These German pancakes are a light and fluffy version of American pancakes baked in one pan. Easy to make with only 6 ingredients they will be a new family favorite for breakfast!
My family loves pancakes for breakfast including buttermilk pancakes, ricotta pancakes and Swedish pancakes!
Table of Contents
Easy German Pancake Recipe
We love to make this German pancakes recipe together as a family. They are so simple and my kids love to help. They also like to help me make blender crepes, ricotta pancakes and biscuits and gravy.
It’s a family favorite! My mom would always make them growing up and now I make them with my kids and they always get so excited when we have them.
They are light, fluffy and baked to perfection. They taste extremely delicious topped with fresh berries, maple syrup, powdered sugar, jam or cinnamon sugar. Croissant breakfast casserole recipe and brioche French toast are two other must-try recipes!
What is a German Pancake?
German pancakes are also known as fluffy pancakes, Dutch baby pancakes, and Hootenanny. They are baked in the oven until they puff up, in the summer we love to make this lemon blueberry Dutch baby recipe.
The pancake recipe is typically made with flour, eggs, sugar and milk. A German pancake has a thicker and fluffier consistency than a buttermilk pancake or Swedish pancake, however they do fall a little as they cool.
Top them with powdered sugar and they are so delicious!
Recipe Ingredients
You only need 6 ingredients to make German pancakes, and they are baking staples you probably already have on hand. Easily double it for a crowd, my mom has been known to triple this recipe whenever we get together!
How to Make German Pancakes
This recipe is SO easy to make! Baking German pancakes in the oven is a lot easier then cooking regular pancakes on the stove because you can just pour the batter into the pan and bake it, rather than flip individual pancakes.
1. Heat the pan. Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice butter and add to 9×13″ pan. Then place pan into oven for about 2 minutes, until melted.
2. Make batter. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Next add milk and vanilla. Then beat in ONE egg at a time until smooth. The batter will be thinner than normal pancakes, which is what you want!
3. Bake in oven. Pour batter over melted butter and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice and serve warm with toppings of choice.
What Makes Them Rise and Get Fluffy?
The fun thing about these puffy oven pancakes is watching them rise a few inches and get nice and fluffy in the oven. Here are a few tricks I’ve learned for the fluffiest German pancakes possible:
- Fresh eggs. Personally, I think one of the main keys is using fresh eggs. Also, beating each egg, one at a time for 30 seconds will help them rise better.
- White flour. I prefer to use all-purpose flour, as I’ve found the best results when using that specific kind.
- Preheating the pan. I also think that heating the buttery pan up in the oven prior to adding the batter helps them rise. The butter acts as a non-stick agent, allowing the pancakes to rise taller and not get stuck to the pan.
Expert Tips
- Blender: You can also make the batter in the blender. They might not be as fluffy, but they will still turn out delicious. Blend the liquid and eggs first for about 30 seconds, then add the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.
- How to tell when they are done: Both the edges and top of your German pancakes will be nice and golden brown. They will have risen a couple of inches and will be light and fluffy.
- Check the middle: Before removing from the oven, check that the middle has set and cooked all the way through. It should easily pop out of the pan when ready to serve
- Serve right away: These taste best fresh out of the oven when they are fluffy and warm!
Pancake Toppings
There are so many delicious ways to top this giant oven pancake!
- Syrup (homemade buttermilk syrup, maple syrup or cinnamon pancake syrup)
- Strawberry jam
- Fresh strawberries
- Caramelized bananas
- Powdered sugar
- Chocolate chips
- Lemon curd
- Cinnamon sugar
- Nutella
FAQs
German pancakes are also known as fluffy pancakes, Dutch baby pancakes, and Hootenanny. Made with a batter of flour, eggs, sugar and milk they are baked in the oven until they puff up. They are thicker and fluffier than a regular pancake, however they do fall a little as they cool.
There are so many favorite breakfast recipes to choose from, but some of our favorites include bacon, breakfast potatoes, and coffee cake.
Don’t be alarmed, this is typical of German pancakes as they cool. Some say that baking in a metal pan vs a glass pan will help. If you try, let me know in the comments.
A pancake by many names! You might here them called, puff puff, Dutch puff, Bismarck, Hootenanny, German puff pancakes, Dutch babies. No matter what they are called they are delicious for a holiday breakfast or weekend brunch!
Storage
Store: Cover and store leftovers in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in oven, toaster oven or the microwave.
Freezer: Cool completely then cut into serving size pieces. Wrap each individual piece tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe bag. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and cover with foil and heat in the oven at 350 degrees F until warm.
Looking for more breakfast recipes? Try my liege waffle recipe, breakfast pie, apple crepes or coffee cake.
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German Pancake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
Optional toppings: Syrup, jam, powdered sugar, fresh berries, cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the butter and add to a 9×13″ pan. Then place into the oven until melted (about 2 minutes).
- Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in medium-sized bowl. Add milk and vanilla. Then beat in ONE egg at a time until smooth. For extra fluffy pancakes, beat 30 seconds per egg.
- Pour mixture over melted butter and bake 18-20 mins., or until golden brown. Slice and serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Breakfast, Kid-Friendly, Sweet Breakfast
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Made it, loved it !!! Posted pictures in RVillage Foodies group, and was inundated with compliments and request for recipe ….. so posted it and credited to you – with a link to your website ………….. THANK YOU !!! June
Thanks so much for sharing my recipe, June! These are a favorite at our house and I’m so happy to hear that you loved them too :)
Love this recipe! German pancakes are the best! I enjoy making them with cinnamon apple like the recipe in the iheart naptime cookbook. The cookbook is one of my favorite go to cookbook.
It makes me so happy to hear that you love my cookbook! The cinnamon apple version is a favorite at our house too :)
So good! Comes together quickly and my kids love it!
So glad your kids love it! Thanks for your comment Casey :)
Always good to try something new! Did have enough fruits but its was still good!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed them, Lillet! Sometimes we add chocolate chips or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar if we don’t have enough fruit on hand :)
Love making this for an easy breakfast! Lots of protein and easier than flipping pancakes!
Yes exactly! Thanks for your comment and review, Hilary!
I have had some in the Chicago that had chopped apple in them and covered with sugar and cinnamon. How would you adjust the recipe for that?
I would make a apple filling (similar to this one: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/apple-crepes/) and pour on top after its baked.
This is a family favorite! It’s a cross between French toast and pancakes! It’s perfect for a quick and easy Sunday morning breakfast.
My whole family loved it! It was easy to make too. Will go on our rotation for sure!
I’m so glad to hear your family loved them!!
One of our favorite breakfasts! german pancakes are so good!
I LOVE GERMAN PANCAKES BUT HAD NEVER MADE THEM BEFORE – THIS RECIPE IS SO SIMPLE AND SO TASTY!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! They are a staple in our house! :)
Is the batter supposed to be so thick? I thought german pancake batter was alot thinner. I just want to make sure I’m doing it right .
Hi Stefani! It’s a thinner batter, much thinner than normal pancakes! You can kind of see the consistency in the video on the post. :)
Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why are they called German pancakes?
I am from Germany and I have never heard of them 🤔
They are also known as a Dutch baby pancake! It is derived from the German Pfannkuchen.
I thought the same. German Pfannkuchen are always made in a pan (Pfanne). The pancake itself is also quite thin and resembles a crepe actually, in thinness. I have travelled through the country quite a bit and this is definitely not german. Dutch perhaps and was mistaken for German because Deutsch and Dutch are quite similar.
Help! My pancakes came out really firm and eggy. What did I do wrong?
Thanks!
They are definitely different than normal fluffy pancakes, but they should have a fluffy texture. Did you beat the eggs in one at a time?
Hi Jamielyn, Yes, I did for about 10 seconds each, but the batter was kind of lumpy rather than smooth as you noted above (I was following your recipe book). Would that have caused the firm and eggy texture/taste?
These pancakes make a great day starter!
This is a great breakfast option to have when the family is over for the Holidays!
These sound delicious right about now! These are on my must-make list!
I love pancakes, and these look amazing! Definitely making some ASAP