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German Pancakes are a hot and puffy golden pancake that only requires 5 minutes of prep! This classic breakfast is always a huge hit at our house!
We love a good classic breakfast at our house. Try this Breakfast Casserole, these delicious Quick 45 Minute Cinnamon Rolls, or my Grandma’s Perfect Fluffy Pancakes for a breakfast the family won’t be able to get enough of!
German Pancakes Recipe
Breakfast is always a struggle at our house because mornings are always so busy! I love to surprise the kiddos with a delicious and hot breakfast at least once a week before school. That is why we love German pancakes at our house. They only take 5 minutes of prep with ingredients that you have on hand. This breakfast is totally doable, even for the busiest families!
My kids love to watch things baking in the oven and this recipe is the best to watch! As the german pancakes bake in the oven, they get puffy and golden. Once we take them out, I love sprinkling them with some powdered sugar and topping them with some syrup and berries. But the best part about pancakes is that you can make them however you like!
Are German Pancakes really from Germany?
German Pancakes or Dutch Baby Pancakes are not German Pancakes the way they are prepared in Germany. The American “German Pancakes” are more like a popover, either entirely baked in the oven or started in a pan and finished in the oven.
German Puff Pancakes Ingredients
If you haven’t tried this classic breakfast, you need to make it. We absolutely love it at our house, and it is so fun and easy to make! It is sure to be a huge hit with family or guests!
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for it to thicken.
- Eggs: This helps with the form and taste of the pancake.
- Milk: This helps make the batter creamy and smooth.
- Butter: Melt the butter before adding it to the batter.
- Sugar: The sugar sweetens the pancakes up!
- Salt: Just a pinch will help it rise.
How to Make German Pancakes from Scratch?
Make this German pancake recipe even easier by adding the batter to a blender for about 30 seconds. Start with blending the wet ingredients together first and then add the dry ingredients until they are smooth. Once the lumps are out, place the batter in the cast iron skillet.
- Whisk Together: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, salt, and sugar. Add the flour and stir until incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Bake in a Skillet: Add one tablespoon of melted butter to the bottom of a 9 or 11-inch cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into a skillet and bake for 12-18 minutes or just until the edges start to brown. Top with desired toppings.
Tips and Tricks
The best thing about baking German pancakes is watching them rise up and over the pan while baking in the oven. Getting that nice fluffy texture and high rise takes a few tips and tricks to make the perfect German pancakes.
- Eggs: Fresh eggs are best! Taking the time to whisk each egg individually will also help fluff up the pancake. This does take extra time but can be so worth it!
- Flour: For best results, use all-purpose flour to help with the rise and thickness of each pancake.
- Preheating the pan: Before adding the batter to the pan, it helps to melt butter ahead of time to help the pancake rise. The butter will help as a non-stick agent, which creates a taller rise and also keeps the pancake from sticking to the pan.
- Golden Brown Color: German pancakes are a little tricky to know whether they are done. As it is baking in the oven, the sides of the pancake will rise about 1 to 2 inches and even creep over the top of the skillet. Once the edges and top of the German pancake is nice and golden brown, you know to remove the pancake from the oven. The middle of the pancake will be a yellow egg color. Once the pancake is removed from the oven, in a short amount of time, the German oven pancake will fall a bit. This happens as it is cooling.
Optional Toppings to Try
Traditionally adding syrup or sprinkling powdered sugar are always popular choices. Once the German pancake is baked and ready to serve, add your favorite toppings and create a delicious breakfast everyone will love.
- Syrup: Buttermilk syrup or any berry syrup.
- Jam: Strawberry jam is my favorite!
- Fresh Berries: Raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries go together so well and balance out the sweet flavor of German pancakes.
- Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top!
- Chocolate Chips: Add the chocolate chips right on top of the pancake while it is warm.
- Cinnamon Sugar: A little more sweetness!
- Nutella: This adds a delicious, chocolatey taste!
More Delicious Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast might just be the best meal of the day! It can be sweet, savory or anything in between! I’ve gathered up a few more of my very favorite breakfast recipes that you must try. You’re entire family will love them!
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German Oven Pancake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons melted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium sized bowl whisk the eggs, milk, 2 Tablespoons melted butter, salt and sugar. Add the flour and stir until incorporated being careful not to overmix.
- Add 1 tablespoon melted butter to the bottom of a 9 or 11 inch cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into a skillet and bake for 12-18 minutes or just until the edges start to brown. Top with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you use a different skillet if you don’t have cast iron .
A cast iron skillet is necessary for baking these in the oven. If you don’t have one then you could try using a 9×13 baking dish instead!
I just use a glass pie plate. Works great! Been making them that way for years.
Isn’t this a Dutch Baby? Never heard it called “German Oven Pancake”…?
Yes, my Dutch baby recipe is super similar! Here is my recipe for that: Dutch Baby
Made as directed added blue berries and strawberries, awesome
Beautiful Dutch babies! My mom made these when I was young. She’s since passed, made me so happy to make these. They are delicious!
This exact recipe was in a pancake and waffle cookbook given to be by my mom. That recipe suggested making an apple compote from sliced apples, sugar and butter. We mostly eat ours with a dab of butter, a squeeze of lemon and powdered sugar on it.
Merry Christmas, Alyssa, and thank you for all the wonderful recipes!
Thank you so much!!! Merry Christmas!
Love this recipe. I sometimes put apple slices in the bottom and always use gluten free flour.
What a great idea! I will have to try that!
This pancake is so yummy ! and the topping of Strawberry and Blueberry make this so special . iI would recommend this recipe to all my friend.
This is such an amazing recipe, and the first time having this type of pancake. I used a very well seasoned heavy 10″ cast iron dutch oven lid that I use often for cornbread and it came out perfect. I was amazed watching this cook as the sides raised up out of the pan and formed a bowl shaped fluffy pancake. I never cooked anything like this it was so good! This is now my new favorite breakfast dish. Thank you for sharing this.
This is one of our family’s favorite recipes. My kids love watching it “grow” in the oven! Glad to hear that you loved it too!
Learned a slight variation from my mother, who learned it from her mother, etc. I make the batter thinner and do it stove top, more like a crepe. A heads up, the sodium is listed at 138 mgs per serving and is actually 190.
Ooh, I love hearing about when recipes are passed down! Thank you for sharing!
Just baked it! Snow bound and only had salted butter. Need to use unsalted butter next time or salted and nix the salt. So good my grandma would have been proud. Sliced apples definitely delicious in it as well. Added some vanilla. Thank you for my delicious breakfast.
There was a restaurant in Minnesota that served these. The server would have to yell when coming out of the kitchen with one, “Pannekukin coming!” They would run to the table so you could see it puffed up and watch in deflate. They were delicious! After moving to another state I found the recipe and made them myself. I, of course, had to yell as I brought them to the table. *I’m almost positive the spelling of Pannekukin is wrong. My apologies.
Yes! So good. It is Pannukakku! My mother would announce them as well (we’re Finnish).
Do I preheat the skillet or just the oven?
Preheat the skillet while the oven is preheating.
Any Finely Chopped NUTS and Any FRUIT compote or fresh with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar sprinkled while still Hot from oven, it Melts and makes these Dreamy!!!
Favorite go to recipe in our house on any day!!! Perfect with powdered sugar and syrup or any fruit!!!
This was my first time making this. Had to give it a try after my friend told me her husband makes them. I didn’t look at it the whole time they were in the oven so iI was a little surprised when I saw how popped up It got. My husband and I both liked it. He said it tasted like a mix of French toast and a pancake. I don’t use syrup so I just put strawberries on it but it also tasted good without them.