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These light, fluffy, eggy German pancakes have become a family favorite breakfast recipe! They’re EASY to make, and use 5 simple ingredients!
Serve this classic breakfast dish with powdered sugar, maple syrup, or cinnamon. Try German pancakes with homemade Buttermilk Syrup and whipped cream for a delicious breakfast.
We Love Breakfast!
We love breakfast, and we especially love pancakes (like our Buttermilk Pancakes and Swedish Pancakes), but another favorite that has been made in our family since we were little are German pancakes.
These magical puff-up pancakes (also known as Bismarks, Dutch puff, or Hootenanny pancakes) have always been a favorite, and here’s why:
- They’re quick! Made start to finish in under 30 minutes.
- So simple. They are made with a few ingredients that are pantry staples.
- Great for busy days. Whether their weekends or holidays like Christmas, this quick breakfast recipe is perfect for hectic days.
German Pancakes Vs. Dutch Baby Pancakes
They are very similar but also differ in that Dutch Baby Pancakes have a little more butter, and are typically made in a pan or cast iron skillet with rounded edges.
A German pancake recipe is typically made in a baking pan or casserole dish. Also, if fruit is involved, most people put the fresh berries on top of their Dutch babies, but bake them IN their German pancakes.
How to Make German Pancakes
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 450°F very first thing. Put your butter in the 9×13 baking dish, and place in the warmed oven to let it melt.
- BATTER. While the oven is warming up, whip eggs together in a medium bow. Whisk in flour until clumps are gone. Add milk and salt and whisk until combined.
- *Pro Tip: You can also put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth!
- POUR. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from the oven, and pour the mixed batter on top of the melted butter.
- BAKE. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The sides should be golden brown.
Note that they will be overflowing and fluffy but will calm down once you take it out of the oven. Serve immediately with syrup, cinnamon-sugar, a dusting of powdered sugar, or whatever sounds great to you!
Recipe Tips + SToring
Fluffy pancakes. These two tricks will help keep them as puffy as possible:
- For some reason baking in a metal pan vs a glass pan helps.
- Use the freshest eggs possible. Add one egg at a time and beat for 30 seconds after each egg.
STORE. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or a toaster oven. If you’re in a hurry the microwave will also work.
FREEZE. Cut into serving-size pieces. Wrap each piece with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for 1-2 months.
To reheat: Place the desired amount of pancakes on a baking sheet and cover loosely with a piece of foil. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until warm.
Serving Suggestions
So many great ideas, to serve with these German Puff Pancakes and you can find our favorites below but for all ideas, check out our breakfast recipes.
for more pancake recipes:
German Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Melt butter in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish in the warm oven.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs together. Whisk in flour until clumps are gone.
- Add milk and salt and whisk until combined (this can also be mixed in the blender to avoid clumps).
- Pour batter into the pan of melted butter. Bake for 16–20 minutes. The sides will be overflowing and fluffy but will come down a bit once the pan is removed from the oven.
- Serve immediately with your toppings of choice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love German pancakes.
My husband loves making these German Pancakes. We make them for a special occasion when our children and grandchildren come home to visit❤️ They love them🤗
I’ve been making these since I was a teen – one of the first things I learned to cook on my own – and it is now a favorite dinner in busy nights when no one really wants to cook. If I have more time or we are wanting a special breakfast, I’ll make a spiced peach topping from a jar of peaches cooked in a saucepan, with some sun Amin and a cornstarch slurry to thicken. My son-in-law makes a spiced apple topping for them. So yummy – and now I’m hungry!!
Ooh that all sounds so delicious! What yummy toppings. Thanks for sharing. We love these for fast and easy dinners too. Can’t go wrong with some German Pancakes! 🙂
This is our new, go to favorite for Sunday mornings! My kids love that they can make it on their own, and it turns out perfect everytine!
We make these every weekend! In summer we add fresh peaches and whipped cream and in fall we add cinnamon apples and whipped cream. They are so yummy!
These are my families favorite! I make them every Sunday. It’s so easy to throw together. We top them with peanut butter and syrup!
Forgot to rate it!
My kids love German Pancakes! These were wonderful!
I love this recipe. It has become a “most requested” meal in my family. We love it so much we want to make it for our family at our cabin. Do you know what the adjustments would be for higher elevation baking? Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
Very simple and delicious!
Thank you! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!