Dutch baby is a puffy pancake baked in a cast iron skillet in the oven. Add honey-lemon cooked berries (strawberries and blueberries) and pecans, and you have the perfect breakfast that will become a new family favorite! And it takes only 30 minutes to make! This recipe makes a stunning presentation - perfect for Valentine's Day, Easter brunch, or for sharing with the crowd at picnics, potlucks, and cookouts in the Summer months!
What is a Dutch baby?
Dutch baby is a large puffy pancake baked in a cast iron skillet in the oven. It's thicker and bigger than regular pancakes. It's often served for breakfast, generously dusted with powdered sugar or topped with berries. You can also serve it as dessert - which I did because I made it later in the day. You can also make it savory-style, topped with cooked mushrooms, for example, or other savory ingredients, and serve it as a snack, lunch, or dinner.
The perfect treat for a special occasion
The Dutch baby pancake makes a quick and easy breakfast for any day of the week because it takes only 30 minutes to make. It's also a great recipe to share with the crowd when entertaining guests. The Dutch baby topped with cooked strawberries and blueberries makes a stunning presentation and will work great as brunch or an after-dinner dessert. Make it for special occasions, such as Valentine's Day and Easter, or Summer holiday parties and cookouts.
How to serve it
Dutch baby is usually made for breakfast but can be served at any meal. Here are some simple ways to dress it up:
- Top with fresh berries and dust it with powdered sugar.
- Top it with berries cooked with honey and lemon (as in this recipe).
- Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans or pistachios over the pancake and dust with powdered sugar.
- Make a creamy filling with ricotta cheese.
- Top the Dutch baby with poached eggs, bacon, or ham.
Storage Tips
- Fridge. Store leftover Dutch baby refrigerated in an airtight container (or on a large plate covered with plastic wrap) for up to 4 days. For best results, refrigerate the pancake and the berries separately.
- Reheat the Dutch baby pancake briefly in the microwave oven for about 30 seconds or 1 minute.
Other strawberry recipes you might like
Dutch Baby Pancake with Honey-Lemon Strawberries, Blueberries, and Pecans
Ingredients
Dutch baby pancake
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
Topping
- 16 oz strawberries hulled, cleaned, quartered
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 oz blueberries
- ½ cup pecans toasted, chopped
Instructions
Make dutch baby
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Combine eggs, flour, heavy cream, water, vanilla, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend it, using a whisk, until very smooth.
- Add butter to the 12-inch cast iron skillet and put the skillet in the hot oven until the butter is melted but not burned.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven using oven mittens.
- Pour the pancake batter into the melted butter in the skillet.
- Using oven mittens, return the hot cast iron skillet to the oven.
- Bake for 15 or 20 minutes, until the pancake puffs up and turns golden. Remove from the oven.
- Note: I provide step-by-step photos and instructions above the recipe card. Scroll up if you're interested.
Cook the berries
- Prepare the berries while the pancake is in the oven for 15 or 20 minutes.
- Combine strawberries, honey, and lemon juice in a medium, high-sided skillet.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for about 8 or 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries turn gooey but still intact. Remove from heat. Stir in the blueberries.
- Pour the cooked berries from the hot pan into another heat-proof pan that is cold. This will allow the berries to cool off quickly and thicken.
Assembly
- Top the Dutch baby pancake with cooked berries and chopped toasted pecans.
- Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Can this be made in anything other than a cast iron pan?
Hi Janet! A friend of mine made the Dutch baby in my 9x3-inch springform pan, and it worked great! The pancake was beautiful and puffed up just right. Surprisingly, nothing leaked.
You can also use a 9x13 inch oval or rectangular oven-safe dish.
Looks yummy! What if you're lactose intolerant?
Thank you, Laura. To make this dairy-free, swap out butter for vegan or plant-based butter. And replace 1/2 cup of heavy cream + 1/2 cup of water with 1 cup of almond milk or oat milk.
Would you know if the batter would hold up if a dairy free milk was used such as almond, coconut, or oat?
Hi JoAnn, yes, this would work fine with dairy-free milk. If using thinner milk, such as oat or almond milk, just use 1 cup of milk and skip the water in the recipe.
If using thicker milk, such as unsweetened coconut cream/milk, then use 1/2 cup milk/cream and 1/2 cup water.
Enjoy! 🙂