Easy Oatmeal Dutch Baby Pancake
This Oatmeal Dutch Baby Pancake is an easy-to-make, healthy breakfast recipe that takes minutes to prepare and can be adapted in a number of different ways.
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This Oatmeal Dutch Baby, also called a German Pancake, is the easiest, most satisfying, yet healthy breakfast I know how to make. Unlike traditional pancakes and waffles, a Dutch baby gets baked in the oven. No standing over the stove. No fussing. No flipping.
A Dutch Baby is a big, puffed-up, eggy pancake that’s baked in a skillet and sliced into wedges to serve several people. The batter is similar to a popover. It's made with nutritious, whole-food ingredients like oats, eggs and (your choice of) milk, so it's gluten-free, refined sugar free, dairy-free optional, and packed with protein, fiber and vitamins.
This is a lazy-man's breakfast - all the heavy lifting happens in the oven. It's warm, doughy and comforting, just like a big stack of traditional pancakes - but with far less work.
Why this recipe works
- A quick and easy batter that can be made in a blender or whisked by hand.
- All of the work happens in the oven - save time by not having to continuously pour and flip pancakes.
- Warm spices, vanilla, maple syrup and butter make it absolutely delicious.
- Gluten free since it's made with oat flour, dairy-free optional, high in protein and fiber.
Ingredient Notes
- Oat flour - You can buy oat flour or make it by pulverizing rolled oats in a blender or food processor into a fine powder. Use certified gluten free oats if keeping gluten free is important.
- Milk - Any type of dairy milk or plant based milk milk will work.
- Maple Syrup - Only use 100% pure, real maple syrup. Nothing labeled "pancake syrup."
- Butter - I prefer salted butter here but unsalted butter works too. For a dairy-free Dutch baby pancake, substitute a vegan butter alternative or coconut oil.
Helpful Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet - You can bake this oatmeal Dutch baby in a metal pie plate or cake plate, but I find it turns out best in a cast iron skillet. It retains heat well which helps the Dutch baby puff up in the oven.
- Blender - While this isn't totally necessary to make this Oatmeal German Pancake, I find it easier to make the batter in a blender or in a bowl with a immersion blender. It can also be used to make oat flour.
Step by step instructions
- Place butter inside a 9-inch cast iron skillet, casserole dish or pie plate (avoid glass, as it can shatter), then place it in the oven on the center rack and turn it on to 450 degrees F. If using vegan butter or non-stick spray, leave the skillet dry.
- While the oven preheats, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, oat flour and salt. I like to do this in a blender or with an immersion blender since it's faster, but you can also use a whisk. Make sure there are no lumps remaining.
- When the oven is preheated, check to make sure the butter is melted. I like to let it go until it starts to brown and smell nutty, but that step is optional. Remove the skillet from the oven, pour the batter inside, then place it right back in. If using vegan butter or cooking spray, add it to the pan before pouring in the batter.
- Lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees, then bake for 15-20 minutes until it's puffed up, no longer jiggly and browned around the edges. Very important - keep the oven closed the entire time it bakes.
- Slice into wedges and serve immediately with more butter and maple syrup on the side.
How to Make Oat Flour out of oats
- Add whole oats or quick oats to a dry high powered blender or food processor and blend on high until it creates a fine powder.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool dry place. Homemade oat flour will stay fresh for up to 6 months.
Tips for success
- Use a blender (or immersion blender) to mix the batter thoroughly and quickly.
- Keep the oven door closed. Opening the oven will let out heat which will prohibit the Dutch Baby from puffing up.
- Allow the butter to brown ever so slightly in the oven before adding the batter for an even richer flavor.
- You can reduce the calories by using a cooking spray instead of butter, but it will have a slightly different texture.
Variations
- Try my pumpkin Dutch baby - the BEST fall breakfast ever!
- Mix 1 cup of berries or thinly sliced fruit into the batter. It's great with apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, figs, apricots, pears.
- Add different spices and flavorings to the batter, like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, chai spices, almond extract, lemon zest or orange zest
- Top with powdered sugar, whipped cream, mascarpone, whipped maple butter, jam or preserves, peanut butter or almond butter, fresh berries, sliced fruit or a mixed fruit compote!
- Try a savory Dutch Baby! Omit the vanilla extract and maple syrup from the batter, double the salt, then add black pepper, spices, cheese, veggies, bacon, ham, smoked salmon, creme fraiche or a fried egg on top.
Faq About Oatmeal Dutch Baby Pancake
There are a few reasons why. It's normal for a German pancake to deflate shortly after coming out of the oven, similar to a soufflé. This version doesn't get as puffed up as a classic Dutch baby because of the oat flour. If your Dutch baby didn't puff up at all, it could be because your oven wasn't quite hot enough. Make sure you are keeping the oven closed as much as possible to retain the heat.
The pancake batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance, just be sure to thoroughly whisk it before baking. Once cooked, a Dutch baby pancake can be sliced into wedges and frozen for a later time. Reheat in the toaster oven or microwave.
Also known as a German Pancake, a Dutch Baby is a big, puffed-up, eggy pancake that’s baked in a skillet and sliced into wedges.
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Oatmeal Dutch Baby Pancake
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter - unsalted is fine too * see note for substitutions
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk any kind, including non-dairy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup more or less to taste
- 1 cup oat flour ** see note for how to make
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon iodized table salt
Instructions
- Place butter inside a 9-inch cast iron skillet, casserole dish or pie plate (avoid glass, as it can shatter), then place it in the oven on the center rack and turn it on to 450 degrees F. If using vegan butter or non-stick spray, leave the skillet dry.
- While the oven preheats, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, oat flour and salt. I like to do this in a blender or with an immersion blender since it's faster, but you can also use a whisk. Make sure there are no lumps remaining.
- When the oven is preheated, check to make sure the butter is melted. I like to let it go until it starts to brown and smell nutty, but that step is optional. Remove the skillet from the oven, pour the batter inside, then place it right back in. If using vegan butter or cooking spray, add it to the pan before pouring in the batter.
- Lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees, then bake for 15-20 minutes until it's puffed up, no longer jiggly and browned around the edges. Very important - keep the oven closed the entire time it bakes.
- Slice into wedges and serve immediately with more butter and maple syrup on the side. Leftovers can be sliced into wedges, placed in a zip-top bag and frozen. Reheat in a toaster oven or microwave.
Notes
- Use a blender (or immersion blender) to mix the batter thoroughly and quickly.
- Keep the oven door closed. Opening the oven will let out heat which will prohibit the Dutch Baby from puffing up.
- Allow the butter to brown ever so slightly in the oven before adding the batter for an even richer flavor.
- You can reduce the calories by using a cooking spray instead of butter, but it will have a slightly different texture.
This is a family favorite of ours! We add a layer of sliced apples covered in cinnamon and a little coconut sugar on the bottom of the pan to make it an apple pancake. So delicious!
The addition of apples and coconut sugar sounds amazing! So glad this has become a favorite in your family. 🙂
OMG. That sounds delicious!!!! ::Adding to my list of variations::
Fantastic recipe! Even MORE fantastic when cooked in a cast iron skillet. I use an immersion blender to mix it all together and it is just as amazing - if not more - that regular hand whisking. It’s quickly become a staple treat in my household!
I make it with milk for my family. And almond milk for myself (though I allow the butter in the pan). At first I wasn’t sure if I would make the dairy milk-free version again. But I found myself craving it the next day. So I have grown to love it, despite it not being as rich as the ones made with cow’s milk!
Thank you for sharing this recipes!
Thank you for this detailed review! So glad you loved the recipe
This German pancake is a new favorite, so tasty and easy to make. It worked well to use ghee by letting it melt in the skillet for 2-3 minutes once the oven and skillet are hot. Also if using a high speed blender we use whole oats and they blend down smooth, so it skips a step. This week we added a cup of frozen blueberries, it's delish!! It just takes about 5 min longer to cook with this addition. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
SO glad you love it! Thanks for the tips!
Easy and simply delicious!
SO glad you love the recipe!
Perfect except for one minor detail - the oat flour, no matter how fine processed, remains a bit dry and gritty. Once your combine all of the ingredients if you let it sit for about 30 minutes the oat flour will absorb some of the liquid and soften nicely.
Great tip, thanks Mark!
I just made this and it’s fantastic! I’ve been trying to eat more nutritionally, but we love a breakfast “treat” on Sunday mornings, I’ve made many versions of the “Dutch Baby” and this one is every bit as good, but more nutritious! I used unsweetened oat milk, added one thinly sliced apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Delicious! Thank you!
So happy to hear that!
I loved this. To keep it fluffier and make it more analogous by weight in grams to a wheat version of the recipe, I reduced the oat flour to 3/4. Left out maple syrup for savory option. I left milk volume the same as oats absorb a lot. Since it puffed more when less oat flour, it also does make it less eggy ironically as we tried the recipe both ways. Thanks for the inspiration. I cannot wait to make it for my gf friends!
This is great info! Thanks for sharing, so glad you love the recipe. 🙂
We love this recipe.. have made it weekly for the last yr! Any tips on keeping it puffy? Mine puffs in the oven then falls completely flat as it starts cooling. Your pictures look like yours may keep some puff like a traditional dutch baby? Would love to perfect mine
So glad you love the recipe! Unfortunately the deflating is inevitable as the oat flour just doesn't have the same structure as wheat flour to hold it up. My photos were taken soon after the dutch baby was removed from the oven. You can try cooking it at an even higher temperature for slightly less time, or keeping it in the oven, turned off, with the door open for 5-10 minutes after cooking so the temperature drop isn't as severe when you remove it from the oven - that might help it retain some poof, but no guarantee. Let me know if you have any luck!
Yum……. they were very easy to make. I made 1/2 the recipe and used 2 individual mini pans. I cooked it in my toaster oven. both pans fit in together and I didn’t have to heat up the big oven.. Looking forward to making the pumpkin one.
Thanks for the comment! Just curious why you only gave the recipe 4/5 stars if you enjoyed it so much?
Looked amazing! But tastes a little eggy. Can I ask why there’s no baking powder in the recipe?
Dutch Baby Pancakes are eggy by nature. Traditionally only eggs are used for leavening, there is no need for a chemical leavener such as baking powder.
Love this recipe so quick and easy to make for breakfast! Especially for my teen on the go!
SO glad you enjoyed it!!
This recipe was a hit in our house! I liked the texture and it didn't taste too "oaty." We will definitely be making this again.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!
This was SO GOOD!! I added 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries and spiced with nutmeg cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom. Soooooo satisfying!
I love that it separates to the dense oat flour “crust” on the bottom and the silky eggy/custardy layer on top.
I can’t wait to make this a thousand different ways!
I am definitely going to try a savory version - I wonder what bacon, caramelized onion and cheddar would taste like *drool*
So glad you enjoyed it!!!
So easy , had all ingredients available ,
It made such a nice hot, hardy breakfast with a side a crispy bacon . We topped ours with melted butter and warm syrup ..
can’t wait to make it again !
Thanks Kate!! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This was so good and I had all the ingredients!!
Will be making this again!
So delicious and so easy, I had all the ingredients available!!
I will make this my go to !!
Love this recipe! It’s so simple yet beyond delicious! Love the concept of blending all the ingredients together in an immersion blender. Freezes awesome, this will be a staple in my breakfast prep rotation for sure!!
Thanks Jen!
I added cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon to my recipe and my pancake came out tasting just like French Toast! I’m hooked! So easy I feel like I could definitely make it before work in the morning.
Thanks Annie! So glad you enjoyed.
Made this this morning so simple and full of flavor I add some frozen jersey blueberries I had in the freezer and a dash of cinnamon. Will definitely make again seeing that I have gone to a gluten free diet over the past 2 years and I miss not being able to eat pancakes.
Thanks Steve! So glad you enjoyed it!!
I want these to be my weekend tradition! I got a fancy bottle of maple syrup for Christmas that is shamefully unopened. You know if I make bacon on the side as pictured, I'd have to cook that baby in bacon fat.
I hope that bottle of maple syrup is gone by now!
Yum! My kiddo is allergic to chicken eggs so we use duck eggs (2 chicken = 1 duck) turned out great!!
So glad to hear this!