Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
updated Feb 8, 2020
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Dutch baby pancakes, also called German pancakes, are one of my family’s favorite breakfast treats. These large-format puffed pancakes are beloved for their crisped edges and creamy interior as well as the super-satisfying way they puff up in the oven.
Made from a simple batter of flour, eggs, and milk, Dutch baby pancakes can be sweet or savory, but they never include yeast or baking powder. Yet, when made properly, they rise up impressively high in the oven, before collapsing back down.
My younger sister recently texted me, “Why didn’t my Dutch baby rise like yours always does?” We talked through the recipe and found two simple, but key steps she overlooked that made her Dutch pancake flat. Here’s what happened with my sister’s recipe, and what you can do to ensure tall results if you’re struggling with the same issues.
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.
Mistake 1: Not Resting the Batter
Getting air into a Dutch baby is easy enough. A simple whisk and a strong arm work well, but a blender or food processor can be more efficient. But here’s the tricky part: The batter also needs to be able to trap the air, or it won’t work. Kitchn’s Dutch baby recipe recommends resting the batter for at least 10 minutes, which seems counterintuitive. “Won’t the air deflate as the batter sits?” my sister asked. You might think so, but resting the batter allows some gluten and proteins in the flour to develop, so the batter can stretch without breaking and, importantly, better hold air. Just make sure to give the batter another hearty whisk (or whirl in your electric machine) right before baking.
Mistake 2: Not Having Enough Heat
Once you’ve got a good amount of air in your Dutch baby batter, you’ll need a properly-hot pan (and oven) to achieve that mile-high Dutch baby. Start by putting your cast iron skillet (or muffin pan or casserole dish, depending on the recipe) in the oven as the oven pre-heats and the batter rests. If your oven runs cold or takes a long time to heat up, make sure that you give your pan (and your oven) an extra 10 minutes to preheat.
You’ll know your batter and pan are just right when the batter starts to sizzle, set, and steam as soon as it hits the pan. Then the only thing you need to do is close the oven door and wait for that baby to rise.
