This Caramel Apple Dutch Baby has swirls of cinnamon-infused caramel, tart Granny Smith apple slices, baked in a Cast Iron Skillet until the buttery, golden pancake puffs like a pop-over.
I’ve been eating this large, fluffy pancake since I was a child. It was a favorite Sunday morning breakfast that my dad loved to make, in part due to the simplicity, and partially because they are just really good!
What is a Dutch Baby? Sometimes called a German Pancake, it’s a cross between pancake, popover, and Yorkshire pudding. The batter is made up of eggs, flour, milk, and butter. It’s traditionally cooked in a cast iron skillet and usually rises higher around the outside edges then the middle. The outside is golden, crisp, and buttery with a slightly more eggey consistency, kind of like that of a crepe, then a traditional pancake.
Even though this was a very common Sunday morning breakfast while growing up, somehow as an adult, I kind of forgot about it. A recent conversation with my dad, whom we call Pops, brought it to mind and I’ve been a bit obsessed with them since. And let me tell you, my kids and all of their friends who stayed the night this last weekend, are VERY glad that I am. I think we’ve made and devoured eight or nine over the last several days.
The plain-jane version is usually served with powdered sugar and/or syrup, although fresh fruit is common as well. This was my Sunday morning breakfast for countless years and it was amazing.
My adult, overachiever, I can always improve on the original recipe self, has been playing with flavor combinations. Other then this simply AMAZING Caramel Apple Dutch Baby, I’ve been making a Pumpkin Pie Dutch Baby and a savory version that is stunning with crispy prosciutto, caramelized mushrooms, leeks, and parmesan cheese. Recipe coming soon!
How to make a Caramel Apple Dutch Baby
Start by melting butter on the stove top in a cast iron skillet. Add brown sugar and whisk. Cook the butter and sugar until they begin to bubble and simmer.
Add a thinly sliced, peeled Granny Smith apple and cinnamon to the caramel mixture and stir it all together. Place the skillet in a preheated oven and bake it for 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, add room temperature eggs and whole milk, flour, and a little sugar to a blender. Blend until everything is frothy and incorporated.
Can I use a bowl and whisk to blend my batter?
Sure! I’m partial to the ease of the blender method, but as long as your batter is blended to frothy perfection, how it gets there is up to you.
After the apples have baked for 8 minutes in the oven, pour the Dutch Baby batter around the outside edge of the skillet, over the top of the caramel apple mixture. Do not stir. Every Dutch Baby comes out looking a little different and unique and NOT stirring the batter and caramel mixture together will give caramel swirls in the finished pancake. How the batter and caramel mixture cook together does not have a right or wrong way.
Bake the batter and caramel apple mixture together in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the outside edges have risen and turned golden brown and the center is soft-set.
If desired, make homemade, spiced whipped cream by whipping heavy cream until stiff. Add a little powdered confectioners sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. A dollop of the cold whipped cream on the hot, caramelly dutch baby is so, so good!
Slice and serve immediately. Dutch Babies are best served hot.
Pro Tips for the best rise and flavor of your Dutch Baby:
- The cast iron skillet needs to be VERY hot before pouring in the batter in order for the pancake to rise to it’s full potential. Make sure it pre-heats in the oven for the recommended time.
- Using room temperature eggs and milk, or even not extremely cold, WILL make a difference in how much the Dutch Baby will rise.
- Salted butter and whole milk add to the over-all flavor and texture of the Dutch Baby. Use them! This isn’t a diet breakfast food.
For a few other delicious, and quick breakfast ideas, make sure to check out these Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins, Cranberry Orange Scones, and Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling! And don’t forget the Pumpkin Pie Dutch Baby!
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Tried a Dutch Baby? Or have a question, comment, or review? Leave me one below!
Caramel Apple Dutch Baby
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, salted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, and thinnly sliced.
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 eggs, large and room temperature
- 1/2 cup flour, all purpose
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On a medium high heat, melt butter on the stove top in a 9 or 10" cast iron skillet.
- Add the brown sugar and whisk to combine. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until the butter and brown sugar begin to simmer and come together to form the caramel.
- Add the apple slices and cinnamon to the caramel mixture and stir.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
- For the pancake batter, add eggs, then flour, milk, and sugar to a blender and blend just until combined and frothy.
- Pour around the outside of the cast iron skillet over the top of the caramel and apples. Do not stir.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the outside edges have risen, turned golden, and the center is soft-set.
- Serve warm with whipped cream if desired and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!
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