Apple Dutch Baby
4
Published Aug 18, 2023, Updated Mar 18, 2024
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This apple dutch baby is a fun take on a classic dutch baby pancake. It’s puffy, sweet and such an impressive (but easy) dish to serve for breakfast, brunch or even dessert.
If you haven’t tried a Dutch Baby (also known as a German pancake) before, you’re in for a real treat today with this apple Dutch Baby recipe!
Think of a Dutch Baby as a cross between a pancake, crepe and popover. They can be made plain with no mix-ins, but for this version we’re caramelizing cinnamon apples then adding the batter and baking in the oven until puffy and golden. The combo is SO good! I can’t wait for you to try it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple yet impressive: This dish looks fancy but is easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Versatile: Can be served for breakfast, brunch or even dessert!
- Naturally sweetened: The recipe uses apples and maple syrup for sweetness.
- Fun to eat: The unique texture and flavor make every bite enjoyable.
What is a Dutch Baby?
A Dutch Baby, also known as a German pancake, is a large American popover pancake that is baked in the oven. It’s a cross between a pancake, popover and crepe. Despite its name, its origin is German, not Dutch.
A Dutch Baby is a dish that can be sweet or savory, but it’s known for its puffy, beautifully golden-brown edges that rise impressively high around the sides of the skillet when baking. The center is more custardy, resembling a thick crepe.
A traditional Dutch Baby recipe is usually made with all-purpose flour, whole milk and white sugar. We’re using oat flour, non-dairy milk, and maple syrup to make this recipe a tad healthier. Plus, the addition of caramelized apples and cinnamon for a fall-inspired dish!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- apples – choose medium to large apples that are crisp and slightly tart, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Gala apples. They add natural sweetness and texture to the Dutch baby.
- maple syrup – the perfect natural sweetener that pairs perfectly with apples and cinnamon. You could also substitute honey, coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- lemon juice – enhances the flavor of the apples and keeps them from browning as you prep the other ingredients.
- cinnamon – adds a warming and fragrant spice note that pairs well with apples.
- eggs – essential for the structure and rise of the Dutch baby.
- unsweetened almond milk – provides liquid for the batter. Almond milk or oat milk are my top choices, but you can use regular milk if you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free.
- oat flour – instead of all-purpose flour we’re using oat flour to make this recipe gluten-free. You can make your own oat flour or use store-bought. My favorite store-bought brand is Bob’s Red Mill oat flour.
- butter – used to grease the pan and gives the Dutch baby a rich flavor. You can use either salted or unsalted butter depending on your preference. Use olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil to make this recipe dairy-free.
- salt – just a little is used to balance the sweetness.
- powdered sugar – this is optional, but I love dusting the finished Dutch Baby with powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar) especially if I’m serving it for brunch!
How to Make
Preheat oven: Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. This will ensure the Dutch baby cooks evenly and gets a nice rise.
Prepare the apples: In a medium bowl, mix together the sliced apples, maple syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon. Ensure the apples are evenly coated. Set this bowl aside for later use.
Make the batter: In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oat flour, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
Cook the apples: Heat a 9 or 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the skillet. Let the butter melt then add the apple mixture, cooking for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You’ll know they’re done when the apples have softened and have a slightly caramelized appearance.
Bake the Dutch Baby: Pour the egg mixture you prepared earlier over the apples in the skillet. Immediately transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Watch for the Dutch baby to puff up and turn golden brown. That’s when you’ll know it’s done.
Serve: Serve the Dutch Baby while it’s hot. If you’d like, dust it with some powdered sugar and/or a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweet finish. Enjoy!
How to Serve Apple Dutch Baby
This apple Dutch Baby is delicious served for dessert with a dusting of powdered sugar and/or a drizzle of maple syrup. It would also be delicious served with scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or my date caramel sauce.
If you want to enjoy this recipe for breakfast or brunch here are some serving suggestions:
- Quiche – get your savory fix with a slice of this dairy-free spinach quiche or this kale and feta crustless quiche.
- Meat – add some protein by serving this Dutch Baby alongside some sort of breakfast sausage and/or bacon. For a vegan option, make this tempeh bacon.
- Fruit salad – I love this fruit salad with mint or this simple fruit salad.
- Coffee – make this pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin cream cold brew for the ultimate fall experience.
- Fun drink – make these apple cider mimosas or keep it healthy with this apple pie apple cider vinegar drink.
FAQs
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use an oven-safe non-stick skillet instead. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can cook the apples on the stove and then transfer everything to a baking dish but note that this may affect the texture and cooking time of the Dutch Baby.
You can use any apples you like, but tart and crisp apples like Granny Smith, Honey crisp or Pink Lady work best as they balance out the sweetness of the batter and retain their shape while cooking.
Making a vegan Dutch Baby is a bit tricky as eggs are a key ingredient that helps the Dutch Baby rise. There are recipes available that use alternatives like chickpea flour or tofu, but they will not have the same texture or taste as a traditional Dutch Baby and I haven’t tested a vegan version so I’m not sure how it would turn out.
I haven’t tested a substitute for the oat flour, but I imagine using all-purpose flour would work well, but I’m not sure how it would turn out. If you try it let me know in the comments below!
Yes, you can substitute apples with other fruits like pears or peaches. Just be mindful that softer fruits might cook down more than apples.
Dutch Babies are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven when they’re hot and puffy. However, you can prep the batter in advance and keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, just preheat the oven, prepare the apples, pour in the batter and bake!
How to Store Leftovers
As mentioned above, Dutch Babies are best enjoyed immediately after baking while they’re still warm and puffy. However, if you have leftovers, here’s how you can store them:
Cool the Dutch Baby completely before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or storing it in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for about 2-3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it, you can reheat it in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until warmed through.
More Apple Recipes to Try
- Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
- Vegan Apple Bread
- Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Baked Apples
- Healthy Apple Crisp
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Healthy Dutch Apple Pie
- Healthy Apple Pancakes
- 30+ Healthy Apple Recipes
Be sure to check out all of the apple recipes as well as the full collection of breakfast recipes on EBF!
Apple Dutch Baby
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
- 2 medium apples, or 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced thinly (I used Honeycrisp)
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dutch Baby
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, or oat milk
- ½ cup oat flour
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted
- Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the sliced apples, maple syrup, lemon juice, and cinnamon until the apples are coated. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
- Heat a 9 or 10-inch cast iron over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once the butter melts, add the apple mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened and slightly caramelized.
- Pour the egg mixture over the apples and immediately transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the Dutch baby is puffed up and golden brown.
- Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and/or a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love German pancakes and this is a delicious healthier version! My 10yo daughter helped make it and she gives it 5 stars!
This was perfect. I could have easily eaten more than the quarter I gave myself. I have an old Dutch baby recipe that I can’t use anymore due to healthier lifestyle choices and newly diagnosed lactose intolerance. I appreciate you stating dairy free and vegan options many times in your recipes (even though I don’t eat every meal vegan). I also appreciate the timely apple recipe compilation post. Everyone must be feeling fall in their bones. I’ve got a bunch saved to try. Thanks so much!
Yay! I am SO glad you found this recipe and it turned out great for you. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but the Dutch baby seemed undercooked. I left it in the oven for the full 20 min, then broiled it a few minutes. Still doughy. It may have been because I used a new cast iron skillet for the first time? The recipe looked so good, I bought the skillet specifically to make this. Apple mixture was very good, though, just the right amount of sweetness.