Dutch baby pancakes are one of my favorite “kid-friendly” recipes. They’re so easy to make and use only a few common ingredients. They’re also really customizable. My kids love cardamom, so that’s the flavor we chose to make but if you don’t have cardamom–no problem.
Instead of cardamom you could add vanilla, lemon zest, a bit of cocoa powder, cinnamon–nearly anything goes! Dutch babies are quite forgiving. Heck, you could leave the batter plain if you wanted and solely rely on the toppings to flavor your pancake.
Last weekend we made a cinnamon and caramelized pear version:
What is a Dutch Baby Pancake?
A Dutch Baby is a really fluffy, puffy, eggy pancake. It’s kind of like a cross between a crepe and a popover. If you’re familiar with Yorkshire puddings or the German Pannenkoeken–you could also think of this as being quite similar.
Dutch baby pancakes use common pantry staples and making the batter is as simple as tossing everything in a blender. If you don’t have a blender, they can be made by hand-whisking. Just be sure to whisk until the batter is as smooth as possible.
I like to bake my dutch babies in my trusty cast-iron pan but if you don’t have a cast iron pan (you should really buy one! 😄) then grab a (I prefer metal) pie dish, cake pan or another oven-safe skillet.
Topping the Dutch Baby
After you’ve made your Dutch baby, you’ve got to top it with something. Purists say all it needs is just a little dusting of powdered sugar. Maybe a drizzle of syrup. I, personally, really enjoy topping mine with some homemade fruit jam. Anything goes though–you love Nutella? Go ahead, slather it on!
Wait…You Want Me to Make Homemade Jam?!
Making a homemade jam is really much easier than it seems, especially if you’re only making a little. There are a lot of ways to do it, but often when I’m making Dutch babies I prefer to roast the fruits.
Roasting the fruit (you can use fresh OR frozen!) helps to draw out some of their natural sweetness and can intensify the flavors. I usually toss the fruit directly in another cast iron pan (alternatively you can use a baking sheet lined with foil), sprinkle with some sugar and spices and then pop it in the oven.
The fruit takes about 15 to 20 minutes to soften and release their juices which creates a delicious sauce (different fruits may take more or less time–so keep an eye on it!). As it turns out, the Dutch baby needs about 15 minutes to cook, too–so both are done at the same time. Perfect!
If you have a bit of extra time, this Blackberry and Ginger Spiced Jam would be amazing, too!
After I removed the Dutch baby from the oven and let it cool a bit, I transferred it from the pan to a baking sheet (it should pop right out of the pan easily! We used a lot of butter…
I topped the pancake with a dusting of powdered sugar, my homemade cardamom roasted blackberry sauce, a handful of ground pistachios and a few crushed dried rose petals.
Delish.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does.
If you make this Dutch baby (or a variation it–make it yours!), I’d love to know your thoughts and see pictures of your creations!
You can also see the video of my boys and I making this recipe on my Youtube Channel.
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Cardamom Dutch Baby Pancake with Cardamom Roasted Blackberries
Equipment
- Blender (or large bowl and whisk)
- Cast Iron Pans (may sub. alternative oven-safe pan)
- measuring cups/spoons
- Spoon/Spatula
- baking sheet lined with foil (if not usingm additional cast iron pan to roast blackberries)
Ingredients
Cardamom Dutch Baby Pancake
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk I use whole, but any will work.
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 3/4 tsp ground green cardamom optional. May substitute whatever flavor or spice you'd like
- 1 tsp rosewater optional. May substitute vanilla, almond or any other flavoring.
- 1 tbsp sugar optional, but I like to add it.
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Cardamom Roasted Blackberries
- 1.5-2 cup blackberries fresh or frozen
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground green cardamom
- salt, as needed
Instructions
Cardamom Roasted Blackberries
- Arrange your oven racks so that one is in the center and the other is a level below that. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash/dry fresh blackberries (if using frozen-no need to wash/dry) and pour into a cast-iron pan or onto a baking sheet lined with foil.
- Sprinkle the sugar and cardamom powder over the berries. Stir to coat all the berries.
- Place the pan into the bottom rack of the preheated oven. Allow to cook about 15-20 minutes (check them and smash them a bit just before popping the dutch baby in).
- When done, the berries will smash easily and you'll notice a jam-like sauce. Set aside until ready to use (this should finish cooking around the same time as your dutch baby).
Cardamom Dutch Baby Pancake
- Put your cast iron pan (use a 9-10 inch pan, at least–for best "fluff") onto the top rack of the preheated oven. We want the pan to be hot when we add the batter.
- While the berries are roasting and the pan is warming in the preheated oven, crack the eggs and pour them into your blender container. Add the milk, 1 tbsp. of butter, flour, salt, sugar, cardamom and rosewater (if using). Blend until smooth. The batter will be pretty thin–similar to a crepe batter.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes (use this time to check on your berries–give them a good stir) and then remove your warmed cast-iron pan from the oven. Place it on the stovetop over high heat. Tip in 2 tbsp. of butter.
- Once the butter melts and begins to bubble (but not brown!), pour the blended batter into the hot pan. After you've poured it all in, quickly move the pan onto the top rack of the oven. Make sure you use oven mitts–don't burn yourself on the pan handle.
- Set the timer for 12 minutes and leave it alone. After 12 minutes, check it. When it's done, then center will be puffed–it might look crazy puffy, don't worry, that's normal–and the edges will be golden brown. If it's only lightly browned, let it cook a few more minutes. Your Dutch baby could take 12-20 minutes, depending on what size pan you used.
- When the Dutch baby is done, carefully remove the pan from oven. Also remove the pan with the roasted blackberries. Using a spatula, transfer the cooked Dutch baby onto a baking sheet or a large plate–being careful not to burn yourself.
- Stir the blackberries, mashing lightly with the back of a spatula to create a jam-like consistency. Dust the pancake with some powdered sugar and then top with the cardamom roasted blackberries.
- Cut the pancake into 8 slices (like a pizza) and enjoy!
