Incredible German Pancakes (Oven Pancakes)

I’ve been making these puffy oven pancakes since I was about ten years old. Over the years, I have tweaked and improved them, making this what we think is the best German Pancakes Recipe ever!

They are truly one of the easiest breakfast recipes of all time.  I bet you already have all the ingredients you need, and they are so fast that you will have the batter made before your oven even has time to preheat!

My kids love these oven baked pancakes so much that when school is out they request them just about every other day. (No, we don’t eat them that often. I’m just saying they request it.) It is super fast to throw together, the hard part is waiting for it to bake.

WHAT ARE GERMAN PANCAKES?

• German pancakes are puffy oven pancakes made from eggs, milk, flour, butter, and sometimes other ingredients. They are usually served with powdered sugar, syrup, or cinnamon sugar.
• The batter is made with more eggs and milk than regular pancakes, and there is no added leavening. Eggs are what cause the pancakes to puff up to sometimes triple their size as they bake.

Honestly, I have no idea if this pancake recipe originated anywhere near Germany. But I grew up calling them German Pancakes, so the name is staying even though it may not be “politically correct”. I have also heard them called Dutch Babies, Oven Pancakes, and Puffy Pancakes. 

Whatever you happen to call them, they are a delicious way to start the day. Or end it – we love having breakfast for dinner at our house!

WHAT MAKES THESE GERMAN OVEN PANCAKES THE BEST:

• They are thicker and more hearty than most recipes out there. Instead of having a thin middle, every bite of these german pancakes is thick and fluffy.
• A bit of sweetness – I started adding a bit of sugar to the batter about a decade ago, and it makes them extra tasty!
• Perfect amount of butter – My original recipe (and most of the ones I’ve seen elsewhere) call for twice the amount of butter. They are practically swimming in butter. I found that three tablespoons adds plenty of flavor, but doesn’t leave pools of butter sitting on top of the pancakes.

I often host breakfast for my  teenage sons and their Sunday School class on Sunday mornings. These puffy oven pancakes are a crowd favorite. I’ve had several of the boys (and teachers) tell me that these are the best German Pancakes they’ve ever tried!

(To see the full printable recipe card, just scroll to the bottom of the post.)

HOW TO MAKE GERMAN PANCAKES

Ingredients needed:

• butter (Growing up, we made them with margarine, so that’s fine as well.)
• eggs (large eggs are best)
• sugar (optional, but it does make them extra yummy)
• vanilla extract (also optional, but so tasty!)
• salt
• milk (I use 2%, but any kind will work.)
• all purpose flour (I have also made them with half whole wheat flour. They don’t rise up quite as tall, but they still taste incredible.)

1. Turn oven to 400 degrees. Place butter in a 9×13″ pan and place in the oven. Remove the pan from the oven as soon as the butter melts, or it will burn. Twirl the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the melted butter.
2. Beat eggs in a blender just till blended. Add sugar, vanilla, salt, milk, and flour. Blend just till smooth.
3. Pour into hot pan, then place in the hot oven.
4. Bake at 400° for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown on sides and bottom. Serve hot with your choice of toppings.
   

If you have any leftovers, cover them and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days. They are definitely best served fresh, but you can heat leftovers in the microwave for a few seconds. 

PRO TIP: I’ve also made these in a bowl with a whisk as well as a hand mixer. I think the blender method is easiest, and ensures that you have no lumps of flour. Just don’t overbeat, especially after you’ve added the flour.

VARIATIONS:

• You can serve these german puff pancakes with maple syrup, but we like them best with homemade buttermilk syrup. Perfection!
• We have also had these pancakes with honey butter, strawberry syrup, and berries with whipped cream.
• Love lemon? Try drizzling the baked pancake with a bit of fresh lemon juice, then sprinkling generously with powdered sugar. This version is especially tasty with fresh berries!
• After baking for 15-20 minutes, sprinkle the pancake with cinnamon sugar. It will form a nice sugary crust over the top as it finishes baking. We think it’s sweet enough that you don’t need syrup.

MORE TASTY BREAKFAST RECIPES:

• Diner Pancake Recipe
• Oatmeal Pancakes
• Blueberry Pancakes
• Oatmeal Waffles
• Swedish Pancakes
• Peanut Butter Waffles (with peanut butter syrup)
• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Banana Pancakes
• Apple Dutch Baby
• Cinnamon Roll Waffles
• Sausage Quiche

GERMAN PANCAKE RECIPE (AKA DUTCH BABY PANCAKES)

Yield: 6 servings

German Pancakes

Print

Tasty oven pancakes that puff up as they bake. Nice and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp butter (or margarine)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

1. Turn oven on to 400. Place butter in a 9x13" pan and place in the oven. It will melt as the oven is heating, just make sure you don’t burn it.
2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a blender. Beat for a few seconds. Add remaining ingredients and beat till smooth.
3. Remove pan from oven and tilt the pan so the melted butter covers the bottom and sides of the pan.
4. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Bake at 400° for about 25 minutes. The pancake will puff up, so make sure you leave enough space between the pan and oven rack above. The pancake will deflate as it cools.
5. Serve hot with syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or fruit.
   

Notes

-The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter. I cut it way back and I still think this tastes wonderful. You can add extra butter if you want, I won't stand in your way.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Norpro Spatula Stainless Steel
• 
  White 9x13" Baking Pan
• 
  Bosch  Universal Plus Stand Mixer, 6.5-Quarts with Blender

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 357Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 270mgSodium: 281mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 16g

(originally published 11/3/2008, updated July 2020)