This German apple pancake (also called apple Dutch baby) is a delicious twist on a baked pancake, perfect for a comforting breakfast or dessert. Sauteed cinnamon apples are baked with a pancake batter until it rises into a delicious, puffy treat. You won’t have enough of this delicious pancake!
Ingredients
Below you will find information about the ingredients and how to prepare the recipe. For the measurements and detailed instructions scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Here’s what you need to make this easy recipe:
German Apple pancake is made from Dutch Baby pancake batter and sauteed cinnamon apples.
How to make it step-by-step
Before you start: You will need one 9×13 inch casserole dish (23x33cm) or two 9-inch (24cm) cast iron skillet/pie baking dishes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place your baking dish or skillet in the oven while it’s preheating (this will help the batter puff up).
Make the batter:
If you have a high-speed blender – just add all the ingredients and blend until the batter is smooth, about 30 seconds.
If you have a hand/immersion blender or prefer to whisk the batter by hand: first add eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Mix or whisk until smooth. Add the milk and continue mixing until smooth. Set aside.
7 large eggs, 1 1/8 cups (145g) flour, 3 Tbs sugar, 2 ts vanilla extract, pinch of salt, 1 1/8 cups (270g) milk
Prepare the apples: peel apples, cut into quartes, remove the cores, and cut into slices.
3 medium apples or 2 large, 1 1/2lbs or 650g
Cook apples: heat the butter in a large frying pan over high heat, add apples, and spread them evenly in the pan, don’t stir for about 2 minutes, letting the apples brown. Start stirring, add sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes until the apples are softened and slightly browned.
2 Tbsp butter, 2 ts vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 ts lemon juice, 1/2 ts cinnamon
When the oven is heated up, take the baking dish (or baking dishes) out of the oven and add the butter.
2 Tbsp butter
Melt the butter moving it all around the baking dish, also on the edges, it should melt quickly.
When the butter is melted, add the cooked apples (if using two dishes, divide them evenly between them), pour in the batter.
Place the baking dish again in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffed up.
Take out of the oven, cut into servings, and serve immediately.
Dutch baby pancake puffs up in the oven but quickly deflates when taken out of the oven, this is normal.
Enjoy!
TIP: If using a cast iron skillet, you could cook your apples in the skillet, then divide the cooked apples between the skillet and another baking sich (for example pie dish), then pour the batter into both baking dishes and bake. I prefer to cook apples in a separate pan while both baking dishes are warming up in the oven. I noticed this way the pancake puffs up better. Cooking the apples in the cast iron pan is not enough to heat it up properly. The difference is not huge so you can test for yourself how that’s working for you.
Storage
To store the German apple pancake, allow it to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, place in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Before serving, gently reheat in the oven at a low temperature to restore their texture. Note that Dutch baby pancakes are best enjoyed fresh.
Ingredients ratios
If you saw different recipes for a Dutch baby pancake and are wondering what is the best recipe and what are the differences – my answer is: I haven’t met a Dutch baby pancake that I didn’t like! but:
- from recipe testing I noticed: the more eggs, the better the rise and crunchier edges
- the more batter in the pan, the flatter the pancake
- too little batter in the pan, not much rise
- the bigger the puff on the edges, the thinner the middle of the pancake.
Recipe FAQ’s
German pancake or Durch Baby is not really German! German pancakes are Pfannkuchen/Palatschinken which are similar to crepes. Check out this recipe for Apfelpfannkuchen (Apple Crepes) or apple cinnamon pancakes – these two recipes are more common in Germany.
A Dutch baby pancake is also called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, and is similar to a large English Yorkshire pudding. So, there is no difference between the two, it is the same dish that has many different names.
The Dutch baby, also known as a German pancake, is a type of a popover pancake. Despite its name, it isn’t Dutch in origin. Its name “Dutch baby” is thought to be a corruption of the word “deutsch,” which means “German” in the German language.
The dish is believed to have its roots in German immigrants who came to America and brought along their traditional recipes. As the term “deutsch” was misunderstood or mispronounced as “Dutch,” it eventually led to the name “Dutch baby.”
It’s interesting how culinary names can sometimes evolve through a mix of cultural influences and linguistic shifts!
According to some sources, Dutch babies were introduced in the first half of the 1900s at Manca’s Cafe, a family-run restaurant that was located in Seattle, WA, and that was owned by Victor Manca. Manca’s Cafe claimed that it owned the trademark for Dutch babies in 1942.
When the baking dish is placed in the preheated oven with the butter, the heat causes the batter to rapidly rise and puff up, creating that characteristic fluffy and airy texture of a German pancake.
You can use a ceramic casserole baking dish or a round baking dish. A cast iron skillet is also great for this recipe. I haven’t noticed that the batter rises/puffs up better in the cast iron skillet but the bottom of the pancake is definitely more browned in cast iron than when made in a ceramic baking dish.
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
German Apple Pancake (Apple Dutch Baby)
Ingredients
for the pancake batter:
- 7 large eggs
- 1 1/8 cups (145g) flour spooned and leveled, not scooped
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/8 cups (270g) milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
for the apples:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 medium apples or 2 large 1 1/2lbs or 650g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place your baking dish or skillet in the oven while it's preheating (this will help the batter puff up).
- Make the batter: If you have a high-speed blender – just add all the ingredients and blend until the batter is smooth, about 30 seconds.
- If you have a hand/immersion blender or prefer to whisk the batter by hand: first add eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Mix or whisk until smooth. Add the milk and continue mixing until smooth. Set aside.7 large eggs, 1 1/8 cups (145g) flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, pinch of salt, 1 1/8 cups (270g) milk
- Prepare the apples: peel apples, cut into quarters, remove the cores, and cut into slices.3 medium apples or 2 large
- Cook apples: heat the butter in a large frying pan over high heat, add apples, and spread them evenly in the pan, don't stir for about 2 minutes, letting the apples brown. Start stirring, add sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes until the apples are softened and slightly browned.2 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- When the oven is heated up, take the baking dish (or baking dishes) out of the oven and add the butter. Melt the butter moving it all around the baking dish, also on the edges, it should melt quickly.2 tablespoons butter
- When the butter is melted, add the cooked apples (if using two dishes, divide them evenly between them), pour in the batter.
- Place the baking dish again in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffed up.
- Take out of the oven, cut into servings, and serve immediately.
- Dutch baby pancake puffs up in the oven but quickly deflates when taken out of the oven, this is normal.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Calories = 1 serving (1/4 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
- How to measure flour: Fluff the flour by stirring it in the bag/flour container with a spoon. Spoon the flour and sprinkle it into your measuring cup. Sweep off the excess flour with the back of a knife.
- If using a cast iron skillet, you could cook your apples in the skillet, then divide the cooked apples between the skillet and another baking sich (for example pie dish), then pour the batter into both baking dishes and bake. I prefer to cook apples in a separate pan while both baking dishes are warming up in the oven. I noticed this way the pancake puffs up better. Cooking the apples in the cast iron pan is not enough to heat it up properly. The difference is not huge so you can test for yourself how that’s working for you.
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