Sourdough Dutch Baby
This easy sourdough dutch baby bakes up puffy in just 15 minutes. It's a great recipe for using leftover sourdough discard because you can mix the batter and bake it right away for a quick and easy breakfast or dessert!
Whether you call them dutch baby pancakes or german pancakes ... it really doesn't matter, they are one of the easiest sourdough discard recipes on the blog!
The consistency of the batter is somewhere between sourdough pancake batter and sourdough crepe batter and can be baked in a cast iron skillet, a deep pie dish, or even in muffin tins for individual dutch baby pancakes.
We show you how to make a sweet version of this recipe but you can omit the vanilla extract and cinnamon to use the recipe to make a savory dutch baby.
There are a variety of toppings that you can use including fresh berries, nutella, almond butter, strawberry jam, or even cherry jam.
Ingredients needed
- sourdough starter (unfed or active)
- whole milk (regular or non-dairy)
- butter (regular or plant-based)
- eggs
- salt
- optional - vanilla extract and cinnamon
- toppings - berries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and lemon wedges
Tips for Success
- If you want the dutch baby to puff up in the oven, start with room-temperature ingredients. Take the milk, sourdough starter, and eggs out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you mix the batter.
- To avoid little specks in your dutch baby, clean any old grease or food residue out of your cast iron skillet before you begin. (I use a dedicated cloth to wipe out the cast iron skillet before I place it into the oven to preheat.)
- This recipe can be baked in a 9-12" cast iron skillet, deep 9" pie plate, or muffin tins. Make sure to preheat the baking vessel and butter the sides and bottom to prevent sticking. (The smaller the diameter of the skillet the more puffy the dutch baby will be and the longer it will need to cook.)
How to make it
- Wipe out your cast iron skillet with a cloth or paper towel and place it onto the middle oven rack. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and transfer 2 tablespoons to a large mixing bowl. (Reserve the remaining 2 tablespoons to coat the cast iron skillet in step 3.)
- Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes using an electric hand mixer. (This can also be done in a blender.)
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and swirl the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-18 minutes. (Up to 20 minutes for a 9" skillet)
- Top the dutch baby with a squeeze of lemon juice, berries, powdered sugar, and maple syrup. Serve while hot.
How to store
If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat them in the oven or microwave.
More easy recipes to try: sourdough pop tarts / sourdough cinnamon rolls / sourdough waffles / chocolate chip sourdough scones / 10 easy discard breakfast recipes
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Sourdough Dutch Baby (German Pancake)
EQUIPMENT
- 9-12" Cast Iron Skillet 9" deep pie plate or muffin tins
INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter (divided)
- ¾ cups (200 g) sourdough starter discard (room temperature)
- 6 tablespoons (90 g) whole milk (room temperature)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Optional toppings
- raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries
- powdered sugar
- maple syrup
- lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make sure ingredients are at room temperature. Wipe out your cast iron skillet with a cloth or paper towel and place it onto the middle oven rack. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and transfer 2 tablespoons to a large mixing bowl. (Reserve the remaining 2 tablespoons to coat the cast iron skillet in step 3.)
- Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes using an electric hand mixer. (This can also be done in a blender.)
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and swirl the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-18 minutes. (Up to 20 minutes for a 9" skillet.)
- Top the dutch baby with a squeeze of lemon juice, berries, powdered sugar, and maple syrup. Serve while hot.
This is the best dutch baby recipe I have found. Using a smaller 9"pan gets a thicker pancake which I like.
i made this a few times and it's always so good, and it's easy to make, even though
i'm only nine years old!
Perfect
This recipe was awesome, spot on! I used my somewhat old discard, a little worried it wouldn't work out but my dutch baby puffed up very nicely. I used a few tricks to get my items to room temp faster (put eggs in warm water, briefly microwaved the milk, and put my discard in a bowl sitting in warm water and stirred the discard to get it to warm up faster). I also added about a tbsp of sugar to sweeten it up for our breakfast. I whisked by hand for about 2 minutes. The result was a deliciously, slightly tangy dutch baby, and my family said this was way better than the original recipe I've used in the past. Having the ingredients at room temp definitely was key. Thank you for this wonderfully easy recipe! It's a keeper; a great way to use discard.
OH! OH! My what a fabulous & delicious way to use sourdough discard. I Just used the left over sourdough from yesterday's pizza dough & was not concerned if it was active or not. Fabulous breakfast & would make a wonderful dessert. Keep your recipes coming.
So good and easy!