In my search for a new breakfast option, I stumbled upon the Joy of Cooking‘s dutch baby recipe. A dutch baby is basically a large pancake baked in a cast iron or oven-safe skillet that puffs up as it bakes in the oven. It’s quite an impressive sight for those first few moments out of the oven, but then it slowly deflates. Dutch babies remind me of popovers — similarly eggy and puffy and delicious. Change up your breakfast routine and make one yourself. Here’s how.
Ingredients
| 1/2 c. milk | 1/2 c. flour |
| 1/4 c. sugar | 2 large eggs, room temp |
| 4 T. unsalted butter |
Recipe (from the Joy of Cooking)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk milk, flour, sugar, and eggs until smooth.
Melt butter in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet) over medium heat. Tilt the pan so the butter coats the sides. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute or until the edges are bubbly. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I like to serve dutch babies with a side of maple syrup or blueberry jam. Customize it to your tastes — add cut up fruit and whipped cream, crumbled bacon bits, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
- This is a great recipe for a Sunday breakfast with the immediate family; it is more challenging to serve to guests because the dramatic puff deflates so quickly. If you’re planning a rustic brunch, however, don’t rule this out as the fininshing flourish just before you sit down to eat.
- There are many variations on the dutch baby that add fruit inside the pancake itself. Apples are the most popular addition, though I’ve seen recipes with berries, stone fruits, and almonds. If you want to take it to the next level, pick an ingredient you love and try it out!
