Martha Stewart’s Dutch pancake is baked in a cast iron skillet at 425°F and puffs up like a giant golden bowl in about 20 minutes. It’s also called a German pancake or a Dutch baby, and this Dutch pancake recipe is one of the easiest brunch dishes I’ve made because the blender does most of the work.
This Dutch baby recipe comes from Martha Stewart Living, serves 4, and the oven does all the work after you pour the batter into a screaming hot skillet. I didn’t believe it would puff that much the first time, but it did.
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Why It Puffs Up So Much
The skillet preheats inside the oven so it’s already at 425°F when the batter hits it. That instant blast of heat turns the moisture in the eggs and milk into steam, which pushes the batter up and out into those dramatic edges.
Room temperature ingredients are important because cold eggs or milk cool down the hot skillet and the pancake won’t rise as high. Take everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start.
Martha Stewart Dutch Pancake Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
How To Make Martha Stewart Dutch Pancake
- Preheat with the skillet inside: Set the oven to 425°F and place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack while it heats up.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
- Blend the batter: Blend the eggs in a blender until pale and frothy, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture, milk, and vanilla. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. The batter will be thin.
- Melt the butter: Carefully add the butter to the hot skillet in the oven. Once it melts and sizzles, pull the rack out and pour the batter straight into the center.
- Bake: Slide the rack back in and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the pancake is puffed high, golden brown, and crisp at the edges. Do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately: Slice into wedges and serve right away with your toppings ready. It starts deflating the moment it comes out.
German Apple Pancake Variation
Martha also has a version with sautéed apples: peel and slice 2 apples, cook them in butter and brown sugar until soft, then pour the batter over them in the hot skillet and bake the same way. The apples caramelize on the bottom and you flip the whole thing out onto a plate.
I’ve made this German apple pancake version for Thanksgiving morning and it’s become the thing everyone asks about. It takes 5 extra minutes of prep and turns a simple Dutch baby into something that feels like dessert for breakfast.
Toppings That Work
The classic is confectioners’ sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, which is how most Dutch baby recipes are served. Martha suggests Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and warm maple syrup, and that combination is my go-to.
For a savory version, skip the sugar and vanilla in the batter and top with fried eggs, roasted mushrooms, and fresh herbs. I haven’t tried that yet but it’s on the list.
Storing Leftovers
A Dutch pancake is best eaten straight from the oven because it deflates as it cools. If you do have leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat pieces at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes. It won’t puff back up but the edges re-crisp and it still tastes good.
Dutch Pancake Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugar: 8g
Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings without toppings.
No. You can whisk the batter by hand in a bowl. A few small lumps are fine and it’s better to undermix than overmix. The blender just makes it faster and gives you a slightly smoother batter.
The three most common reasons are cold ingredients, not preheating the skillet long enough, or opening the oven door too early. All three let the heat escape before the steam has a chance to push the batter up. Make sure your eggs and milk are room temperature and give the oven a full preheat.
Yes. Dutch baby, German pancake, and Dutch puff are all names for the same dish: an oven-baked egg-heavy pancake that puffs up in a hot skillet. The name comes from a restaurant in Portland, Oregon that adapted the German Pfannkuchen and called it Dutch.
You can use any oven-safe skillet, but cast iron holds heat better than anything else, which is what gives you the dramatic puff and crispy edges. If you use a different pan, make sure it can handle 425°F and preheat it the same way.
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Martha Stewart Dutch Pancake Recipe
Description
Martha Stewart’s Dutch pancake is baked in a cast iron skillet at 425°F and puffs up like a giant golden bowl in about 20 minutes. Also called a German pancake or Dutch baby.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat with skillet inside: Set oven to 425°F with a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- Blend the batter: Blend eggs until pale and frothy, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture, milk, and vanilla. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Melt the butter: Add butter to hot skillet in oven. When it sizzles, pull rack out and pour batter into center.
- Bake: Bake 18 to 22 minutes until puffed, golden, and crisp at edges. Do not open the door for the first 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately: Slice into wedges and serve right away. It deflates as it cools.