German Pancakes Recipe (2024)

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German Pancakes are a lighter and fluffier version of their American counterpart. The ingredients blend together easily and the whole thing bakes in one pan for easy serving and cleanup. Top with cinnamon and sugar, powdered sugar, fruit, or syrup for a delicious breakfast.

Are you feeling like you want all the pancake recipes, all the time? Me too! Try these other recipes to mix up your pancake production: Berry Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Easy Oatmeal Pancakes, or these Banana Bread Pancakes.

German Pancakes Recipe (1)

You know those recipes your mom or grandma clipped out of magazines or the newspaper and put on an index card or slipped it into a binder or recipe box? You’ll see them make an appearance now and then, and you’ll recognize the dish and get oh-so-excited. And this was before home copiers (well, the mechanical kind) and scanners and the internet where you could just go back and look for a recipe over and over again if you didn’t have a hard copy, so it was a precious piece of paper for sure.

This recipe for German Pancakes is one such recipe. My mom had clipped it out of a newspaper at some point, only it was called “Churchtown Inn’s Oven Puff Pancake.” I’m not really sure where Churchtown Inn is and I don’t think I ever thought to ask when I was growing up either. Maybe that’s because growing up we simply referred to this recipe as “puffy oven pancakes.”

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It turns out that we weren’t far off in our own naming of these delightfully fluffy pancakes. They are also called German pancakes, Hootenanny, and Dutch Baby pancakes. My kids now have their own word for them: “patty cakes.” I happen to think this is the most adorable iteration but I wasn’t sure if it would go over so well as a headline for this recipe.

While the original recipe clipping calls for more flour and milk, I like to scale it back to make it lighter and airier. I do like the original addition of cinnamon as a topping though, because, when mixed with sugar, you get a lovely French toast flavor. (Love French toast? Try my Best Easy French Toast Recipe!)

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HOW TO MAKE GERMAN PANCAKES


The first step is always to preheat your oven so it’s good and ready to go when you are. Turn your oven on to 425 degrees. Put the butter in your baking dish or pan and then put the whole thing in the oven so that the butter can melt while the oven preheats.

Next, get out your blender. If you don’t have a blender, you can use another appliance like a hand beater or immersion blender or even a food Ninja-type device. Otherwise, just whisk all your ingredients together as best you can until they are good and combined.

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When the oven is at temperature, pull the baking dish or pan out (the butter should be melted) and pour your batter right into the center of the pan on top of the butter. (The butter will disperse under the batter, greasing your pan on the bottom and sides for a perfect, non-stick coating.)

Slowly and without too much jiggling of the pan, put it back into the oven and let it bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the German puff pancakes are puffy and the edges are golden brown.

For serving, cut these easy German pancakes into square or rectangular sections and serve. I like to top with a cinnamon and sugar mixture, but syrup, powdered sugar, fruit, and whipped cream all taste wonderful on top of this light, fluffy pancake recipe.

ARE GERMAN PANCAKES REALLY GERMAN?

Like most recipes with interesting (and varied) names, this one’s origins do correlate with its moniker. These Dutch baby pancakes as they are called about as often as a German Pancake, is actually just a large, sweet popover that is typically served for breakfast.

For some reason we may never know, history traces the origins of the German Pancake to a restaurant in Seattle in the early 1900s. While the recipe is taken from the original German Pancake recipe, for some reason that got lost in translation (or was translated incorrectly) and somehow they settled on the name “Dutch.”

No matter what you choose to call this dish (I’m still partial to “patty cakes”), I’m sure you and your family will all call them delicious!

German Pancakes Recipe (6)

German Pancakes Recipe (7)

German Pancakes Recipe

German Pancakes are a lighter and fluffier version of their American counterpart. Mix the batter in a blender for easy prep and cleanup!

4.99 from 151 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter - cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • syrup and powdered sugar, or fruit, for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place butter in a 9×13 inch pan and place in oven to melt while the oven is preheating.

  • In a blender, combine milk, flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pulse until smooth.

  • Once butter is melted, pour batter directly into the center of the pan on top of the butter.

  • Carefully transfer pan back to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until puffy and edges are golden brown.

  • Cut into sections and top with syrup and powdered sugar (or other toppings like fruit, whipped cream, or cinnamon-sugar) and serve.

Notes

Put a twist on this by serving your pancakes topped with fresh peaches and whipped cream!

Nutrition

Calories: 274 kcal, Carbohydrates: 20 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 168 mg, Sodium: 309 mg, Potassium: 144 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 804 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 78 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: German

Author: Tiffany

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @cremedelacrumb1 on Instagram and hashtag it #cremedelacrumb!

German Pancakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a German pancake made of? ›

What are German Pancakes? German pancakes, often called Dutch Baby pancakes are baked pancakes made from eggs, milk, flour and vanilla. The pancakes are baked in a metal or cast iron pan, puff up in the oven and then fall as they cool.

Why are my German pancakes not fluffy? ›

Why Didn't My Dutch Baby Puff Up? Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

What is the difference between German pancakes and regular pancakes? ›

What is the difference between German pancakes and regular pancakes? German pancakes have more eggs and don't use a leavening agent. The pancakes are also baked in the oven and have a light and fluffy texture. Whereas regular pancakes are made with baking soda or powder and are cooked on a skillet or griddle.

What is another name for German pancakes? ›

A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

What is the origin of a German pancake? ›

I was still curious about the origins of what I called a “Dutch Baby Pancake.” A bit of sleuthing revealed that the dish is actually of German origin. Sometimes referred to as a Bismark, these pancakes were first served in the States in the early 1900s at Manca's, a diner in Seattle that eventually closed in the 1950s.

Does baking soda make pancakes fluffier? ›

Baking soda is essential for baked goods, but baking powder is really what makes pancakes and biscuits rise and become so super fluffy. Double-acting baking powder, which is the kind that you'll find in the grocery store, produces bubbles in two ways: when it is mixed with wet ingredients and then when it gets heated.

Why is my German pancake dense? ›

Overmixing the batter can cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, leading to a dense pancake. Batter Not At Room Temperature: Ingredients that are not at room temperature can cause the batter to be too dense. Make sure all ingredients, including the eggs and milk, are at room temperature before making the batter.

What makes pancakes fluffy and rise? ›

Pancakes and waffles typically both contain baking soda, which causes them to rise. As soon as the baking soda is combined with the wet ingredients (which contain an acidic ingredient, like often buttermilk), it starts producing carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the batter to rise.

What country has the best pancakes? ›

France – Crêpes

You can't possibly make a list of the world's best pancakes and not include France. Crêpes are unavoidable throughout the country. There are two main types of French crêpes – sweet ones (crêpes sucrées) and savoury ones (crêpes salées). Savoury crêpes are commonly known as 'galettes'.

Do they eat German pancakes in Germany? ›

In Germany, Pfannkuchen are often served as a meal for breakfast or lunch and sometimes even dinner. If you're looking for savory German pancakes, try out my popular German potato pancakes (similar to Latke).

Does adding more baking powder make pancakes fluffier? ›

Top tips for fluffy pancakes

Don't be tempted to add more than the recipe suggests, as too much baking powder will make pancakes taste soapy. Alternatively, you could use self-raising flour, which will add to the amount of raising agent in the recipe and potentially make your pancakes fluffier.

Is a German pancake the same as a Yorkshire pudding? ›

Dutch babies, popovers, German pancakes, Yorkshire pudding are all the same thing just different names. Technically these are all baked puddings and delicious. Try serving them with my delicious strawberry syrup.

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