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.
I’m newish to sourdough. If you use a blender for this, would you have to dump the water used to clean it outside? Since you used sourdough starter in the recipe, when you clean the tools to make it, you can’t put that water down the drain, right? Or is it diluted enough with milk and everything else to not be a problem? Thank you!
I am still establishing an active starter, and it left me with a bunch of discard. I made this for dessert, and everybody enjoyed it. I paired it with macerated blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry. I topped it with a maple whipped cream. Big fan!
Sounds delicious!
My kids LOVE THIS.
Wonderful!
So easy, quick and delicious! I topped it with some syrup and whipped cream. I will definitely be making this again
Sounds delicious!
It was good. Different then a pancake though good. Thanks for sharing all your recipes.
This is the very first recipe that I made with my new sourdough starter. It was delicious! And VERY filling! I threw the butter in the skillet while it was preheating in the over & accidentally browned the butter =happy accident! I will definitely make this again. I am now binging your YouTube channel. So much wonderful information. Thank you!!
We absolutely love this recipe! It’s a hit with everyone and is quite filling. I love that I can use my unactivated discard and not have to toss it! Thank you soo much for shareing!
The first time I made this it turned out perfect! Ever since then I just can’t get it to cook correctly and the center of the pancake is still not cooked all the way through. I cooked it longer and it still didn’t help. Any suggestions? Maybe a lower temperature? That’s all I can think of changing.
I would try baking at a lower temperature for a little bit longer time frame and see if that helps!
You can cut down in the milk by a T. Or two as if your starter is more wet it makes it soggier and need to cook longer.
Maybe too many eggs in this one it’s not quite like a Dutch baby with regular flour it a little to eggy. Otherwise not bad.
Love this, just enough sweetness! I added some berries to the bottom of it before placing the batter and it turned out perfect!
Sounds delicious!