German puff pancakes, or dutch baby pancakes, are truly the most perfect food—they’re airy, buttery, puffy, absolutely delicious and are easily made at any time! Making your own German puff pancake is worth the easy prep and subsequent cleanup. I watched my grandmother make them all the time growing up and I am a fanatic for these babies. You don’t need to flip them or move them around, just put them in a pan in the oven and forget about them for 12 minutes!

Whatever your mood, it’s the perfect size to share or to eat on your own! Most often I eat it myself and bake another one for whoever else wants one. My father will knock on my door telling me we have eggs and milk, and I immediately know he wants me to bake him one. Pay attention to the name, because it actually puffs up in the oven! I mean, always be careful when taking it out, but it will settle down soon after being removed.

Traditionally, German puff pancakes are baked in cast iron pans, but glass works just as well. For toppings, German puff pancakes are served with lemon juice and powdered sugar, but you can have a host of different toppings. I usually use powdered sugar and maple syrup, but when I have different berries, I’ll either put them on fresh or cook them over the stove top with sugar to make a sauce. It’s fun to play around with and get creative! Good luck!

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Cook time: 12 minutes

Total time: 17 minutes 

Yield: one 9-inch glass pie pan 

Ingredients:

½ cup white flour

½ cup milk

2 eggs

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp white sugar

Cap-full vanilla extract

(For a more heart-healthy version, use 1 tbsp butter and no sugar)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 °F

2. Put half the butter in the pan and place it in the preheating oven (once the butter is melted in the pan, take it out and swirl it around)

3. Sift the flour (and sugar, if using) into a medium sized bowl

4. Melt second half of butter

5. Pour milk and vanilla extract into a separate bowl

6. In the same bowl, crack the eggs

7. Mix butter and milk-egg mixture together

8. Mix together wet and dry ingredients

9. Pour mixture into pan, put into oven, and set timer for 12 minutes

10. Take it out of the oven and serve and enjoy immediately with topping of choice!