Sourdough Dutch Baby/German Pancake

This Sourdough Dutch Baby  (AKA German Pancake or Puffy Oven Pancake) is a yeasty and melt-in-your-mouth delicious breakfast recipe!

If you've been a reader of Buttered Side Up for a while, you know that I have a thing for Dutch Babies/German pancakes. The flavors and textures are sublime and satisfying. There's just enough egginess, and just enough pancake-like texture.

They're basically a large popover, and they're totally amazing.

Lately I've been into transforming as many recipes as possible to make them sourdough-friendly. This isn't just because sourdough has some pretty amazing benefits: the taste is also fantastic!

You may have a preconceived notion that sourdough is almost unbearably tart. But if you treat it correctly, it's pleasantly yeasty without that overwhelming tang.

So of course I turned my attention to turning my beloved Dutch baby into a scrumptious sourdough recipe!

Okay, grab your trusty cast iron skillet, and let me show you how to make this amazing breakfast treat!

Video Tutorial:

Here's a video tutorial in case you prefer to learn by watching! The written tutorial and recipe card are below!

Ingredients:

Here are the simple ingredients needed:

• 6 tablespoons of butter: I use salted butter because I think it has a superior flavor. You don't mix the butter into the batter, so it doesn't have the benefit of mixing with the salt. If you use unsalted butter, it will taste kind of like oil.
• 320 grams sourdough starter: I like to weigh my starter since it's more accurate, and then you don't dirty up a measuring cup (sourdough starter is a pain to clean). But if you prefer to measure by volume, it's about 1 ⅓ to 1 ½ cups of stirred down starter.
• 6 large fresh eggs: I like to use organic and/or pasture raised eggs when possible. BTW, you can substitute 5 duck eggs if you have those on hand!
• ⅓ cup whole milk: This is quite a bit less milk then what's included in a traditional German pancake recipe because the starter adds some liquid. 
• ½ teaspoon salt: I use unrefined sea salt, so if you use table salt you may want to reduce the amount a bit.
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup: Since the starter is...well...sour, I like to add a bit of maple syrup. You can leave this out if you're making a savor Dutch baby. 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract: I love the added flavor of pure vanilla extract here, but again, you can leave it out if you're making a savory recipe. You could also experiment with other extracts such as almond extract.
• ⅔  cup frozen wild blueberries: This is also optional, but I LOVE wild blueberries in my sourdough Dutch baby pancake! Fresh berries will work as well, but the frozen ones are very convenient. You could also use other fresh fruit such as sliced pears or peaches, raspberries, etc. 

Feeding the Sourdough Starter

It starts the evening before: feed your starter and let it do its thing overnight. In the morning, it should be bubbly and light. You're looking for about 12 hours of fermentation.

Since you aren't trying to raise a loaf of sourdough bread, you can use a starter that's been fermented longer, which is known as sourdough discard. But for the absolute best results, I like to use a somewhat active starter. 

I personally do not add an extra leavening agent to my sourdough Dutch baby. This pancake relies on whisking the eggs to get that puff in the oven.

Keep in mind that I feed my starter with organic all purpose flour. If you feed yours with bread flour or a whole grain flour, your pancake will probably have a different texture than mine.

Also, if you haven't made your own sourdough starter yet, make sure to check out my How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch tutorial! And if you're having trouble with your starter, you can check out my Sourdough Starter Troubleshooting post.

Mixing the German Pancake Batter:

Start by Preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 Celsius) and placing the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Place the butter in either two 8 to 10-inch cast iron pans, or a 13x9-inch baking dish.

I have used both an enameled cast iron skillet, and an uncoated cast-iron skillet. I find that the Dutch baby puffs up more in the uncoated cast iron skillet if that matters to you.

Put the butter in the oven to melt. DO NOT forget it or it will burn! Set a timer!

The thing I love about this sourdough Dutch baby recipe is that is uses the starter exclusively. That means you don't use any unfermented flour in the batter!

And it's almost effortless to mix up the batter: simply toss all ingredients in the blender, and give it a whirl.

This can also be done with a large bowl and a good whisk. Keep in mind that the more you whisk the batter, the higher the pancake will puff up in the oven.

Pour the batter over the melted butter in the hot skillet.

Adding Toppings:

You can add a wide variety of toppings at this point. Go the sweet route with vanilla extract and fruit.

Or go the savory route with meat, cheese, vegetables, black pepper, and fresh herbs. I also did a post about the most amazing savory German pancake that I made, so make sure to check that out next! 

Baking Time

Slide it into the preheated oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until deep golden brown and puffed.

Sourdough puff pancake doesn't get as light and airy as a regular oven pancake, but the way it melts in your mouth is so pleasant.

And look at those crispy edges!! And the melted butter on top of the Dutch baby...heart eyes!

Serving:

I hate to say this, but you *almost* don't need extra butter since it bubbles up and tops the pancake. But I usually add a slice or two anyway. 

You can serve with a drizzle of maple syrup or a sprinkle of powdered sugar if desired. If you love that lemon-blueberry flavor combo, you could squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top, or serve with lemon curd.

To turn this into a dessert, serve with a scoop of ice cream!

What's the Difference Between a Dutchy Baby and a German Pancake?

As far as I know, a Dutch baby pancakes are made in a skillet, and they're generally smaller. German Pancakes, on the other hand, are usually baked in a 13x9-inch baking dish. But you can use them interchangeably and the food term police will never know. 😉

Why Did My Dutch Baby Deflate?

It's actually perfectly normal if your Dutch baby deflates after baking it. Typically they puff up in the oven, and then deflate once you remove them and they cool a bit. Sourdough Dutch babies don't rise as much as traditional Dutch babies, so keep that in mind.

Can I Use Sourdough Starter that I Just Fed?

This recipe would technically work if you use sourdough starter that's just been fed, but at that point it really isn't sourdough. The starter hasn't had time to ferment, so you're essentially using a mix of flour, water, and a bit of starter. So you might as well make a traditional Dutch baby recipe!

How long do you have to leave the starter out after feeding?

You're looking for the starter to double in volume before using it in a recipe. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this could take anywhere from 4-12 hours. If your starter is really active, it may double in just 2 hours!

More Dutch Baby/German Pancake Recipes:

• Blueberry Dutch Baby
• Gingerbread Dutch Baby
• Savory Dutch Baby
• Pear Dutch Baby
• Peach Dutch Baby

More Sourdough Breakfast Recipes:

• Overnight Sourdough Waffles
• Sourdough Discard waffles
• Sourdough Coffee Cake
• Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
• Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
• Sourdough Donuts

Continue to Content

Yield: 4

Sourdough Dutch Baby/German Pancake

4.7 Stars (15 Reviews)

Print

This puff pancake is yeasty and melt-in-your-mouth good!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Fermenting time 12 hours

Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 6 tablespoon butter, grass-fed
• 6 large eggs, (see note)
• 320 grams sourdough starter, (see note)
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon unrefined salt
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, optional
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
• ⅔ cup wild blueberries or other berries, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). Place the butter in a glass 13x9-inch baking dish or two 8 to 10-inch ovenproof skillets and put in the oven to melt. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn! Remove from oven once melted.
2. Place the remaining ingredients except for the blueberries in a blender. Blend for 1 minute, making sure everything is well combined.
3. Pour the batter over the melted butter in the baking dish. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly on top if desired.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20, or until the edges are deep golden brown and the pancake has puffed up. Serve with extra butter and a drizzle of maple syrup if desired. 

Notes

• You can use 5 duck eggs in place of the chicken eggs if you like. It's amazing!
• For the starter, feed it the evening before with 160 grams flour and 160 grams water. Let ferment overnight. It should sit for about 12 hours after being fed, and be bubbly and light. 320 grams is approximately 1 ⅓ to 1 ½ cups of starter that's been stirred down.
• For the photos in this post, I halved the recipe and baked it in a 9-inch Le Creuset ovenproof skillet.
• Recipe adapted from Cultures for Health.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 366Total Fat: 18.5gSaturated Fat: 11.4gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 10g

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Updated on November 30, 2023