Dutch Baby

About This Recipe

Calling all sourdough bakers who are also German pancake lovers! This recipe for you! Here, you'll find a Dutch baby that does not have any added flour, only sourdough discard.

What Is A Dutch Baby?

A Dutch baby, also known as a German pancake, is a type of pancake that is baked in the oven rather than cooked on the stovetop. It is an egg-heavy dish with a texture that is somewhere between a pancake, a crepe, and a popover. Dutch babies are popular as a breakfast item and are relatively simple to make, though sure to impress with their dramatic appearance and delicious flavor.

What I Love About This Recipe

Simple and delicious. Pop a few ingredients in a blender, bake them in a preheated skillet, and viola! Breakfast.

All The "Why's"

Sourdough Discard

This is a sourdough discard recipe, so sourdough discard is used in place of flour and most of the milk. It adds structure and moisture to the Dutch baby.

Discard has one negative effect: the fermented state of the flour reduces the Dutch baby’s ability to “pop” as much as one made without sourdough discard. (Don't fear, if your ingredients are at room temperature and your oven is piping hot, you can still get a great "pop!")

It is important that you know how much discard you are adding. Dutch babies are an egg-heavy dish, and too much flour will weigh it down. This means if your discard is older and thinner (hardly any bubbles) it may be beneficial to weigh the ingredients, rather than using volume measurements. The volume of sourdough discard changes greatly depending on how broken-down it is. Weight will always give you accuracy.

Milk

Milk is added to thin the batter and enhance the flavor. A thinner pancake is lighter and has a greater chance of puffing up in the oven.

Eggs

Eggs are a key ingredient, and they're the secret to the amazing oven spring a Dutch baby gives! I like to call this recipe a "very eggy pancake" because it does use a lot of eggs. As the eggs heat, their proteins coagulate, trapping steam and creating a soufflé-like rise. They also contribute a lot of moisture and give the pancake a lighter bite.

Butter

Butter contributes to a rich flavor and crispy, golden exterior. It also acts as a nonstick coating on the skillet so that the Dutch baby releases easily after baked.

Sugar

I'll be honest about the sugar. My American taste buds needed it. Sugar here is just used as a sweetener, to enhance the taste. It can be completely left out, if desired. This means you can increase or reduce the amount to your personal preference.

Salt

Salt brings out flavor. I use a half teaspoon in this recipe to enhance all the flavors.

Room Temperature Ingredients

Room temperature ingredients in this recipe function just as room temperature bread dough does when it hits a hot oven. It allows for the biggest possible oven spring and “pop.” If you don’t mind a flat Dutch baby (it will still taste great), you don’t have to worry about warming those ingredients. But, for the best oven spring, make sure your ingredients are not cold.

A Hot Pan + Oven

We want the skillet and the oven to be piping hot! When room temperature batter meets the heat of the pan + oven, this is where the oven spring will occur. The eggs will work their magic - trapping hot steam and rising dramatically. It will happen over the entire course of baking (the full 15 minutes), so it is important to keep the heat contained a much as possible (keep the oven door shut!)

📌 Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.