Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake

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This sourdough dutch baby pancake recipe is a go-to, no-fail breakfast for any day of the week. It is rich, buttery, and subtly sweet. And the sky is the limit when it comes to topping options, making it fully customizable.

I love how easy and forgiving this recipe is. It’s a delicious breakfast that uses up a lot of sourdough discard. All of these reasons combined should explain why you find the people in my house enjoying a sourdough dutch baby at least once a week.

Dutch baby pancakes are also known as German pancakes. A Dutch baby is basically one big, baked, custardy pancake.

I always make them in my trusty cast iron skillet, but you haven’t started using cast iron in your kitchen yet, you can also do it in a glass casserole dish. However, please check the manufacturer’s instructions first, as glass usually can’t withstand as high of temperatures as cast iron. You may need to bake the Dutch baby at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time.

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Using Sourdough Starter

The sourdough starter in this recipe makes for a healthier, fermented version of the traditional Dutch baby or German pancake. You can use active starter or starter discard. As long as your sourdough starter is healthy and mature, this recipe is considered to be fully-fermented and very low in phytic acid, making it easier on the gut.

Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient present in grains that aren’t properly prepared via soaking, sprouting, or fermenting. In our modern culture, we have gotten away from this traditional way of preparing and eating grains. So, if you’re someone who doesn’t tolerate gluten or wheat very well, you may find that you have an easier time eating sourdough.

If you’re new to sourdough, this is the perfect recipe to use up any discard while working on getting your new starter to a mature state. Maybe you aren’t quite ready to take the leap into baking sourdough bread–I get it. If it seems a little intimidating, a quick and easy recipe like this one is an excellent way to start to enjoy all the benefits of sourdough, right away!

How To Make A Sourdough Dutch Baby

Tools You May Need:

• 12 or 14″ cast iron skillet
• Immersion blender (linked is the one I have and love) or whisk

Sourdough Dutch Baby Ingredients

• Sourdough starter: Can be in the active or discard stage. Discard starter will make for a tangier dutch baby.
• Milk: We use raw milk from a local farm, or hopefully soon from our own homestead dairy cow once again! But you should be able to use any kind, including almond, coconut, or organic pasteurized milk.
• Eggs: Eggs give this sourdough dutch baby it’s signature texture and puffiness. This recipe is a great way to use up excess fresh eggs, whether you have a steady supply from a local farm or your own chickens.
• Butter: Real, raw butter is the best in my opinion!
• Salt: This is technically an optional ingredient, especially if you are melting salted butter before pouring in the batter. But a little extra salt never hurts the flavor.
• Honey or maple syrup: We prefer to use natural sweeteners like these because they are lower on the glycemic index and less processed.

Instructions

Making a sourdough dutch baby really couldn’t be any simpler. Start by preheating your oven to 425°F.

Place 6 tablespoons of butter in your cast iron skillet, then place it in the oven so that as the skillet and oven is preheating, the butter is also melting. Feel free to add a whole stick of butter (which is a couple of extra tablespoons) if it strikes your fancy. Because, who can really get enough butter?

While that’s melting, mix together the eggs, milk, sourdough starter, honey (you can also use maple syrup), and salt in a large bowl. I like to use my immersion blender to get the mixture nicely aerated. However, a large whisk will do just fine.

Remove your hot cast iron from the preheated oven and pour the batter into it.

Carefully place the skillet back into the hot oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes, cut into slices, and serve.

Topping Ideas for Sourdough Dutch Baby

Arguably the best part about making these big dutch babies is giving them an array of beautiful toppings. Try one or a combination of any of these:

• Maple syrup
• Organic powdered sugar
• Fresh berries
• Crumbled sausage
• Fried apples
• Whipped cream (Try making your own unsweetened raw whip with a touch of vanilla extract, it’s delicious)

Sourdough Dutch Baby Questions

Why is a dutch baby also called a german pancake?

The dish actually originated in Germany, but was brought over by Dutch settlers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is said that the term “Dutch baby” was not coined until it was introduced in America. In Germany, it was known as a “Deutsche Pfannkuchen,” meaning “German Pancake.” So in reality, the Dutch baby doesn’t actually have much to do with the Netherlands or the Dutch people.

What does a sourdough dutch baby taste like?

It tastes like a cross between a traditional pancake and baked custard. It has a bit of an eggy texture, yet it has a fluffiness about it!

What’s the difference between a dutch baby pancake and regular pancakes?

A Dutch baby pancake has a richer, denser texture compared to regular pancakes. While regular pancakes are cooked on the stovetop, a dutch baby pancake is baked whole and then served in slices.

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