Gingerbread Dutch Baby

I feel like we’re far enough past pumpkin spice season to really cozy into gingerbread time.   Beyond cookies and breads, we can get gingerbread flavors with a thin battered, fluffy and puffy Dutch Baby pancake.  It’s simple and thank goodness for that. 

A Dutch Baby is a perfect weekend activity because with minimal kitchen efforts, you can have a warm, doughnut-like pancake to hustle over to the couch to enjoy like the world is your own.  

Here’s how we do:  

A Dutch baby, this giant, fluffy, oven pancake is really pretty simple to make.  We’ll start by making a very thin pancake batter, pour it into a very hot cast iron skillet, and finish my slicing very large pieces onto our plates and into our hearts.

Here’s the list of needs: 

•  3 large eggs – we’ll need them at room temperature so that this batter goes into the oven at room temperature giving if more life / more puff.  

•  whole milk – also at room temperature. 

•  gingerbread spices like cinnamon + ginger, nutmeg+ cloves and allspice

•  vanilla extract and a small glug of molasses. 

•  butter, melted for the pan and batter

•  flour to make this pancake a pancake

•  cranberry sauce, jam, or maple syrup to top. 

I’ve Dutch Baby-ed before!  Here’s a less sweet, berry version:  Triple Berry Dutch Baby. 

Believe it or not (believe it), this batter comes together most easily in a blender.  A blender!

If you don’t have a blender, or don’t feel like cleaning a blender, you can also use a bowl and an electric hand beater.  You can also get your arm into it and simply use a bowl and a whisk – you’ll really want to power whisk to both break up the egg whites and really aerate the batter to give it that fluff in the oven.  

Into the blender with the eggs.  

And we’ll add sugar and two tablespoons of melted butter.  

Spices for the batter that include all that is right in the world this time of year:  cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. 

Pure vanilla extract and a glug of molasses, too. 

Add the whole milk and whip the mixture to combine! 

Lastly we’ll pulse in the flour until it’s combined and there are no lumps in the batter.  Give it a good whirl in the blender. 

The cast iron skillet is heated on the stovetop where the butter is melted for both the batter and the pan.  

The key to the fluff of this pancake is to pour the thin batter into a hot buttered pan that immediately goes into a hot oven.  

A 10-inch cast iron skillet is key!  If the pan is any smaller the batter will be too thick inside the pan and won’t puff generously.  

We have lift off!!!  

Straight from the oven the Dutch Baby is sprinkled generously with cinnamon and sugar.

Cranberry sauce, jam, maple syrup… whatcha got?  Go for it!

And get those plates ready because this is served hot and ready! 

It’s pancake meets, donut, meets a firm eggy custard.  Eaten warm… it’s comforting and sweet and really easy to enjoy on the couch before a lazy Saturday binge watching session.  May I recommend Amazon’s Tin Star.  

Happy weekend!  Happy Breakfast! 

Gingerbread Dutch Baby

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
• Total Time: 28-32 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2-4 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Topping

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• cranberry sauce, any jam you might like, or maple syrup
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves and ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon for the topping and set aside. If you’d like to top your Dutch Baby with cranberry sauce, jam, or maple syrup – have that set aside too.
3. Place a 10-inch cast iron (or oven safe) skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Melt the butter in the skillet. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the butter for the batter and leave the remaining butter to swirl around the hot pan.
4. Add the eggs to the a blender and top with brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, vanilla, molasses, milk, spices and salt. Place the lid on the blender and blend until smooth and lightly frothy.
5. Stop the blender and add the flour. Pulse to combine and blend until no lumps remain. The batter will be thin and pourable.
6. Make sure the cast iron is hot before you add the batter to it. Heat it for just a few moments over medium heat if needed after having melted the butter.
7. Remove from heat and immediately pour the batter into the pan. Immediately place the pan in the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden-brown and puffed.
8. Remove the baked and puffed dutch baby from the oven and immediately sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar. Add the cranberry sauce or maple syrup. Slice and serve. Dutch babies are best served just after it comes out of the oven.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4