Sourdough German Pancake (Dutch Baby) Recipe

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The sourdough German pancake is a delicious alternative to the traditional American pancake. The texture is light and airy with golden brown, crispy edges. It’s also super simple to make. It only requires a few minutes of prep and a handful of ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now. This is also a great recipe to use up some excess sourdough starter. If you’re anything like me and you jumped on the sourdough train during the pandemic, then you always have a bit of starter to use up. Then you just pop the pan in the oven! The hardest part is waiting for the puffy oven pancake to bake.  

What is a German pancake?

Despite the name, the German pancake is actually an American adaptation of the German Pfannkuchen (or Eierkuchen in German, which translates to “egg cakes”). However, based on my own travels to Germany, the American “German pancake” is not typically found in Germany.  In the US, German pancakes are also known as Dutch baby pancakes, a Dutch puff, or a Hootenanny. Dutch babies are typically baked in a cast iron skillet, while the German pancake is baked in a metal or glass baking dish. 

German pancake recipes are all pretty similar. The batter is made with eggs, flour, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. No leavening agent is used. In my recipe, unfed sourdough discard replaces some of the milk and flour of the original recipe.  It’s a great way to use up excess starter without altering the taste of the pancake. Unlike sourdough bread, which uses active starter, the unfed sourdough discard provides no leavening to the pancake. Instead, it’s steam from the batter that makes popovers POP!  The protein from the gluten and eggs provides enough structure for the steam to inflate the dough without popping open and deflating. How cool is that?

The ingredients are then mixed together and poured into a hot pan over melted butter and baked in a hot oven. Pouring the room temperature batter directly into a hot pan results in fluffy sides with a dense eggy center. It reminds me of a large popover. 

Sourdough German pancakes can then be served with a variety of toppings. You can keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice and dusting of powdered sugar. You can also top it with fresh fruit, pure maple syrup, or even a scoop of ice cream. My favorite topping is this caramelized apple recipe. 

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Eggs
• Milk
• All-purpose flour
• Sourdough discard
• Salt
• Pure vanilla extract
• White sugar
• Unsalted butter

The sourdough German pancake has more of an eggy texture than regular pancakes. For best results in this recipe, I recommend using room temperature fresh eggs, milk, and sourdough discard. You can use a metal or glass 9×13 inch baking dish, but I prefer metal. It seems like the pancakes puff up slightly more in the metal plan. 

Tip: To bring an egg to room temperature, you can place it in a cup of warm water for about 5 minutes. 

I used whole milk in this recipe, but you can use any type of cow’s milk you have on hand. Brown sugar can be used in place of the white sugar if desired. The sugar can also be omitted entirely if you want a more savory pancake. If you only have salted butter, I recommend decreasing the amount of salt in the batter to just a pinch of salt. Just keep in mind that using salted butter will result in a saltier-tasting edge of the pancake. I personally thought it was a little too salty this way, which is why I prefer to use unsalted butter. 

How to make Sourdough German Pancake 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Step 2: Cut your butter into 5 pats and place in the bottom of the 9×13 inch metal baking dish. I usually put 1 slice near each corner and one in the center. Place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted. This took about 3 minutes for me. 

Step 3: Mix the eggs, milk, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and white sugar together in a large bowl until well mixed. Then add the flour and stir to combine.  Alternatively, you can add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. I love to mix the ingredients in my vitamix. This makes clean up a breeze!

Step 4: Pour the batter over the melted butter into the hot pan and place in the preheated oven to bake for 22-27 minutes depending on your oven. You’ll know it’s done when the edges of the pancake are golden brown and puffed up along the sides of the pan. Mine took just around 25 minutes. 

Step 5: Serve warm with your favorite toppings, such as powdered sugar, fresh berries, or caramelized apples. 

If you like this recipe and are looking for other easy breakfast treats, check out my sourdough popovers. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe.  Happy baking!

Pairing Suggestions:

• Rosemary Latte
• Chinese Five-Spice Caramel Latte

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