Apple Dutch Baby (Or German Apple Pancake)

With juicy, sweet apples, this Dutch Baby has the texture of a puffy pancake, thick crepe and is puffy and custardy. It's perfect for a special breakfast or a dessert. Apples are in season again, YAY! My apple appreciation goes way back, to my childhood in upstate New York, all the way to present day pregnancy days, when it's one of the few things my stomach doesn't rebel against. Apples are great in many different recipes, savory dishes and, of course, there are endless dessert possibilities.

For a special breakfast or a really easy dinner dessert, your really have to try a dutch baby. Isn't that a funny name? Sometimes, it's also called a German pancake. This recipe is from my favorite cookbook, America's Test Kitchen, and I've been using it for a few years now.

What is a Dutch Baby?

It is very similar to a popover. The texture is amazing; it's a mixture of a thick crepe and custard. I often make this on a regular weeknight for just my husband and myself, when we are craving something sweet, but don't want to fuss too much. You'll see just how easy this is to make. It's also very impressive.

It puffs up beautifully and would make a stunning dessert to serve to guests, in which case, I always make two at the same time, because it gets devoured immediately.

Preparing the Batter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the eggs, half n half and vanilla extract together. Add the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Cooking the Apples

Peel, core and slice the apples into ½ inch thick slices.

In a 10 inch nonstick skillet that is oven safe, melt the butter. Add the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon to the skillet and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently,  until the apples are golden brown.

Add the lemon juice to the apples. Pour the batter over the apples right into the skillet, starting from the sides to the center of the skillet.

Place the skillet into the preheated oven and reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for about 15-18 minutes. The dutch baby will be puffed up and the edges will be golden brown. As soon as you take it out of the oven, it will deflate a bit. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup or caramel sauce. 

Using A Cast Iron Skillet

Instead of the Nonstick Skillet, I often use a cast iron skillet instead. In this case, follow the instructions exactly as you would when using a nonstick skillet.

Since the cast iron skillet retains heat much more than a nonstick skillet, the Dutch Baby will cook through much faster in a cast iron skillet. Keep an eye on it and take it out of the oven when the edges of the Dutch Baby turn brown and the center of the pancake are set. It usually takes approximately 10-12 minutes after placing it into the oven.

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Apple Dutch Baby

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With juicy, sweet apples, this Dutch Baby has the texture of a puffy pancake, thick crepe and is puffy and custardy. It's perfect for a special breakfast or a dessert.

• Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 28 minutes
• Total Time: 43 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 3-4 apples
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• powdered sugar (for garnishing, optional)
• maple syrup or caramel sauce (for serving, optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs, half n half and vanilla extract together.
4. Add the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients. Whisk to combine and set aside.
5. Peel, core and slice the apples into ½ inch thick slices.
6. In a 10 inch nonstick skillet that is oven safe, melt the butter. Add the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon to the skillet and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are golden brown. Add the lemon juice to the apples.
7. Pour the batter over the apples right into the skillet, starting from the sides to the center of the skillet.
8. Place the skillet into the preheated oven and reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for about 15-18 minutes. The dutch baby will be puffed up and the edges will be golden brown. As soon as you take it out of the oven, it will deflate a bit. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup or caramel sauce.

Notes

Instead of the Nonstick Skillet, I often use a cast iron skillet instead. In this case, follow the instructions exactly as you would when using a nonstick skillet.

Since the cast iron skillet retains heat much more than a nonstick skillet, the Dutch Baby will cook through much faster in a cast iron skillet. Keep an eye on it and take it out of the oven when the edges of the Dutch Baby turn brown and the center of the pancake are set. It usually takes approximately 10 minutes after placing it into the oven.