Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancakes

There's a lot to love about these blueberry Dutch baby pancakes. Golden brown and studded with juicy berries, they’re closer in taste and texture to a popover than a regular flapjack. These single-serve beauties are baked in small cast-iron skillets, puff up magically in the oven, and are a hands-off affair, unlike regular pancakes that require flipping on a griddle or stovetop.

Even better? The batter is so simple to make. Using a blender ensures there are no lumps and means you only have one vessel to clean. Best of all, this recipe yields four individual pancakes. It's a restaurant-worthy presentation—and who doesn't love getting their very own skillet for breakfast? Simply dust each Dutch baby with powdered sugar for serving, and don't skimp on the maple syrup.

Dutch Baby Pancakes vs. Traditional Stovetop Pancakes

Made with flour, eggs, sugar, and milk, these Dutch baby pancakes use similar ingredients to traditional pancakes, but they differ significantly in taste and texture. Instead of being cooked on the stovetop, they're baked in individual skillets, creating a saucer-like shape with crispy edges and a tender, custardy interior. Unlike stovetop pancakes, a Dutch baby batter does not include a leavener like baking powder; instead, it features a higher ratio of eggs to flour, which helps the Dutch baby pancakes puff up in the heat of the oven, rather than spread into flat, yet tender and equally delicious discs.

Ingredients for Dutch Baby Pancakes

Eggs: You'll need four large eggs to make the Dutch baby batter. Crack eggs on a flat surface like your countertop rather than the side of a bowl to reduce the chances of broken shells ending up in your batter.

Milk: We recommend using whole milk in this recipe, as the extra bit of fat lends some welcome richness and roundness to the batter, but you can certainly use reduced-fat milk instead. You can also swap in a non-dairy alternative like soy or almond milk, if desired.

Flour: When measuring flour, always spoon it into your measuring cup and level off the top, rather than scoop the cup into the container of flour, which can cause the flour to pack too tightly and throw off your measurement.

Sugar: A quarter-cup of sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the batter without making these pancakes overly sweet (which is a good thing, as we highly recommend you serve them with plenty of maple syrup).

Lemon zest: A small amount of lemon zest adds a bright kick to these buttery pancakes and pairs beautifully with the blueberries. If desired, you can swap in an equal amount of orange zest instead. If you don't have a microplane or zester, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the citrus, just be sure to mince it as finely as possible before adding it to the batter.

Blueberries: Juicy blueberries add a pop of sweetness to these golden cakes. We love scattering a handful of fresh berries on top when the skillets come out of the oven to provide a fresh contrast to the jammy, cooked fruit.

Equipment for Dutch Baby Pancakes

To make these puffed, personal pancakes, you'll only need a few pieces of kitchen equipment, including:

Blender: We use a blender to quickly and easily whip up the batter into a smooth, lump-free consistency. You can use an immersion blender, food processor, or a whisk instead if you don't have a blender.

Cast-iron skillets: It's so much fun to serve these pancakes in individual skillets, but if you don't have four small ones on hand, you can use one 12-inch cast-iron skillet instead.

Fine-mesh sieve: While not essential, a fine-mesh sieve or sifter is ideal for dusting the hot pancakes with confectioners' sugar before serving.