Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (2024)

If you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast that’s also nourishing and fun, this gluten-free Dutch baby pancake is one that everyone is sure to gobble up.

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Finding delicious breakfast options that avoid highly processed or sugary foods that your kids will love can be a challenge! That’s why this gluten-free Dutch baby is a family favorite and no-brainer in our breakfast lineup.

I love this one because it is made primarily of eggs. So, you are getting in all the awesome micronutrients, protein, and fats that eggs offer. Plus, when packaged in the super fun form of a puffy pancake, it feels way more exciting than a plate full of scrambled eggs.

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What is a Dutch Baby Pancake?

Also known as a German pancake, a Dutch baby is an oven-baked pancake made of eggs, flour, and milk. It is especially known for how it puffs up while cooking so that when you pull it out of the oven you have a billowing pancake that always receives lots of excited “woah’s!”

Gluten-free Dutch babies have a flaky outside, while the inside is smooth and delightful, not eggy, with more of a custardy interior.

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What Causes A Dutch Baby Pancake to Poof?

The notorious poof of the Dutch Baby is caused by steam being trapped inside the pancake. Within a few minutes of coming out of the oven, it will collapse or flatten. The steam is created by two important factors necessary in creating the best gluten-free puff pancakes:

1. A hot pan. It’s important to pour batter into a hot skillet. Therefore, when you are preheating your oven to 400°F to cook your Dutch baby, place your pan in the oven as well. You’ll want to have it preheating for at least 10 minutes to ensure that it is plenty hot to achieve lots of steam and maximum poof.

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2. A well-aerated batter. Creating a batter with a lot of air will give room for the steam to create its signature rise in your gluten free dutch baby. This can be done several ways from heavy whisking in a large bowl, to using a stand mixer, food processor, blender, or immersion blender. After combining all of the ingredients, mix, mix, mix them up to allow as much air as possible to enter the batter.

Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Recipe

Ingredients:

8 eggs
1/3 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca flour/starch
¼ cup coconut flour
1 cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ cup fat for greasing the pan* (butter, coconut oil, or leaf lard)

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Directions:

1. Spoon ¼ cup of fat on your pan and place it in the hot oven. Turn oven to 400°F to preheat.

2. Add wet ingredients (eggs, milk) to mixing bowl** and whisk vigorously. The more mixing, the more air, which means more poof!

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3. Whisk in dry ingredients (arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt) until clumps are removed.

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4. Pour batter into HOT 12” cast iron pan or 9×13 baking dish.

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5. Bake at 400°F for 20 min until golden brown on top.

*Don’t skimp on the fat here. It will help the Dutch baby not stick and create a better final product.

**If using blender, wet and dry ingredients can be added together and blended thoroughly in place of mixing bowls.

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Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Tips and Questions

What do you cook your Dutch baby in?

We love cooking this German pancake recipe in a 12” cast iron skillet. Alternatively, a 9×13 baking dish or similar-sized casserole dish would also work. A pie plate or dish with a shorter rim will likely not contain the massive puff!

How to serve a gluten-free Dutch baby?

We normally serve this either by 1) smothering it with butter and finishing it with a drizzle of maple syrup, 2) topping it with fresh fruit or fresh berries when in season, or 3) making a fruit jam or puree from frozen berries in the winter. On special occasions, we bust out the whipped cream for an extra special treat. Pair it with a side of bacon or maybe some yogurt and breakfast is served.

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Why gluten free?

While our family does not strictly follow a gluten/grain-free diet and will occasionally include sourdough or einkorn flour, we do incorporate a lot of gluten-free meals. We enjoy them just as much and are left with a less heavy feeling after eating. This recipe is gluten and grain-free and uses a combination of coconut flour and arrowroot starch or tapioca starch in place of regular flour.

I’ve found that the combination of these two ingredients creates a much better texture than if you used just one or the other. Almond flour and cassava flour can also be gluten-free substitutes, though ratios may change slightly.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes! While we use whole cow’s milk for this recipe, you could easily substitute your milk of choice with no problems. This can include coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, and others.

Looking for more nourishing breakfast recipes? Check out our soaked baked oatmeal, crockpot yogurt, or potato crusted quiche.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (10)

Gluten Free Dutch Baby Pancake

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

If you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast that’s also nourishing and fun, this gluten-free Dutch baby pancake is one that everyone is sure to gobble up.

Ingredients

  • 8 eggs
  • 1/3 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca flour/starch
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup fat for greasing the pan* (butter, coconut oil, or leaf lard)

Instructions

      1. Spoon ¼ cup of fat on your pan and place it in the hot oven. Turn oven to 400°F to preheat.

      2. Add wet ingredients (eggs, milk) to mixing bowl** and whisk vigorously. The more mixing, the more air, which means more poof!

      3. Whisk in dry ingredients (arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt) until clumps are removed.

      4. Pour batter into HOT 12” cast iron pan or 9x13 baking dish.

      5. Bake at 400°F for 20 min until golden brown on top.

Notes

*Don’t skimp on the fat here. It will help the Dutch baby not stick and create a better final product.

**If using blender, wet and dry ingredients can be added together and blended thoroughly in place of mixing bowls.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to use a cast iron skillet for a Dutch baby? ›

The pan doesn't have to be cast iron; you can use any oven-safe pan or baking dish of a similar size. I've even done them in a pie dish!

Why did my Dutch baby pancake not rise? ›

There are two main culprits to flat, sad Dutch baby pancakes: Your oven wasn't hot enough. The hotter your oven, the more puffed your Dutch baby pancake will be. Make sure to preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before baking the batter.

What is another name for a Dutch baby pancake? ›

A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

What makes Dutch pancakes different? ›

What's the difference between a Dutch pancake and an American pancake? A Dutch pancake is usually larger and much thinner than the thick and fluffy American pancakes. If you order a Dutch pancake at PANCAKES Amsterdam, you will get a delicious thin pancake with a diameter of 32 centimeters.

Why does my Dutch baby stick to the pan? ›

The high oven heat causes the batter to puff up, and it naturally deflates once removed from the heat. How do I prevent the pancake from sticking to the skillet? Make sure your skillet is well greased with butter or oil, and it's adequately heated before pouring in the batter.

What if I don't have a cast iron skillet? ›

Cast iron isn't the only game in town though. A heavy stainless steel clad pan will work just as well for those jobs. It's all about the pan's heft. More mass means more heat absorption and retention.

Why does my Dutch baby taste eggy? ›

If you would like the inside of the finished dish to be a little less "egg-y" then cut the number of eggs down to 3, and many many reviewers also found that just 3 Tablespoons of butter worked better for them.

Why is my Dutch baby so flat? ›

If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough. If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise.

Why are German pancakes called Dutch babies? ›

The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German). “Baby” referred to the fact that the restaurant served miniature versions.

What is the difference between Yorkshire pudding and Dutch baby pancake? ›

To those in the know, a Dutch baby really is just a large, puffy pancake, while Yorkshire pudding is a savory side dish that has graced meat-heavy meals in England for centuries. Yet, some people tend to confuse the two as being the same, owing to a similarity of ingredients and appearance.

What do Southerners call pancakes? ›

Pancakes are sometimes called hoecakes in the South. Most Southerners are familiar with lacy cornbread, aka hot water cornbread. A hoecake is a rustic fried version of a pancake made with ground cornmeal.

What do British call pancakes? ›

In the UK, the word pancakes refers to the same thing, but the word flapjacks refers to something entirely different: a baked good made from oats, resembling what elsewhere may be called a granola bar or oat bar. The word flapjack is traced back to the late 1500s.

Why do restaurant pancakes taste better than homemade? ›

Restaurants use better quality ingredients

However, along with that ease, you may be taking a hit in the overall taste department. Restaurants tend to use real, farm-fresh eggs and real milk when making their pancakes, which as you might guess, adds to a richer, higher-quality eating experience.

Why are Dutch pancakes so good? ›

Dutch pancakes are traditional and worldwide famous, and there is a reason for that. They come with a topping of your choice or just plain. And it is the topping that makes the pancakes in a pancake restaurant so special.

What is another name for a Dutch baby? ›

Though “Dutch baby” is a frequently used moniker when referring to this giant pancake, it has also been referred to as a German pancake, a puffed pancake, a baked pancake, a Bismarck and even a giant Yorkshire pudding due to its resemblance.

Does a Dutch oven have to be cast iron? ›

While Dutch ovens can be ceramic, aluminum or stainless steel, they are most commonly made of cast iron, which makes them heavier than your average pot.

Do I really need a cast iron Dutch oven? ›

A cast-iron Dutch oven will give you better results than an Instant Pot any day,” says Lance Nitahara, an assistant professor at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. In fact, this one pot can replace your slow cooker, stock pot, pasta pot, loaf pan, and deep fryer.

Can I use a cast iron Dutch oven instead of cast iron skillet? ›

1 Answer. It depends on what you're doing with it, but for the most part, yes. Things like giving it a shake/toss to move things around will be more difficult, unless it's one with a long handle on one side, but you can just stir instead.

Can I use a skillet instead of a Dutch oven? ›

There aren't too many campfire alternatives that will allow you such versatility as a Dutch oven, but a good option is a cast iron skillet. A large cast iron skillet will enable you to fry and braise, and if you can find a suitable covering, you could also use it for simmering and slow cooking.

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