Fluffy Dutch Baby Recipe

When we talk about a Dutch baby here on Tasting Table, we're not talking about an infant from the Netherlands. Nope, we're actually referring to a breakfast treat that is a little bit like a popover, a little bit like a crepe, and a little bit like a pancake. It's fluffy, sweet, and loaded with flavor — or, at least it is when you follow Michelle McGlinn's recipe for a Dutch baby. McGlinn is the first to admit that she actually "hate[s] making pancakes," and she much prefers the ease and deliciousness of a Dutch baby.

And, if you're looking for an especially fluffy Dutch baby, McGlinn has you covered. "I use ricotta in my batter to make it fluffier and richer in flavor," she explains. She notes that ricotta has an ideal consistency and creaminess when making something like a Dutch baby, and says that "it adds a fluffy texture and a nice depth of rich flavor — and in this recipe specifically, works really well with berries and lemon zest." Whether you like pancakes and are looking to switch it up, or you, like McGlinn, hate making pancakes and want an easier, fluffier alternative — you can't go wrong with this Dutch baby recipe. 

Dutch babies are incredibly versatile and can be prepared as a sweet treat or a savory dish. For this recipe, we're sticking with the former. You'll need some eggs, flour, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, butter, and of course that special ingredient — ricotta cheese — which will add some extra flavor and contribute to the fluffiness. As for toppings, McGlinn suggests blackberries, raspberries, lemon zest, and powdered sugar. 

You'll start the Dutch baby in an oven-warmed skillet, then finish it off completely in the oven itself. So, preheat the oven to 400 F, then place a cast-iron skillet (or other oven-proof pan) in the oven to warm up. 

Now, it's time to focus on making the batter. Whisk the eggs together until they're bubbly, which will help lend to the fluffy nature of the baby. Then add the milk, flour, ricotta cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until there are no lumps remaining; it could take up to 5 minutes of whisking to achieve such a consistency. Alternatively, you can add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth, but with this method, you'll want to let the blended mixture sit for 10 minutes so the flour can absorb. "Since whisking takes longer, the flour has a chance to absorb the liquids while you whisk," McGlinn explains. "If blending, you want to let the batter rest to give the flour a chance to absorb the liquids.

With the batter ready to go, you can carefully remove the skillet from the oven and add the butter. Because the skillet is hot, the butter should melt right away, so you can quickly follow up by pouring the batter in. The batter will begin cooking immediately, so swiftly transport the pan back into the oven, and let the Dutch baby cook — unbothered (no peeking!) — for 20 minutes.

"It is important not to open the oven [as it cooks], since cool air deflates the pancake," McGlinn explains. The Dutch baby will actually inflate quite a bit in the oven, but it's completely normal for it to deflate once it hits cool air. "It can be alarming if you haven't made it before, because it looks like it may erupt, and then feels disappointing when it sinks," McGlinn continues. Fortunately, the puffing-then-shrinking phase is to be expected. If you remove the Dutch baby from the oven and the middle is a little too flat and wet, however, you may need to return it to the heat for a few more minutes to finish cooking. 

Once the Dutch baby has cooked and thoroughly puffed up in the oven, you can remove it from the heat. Top it off with some powdered sugar, lemon zest, and berries (or whatever your sweet tooth fancies), then you're ready to enjoy this wonderful pancake-esque breakfast, which McGlinn notes you could absolutely serve as dessert. If you do take that route, you may want to add even more sugar to the batter.

Once you get the swing of it and want to try a different approach, McGlinn offers some suggestions for savory alternatives: "You can also swap in toppings like arugula, peppers, or onions ... like a pizza."

Whichever way you serve it up, McGlinn has just one final tip. "Once you remove it from the oven," she advises, "take your Instagram-worthy pictures right away." Within minutes, your Dutch baby will deflate — still perfect for eating, but less perfect for that picture-perfect moment.