German Pancakes AKA Fluffy Pancakes

These German pancakes (aka fluffy pancakes) are a family favorite recipe that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch or breakfast-for-dinner. My kids always get so excited when we make them!

We love to make these together as a family. They are so simple and my kids love to help. They also like to help me make blender crepes, ricotta pancakes and biscuits and gravy.

This German pancake recipe is one of our family’s favorites! My mom would always make them growing up and we all loved them. Now I make them with my kids and they always get so excited when we have them.

They are so light, fluffy and are baked to perfection. They taste extremely delicious topped with candy syrup, maple syrup, jam or cinnamon sugar. It really doesn’t get any better than that. Yummy!

What is a German pancake?

German pancakes (also known as fluffy pancakes or Dutch baby pancakes) are baked in the oven until they puff up. The batter is typically made with flour, eggs, sugar and milk. A German pancake has a thicker and fluffier consistency than a regular pancake, however they do fall a little as they cool. Common toppings are syrup, fruit or powdered sugar.

How to make German pancakes

This recipe is SO easy to make! I personally think baking German pancakes in the oven is a lot easier then cooking regular pancakes on the stove. If cooking for a larger crowd, you don’t have to stand in front of the stove and flip each individual pancake. You can simply pour the batter into your pan, bake and you’ll have pancakes for a crowd ready in no time. My mom is known to triple this recipe whenever we get together with our family.

1. Heat the pan. Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice butter and add to 9×13″ pan. Then place pan into oven for about 2 minutes, until melted.
2. Make batter. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Next add milk and vanilla. Then beat in ONE egg at a time until smooth. The batter will be thinner than normal pancakes, which is what you want!
3. Bake in oven. Pour batter over melted butter and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice and serve warm with toppings of choice.

TIP: You can also make the batter in the blender if preferred. They might not be as fluffy, but they will still turn out delicious. Blend the liquid and eggs first for about 30 seconds, then add the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.

What makes them rise?

The fun thing about German pancakes is watching them rise in the oven. They typically will rise a couple of inches and get nice and fluffy. Here are a few tricks that I’ve learned along the way:

• Fresh eggs. Personally, I think one of the main keys is using fresh eggs. Also, beating each egg, one at a time for 30 seconds will help them rise better.
• White flour. I prefer to use all-purpose flour, as I’ve found the best results when using that specific kind.
• Preheating the pan. I also think that heating the buttery pan up in the oven prior to adding the batter helps them rise. The butter acts as a non-stick agent, allowing the pancakes to rise taller and not get stuck to the pan.

How do you know when they are done?

I’ve found that this recipe typically takes about 18 to 20 minutes to bake up perfectly in the oven. You’ll be able to tell when they are ready because both the edges and top will be nice and golden brown. They will have risen a couple of inches and will be light and fluffy. Just double check that the middle has set and cooked all the way through. It should easily pop out of the pan when ready to serve. Don’t be alarmed if the pancakes fall (deflate) a little. This typically happens as they cool.

Optional toppings

• Syrup (buttermilk syrup, maple syrup or cinnamon pancake syrup)
• Jam
• Fresh berries
• Powdered sugar
• Chocolate chips
• Lemon curd
• Cinnamon sugar
• Nutella

More pancake recipes you’ll love:

• Sheet pan pancakes
• Chocolate chip pancakes
• Blueberry pancakes
• Easy pancake mix
• Apple cinnamon pancakes