Savory Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe

A Dutch baby is my go-to breakfast recipe for New Year’s Day. It’s a scrumptiously indulgent breakfast for holiday mornings when you have some extra time to treat yourself. This year, I tried a savory Dutch baby recipe with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and capers. Basically, it’s what would happen if a lox bagel and a Dutch baby had a baby – a match made in heaven.

It’s a fairly simple recipe but it does take some attention to detail to get the technique down. All you need is a cast-iron (or other oven-safe) skillet, a blender, and some basic ingredients. I hope you’ll try this recipe for a delicious brunch idea, perfect for any special occasion!

I recommend pairing it with the Adagio Tea Christmas tea, or try one of their many holiday blends that I reviewed.

Baking Inspo

Although the everything bagel seasoning phase seems to be trending downward, I can never get enough of a lox bagel filling. Cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, red onions, sometimes tomatoes and cucumbers too…I love them.

This filling is a winning combination for any savory bake. You can try it enrobed in puff pastry or mixed into a quiche, too. If you’re an everything bagel fanatic, try the Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning on this savory Dutch baby to complete the experience.

What is a Savory Dutch baby?

A savory Dutch baby, also known as a Dutch pancake or German pancake, is a type of pancake that is baked in the oven rather than cooked on the stovetop. It’s made from a simple batter of eggs, flour, and milk, that is mixed in a blender making a super smooth batter. Similar to a crepe, it has a higher egg content than an American pancake and a silky texture because of the way the batter is blended. The batter is then poured into a hot, ovenproof skillet and baked until it puffs up and becomes golden brown.

While traditional Dutch babies are often sweet and served with powdered sugar, fruits, or syrups, savory Dutch babies cater to those who want a heartier breakfast. Instead of sweet toppings, they are filled with savory ingredients like cheese, herbs, vegetables, smoked fish, or meats.

Savory Dutch babies are a delicious and impressive brunch or breakfast dish. It’s definitely a treat because…who’s making a Dutch baby every day? Once you get the batter and technique down, Dutch babies are versatile, allowing you to get creative with your choice of toppings and flavors.

Chef’s tips

Savory Dutch babies have simple ingredients, but the technique has to be on-point to get this to turn out right. Most of the technique lies in the temperature of the oven and the pan.

• Pan temperature: The pan must be preheated so that it’s hot enough to get the Dutch baby to puff up. We recommend a cast-iron skillet because it holds the heat very well. You can use a thinner oven-safe pan (such as hard-anodized aluminum or stainless steel), but these pans will heat up faster, so you’ll have to decrease the baking time.
• Cooking time: As mentioned above, the type of pan you use will dictate the cooking time. This recipe calls for baking for 20-25 mins, which is for a cast-iron pan. If using a hard-anodized aluminum or stainless steel pan, your cooking time may be closer to 10-15 minutes.
• Don’t open the oven!: Though it’s tempting, don’t open the oven until you are ready to check for doneness (see below). Instead, use the oven light to visually monitor the Dutch baby and look for the signs listed below.

When is the Savory Dutch Baby Ready?

Knowing when the Dutch baby is done baking is paramount. Taking it out too early will cause this puffy, silky pancake to fall flat. Because the heat retention of ovens and skillets can vary, it’s best to take your Dutch baby out of the oven when it looks done, rather than depending on the timer.

These are the signs to to look for:

• The sides of the Dutch baby have puffed up along the sidewalls of the pan. They have become tall and thin, and the edges are browning
• The middle of the Dutch baby looks hollowed out and may be flat or have large bubbles. It is yellow or light brown in color.
• The middle looks set – no shiny raw egg. If you shake the skillet, the Dutch baby doesn’t jiggle in the middle

You Will Need

• Butter: 6 Tbsp of butter in total. This is the key to getting the beautiful puffiness of the Dutch baby. I have not tried this recipe with alternatives like oil or vegan butter, so I don’t suggest using any substitutions for the butter in this recipe.
• Parmesan: or any hard cheese that you like
• Smoked Salmon: or any other breakfast meat like bacon, turkey bacon, sausage, sliced turkey, ham, etc.
• Pickled Red Onions: if you don’t have pickled, you can use raw red onion or omit it
• Capers: totally optional but I like the everything bagel vibe
• Cream Cheese: or any soft cheese that you like
• Lemon zest: Really elevates the flavor of the salmon and the cream cheese! If you don’t have a fresh lemon, you can use a squeeze of bottled lemon juice.
• Baking Staples: Eggs, milk, flour, salt

Tools

• 9-inch Cast-iron skillet: like this one from Lodge, or Le Creuset
• Blender
• Grater or zester