Easy Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby Pancake
A magic weekend treat, this Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby bakes up in one go in under 20 minutes, creating a puffy, golden masterpiece. It's easy, shareable, and bursting with juicy blueberries and bright lemon, making it a crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch centerpiece.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet 10-inch, or heavy oven-safe skillet of similar size
- Medium bowl or blender
- Microplane For fine lemon zest
- Oven mitts
Ingredients
Hauptzutaten
- 3 large eggs Room temperature is key
- 0.75 cup milk Room temperature. Whole milk works best.
- 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zest Zest of 1 lemon, about 2 teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup blueberries Fresh or frozen (don't thaw frozen ones)
- powdered sugar For serving
- lemon curd For serving (highly recommended!)
- pure maple syrup For serving
Instructions
- Get Your Oven Hot: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Make sure it's good and hot!
- Prep the Batter: In a medium bowl or blender, whisk (or blend) together the room temperature eggs, milk, flour, vanilla extract, lemon zest, sugar, and salt until smooth. Don't overmix, just combine until there are no lumps. Let the batter rest for a few minutes while you heat the skillet – this allows the flour to hydrate a bit, which can help with the puff.
- Heat the Skillet: Place the 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or a heavy oven-safe skillet of similar size). Put the skillet into the preheating oven. Let the butter melt completely and get nice and bubbly, about 3-5 minutes. The skillet needs to be screaming hot!
- Add Batter and Blueberries: Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven (use oven mitts!). Pour the batter directly into the center of the hot, melted butter. Immediately scatter the blueberries evenly over the batter.
- Bake! Place the skillet back into the hot oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are dramatically puffed up and golden brown, and the center is set. Avoid opening the oven door while it's baking if you can – peeking can make it fall!
- Serve Immediately: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Your Dutch baby will start to deflate almost immediately (that's totally normal!). Serve it right away while it's still warm and puffy around the edges.
- Top It Off: Dust generously with powdered sugar, add spoonfuls of lemon curd, or drizzle with maple syrup. Cut into wedges and enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions & Additions:
- Other Fruits: Swap blueberries for raspberries, sliced strawberries, thinly sliced apple (sautéed briefly first), or a mix of your favorite berries.
- Different Citrus: Use orange zest instead of lemon for a sweeter, warmer citrus note.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the batter with the dry ingredients.
- Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle some chopped almonds or pecans over the batter along with the blueberries before baking.
- Lemon Power: Want more lemon? Add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the batter (you might need a tiny splash less milk to compensate). Tips for Success:
- Room Temp Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients is really important! Cold ingredients can shock the batter and prevent it from puffing as high.
- Hot Oven, Hot Pan: Preheat your oven fully, and make sure that skillet (with the butter!) gets good and hot before adding the batter. This is crucial for creating steam and lift.
- Don't Peek: Resist the urge to open the oven door while it's baking, especially in the first 10-12 minutes. The sudden temperature change can cause it to collapse.
- Using Frozen Blueberries: You can absolutely use frozen! Don't thaw them. Just toss them straight into the batter. They might sink a little more and release a tiny bit of color, but they'll still taste great. How to Store It:
Dutch babies are best eaten fresh, right out of the oven while they're still warm and the edges are crispy. The glorious puff deflates quickly. However, if you happen to have leftovers, you can store them.
Let any leftover wedges cool completely. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The texture won't be the same – the edges will soften, and it won't be puffy – but it's still tasty. You can reheat pieces gently in the oven or microwave, but don't expect the puff to return.
- Other Fruits: Swap blueberries for raspberries, sliced strawberries, thinly sliced apple (sautéed briefly first), or a mix of your favorite berries.
- Different Citrus: Use orange zest instead of lemon for a sweeter, warmer citrus note.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the batter with the dry ingredients.
- Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle some chopped almonds or pecans over the batter along with the blueberries before baking.
- Lemon Power: Want more lemon? Add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the batter (you might need a tiny splash less milk to compensate). Tips for Success:
- Room Temp Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients is really important! Cold ingredients can shock the batter and prevent it from puffing as high.
- Hot Oven, Hot Pan: Preheat your oven fully, and make sure that skillet (with the butter!) gets good and hot before adding the batter. This is crucial for creating steam and lift.
- Don't Peek: Resist the urge to open the oven door while it's baking, especially in the first 10-12 minutes. The sudden temperature change can cause it to collapse.
- Using Frozen Blueberries: You can absolutely use frozen! Don't thaw them. Just toss them straight into the batter. They might sink a little more and release a tiny bit of color, but they'll still taste great. How to Store It:
Dutch babies are best eaten fresh, right out of the oven while they're still warm and the edges are crispy. The glorious puff deflates quickly. However, if you happen to have leftovers, you can store them.
Let any leftover wedges cool completely. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The texture won't be the same – the edges will soften, and it won't be puffy – but it's still tasty. You can reheat pieces gently in the oven or microwave, but don't expect the puff to return.