Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (2024)

If you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast that’s also nourishing and fun, this gluten-free Dutch baby pancake is one that everyone is sure to gobble up.

jump to recipe

Finding delicious breakfast options that avoid highly processed or sugary foods that your kids will love can be a challenge! That’s why this gluten-free Dutch baby is a family favorite and no-brainer in our breakfast lineup.

I love this one because it is made primarily of eggs. So, you are getting in all the awesome micronutrients, protein, and fats that eggs offer. Plus, when packaged in the super fun form of a puffy pancake, it feels way more exciting than a plate full of scrambled eggs.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (1)

What is a Dutch Baby Pancake?

Also known as a German pancake, a Dutch baby is an oven-baked pancake made of eggs, flour, and milk. It is especially known for how it puffs up while cooking so that when you pull it out of the oven you have a billowing pancake that always receives lots of excited “woah’s!”

Gluten-free Dutch babies have a flaky outside, while the inside is smooth and delightful, not eggy, with more of a custardy interior.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (2)

What Causes A Dutch Baby Pancake to Poof?

The notorious poof of the Dutch Baby is caused by steam being trapped inside the pancake. Within a few minutes of coming out of the oven, it will collapse or flatten. The steam is created by two important factors necessary in creating the best gluten-free puff pancakes:

1. A hot pan. It’s important to pour batter into a hot skillet. Therefore, when you are preheating your oven to 400°F to cook your Dutch baby, place your pan in the oven as well. You’ll want to have it preheating for at least 10 minutes to ensure that it is plenty hot to achieve lots of steam and maximum poof.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (3)

2. A well-aerated batter. Creating a batter with a lot of air will give room for the steam to create its signature rise in your gluten free dutch baby. This can be done several ways from heavy whisking in a large bowl, to using a stand mixer, food processor, blender, or immersion blender. After combining all of the ingredients, mix, mix, mix them up to allow as much air as possible to enter the batter.

Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Recipe

Ingredients:

8 eggs
1/3 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca flour/starch
¼ cup coconut flour
1 cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ cup fat for greasing the pan* (butter, coconut oil, or leaf lard)

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (4)

Directions:

1. Spoon ¼ cup of fat on your pan and place it in the hot oven. Turn oven to 400°F to preheat.

2. Add wet ingredients (eggs, milk) to mixing bowl** and whisk vigorously. The more mixing, the more air, which means more poof!

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (5)

3. Whisk in dry ingredients (arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt) until clumps are removed.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (6)

4. Pour batter into HOT 12” cast iron pan or 9×13 baking dish.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (7)

5. Bake at 400°F for 20 min until golden brown on top.

*Don’t skimp on the fat here. It will help the Dutch baby not stick and create a better final product.

**If using blender, wet and dry ingredients can be added together and blended thoroughly in place of mixing bowls.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (8)

Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Tips and Questions

What do you cook your Dutch baby in?

We love cooking this German pancake recipe in a 12” cast iron skillet. Alternatively, a 9×13 baking dish or similar-sized casserole dish would also work. A pie plate or dish with a shorter rim will likely not contain the massive puff!

How to serve a gluten-free Dutch baby?

We normally serve this either by 1) smothering it with butter and finishing it with a drizzle of maple syrup, 2) topping it with fresh fruit or fresh berries when in season, or 3) making a fruit jam or puree from frozen berries in the winter. On special occasions, we bust out the whipped cream for an extra special treat. Pair it with a side of bacon or maybe some yogurt and breakfast is served.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (9)

Why gluten free?

While our family does not strictly follow a gluten/grain-free diet and will occasionally include sourdough or einkorn flour, we do incorporate a lot of gluten-free meals. We enjoy them just as much and are left with a less heavy feeling after eating. This recipe is gluten and grain-free and uses a combination of coconut flour and arrowroot starch or tapioca starch in place of regular flour.

I’ve found that the combination of these two ingredients creates a much better texture than if you used just one or the other. Almond flour and cassava flour can also be gluten-free substitutes, though ratios may change slightly.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes! While we use whole cow’s milk for this recipe, you could easily substitute your milk of choice with no problems. This can include coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, and others.

Looking for more nourishing breakfast recipes? Check out our soaked baked oatmeal, crockpot yogurt, or potato crusted quiche.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (10)

Gluten Free Dutch Baby Pancake

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

If you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast that’s also nourishing and fun, this gluten-free Dutch baby pancake is one that everyone is sure to gobble up.

Ingredients

  • 8 eggs
  • 1/3 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca flour/starch
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup fat for greasing the pan* (butter, coconut oil, or leaf lard)

Instructions

      1. Spoon ¼ cup of fat on your pan and place it in the hot oven. Turn oven to 400°F to preheat.

      2. Add wet ingredients (eggs, milk) to mixing bowl** and whisk vigorously. The more mixing, the more air, which means more poof!

      3. Whisk in dry ingredients (arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt) until clumps are removed.

      4. Pour batter into HOT 12” cast iron pan or 9x13 baking dish.

      5. Bake at 400°F for 20 min until golden brown on top.

Notes

*Don’t skimp on the fat here. It will help the Dutch baby not stick and create a better final product.

**If using blender, wet and dry ingredients can be added together and blended thoroughly in place of mixing bowls.

Easy Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe (Gluten Free!) (2024)

FAQs

Why did my Dutch baby pancake not rise? ›

If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough. 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.

What is a Dutch baby pancake made of? ›

Eggs and milk: This light and fluffy Dutch baby recipe starts with two eggs whisked with milk. Flour: All-purpose flour lends structure and helps hold the batter together. Seasonings: These sweet Dutch babies are flavored with nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

What's the difference between a pancake and a Dutch pancake? ›

What's the difference between a Dutch pancake and an American pancake? A Dutch pancake is usually larger and much thinner than the thick and fluffy American pancakes. If you order a Dutch pancake at PANCAKES Amsterdam, you will get a delicious thin pancake with a diameter of 32 centimeters.

Why are my gluten free pancakes chewy? ›

This gluten-free pancake recipe will turn out chewy if the egg whites have not whipped long enough or the batter was overmixed. Since the pancakes rely on the egg whites for their light and fluffy texture it is important to carefully fold the egg whites into the gluten-free pancake batter.

Why is my Dutch baby so dense? ›

Not Enough Butter: Coat the hot pan with plenty of butter. That is crucial for a fluffy and puffy Dutch baby pancake. Overmixing the Batter: Blend the batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing the batter can cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, leading to a dense pancake.

Why does my Dutch baby taste eggy? ›

If you would like the inside of the finished dish to be a little less "egg-y" then cut the number of eggs down to 3, and many many reviewers also found that just 3 Tablespoons of butter worked better for them.

What is the difference between Yorkshire pudding and Dutch baby pancake? ›

A Dutch baby is very similar to a Yorkshire pudding, with a few differences: the Yorkshire pudding is more likely to be baked in individual servings, the pan is usually greased with beef drippings, and the result is rarely sweet. Dutch babies are larger, use butter rather than beef fat, and are frequently sweet.

What makes a Dutch baby puff up? ›

What makes a Dutch baby rise? The magic that makes that Dutch baby pancake rise to its signature heights is simple: Steam! The combination of air that's whipped into the eggs when you mix the batter and the super hot cast-iron skillet (and oven) create the conditions needed for the lift we love.

Why are Dutch pancakes so good? ›

Dutch pancakes are traditional and worldwide famous, and there is a reason for that. They come with a topping of your choice or just plain. And it is the topping that makes the pancakes in a pancake restaurant so special.

What do Southerners call pancakes? ›

In the South, pancakes are interchangeably called hotcakes, griddlecakes, and flapjacks, though British flapjacks are made with rolled oats cooked in the oven. In the U.S., pancakes are made with flour, eggs, butter, and milk, and cooked on a griddle or frying pan to form leavened flat cakes.

What do British call pancakes? ›

In the UK, the word pancakes refers to the same thing, but the word flapjacks refers to something entirely different: a baked good made from oats, resembling what elsewhere may be called a granola bar or oat bar. The word flapjack is traced back to the late 1500s.

Is a Dutch baby the same as a pannenkoeken? ›

They both can be made with the same mix but they are made differently. This pannekoeken is designed for an 11 to 12-inch Dutch baby pan or a skillet with rounded sides. This is a five ingredient–five step recipe that really goes together quickly.

What does adding an extra egg to pancakes do? ›

Eggs are a crucial ingredient. They provide the cakes with the structure to hold light bubbles. Eggs also give the batter additional, richer flavor from the yolk fat. If you add too many eggs, you'll have “pancakes” that look more like custard or crepes.

What are IHOP gluten free pancakes made of? ›

Gluten-friendly pancakes and waffles are made with the same rice- flour-based batter while gluten-friendly Ultimate Steakburgers include a bun made with a blend of rice flour, milk, egg whites, a touch of honey for sweetness and other gluten-friendly ingredients.

Why are gluten free pancakes so dry? ›

Gluten-free baked goods have earned the reputation of being dry and gritty. That grit—that evil grit! —is the result of gluten-free flours that are often high in starches and rice flour, which take longer to absorb moisture than regular “gluten” flour.

What causes pancakes not to rise? ›

Flat pancakes are nearly always because of expired baking powder, too little baking powder for the recipe size, or too thin of a batter. How to fix flat pancakes: First, test your baking powder by adding a teaspoon of baking powder in a glass and adding a tablespoon of water or two.

Why don t my pancakes puff up? ›

Making pancake and waffle batter ahead of time is a huge no-no and will lead to flat, dense results every time. Even letting your batter hang out for just a few minutes after you've mixed it before you start ladling it onto the griddle will lead to less fluffy results.

How do you make pancakes rise more? ›

Adding baking powder is the easiest way to make fluffy pancakes. There's more than one way to make the bubbles that make a pancake fluffy, but the easiest way is by adding a raising agent such as baking powder.

How long should you let pancake batter rise? ›

You should. Resting pancake batter for at least 10 minutes (or even overnight) does two key things, both of which help the batter rise better and cook to a more tender finish in the pan. The first thing a good rest does is allow time for the flour to hydrate.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Eusebia Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 6621

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Eusebia Nader

Birthday: 1994-11-11

Address: Apt. 721 977 Ebert Meadows, Jereville, GA 73618-6603

Phone: +2316203969400

Job: International Farming Consultant

Hobby: Reading, Photography, Shooting, Singing, Magic, Kayaking, Mushroom hunting

Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.