This easy sourdough Dutch baby pancake has a delicious, soft center with the classic puffiness of your favorite German pancake recipe but made healthier with fermented grains. It’s the perfect recipe for all that sourdough discard.
Sourdough Dutch baby pancakes, German pancakes, or cast iron pancakes – whatever you want to call them – they are an extremely easy and delicious breakfast. By golly, sometimes we have them for lunch, as well.
Throw all the ingredients into a blender, pour into a hot cast iron skillet, and you are only a few minutes away from a nourishing and healthy breakfast.
These are easy enough to whip up and bake while we head out for chores, with the excitement of coming back to a satisfying breakfast. They are even fancy enough for Christmas morning, dusted with powdered sugar and served with berry syrup.
Personally, while I like regular pancakes, I hate standing over the stove flipping them over and over. The kids disappear with them, enjoying them together at the table, while poor mom is stuck flipping the last pancakes and then sitting at the table alone to eat since everyone else has finished.
Surely, I am not the only one who feels this way? So to be able to make a pancake that is baked in the cast iron skillet and not have to stand there flipping… sign me up.
Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake Tips:
- Make sure your cast iron skillet is nice and hot. This helps it bake fast and the sides to be nice and puffy.
- Sauté some chopped apples first in the cast iron skillet with a little cinnamon until soft, add the butter; once melted, pour the batter over the apples and bake. Seriously so yummy.
- This recipe can be made using sourdough discard or active sourdough starter.
- Don’t open the oven door until the pancake has been baking at least 15 minutes. Opening it too soon can make the dutch baby deflate.
FAQ
Are Dutch babies and German pancakes the same?
Yes, German pancakes are the same thing as “Dutch babies”, which originated in Germany.
What makes a Dutch Baby rise?
The eggs and the milk are what really gives this pancake its rise, due to the steam that is created when the pancake bakes in a hot oven.
What does a Dutch baby taste like?
It tastes like a custard-like pancake with fluffy sides. Not too sweet, but delicious with a variety of toppings.
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Tools you may need:
Blender or large bowl and whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- Eggs – Preferably pasture-raised for those beautiful and healthy dark golden yolks.
- Sourdough starter – This can be active starter or even discard.
- Milk – I prefer whole milk for extra creaminess.
- Salt – Don’t forget this important ingredient. It helps bring out all the flavors in the dish and, if you skip it, your recipe may taste dull and flat.
- Vanilla – Homemade or store-bought, it adds the subtle undertones of vanilla throughout the recipe.
- Maple syrup or honey – Either will work and lend itself to slightly different flavors and a pleasant sweetness.
- Butter – I love using homemade butter from our own dairy cow, but since most people don’t have one of those bellowing in their yard, use the best quality butter you can.
How To Make Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancakes
Preheat oven to 425.
In a large bowl or blender, add eggs, sourdough starter, milk, salt, vanilla, and honey. Whisk or blend until smooth. I love using the blender for this, because it literally takes like three seconds.
Add butter to a 12 inch cast iron skillet and place into the hot oven to melt.
Pour the batter over the melted butter and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed up. Do not open up the oven to check on the Dutch baby. Opening the oven too early can cause the pancake to lose its puff and deflate.
Serve right away with butter, fruit, or syrup.
Find More Delicious Sourdough Breakfast Ideas:
- Sourdough Breakfast Strata
- Breakfast Pizza Recipe With Sourdough Crust
- Sourdough French Toast From Scratch
- Mascarpone Stuffed Sourdough French Toast Casserole
- Sourdough Scones
- Cast iron French toast casserole
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!
Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups sourdough starter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 6 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- In a large bowl or blender, add eggs, sourdough starter, milk, salt, vanilla, and honey. Whisk or blend until smooth.
- Add butter to a 12 inch cast iron skillet and place into the hot oven to melt.
- Pour the batter over the melted butter and place into the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed up.
- Serve right away with butter, fruit, or syrup.
Notes
- Make sure your cast iron skillet is nice and hot. This helps it bake fast and the sides to be nice and puffy.
- This recipe can be made using sourdough discard or active sourdough starter.
- Don’t open the oven door until the pancake has been baking at least 15 minutes. Opening it too soon can make the Dutch baby deflate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this for the first time this morning and hubby loved it!! It did not really puff up much and was wondering what I might have done wrong……. I triple checked that I followed the recipe so not sure what happened. Even without the fluffiness it was a success and will be a regular item in our breakfast choices!! Thank you!
I would say it typically doesn’t get as puffy as a regular dutch baby. Glad you still enjoyed them.
This recipe looks delicious. Can you suggest what I could use in place of a cast iron skillet.
You may also be able to use a 9×13 baking dish.
I used a 9 x 13 Pyrex glass dish and it worked fine 🙂
What should the texture taste like? Should it be spongy or quiche-like? We followed exact directions though I might try leaving my skillet in the oven longer to pre-heat. I am trying to underStand why mine turned out dense, almost uncooked looking, though it was in for 20 minutes! Any advice?
It should be kind of custardy. If it is too dense, it may help if your ingredients are at room temperature and not too cold.
This was so great!! Whats a good way to store our leftovers? And then reheat? And does it freeze well?
I would store in an air-tight container in the fridge and would reheat in the oven. It would probably freeze fine, although I’ve never tried it. We eat it too quickly
I can’t wait to try this …I love Dutch babies !!! I just removed about 2 cups of starter and needed to do something with it because I didn’t make bread or waffles like I thought I would …also you should try melting some butter with maple syrup and adding in some lemon juice to brush on top of the Dutch baby…Sooo good
Great idea! And so glad you enjoyed it!
If you haven’t made it, then you missing out!! So simple and easy! The perfect combination of crust and custard. My kids loved it and ask if I can make it everyday hahaha! Thank you so much for making your recipe so special and sharing with us! We can’t get enough. 🙏🏻🩷
So glad you and your family enjoyed as much as we do!
Yum! I made this for breakfast. The only change I made was I subbed 1/2 cup sugar for the syrup or honey.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve never had a dutch baby before. Is it supposed to be fluffy or dense? I feel like it didn’t puff up like it’s supposed to and the texture seems rubbery to me. Maybe I didn’t bake it long enough…?
Mine didn’t fluff either. I think maybe because my eggs were cold from the fridge. Either that or my pan wasn’t hot enough but it felt hot to me. I’m going to try again with those changes and hopefully it helps.
Bummer! Hopefully it will rise the next time.
I made this recipe this morning after seeing your video short, I wanted to try this for myself. I love that it’s blend and dump! I cooked my dutch baby pancake for 20 minutes in my cast iron pan, it was a little bit over done but not too far gone! I had no sour dough starter so I used flour and a little bit of baking powder. The texture of mine was spongy, it had a Very good taste. Next time I’ll try less time.
Have you ever made this with fresh milled sourdough starter? I’m not having any luck getting a high fluffy Dutch baby pancake.