Things that are awesome and things that are not awesome; an incomplete list.
Things that are awesome:
Summer dresses that look great with summer ponytails.
Bathing suits + Palm Springs + Rented Summer House + Sun Screen + Giant Sun Glasses + Mojitos x Infinity = Awesome.
Big, fat bumble bees… come on, they’re precious.
Pulling this beautiful Dutch Baby out of the oven on Easter morning, ย sprinkling it with orange sugar and feeling like Julia Child… that’s awesome.
Things that are NOT awesome:
Otherwise perfect vintage dresses that are half a size too small.
Bathing suit shopping… exactly no one likes that, and why on earth are my legs so white!?
Bee stings on the butt. ย It happens people. ย It really happens.
Not pulling this Dutch Baby out of the oven on Easter morning… that’s not awesome at all.
A Dutch Baby is somewhere between a pancake and a pop over. ย I whipped up a thin batter, poured it into a hot, butter-covered skillet, and let it bake for 18 minutes. ย As soon as it came out of the oven I attacked it with orange sugar and cut it into giant slices. ย It’s as delicious as breakfast gets. ย So easy, so crispy with sugar, so perfectly spring.
Dutch Baby with Orange Sugar
adapted from Gourmet April 2009
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon grated orangeย zest
- 3 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes (run then under warm water if you’re in a hurry)
- 2/3 cup whole milk at room temperature ย ( I used 2% and was happy)
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Put skillet on middle rack of oven and preheat oven to 450ยฐF.
Stir together sugar and zest in a small bowl.
Beat eggs with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and frothy, then beat in milk, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute more (batter will be thin).
Add butter to hot skillet and melt, swirling to coat. Add batter and immediately return skillet to oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 25 minutes.
Serve immediately, topped with orange sugar.
96 Responses
What size skillet is used in this recipe – I’d love to try it.
9 or 10-inch cast iron would be great!
I have been meaning to make a Dutch baby for some time now, but have been terrified I’d mess it up. I finally got it together and decided to try to make your recipe tonight. It turned out better than I could have imagined! I made it as a dessert, and it was the perfect way to end a nice dinner party. It looks like an intimidatingly difficult dish, but it was so easy! Even easier than making pancakes from a box (I didn’t just confess to doing that when I’m feeling lazy).
Once again Joy, you’ve pulled through for me. I know I can count on you to make my jean size increase as I’m happily eating the dishes you write about.
Just made one tonight and it was delicious!! Thanks for do what you do :)
I have been eating Dutch Babies for years from the local Original House of Pancakes and was so excited to find this on your blog. I moved to Australia about 8 months ago from the US so baking in Celsius with a fan forced oven is always a challenge. This turned out great though! I don’t have a skillet so I used a casserole dish. The only problem with this was it didn’t get to spread out enough so it’s pretty thick. I also made an orange syrup to go on top instead of the orange butter. I will be making the base for this again and again … just with different toppings. Thanks Joy!
Just recently discovered your blog via NSMBL.nl and while I was searching the recipe index for something to bake this cloudy, lazy sunday the Dutch part of ‘Dutch baby’ caught my attention..
But when I saw the recipe and pictures I just don’t get why it is called ‘Dutch’ baby.. I am Dutch and I have never ever seen a pancake been made this way!
Grtz from the Netherlands
This was easy to make and so fun to watch puff up in the oven. And completely AWESOME to eat. One thing I did differently: instead of orange sugar sprinkled over top, I took the sugar and orange zest and added a nubbin of a pre-scraped vanilla bean pod, poured in a bit of water into a small pot and made a syrup. Between the two of us we only made it half way through the ‘baby’, so we’ve got some super tasty leftovers to tackle later on. :)
This just looks tushy. No offense, joy, i think it’s good
These turned out AMAZING! My husband officially changed his favorite breakfast food from french toast to dutch babies :) We would always get dutch babies at a local family-owned restaurant, but decided we should start making it ourselves to be more cost effective. These turned out even better than the restaurant’s!
I made the dutch baby exactly as directed, but I grated some lemon zest and mixed it with 1/3 cup of powdered sugar to make more of a lemon glaze instead of the orange sugar. It was amazing melted onto the dutch baby! Thank you for this wonderful recipe, it will be a keeper!
awesome! so glad you loved it!
Dutch babies ……total comfort food. i like fresh fruit and creme or yogurt on mine too, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. Holy cow, I think i will serve this at my next gf’s tea. precious with my chinz ware hostess set and teapot..throw some sugared violets on top of the raspberries with creme and a lovely day begins
Yummmmm!!! I had a different but similar version of these for breakfast this morning! I just posted it on my blog!
Joy –
Alright I have a confession, I am in love. I love what you do, I love your site, and I love On the Lamb. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Also… I was so excited when I happened upon this post that I went and made my own Dutch Babies the following morning… my boyfriend loved them! My grandmother used to make Dutch Babies all the time, but I haven’t had one in years, to tell you the truth I had forgotten about them. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will definitely not forget Dutch Babies ever again!
i’m so glad you found me and reconnected with the almighty dutch baby! you’re rad. stick around!
I tried this this morning. It was amazing! Would it be able to work in two seperate pans?
I’m snowed in under snopocalypse here in DC and had everything on hand except the orange. I sliced up an apple and sauteed it with some cinnamon and sugar instead.
Holy crap!
This thing came out of the oven looking BEAUTIFUL and tasting even better than it looked. Perfect for a snowy winter morning. And the best use of my cast iron skillet to date.
I made this today using skim milk instead of whole (hey, I wasn’t going to buy a whole jug of milk for one recipe). But it still came out wonderful! I always wondered what a dutch baby tasted like, and now I know: french toast a l’orange. “:)
I finally got around to making this. So easy!! Totally delicious!
This was my first time making a dutch pancake, and it was good and really easy! I liked the flavor that the orange zest added, however I hated the gritty texture of the sugar. Next time I might try it with powdered sugar, or just zest and maple syrup.
I used to make dutch babies all the time 20 + years ago; I like your version a lot!
Such a beautiful set of photos for your Dutch Baby!
That was delicious. I absolutely will be making the Dutch Baby again and again. And the orange sugar will probably make it as an experiment into other baking recipes.
Love this too! My kind of breakfast…yum
Hi Joy! I’m new to your site and I wanted to finally say hi. Hi! Well, this recipe look delicious and I would love to try it out. What size pan do you use? I ask this because I have a big iron skillet, but yours looks a bit smaller. I know it might not come out right if I use the wrong size. Help?
My recipe for these is close to this too, but I’ve never tried them with the orange sugar, it sounds good though :D I usually slice up apples and fry them with some butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some syrup until the apples are tender, and pour some of those on each slice. And I don’t have a skillet with an oven-proof handle, so I use a pyrex pie dish. Love the pics of yours, it’s so pretty with the orange sugar!
Oh, does this look fabulous!
A Dutch Baby is one of my favorite weekend treats — and I’m loving the citrus here.
I wonder if it would make me forget that my legs are… so … impossibly… white??!! :)
mmm .. I need to try this one, looks delicious :-)!
Tried this over the weekend – most fabulous! We didn’t have any oranges but did have some fresh blackberries so we sprinkled them with sugar and poured them over the Dutch Baby. It was a hit!
This Easter morning, I departed from my traditional breakfast and gave your Dutch Baby a try. I’ve made popovers many times, but this was my first Dutch Baby attempt. (Won’t be the last, I assure you!) It turned out beautifully and was delicious. Hubby thinks he would like it with just some additional butter on top, but I’m going to try lemon juice and powdered sugar on mine next time. I’m new to your blog, Joy, and am really enjoying it. Thanks so much!
I just made these this morning and it was a huge hit! They were incredibly delicious. I was too lazy to zest, so I just used powdered sugar and squeezed lemon over it-YUM! Would it work to try to cook two at once? I would love to make it for my parents and in-laws, but waiting 25min. in between would be too hard. thanks for the recipe!
Wow, that looks amazing!! You’re gonna make me wreck my diet, lol. I’ve never heard of a dutch baby before. I really thought it was a pop over; still love it though =D Yum!!
That orange sugar looks like a great idea. Alton Brown has a similar recipe in his baking book (“Dutch Baby Bunnies”) and suggests putting pieces of bacon in it and pouring maple syrup on top. It is so divine.
I just had my first “Dutch Apple Baby”, ever, a week ago. I didn’t have any dessert in the house and this recipe looked so simple I just had to try it. The one I used had brown sugar and cinnamon stirred into melted butter with sliced apples laid over the mixture in a pie plate. The batter was just like your recipe and was poured over the top and baked at 400 for 30-35 minutes. You squeezed the lemon juice and sprinkled with powdered sugar once out of the oven as well. It was wonderful! Puffy and light, not too sweet and yet you felt like you were having dessert. I wish I’d have had some vanilla ice cream..or some caramel sauce to really jazz it up. I will next time!
I just made this for brunch. I hereby swear to make it every weekend of my life. It was SO good. Maybe I’ll make another one tomorrow.
There IS something about dutch babies that is soooo perfectly beautiful and they taste so good too. Perfect.
I’m with you on those lists. There’s nothing like a summer dress – so easy, but flirty all the same. I’ve never had a dutch baby, but it sounds incredible, or awesome I guess.
Yum. I just made a pear version a few weeks ago, I’ll have to try this version too.
I haven’t made a Dutch baby before but this looks awesome and I love the addition of orange sugar. And I agree that big fat bumble bees are awesome. They make me giggle like an idiot.
Here’s a better recipe, passed down from generation to generation in my family.
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3 tbs. butter
dash of salt
Whip eggs, add flour in 3 additions, add milk in 3 additions, whip in butter and salt. Pour into two nine inch cake or pie pans. Dark colored reduce heat. Bake for 15 minutes at 350- 375. Kids really like watching them cook. They’ll rise into a brainy type baby or a giant bowl. Spread on melted butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. This is the original recipe, although the orange flavor may be “interesting”.
Don’t tell anyone this recipe! It’s a secret!
I’ve never made a dutch baby, but I certainly will now. And, who needs Easter as an excuse? These are perfect for any weekend.
This looks soo delicious, and I completely agree with those lists, especially about the bee stings
Looks great, I have used my small skillet for yorkshire pudding too, which it remeinded me of. Bee/wasp stings not good, one got me in the mouth a few years ago, I looked like I had done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.
I wholeheartedly agree with your awesome-not awesome lists.
I discovered dutch babies in the US, the day before I left (after 8 months spending there without them!!!!). It’s so good, I love it!! I wondered how to make them, thank you Joy, it’s a wonderful (/ awesome ;-) ) idea for easter morning…
I love this dutch baby with the orange sugar! It’s so cute.
I’m with you on the bathing suit shopping. Yuck! Even my 7 year old girls thinks it stinks.
Wow, that looks delicious! Love the idea of orange sugar. What about orange sugar with (chocolate) dutch sprinkles. I had a dutch pancake with pears for the first time about 2 weeks ago and it was pretty awesome. I’m surprised that it took me so long to have one of those, and that I’ve never had a dutch baby seeing as to how I had dutch au pairs as a small child (hence the affection for dutch sprinkles!).
A bee sting on your bum sounds like no fun. I got one (my first and only) smack dab on my nipple through my little sundress at a fair in college. That was, err, fun to explain to the first aid center.
I love your pictures! I could almost taste those babies right now :) They look so yummy!
I love Dutch babies, but I’ve never tried them with orange-sugar before. That sounds delicious!
This looks fantastic!! Wow, that would make my day start out wonderfully! Your pics are fabulous and I love your intro to the post…sooo cute!
Oh my gah, this does look awesome. You know what else is not awesome? The fact that I don’t have this in front of me right now. I’m drooling at my screen. Mmm, mmm, this looks delicious. I must make this ASAP.
Being of dutch heritage, I’ve always rejected the idea of calling these “German pancakes.”
My mom gave the recipe to someone while she was pregnant with me. As she was going into labor, her friend called her to ask what a dutch baby should look like when it comes out of the oven. She quickly replied “I’ll tell you in a few minutes!”
Our recipe is a bit simpler, expressed as a ratio: 1 tbsp butter (for the pan) : 1 egg : 1/4 cup flour : 1/4 cup milk. Add lemon zest, whir in a blender, cook off, and top with lemon juice and powdered sugar (which forms a lovely syrup).
Yum. I love adding oranges to just about dish. It brings out the flavor.
I really enjoy reading your adorable little anecdotes and stories before each of your recipes! And I couldn’t agree more about the vintage dresses only half a size too small…seems like the best always are.
As for the dutch baby, well, I think it goes without saying that it looks more than awesome!
coincidentally, i tried making this last weekend (exact same recipe but with lemon sugar) and it kind of failed miserably. it didn’t puff up like yours did and came out resembling a kind of caved in, flat cake. it was still delicious, mind, but i was wondering if you had any suggestions as to what might have gone wrong (i’m usually a very competent baker). when i poured the batter in the buttered pan, i did feel as if there was way too much butter, as it sort of pooled up on top of the batter, but as it was my first time making it i didn’t want to mess with it. should i maybe try dumping the excess butter out of the pan after it’s coated? any ideas would be so appreciated. yours looks beautiful! happy easter!
Wow, never heard of nor seen a dutch baby. It looks fantastic! We’d be tempted to drizzle just a wee bit ‘o honey on it…Mmmmm.
Hey Jack! I used a 10-inch cast iron skillet… I think your 12-inch would be fine too! For reals!
Ali! I think any 10-inch(ish) oven safe dish will be fine… just place it in the oven to heat up… melt butter in it before pouring in the batter and go for it!
I love Dutch Baby! Usually I make a half-size one just for me, and bake it in a little Pyrex dish (which is a fine substitute for a skillet in this case).
The orange sugar sounds like a great addition.
Gorgeous! Perfect Easter breakfast. My husband and I have this all the time for breakfast (and occasionally even dinner), except at our house they’re called German Pancakes. But the recipe is almost identical! We like to slather peanut butter and maple syrup on ours. I’ll have to give that orange sugar a go.
Mmm…this looks great. I love using my cast iron skillet. It makes me feel like I’m doing some serious cooking old school style.
Ooh, sorry about the bee stings! The dutch baby looks great, though!
Yummyyyyy! :) And you’ve gotten me excited about the beach — its 2 months too early :)
Would it be wrong for me to eat this for dinner tonight? I don’t think so.
This looks amazing, as does everything else on your blog.
Personally, I love orange anything. Anything other than orange pants that is.
I make something very similar, though much more basic, called Dutch Puff. The kids devour it, and it’s super-nutritious seeing that the ingredients are eggs, milk, butter, flour, and salt. We drizzle it with maple syrup, and if I’m feeling industrious, warm vanilla pudding and fresh or frozen berries.
I like the idea of orange sugar. And I’ve made something similar with apples, too.
Oh man, that looks really good! It makes me wish I hadn’t eaten our last orange on Sunday morning. >.< Looks like I’m hitting the grocery store today! =)
One word: Delish! Bring on spring!
Dutch babies are my favorite breakfast…will have to try the orange sugar!
I have GOT to get a cast iron skillet.
I totally got stung there by a bee! I didn’t mean to sit on him.
We love dutch babies and eat them often for breakfast. Wow. That was a weird thing to type… LOL! Thanks for sharing your version of a delicious treat.
oh wow, this looks awesome with the orange sugar. 2 questions — how many servings is it? and what size is that skillet you have it in?
I am SO making this on the weekend. What should I use if I don’t have an oven-safe skillet?
Mmmm yes, this sounds good. Especially with the orange sugar!
Unfortunately, I’m getting my wisdom teeth out on Friday, so no Easter Sunday dutch baby for me…but I will definitely whip one up once I’m back on solid foods! Can’t wait to try it :)
Hello Saturday breakfast!
Bee stings in the armpit are not fun either (from personal experience, of course).
Being a dutch baby myself I have a connection with these puffed pancakes that runs deeper than blood.
And orange sugar? Nice touch.
Love dutch babies! (Funny, but that sentence looks odd no?) Beautiful photographs as always. :)
YUM….Dutch babies have been on my “things to try before I die” list FOREVER, and these must be tried…SOON. Sadly, the lite yogurt/fiber cereal breakfast sitting in front of me does not elicit the drool effect that these babies do!
Looks completely yum! Can you add fruit to it, so you can pretend it’s good for you?
Hard not to appreciate a breakfast made in cast iron! This looks delicious!
What size is that skillet? Mine is like 12 inches and I imagine it’d be too big for this.
Gorgeous. And I’m with you on the not-awesome bathingsuit shopping. It. Is. Awful. And I guarantee my legs are whiter than yours. Maybe I can make myself feel better by making this. Yeah, that sounds perfect.