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Have you tried German Pancakes? Served with Grandma’s orange sauce, they’re unforgettable. They are basically the world’s easiest to make giant popovers.
These pancakes are baked in the oven, where they rise tall and they gently fall, instead of being cooked on a griddle like traditional pancakes.
German Pancakes
I remember my grandmother waking early in the morning to start breakfast before anyone else was awake. We’d come downstairs and she’d already be working in the kitchen.
I’d peek through the oven door as the German pancakes rose so beautifully in the oven. German pancakes are a cross between a souffle and an omelet.
What is a Dutch Baby?
These are light airy pancakes with a unique taste. Often called Dutch baby pancakes, these are a real treat and a fun breakfast for a lazy weekend.
Have you made these? German pancakes rise amazingly high and then fall once they are removed from the oven. As a child, it was always exciting to watch the process. I waited years to attempt making them myself.
Once I discovered just how simple they are to make, I had to restrain myself from making them far too often. We love them with powdered sugar, or maple syrup, but my grandmother’s Orange Sauce is our favorite topping of all.
The sides of the pancake will rise high over the rim of the pie plate, as pictured below.
German Pancake Ingredients
- eggs
- kosher salt
- milk
- all-purpose flour
- butter
- cinnamon
German Pancake Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk together milk, flour, and salt until smooth. Add the eggs and beat well.
Melt the butter in a pie plate in the hot oven. When it is bubbling hot, using hot pads, tilt to cover the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
Quickly pour in the egg mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake for 15 minutes. The sides of the pancake will rise high over the rim of the pie plate. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or serve with Orange Sauce.
For my family, I triple this recipe and we polish off all of it! Three pie plates fit on my oven rack and bake at the same time.
Favorite Family Recipes
For another breakfast that you’ll absolutely love, try the very popular perfect-every-time waffles and Grandma’s Waffle Sauce.
Aunt Judy’s Almond Bars are tender, lightly sweetened shortbread-like bars that are so good, you’ll find yourself doubling the recipe every single time you make them. The bars are topped with sliced almonds and an almond glaze – absolutely no one can resist them.
Layers of cream cheese, berries, and buttery pretzels add up to the Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe that is loved by adults and kids alike. The pretzel crust adds a salty-sweet layer to this dessert that makes it irresistible. I first tasted this bit of heaven at my Aunt Judy’s house several years ago. It really was quite the experience.
German Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk together milk, flour, and salt until smooth. Add the eggs and beat well.
- Melt the butter in a pie plate in the hot oven. When it is bubbling hot, using hot pads, tilt to cover the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Quickly pour in the egg mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake for 15 minutes. The sides of the pancake will rise high over the rim of the pie plate. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or serve with Orange Sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 8/17/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/17/22}
I am putting this on the to-make list for when (if? when? please God?) our ovens are turned back on. I love the science experiement aspect of it! ha!
What a beautiful breakfast dish – I love the picture of it in the oven! the sauce sounds wonderful – YUM this is definitely worth getting up for!
Mary
I LOVE German pancakes, and I've also recently started following your blog and am LOVING all your fresh, yummy recipes too! Thanks! Oh, and to change things up a bit we often make the pancakes in muffin tins for cute personal pancakes. The kids love it 🙂
Oh my goodness! That would be perfect. I never thought of baking them in muffin cups!!
My sister makes these, but I haven't tackled them yet. I just may give them a try soon.
I've never made or even eaten German pancakes…but I'm thinking it's about time I did! I love making recipes that remind me of my grandma. There's something special about carrying on a kitchen tradition 🙂
Yum!! I've never had German pancakes but they sure sound great!
Sooooo not nice Mary!! Lol now I want this and it is way to hot here to even try 🙁 not to mention my dear husband would kill me for having it without him.
We also do grandmothers waffle sauce with this or my blueberry syrup.
Yummmm! I love German pancakes, and the orange sauce on them sounds heavenly!! 🙂 Sounds like it's pretty easy to make too! 🙂
Is this what we had for your birthday 2 years ago??? If so, these are divine. So, you made these and ate them without me??? {{{foot stomping pouting}}}
What a lovely story, and lovely recipe. reminded me of the breakfast my gran used to make for me (soft boiled eggs and toast soliders). Grandma food is such comfort food!
I like pancakes for breakfast or any time of the day now making German pancakes is going to be a good thing cuz the pancakes are not going to be the same ole pancakes I’ve been making and eating I believe I am going to like German pancakes they will be my new pancakes for when I want them for breakfast or when ever I want pancakes I am glad I saw this recipe I am going to make them tomorrow morning!!1
The Best! Thank you Mary,
In our family these are called Flaffle. Found in a German cookbook at a farm sale. So wonderful but actually came for the orange sauce. Lost my recipe in our move and yours sound so good. Saturday’s breakfast.
How fun! I’ve never heard of Flaffle, but I love hearing the story. Thanks.
I made the German Pancake with the orange sauce and it was delicious. It’s fun to watch the pancake rise in the oven all buttery and ready for the orange sauce. We also added fresh raspberries and toasted pecans as toppings. We will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing your Grandma’s recipes!
Pat – That is the best compliment I could ever receive. Recipes and traditions are meant to be shared. I love the idea of raspberries and pecans with the orange sauce! That must have been so good.
The recipe looks delicious. But I am particularly taken with the plate it is on. It’s beautiful. What is the pattern?
I’m pretty sure I picked it up for $1 at Goodwill 10+ years ago, Mary. The back of the plate says Liberty Blue and it’s a Staffordshire plate. I found a link on Amazon for you, so you can see the whole plate: https://amzn.to/3GBBSyj
I’ve made these a few times and they are so awesome! Made these orange sauce this morning for the first time and wow, it was SO good! I’ll definitely not skip this step again! In fact think I’ll try it on French toast too
I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the German pancakes. The orange sauce makes them perfect, doesn’t it?