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German Pancakes

German pancakes baked as a Dutch baby-style oven pancake in a hot cast iron skillet until dramatically puffed and deep golden. Blend for a smooth custard center, then dust with powdered sugar and finish with lemon and fresh berries.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: German-American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Egg batter
  • 3 large eggs Use room-temperature eggs.
  • 0.75 cup whole milk Use room-temperature milk.
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter For melting in the hot skillet.
Serving
  • powdered sugar Dust on top right after baking.
  • fresh lemon juice Squeeze over the top after dusting.
  • fresh berries Serve alongside or over the pancake.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat skillet
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a 10–12 inch cast iron skillet inside to heat for 10–12 minutes, until piping hot. The skillet should be fully preheated before you add butter.
Blend smooth batter
  1. Blend the eggs, whole milk, all-purpose flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt for 30 seconds until perfectly smooth. Stop and scrape as needed so no flour pockets remain.
Melt butter and bake
  1. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, add the unsalted butter, and swirl until fully melted and the pan is coated. Work quickly to keep the skillet hot.
  2. Pour the batter immediately into the hot skillet and return it to the oven at 425°F. Bake for 18–22 minutes without opening the oven until dramatically puffed and deep golden around the edges.
Serve
  1. Dust the pancake with powdered sugar right out of the oven, then squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. The center should look custardy as it gently deflates.
  2. Add fresh berries and serve immediately directly from the pan. Pair with a lemon wedge at the side for extra brightness.

Notes

Pro tip: blend to a truly smooth batter so the custard texture sets evenly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 2 days, reheating briefly in a hot oven or skillet to rewarm; freezing is not recommended because the custardy texture can turn grainy. For a lower-sugar swap, reduce sugar to 1 tbsp and rely on the powdered sugar and berries for sweetness.