Easy Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake
This sourdough Dutch baby pancake is a golden delight—crispy on the edges, pillowy inside, and oh-so-easy to make!
Are you ready for an epic brunch recipe where sourdough meets the classic Dutch baby pancake? You will get a crispy, golden crust hugging a fluffy, tangy center—and a flavor combo that’s next-level awesome. This recipe is the brunch game-changer you didn’t know you needed—so easy to make. It is also a great way to use any extra or excess sourdough starter.
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What is the difference between a Dutch pancake and German pancakes?
I am glad you asked! Interestingly enough, they are essentially the same. From what I learned “Dutch” is the anglicized version of “deutsch” which means German in English. In German, they are called Pfannkuchen (pancakes) or Eierkuchen (egg cakes). My mom would make them fairly often for us kids growing up in Germany. Especially, when she had to make something quick and was out of ideas.
However, a Dutch baby pancake or German pancake is different from regular pancakes in that they have a lot more eggs and less milk. They also puff up a lot more, creating these nice crispy edges in the skillet.
The ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients for this easy recipe:
- Eggs: I always like using free-range and pasture-raised eggs but of course, you can use whatever eggs you have.
- Sourdough starter: If you don’t already have a good one going, you can very easily make your own sourdough starter.
- Milk: While we love using our raw milk, you can use whatever milk you have but whole milk will give you the best results.
- Butter: Adding a bit of melted unsalted butter makes the batter even richer. I prefer using my homemade cultured butter but we need extra for the skillet.
- Maple syrup: While I don’t like my pancakes too sweet, a bit of pure maple syrup gives it just the right touch of sweetness.
- Sea salt: A bit of salt takes this recipe from bland to flavorful and this is my favorite sea salt.
Useful tools and equipment
While you probably have everything you need to make these sourdough Dutch baby pancakes, I love using:
- Handheld mixer: I whip the egg whites for extra fluffiness and a hand mixer gives me the best control
- Cast-iron skillet: Of course, you can make these delicious German pancakes in any skillet but a cast-iron pan keeps the batter evenly hot and looks pretty
Substitutions and variations
Here are some ingredient variations and substitutions for you:
- Sourdough starter: I prefer making this recipe with a ripe active starter but it’s also perfect for your sourdough discard.
- Milk: Again, I recommend full-fat milk but you can make this recipe with any milk you have, buttermilk is great, or plant-based milk.
- Maple syrup: Feel free to use regular sugar, agave syrup, or any sweetener you like – or completely leave it out.
- Extra ingredients: You could add pure vanilla extract or a splash of lemon juice.
How to serve
No matter whether you serve these big Dutch babies for delicious breakfast, leisurely brunch, or quick lunch (like we had them as kids) here are some ideas on how to serve them:
- Since they are not very sweet, we love to heavily dust them with some powdered sugar (that also looks very pretty!)
- You can serve them with fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sauteed apple slices, apple sauce, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream.
- If you’d like to make them savory, just omit any sugar and serve them with your favorite toppings such as smoked salmon, fresh herbs, or ground black pepper.
Make ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the batter the night before and keep it in the refrigerator.
However, in that case, I recommend you keep the whipped egg whites and the batter separate. All you need to do the next morning is combine the two.
Other sourdough recipes you might like
English Muffins with Sourdough
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Tall Bowl for Whipping Egg Whites
How to make this dish
Just follow these simple steps to delicious sourdough Dutch babies:
- Preheat your oven to 425˚ Fahrenheit.
- Separate the eggs into a smaller, tall bowl and a large bowl.
- With a handheld mixer, whip the egg whites until very stiff (this is actually your leavening agent!).
- To the egg yolks in the large bowl, add 1 tablespoon of melted butter and the remaining ingredients. Mix them until well combined.
- With a spoon or silicone spatula, fold the stiff egg whites into the pancake batter.
- Over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet.
- Once the butter is hot but not smoking or brown, gently pour the pancake batter into the hot skillet. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the edges look crispy.
- Serve immediately!
Let me know if you have any questions or comments!
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Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
- 4 whole eggs
- 1 TBSP maple syrup
- 4 TBSP butter, melted
- 2 cups sourdough starter
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until very stiff.
- In a large bowl combine the egg yolks, maple syrup, 1 TBSP melted butter, sourdough starter, milk, and sea salt. Mix until well combined.
- Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the pancake batter.
- Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Gently pour the pancake batter into the hot skillet.
- Bake in the hot oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppins.
Notes
- you can use active sourdough starter or your sourdough discard
- feel free to adjust the amount of maple syrup or sugar – or use no sweetener to make a savory pancake
- you can use buttermilk or plant-based milk instead of the cow’s milk