Savory Caprese Pesto Dutch Baby Recipe

Pancakes are a brunch staple, a must-have between mounds of bacon and piles of scrambled eggs. While vital to a great breakfast spread, pancakes aren't exactly easy to whip up, especially in large batches. The solution is a single-skillet pancake called a Dutch baby that rises dramatically in the oven while you finish making breakfast. Though it tastes like one, the Dutch baby is hardly a pancake, nor is it Dutch- or baby-sized. Instead, it's more similar to an oversized popover, which means it can be just as versatile, too.

Dutch babies, like crepes, popovers, or the German pfannkuchen they're modeled after, can be both sweet and savory. A savory Dutch baby makes a great addition to brunch spreads, weekend lunches, and even easy dinners. In this recipe written with developer Michelle McGlinn, the Dutch baby is mixed with herby basil pesto and topped with melty mozzarella and cherry tomatoes for a Caprese-style dish. Whether you like a savory breakfast or want something a little different for pizza night, this fluffy, herby Dutch baby is a perfect, easy showstopper for any table.

To make any Dutch baby, you'll need flour, eggs, whole milk, salt, and butter. Make sure that your ingredients are room temperature before starting. To make this a Caprese Dutch baby, you'll also need basil pesto, which you can buy pre-made or make from scratch, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and a few leaves of fresh basil.

Preheat the oven to 425 F and a place cast iron skillet on the middle rack.

Combine the eggs, flour, milk, salt, and pesto in a blender.

Blend at high speed until very smooth, about 30 seconds. The batter should be frothy.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, add the butter, and return the pan to the oven to melt the butter. Do not allow the butter to brown or burn.

Once the butter is melted, remove the skillet from the oven and immediately add the batter. Add the mozzarella and tomato to the center of the batter.

Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then, turn the oven off and let the Dutch baby sit for 5 minutes in the residual heat.

Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle on the basil leaves. Drizzle on the olive oil to serve.

The Dutch baby recipe is foolproof only if you follow the instructions to a T. The unusual and impressive shape of a perfectly fluffy Dutch baby is a great example of how baking is a science and how temperature, technique, and texture matter. First, the temperature: The Dutch baby rises because of trapped steam underneath the outer layer of egg proteins and gluten. To ensure this outer layer sets before the rest of the pancake cooks, the heat must be very high and the skillet must be very hot. Further, the heat must stay constant to prevent the Dutch baby from collapsing prematurely — don't open the oven while the Dutch baby bakes. If your Dutch baby rises and falls or rises in one big mound, it is likely because of the heat.

Next is the technique, which also involves the texture. Whisking as much air as possible into the eggs will result in a fluffier Dutch baby pancake. For this, you can whisk vigorously by hand, but we recommend using a blender to fully froth the batter. The batter should be completely smooth with plenty of bubbles forming on top, and it should be room temperature, not cold. If your Dutch baby doesn't rise in the oven at all, it may be because the batter wasn't fully whisked or the batter went into the skillet too cold.

A savory Dutch baby is great because you can serve it for any meal at any time of the day (not that we're against sugary pancakes for dinner). To serve a savory Dutch baby for breakfast, serve it with bacon, sausage, and sunny-side-up fried eggs. The runny yolks are a great complement to the mozzarella in the pancake. For lunch, serve the Caprese Dutch baby with prosciutto and arugula to act as a side salad (we also love drizzling extra oil over the arugula and serving it on top). For dinner, treat the Dutch baby like a pizza and serve it with a full Caesar salad and garlic bread.

To serve a Dutch baby at any meal, remove the skillet from the oven and immediately, carefully add it to the table, using a hot pad to protect the table's surface). Capture the Insta-worthy beauty that is a freshly risen Dutch baby, then cut it into six or eight slices. Dutch babies fall as they cool, so to serve the best, fluffiest slices, cut into the Dutch baby soon after you remove the skillet from the oven.