My family loves this apple Dutch baby pancake! The lightly sweetened batter bakes golden-brown, puffy around the edges, and eggy in the middle. Then, we fill it with warm cinnamon apples. It’s so good!
If you’ve never experienced a Dutch baby pancake straight from the oven, it is an absolute must! They are large pancakes with tall, puffy sides and an eggy, delicious center. This apple Dutch baby pancake is a family favorite. It’s perfect for breakfast but also for dessert!
This version is on the sweet side, but for a savory take, look at our ham and cheese Dutch baby, which I love for any time of day. We also have lots of pancake recipes to look through, too.
Key Ingredients
- Eggs: There are no leaveners added to a Dutch baby pancake batter, so it’s the eggs that do the heavy lifting when it comes to puffing up in the oven.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend should also work in this recipe.
- Milk: I use whole milk, but you can substitute reduced-fat milk or your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk.
- Sugar: We add a little bit of sugar to the pancake batter and use it to cook our apples (similar to these sauteed apples).
- Spices: Cinnamon is wonderful, but I love adding some cardamom to the pancake batter and the apples for a little extra warmth and spice.
- Apples: Use what you love. I usually have Honeycrisp or Fuji apples in the hours, so that’s what’s shown in the photos.
- Butter: We will cook our Dutch baby in a cast iron (or oven-safe) skillet. So, before adding the batter, you need to melt some butter in the skillet. This adds flavor and color and prevents the pancake from sticking to the skillet. I use salted butter, but unsalted is fine.
How to Make an Apple Dutch Baby
When we first tried making a Dutch baby pancake, we were floored at how easy it was. Less than five minutes of whisking, pour into a skillet and bake in a hot oven until puffed. Not to mention, they taste incredible!
You can use a whisk and bowl, or blender to make the batter. Then, melt your butter in an oven-safe skillet and pour the batter in. Since the pan and the oven is so hot, the batter puffs up high around the edges.
As the pancake bakes, I make the apple topping. It’s very similar to these cinnamon apples. You’ll melt butter, add sliced apples and spices, and cook until tender.
Then, when your Dutch baby comes out of the oven, toss in the apples and serve family style. It’s so delicious!
Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This extra-large fluffy Dutch baby pancake doubles as breakfast or dessert. I love serving it family-style, piled high with cinnamon apples. If you do not have cardamom, substitute with more cinnamon or add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
Since ovens can vary slightly in temperature, checking the Dutch baby after 15 minutes of baking is a good idea. If the sides are puffed and beginning to turn brown, you might want to reduce the oven temperature a few minutes earlier. We like the tips of the sides to be dark brown but not burned.
You Will Need
Dutch Baby Pancake3 large eggs
1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 tablespoons butter
2 lemon wedges
Powdered sugar for topping
Cinnamon Apples2 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Directions
1Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and make sure there is enough room above it for the pancake to rise above the skillet. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
2Whisk eggs, flour, milk, 1 teaspoon of sugar, cinnamon, and the cardamom until blended. You can also use a blender.
3Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat. Swirl the melted butter around the pan. When it is bubbling, pour in the batter. Pile the ham and cheese into the middle of the skillet, leaving about 1 inch of batter uncovered around the edges so that the batter puffs up the sides of the pan while baking.
4Slide into the oven and bake until puffed and golden, 16 to 20 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 300°F (148°C) and cook for an additional 5 minutes to fully set.
5While the Dutch baby cooks, melt butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Toss in the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Cook, tossing them around the pan, until desired softness. We cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the apples are tender but still have a little bit of crunch.
6Serve family-style topped with cinnamon apples, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some powdered sugar dusted on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Cardamom can be substituted with a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg.
- The base recipe has been inspired and adapted from Florence Fabricant’s recipe
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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In the UK we call this batter Yorkshire pudding and it’s equally delicious made with sultanas mixed in.
Excellent. I put the cast iron skillet in oven at 425 while heating. Took out, butter melted well in the pan. Pour better in hot skillet, bake
I made your delicious Dutch Baby this morning and oh my goodness, it was amazing! Gloriously puffy and brown for a few minutes, til I topped it with the apples. So pretty I even took a picture of it. This recipe is going to be a keeper. 🙂
Oh my goodness, you have to add salt. AND as in Yorkshire pudding it must sit for a half an hour before baking. One last blend right before adding to pan. Room temperature ingredients are best.
Great recipe. Despite the credit given to Florence Fabricant’s recipe, I suspect the real credit should go to Craig Claiborne, who introduced us to David Eyre’s Pancake in 1966. It was one of the favorite recipes of that year.