How to Make Dutch Baby Pancakes

Dutch baby pancakes, also referred to as German pancakes, are a great way to start the morning. The recipe for these is quick, easy, and very versatile. A dutch baby pancake can easily become a small "dish" to hold other delicious breakfast foods, which make them quite unique.

These are really just crepes with edges! And, like crepes, you can use jam or powdered sugar as a complement. You can also top them off with breakfast ingredients like bacon, eggs, and cheese for a more savory treat!

There are really few limits as to what can be added onto a dutch baby pancake. Some may prefer something as basic as powdered sugar or cinnamon as a topping and some may choose to add fruits, sugars, and syrups.

This recipe can also be used for a breakfast pizza, too, by adding tomato sauce, vegetables, and a variety of cheeses. I first learned how to make dutch babies in culinary arts school, but they really aren't hard to make!

Theses are the ingredients and tools you will need to properly prepare this super yummy breakfast food:

• 10 inch cast iron skillet (or something comparable in size.) You can also use something a little more "non-stick" for easier removal of the dutch babies. Dutch babies LOVE to stick to the pan!
• Cooking oil, spray, or butter (Anything good for greasing a pan)
• A mixing bowl
  
  
  
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (for the recipe)
• 1/8 cup of all-purpose flour (for the pan)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Any toppings you would like to use (Get creative!)

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease the pan. Then add the flour to the pan to lightly coat the pan with flour. This makes it easier to remove the dutch baby pancake when it is done than just using a cooking spray. Throw out any flour that does not stick to the oil in the pan. I've included a photo below of how the flour should look in the pan. This is known as "flouring" a pan and is an age old secret to keep food from sticking to the pan. This technique is great for dutch baby pancakes because they LOVE to stick to the pan.
• In your mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, flour and salt until it is smooth. If you're like me, you can use a hand mixer instead.
• Pour the pancake batter into the pan and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. The pancakes will be finished baking when the edges are puffy, curled, and golden brown.
• This is the fun part. Add the toppings of your choice to your dutch baby pancakes. I prefer confectioner's sugar and raspberry or blackberry jam, but the possibilities for this recipe are nearly endless. Take the poll to the right and let me know what kinds of things YOU would like on a dutch baby pancake!

It is important to make enough dutch baby pancakes for everyone. If you don't, all your guests will eat them and leave none for the chef! These pancakes are delicious and just one is not enough (unless you're piling on the toppings!)

It's a good idea to have several pans available so that everyone can eat their pancakes at once. If this is not possible, they can be made one at a time by keeping the finished pancakes in a warmer so that everyone is able to enjoy them together!

If you have an electric oven, you can use it as a warmer while you're cooking up the rest of your breakfast. If you have a gas oven, you will want to avoid using it as a warmer for crispy foods such as these because of water vapor present in gas ovens (it'll make anything you're warming up soggy.) If you just need to warm it up for a few minutes while you fry up some eggs, your dutch babies should be fine in a gas oven.

Making your pancakes at night so you have something to munch on while on the go in the morning? Did you make too many of these bad boys? Toss them in the fridge, when you're ready to enjoy your pancakes, throw them in the oven or the toaster oven to perk them up. Slather on some jelly or toss in some scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese and finish these off before someone else does!