from rising as it bakes.
- You can even serve a Dutch Baby for dessert. Make sure to top it with French vanilla ice cream, yum!
- Another option is to make a batch of my cardamom apple pie preserves and use one 8-ounce jar per Dutch Baby.
- Use leftovers to make a small batch of bread pudding. Just tear the leftovers into smaller pieces, add to a small buttered casserole dish and cover with a mixture of 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, and ¼ cup sugar (whisked together). Bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Marcia Rice says
Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Jennifer Coffee says
I've been looking for another use for apple pie filling and now I have found it... What a great brunch recipe for company!
Hilda Sterner says
Yes, girl, same!
Kelly Methey says
Great post! You know how much I love these! I do use a blender for the extra air and easy clean up! I hope your readers try making this Dutch Baby as they are delicious! The apple topping is a lovely addition to a plain one, which is delicious too! Real maple syrup and powered sugar is a must in my book! Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks for turning me on to Dutch babies in the first place!