Savoury Baked Pancake (German Pancake)

An old-school recipe, this baked pancake is common in Germany and though it was often made with buckwheat flour in the past, these days it’s usually with a wheat flour. This version is made with savoury additions to the batter and toppings for a quick and easy light dinner.

You might be more familiar with Yorkshire puddings if you’re from the UK, or a Dutch baby if you’re American, and these are all in the same family of recipes. It hasn’t changed much for the last few hundred years and uses basic, easy to find ingredients. Try serving this with a green salad for a light meal or use it as a side dish.

To make a similar gluten-free pancake, follow the recipe for this German baked apple pancake and omit the apples and honey, using some kind of vegetable instead, like peppers.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Spelt flour: use plain white flour, or a mix of white and whole wheat, if preferred. See above for a gluten-free possibility.
• Eggs: three large eggs at room temperature. If you have very small (bantam) eggs, four can be used but reduce the milk by about a tablespoon.
• Oil: coconut oil works the most effectively in my experience, but does leave a slight coconut flavour. Olive oil is good and butter or ghee should also be fine.
• Milk: this can be any kind of milk, or even water in a pinch. I always use oat milk.
• Add-ins: minced garlic, dried herbs, spices like cumin seed, all very good. Vary this based on what you plan to use as a topping.

Step by Step

Step 1: beat the eggs well, then whisk in the milk.

Step 2: add the dry ingredients and whisk to remove and lumps.

Step 3: pour the batter into the preheated, oiled pan, and add toppings if desired.

Step 4: bake until golden and puffed up. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

This recipe does work in a toaster oven, but it can take a bit longer than in a standard oven. We made it every few days when we first moved to the Netherlands because we didn’t have an oven yet, and it was a cheap, easy meal. Keep in mind that if it puffs up a lot, it might touch the top of a small oven, so be sure to place it on a lower rack.

The pancake will deflate significantly when it comes out of the oven, so don’t be disappointed – it’s normal. Sometimes the middle might puff up more than the edges, or it will rise in funny places, and that’s all part of the charm.

If the pancake doesn’t puff, especially around the edges, it’s because the pan wasn’t hot enough. Make sure to give it plenty of time to pre-heat.

How to Store

Storage: the pancake can be kept in a sealed container for a day or two, but it is best served fresh.

Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Topping Suggestions

Almost any vegetable or sauce will be good here, but these are the ones we use most:

• A summer favourite is pesto swirled through the batter (after pouring it into the pan) and halved cherry tomatoes cooked into the batter
• Stir-fried broccoli with onions, or other vegetables like snap peas or asparagus added after baking
• Our carb-heavy go-to is roasted potato, cauliflower, and chickpeas (like a tray bake) on top of the baked pancake, and then topped with tahini garlic sauce
• Add fresh greens once the pancake has come out of the oven, and additionally top with a vinaigrette if you’d like

Expert Tips

• Preheat the pan: to within an inch of its life, truly, the pan must be hot for the pancake to get optimal rise. This can take a while, especially with a heavy cast iron pan. The more you make it, the better attuned to the timing needed for this you’ll be.
• Use a bowl with a spout: you want to pour the batter rather quickly, and having a spout will make this easier. A spatula to quickly scrape out any excess is good too.
• Add enough oil: if you reduce the oil in the pan – keep in mind no oil is added to the batter – the pancake will be much more likely to stick.

More Pancake Recipes

Einkorn Pancakes
Green Spinach Pancakes
Lemon Pancakes
Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes