German Pancakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why aren't my German pancakes fluffy? ›

If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise. We suggest that you give the oven and skillet plenty of time to heat up thoroughly before adding the batter.

What are German Pancakes? German pancakes, often called Dutch Baby pancakes are baked pancakes made from eggs, milk, flour and vanilla. The pancakes are baked in a metal or cast iron pan, puff up in the oven and then fall as they cool.

The magic that makes that Dutch baby pancake rise to its signature heights is simple: Steam!

Don't use cooking fat - This is the real secret to the technique. If you want those perfect edge to edge golden brown tops and bottoms on your pancakes leave the pan totally dry. No butter, no cooking oil, no nothing.

Baking powder, like baking soda, is a chemical leavening agent made with sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) plus a weak acid, such as potassium bitartrate. Baking soda is essential for baked goods, but baking powder is really what makes pancakes and biscuits rise and become so super fluffy.

Heating Your Hotcakes Adds to the Fluff

In addition to bubbles forming in the mixing stage, your pancakes also become airy when they hit the skillet and begin to cook. That's why cooking your pancakes in the microwave or on a baking sheet likely won't give you the same results.

Why Didn't My Dutch Baby Puff Up? Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

The difference between German and American pancakes is that German pancakes use more eggs than American pancakes and no leavening agent. German pancakes are also baked in a shallow dish (like a roasting pan or cast-iron skillet) while American pancakes are cooked on a griddle.

A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

They are puffier and thinner than American pancakes because the batter is baked until it puffs up like a popover. Their texture is more similar to a crepe—soft and thin in the middle, but with crispy, puffed edges.

Why add a pinch of salt to pancakes? ›

Salt: A pinch of salt will enhance the overall flavor without making your pancakes taste salty. Milk and butter: Milk and butter add moisture and richness to the pancakes. Egg: A whole egg lends even more moisture. Plus, it helps bind the pancake batter together.

Can I Use Water Instead of Milk in Pancakes? Milk adds both flavor and texture to pancake batter, so if you are looking to make pancakes without milk, a simple swap to water doesn't always do the trick. For pancakes made without milk, you'll want to add some flavor through melted butter and vanilla extract.

Problem: flat pancakes result from expired baking powder or a too thin batter (runny). First, I'll address the baking powder; an open tin of baking powder has a shelf life of 6 months. After that, the powder's leavening abilities begin to diminish.

The experts in the King Arthur Baking test kitchen share this handy hint: A recipe with equal volumes of flour and liquid (such as 2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups buttermilk) will result in a thicker batter that makes taller, extra-fluffy pancakes.

When chemical leaveners, such as baking powder, create bubbles in a cooked pancake, the gluten network traps these bubbles and allows a pancake to rise and stay fluffy yet still keep its shape. Recipe makes about 12 small pancakes, enough for four to six people.

My pancakes aren't fluffy

If your pancakes are stodgy and gooey, there could be three possible things you're doing wrong: Eggs: try to use one egg per cup of flour. Use more, and the eggy-custardy yolks will make them denser. Use less, and they won't rise.