Wait, what?!?

“Oh, don’t panic. You’ll see what I mean in the morning.”

That was my introduction to what I call the “skillet popover.” It’s wonderfully eggy. It takes toppings to perfection. And it doesn’t take nine months to prepare.

What Is a Dutch Baby?

Think of it as a cross between a pancake, a crepe, and a popover. The batter is simple: eggs, flour, and milk. There’s no baking powder or baking soda. The lift comes from steam.

You pour the batter into a hot, buttered skillet. Then you slide it into a hot oven and wait. The edges climb the sides of the pan. The center stays tender and custardy.

After it leaves the oven, it sinks a bit. Don’t panic. That’s perfectly normal, and it still tastes terrific.

Many Names, One Breakfast

This dish goes by many names. You may hear Bismarck, Dutch puff, Dutch pancake, or German pancake.

Those in the know call it a descendant of the German apfelpfannkuchen. That’s apfel (apple), pfanne (pan), and kuchen (cake). In other words, an apple pancake baked in a pan.

Despite the name, it doesn’t come from the Netherlands. A true Dutch pannenkoek is a different dish altogether.

Where Did the Name Come From?

The name “Dutch baby” is an American invention. Most food historians point to Manca’s Cafe in Seattle, owned by Victor Manca.

The story goes that one of his daughters turned the word Deutsch into “Dutch.” The name stuck. The cafe later claimed a trademark on “Dutch Babies,” with its first use dated to 1942.

The recipe itself has deeper roots. Victor Hirtzler’s The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book, published in 1919, holds an early American recipe for the dish. Hirtzler was the longtime chef at San Francisco’s Hotel St. Francis.

The University of California Libraries scanned the book, and you can read it free at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/hotelstfrancisco00hirtiala

Why You’ll Love Making It

An online search turns up plenty of recipes with slight variations. The one we like best is kitchen tested and performs well. It tastes great, too.

Best of all, it’s easy. When I serve it to breakfast guests, it makes me look much more sophisticated than I actually am. That’s a win in my book.

We recommend a cast iron skillet. It holds heat beautifully, and the pancake puffs dramatically around the edges. Any oven-friendly skillet will do, though.

A few simple tips help every time:

• Preheat the skillet so the batter sizzles on contact.
• Take the chill off the eggs and milk for a taller rise.
• Don’t open the oven door early. A peek can deflate the show.
• Serve it right away, straight from the skillet.

Easy Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe

Like popovers, a Dutch baby is pure comfort food. It suits breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And it mixes up in seconds.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup flour
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Set the rack in the middle.
2. Measure out the milk. Then set the eggs in warm water for about 5 minutes.
3. Put the butter in your skillet. Slide it into the oven to melt. Watch it closely so it doesn’t brown or burn.
4. Crack the eggs into a blender. Blend on medium-high for about 5 seconds, until frothy.
5. Add the flour, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Blend on low to combine. Then blend on medium-high for about 5 seconds.
6. Using the zest? Add it now and blend on low for a couple of seconds.
7. Carefully pull the hot skillet from the oven. Swirl the melted butter to coat the bottom and sides.
8. Pour in the batter. Return the skillet to the oven.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are golden and puffed above the rim.
10. Turn off the oven. Leave the skillet inside for 5 minutes so the pancake sets.
11. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Sweet or Savory? You Decide

Traditionally, a Dutch baby gets powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and plenty of butter. It’s simple and classic.

You can also pile on fresh berries, sliced apples, or sliced bananas. A drizzle of maple syrup never hurts. Try a scoop of ice cream and call it dessert.

Prefer savory? Top it with crisp bacon and hash brown potatoes. Or go with grilled veggies and melted cheese. A fried egg on top makes a hearty brunch.

Because the batter isn’t very sweet, it handles both directions with ease. That’s what makes the Dutch baby so handy. One batter, endless breakfasts.

So use your imagination. Make it for the family on a lazy weekend. Or surprise someone with a “Dutch baby” announcement of your own.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Many recipes call for ingredients to be at room temperature, so the first thing we do is to measure out the milk and put the eggs in warm water for about 5 minutes.

Add the butter to the skillet and place it in the oven to melt the butter.  Don’t let the butter brown or burn.

Crack the eggs into the blender and blend on medium-high for about 5 seconds until they are frothy.

Add the flour, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla…

…and blend on low speed to combine and then, blend on medium-high for about 5 seconds.  Optional: Add lemon zest and blend low speed until combined –  just a couple of seconds.

Carefully remove the skillet swirling the melted butter to coat the bottom and side of the pan then, pour the batter into the skillet and return it to the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and puffed above the side of the skillet. Turn off the oven and let the skillet sit there for 5 minutes to set the pancake.

Add toppings of your choice and enjoy!