These mini dutch pancakes are not only delicious, they are easier to make than regular pancakes! Serve with an optional warm blueberry sauce or the topping of your choice.
Why you’ll love these mini Dutch baby pancakes!
These mini Dutch pancakes are perfectly puffy, warm and custardy, mini-sized breakfast, brunch or “breakfast for dinner” treats.
Enjoy these mini Dutch babies simply with butter and maple syrup or with the optional warm Blueberry sauce or the topping of your choice.
You’ll love that these are so much easier to make than making batches of regular pancakes. Since they are all ready at the same time, everyone can eat at one time. And they take no more (or maybe less) time to make than regular pancakes (and that includes making the blueberry sauce!!).
And yes, they can be made ahead and frozen, too!
Ingredients and Substitutiond
Blueberries – you can start with either fresh or frozen blueberries for the blueberry sauce. You could also adapt this same recipe to make a strawberry or raspberry sauce, instead, if you prefer.
Lemon Juice – no worries if you don’t have a lemon handy. Simply omit.
Milk – a fuller-fat milk, such as 2-3.5% b.f., will provide a richer tasting Dutch baby. I haven’t tested these with non-dairy milks, though I suspect they would work.
All purpose flour – regular all purpose flour is all you need here. You don’t want to use self-rising flour. I haven’t tested these with gluten free flour, but I suspect a cup-for-cup GF flour may work here. In the UK, this is Plain flour, not self-raising flour.
You will also need – butter, white sugar, cornstarch, water, eggs (4), vanilla and salt.
Recipe Video
FAQ
What is a Dutch Baby pancake and is it really Dutch? A Dutch Baby is not quite a pancake and not quite a popover. It’s somewhere in between, being richer than a popover and lighter than a pancake. And no, they aren’t Dutch. Dutch Babies are just another name for German Pancakes. It’s thought that the name may have come from the word “Deutsche” meaning German, that become “Dutch” somewhere along the way.
What kind of pan can I use to bake mini Dutch Baby pancakes?
As Dutch Baby pancakes need a hot pan to rise properly, any metal muffin tin (or cast-iron muffin tin) will work fine. Silicone muffin tins are not recommended. Don’t use a popover pan, as they are too deep for these.
Can I made these gluten-free/dairy-free/vegan/sugar-free?
Readers have advised that they have had pretty good success using gluten-free flour, sugar substitutes, dairy-free milk and vegan butter, so definitely, give it a try.
Did I do something wrong? Why did my Dutch babies deflate?
No, you didn’t do anything wrong. That’s what Dutch baby pancakes do. They will deflate quite quickly once out of the oven and steam escapes. Dutch baby pancakes have a bit of a mind of their own and will bake up in all kinds of weird and wonderful shapes. It does make a nice little pocket to tuck sauces into though.
Mini Dutch Baby Topping Ideas
- I’ve included a recipe for an optional warm blueberry sauce in the Recipe Card. I sometimes stir some maple syrup in with the warm blueberry sauce, too.
- You could also make a strawberry or raspberry sauce instead, simply by substituting different fruit into that base recipe. You may want to reduce the sugar just a tad for the sweeter berries.
- Spoon fresh fruit on them! Think fresh strawberries with a dollop of whipped cream (or maybe Nutella™)!
- Try spooning a little lemon curd onto them, maybe with some fruit, too. This would be perfect option for a special Spring or Easter brunch!
- For the Fall and Winter, try sauteeing some apple or banana with brown sugar and butter and spooning on top of warm pancakes.
- And of course, these mini Dutch pancakes are also lovely enjoyed simply, with just butter and maple syrup!
Making ahead, storing and freezing
These mini Dutch babies can be made ahead and reheated. To reheat, place frozen or refrigerated dutch babies on a baking sheet and placed a piece of aluminum foil loosely over-top. Placed in a 350F. oven until warmed through, about 10-15 minutes.
Store left-overs in an airtight container or storage bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Freeze these Dutch babies in an airtight container or freezer bag up to 2 months.
You can re-heat the blueberry sauce in the microwave or a small saucepan.
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Get the Recipe: Mini Dutch Pancakes with Warm Blueberry Sauce
Ingredients
Warm Blueberry Sauce (optional):
- 3 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 teaspon lemon juice, optional
Pancake Batter:
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or 1/8 tsp. fine salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to just warm
For the pan:
- 2 Tablespoon butter, melted
For garnish:
- Icing/confectioner’s sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Place a 12-cup or two 6-cup muffin pan in the oven and preheat oven to 425° (with muffin tins in oven).
- Tip! You will need 4 Tbsp of melted butter total – 2 Tbsp. for the batter and 2 Tbsp for the pan. Melt it all at the start, measure out the 2 Tbsp for the batter and set to cool, then reserve the remainder to grease the pan. Just be careful you only put 2 Tbsp of it into the batter!
- Meanwhile, make the pancake batter. Melt the 2 Tbsp. butter and set aside to cool to just warm. Add the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt and blend to combine. Add the cooled butter and mix in until frothy. *Make sure your butter isn't hot when adding to the blender, or it will cook the eggs! Leave the batter in the blender while you start the blueberry sauce. *You can also use a food processor or an immersion blender in a large bowl here, if you don't have a blender.
- In a small saucepan, combine the blueberry sauce ingredients. Place on stove-top over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce thickens, 3-5 minutes. Turn heat off and leave on stove.
- When oven is pre-heated, melt the second 2 Tbsp. butter. Remove hot tins from oven and quickly brush bottoms and sides of pan with melted butter. Turn blender on for a few seconds to re-mix batter, then quickly pour in to hot muffin cups, dividing equally between 12 cups, filling about 1/2-2/3 full.
- Place in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until puffy and deep golden brown colour. Meanwhile, turn the heat on under blueberry sauce to re-heat.
- When cooked, remove the Dutch babies from the oven (pancakes will quickly deflate). Remove pancakes to serving plates right after taking from the oven and spoon warm blueberry sauce over. Garnish with powdered sugar. *Don' t let the Dutch babies sit in the muffin cups too long, as they can become soggy from the trapped steam. If not enjoying right away or you have more than you will eat right away, remove them to a wire rack to cool.
- Store left-over Dutch babies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. These mini dutch baby pancakes freeze well, as does the blueberry sauce. To re-heat, simply place frozen (or refrigerated) dutch babies on a baking sheet and loosely cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Place into pre-heated 350 oven until warmed through, 10-15 minutes. Sauce can be re-heated in microwave or a small saucepan.
Notes
More Mini Dutch Pancake Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
These look so yummy and I can’t wait to try the recipe! Do you think I could substitute almond milk? We have some lactose free family members. Thank you!
Hi Natalie, I haven’t tested it, but I feel like it should be ok. Let me know how it works!
Have been obsessed with Dutch babies recently so I was excited to fine this recipe and discover that you can make them in a muffin tin. Would be so much easier to share among a crowd (or kids) than the full sized version I’m used to making in a cast iron. SO EASY and they taste great! Thanks for sharing!! I topped mine with a blueberry/strawberry quickjam plus a sweet cream cheese mixture (with a little vanilla and icing sugar) – they reminded me of a fresh cheese danish.
Sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed them :) Thanks.
Would a silicone muffin pan work? That’s all we have currently 😑
Hi Keshia, I have not tried it, but I feel like it won’t be ideal. The heat-retention of the metal muffin pans is important for the rising. I think :) I could be wrong. You might be better off using one larger, metal pan to make a large dutch pancake. An 8 or 9-inch round cake pan or a small skillet would work well.
We went with a cast iron pan and it worked well! 🙌🏽
Glad to hear :) Thanks so much!
In which order to you combine the pancake ingredients?
Hi Hannah, it is all going to get blended up, so it really doesn’t matter. Best advice is to add them as they are listed in the ingredients.
Delicious!! So easy to make!
So glad you enjoyed them :) Thanks so much!
Sometimes mine turn out beautiful, but more often they don’t puff at all and I am left with little hockey pucks. I can’t tell that I’m doing anything differently. Any guidance?
Hi Amy, if you use the same ingredients, mixed in the same way and baked in the same pan every time, they would always come out the same way. So, I guess I’m thinking something is different between the batches that work and the ones that don’t. You’ll just have to figure out what that is to fix it :)
These are so delicious. A new Saturday morning favorite for my young boys. I make them in the food processor and they turn out perfectly. The blueberry sauce is so easy & tops them off just right.
So happy to hear, Molly! Thanks so much :)
Hi, can this be made with a non-stick cupcake pan?
Hi Nina, I have never made these in non-stick but I believe it should work fine as long as the pans can take the higher heat.
Thank you for the quick reply. Can’t wait to try this recipe 😊
EXCELLENT! Came out perfect, so easy and so much faster than traditional pancakes. New family favorite!
So glad to hear, Jill! Thanks :)
These are great, everyone gets their own, or two, dutch baby. Making them again for Sunday brunch, fresh fruit and mimosas.
Thanks
Thanks Pauline! So glad you are enjoying them :)
Tastes awesome! You can defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in a toaster oven. Makes a quick breakfast for school days. Thanks!
I made this for my 7 year old son to eat for breakfast throughout the week. They were easy to make, delicious and so darn cute!
Such a perfect breakfast! So glad you are all enjoying them and yes, they are so darn cute, aren’t they? :)
Making these for the B&B I work at. They are beautiful, light and delicious! The hot metal tin is essential to the success of the “babies”. I found I needed more than the 1 1/2 T of blueberry sauce sauce from the recipe to achieve the “look” of your pics. I also added a dollop of whipped cream and a spring of fresh mint to dress it up. A side of scrambled eggs with sunny paris seasoning made it complete. Can’t wait to try the eggs Benedict version. Thanks so much Jennifer for the great recipes and inspiration.
Hi Lorie and thanks so much. So glad you are enjoying these! And yes, for photos, I tend to add more sauce than I normally would :) Love your addition of whipped cream and mint. Must be so pretty on the plate!
I can’t find the Eggs Benedict version! I love Dutch Babies, have made them for years served with generous squeezings of lemon and a dusting of powdered sugar. That’s the way I was introduced to them. Try it for a light, oh so fresh take.
Now….please share that Benedict. ;)
Here you go, Daphne :) Enjoy! https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/eggs-benedict-dutch-baby/
Made these 2 weeks ago. My husband was sad I only have time to make 1 recipe an my 5 yr old boy said ‘Mommy I want these every day for breakfast please…. ‘
Definitely something I will be making a lot in our household.
Love the blender method and it’s just delicious & light.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
So glad you all enjoyed them, Sandrine! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know :)
If not making the blueberry sauce, should I still let the batter sit for several minutes? Or would it be ready to go right away?
Hi Mimi, I would let it sit 10 minutes, then re-blend and use. It may be good to go right away, but I often see where they let batters like this sit a bit, so that’s why I’d suggest that.
Hi, can this be made with a non-stick cupcake pan?
They look superb, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing. I don’t suppose the same trick can be used for silicone muffin cups, right?
Hi Doti, I’ve never tried these in silicone, but you certainly wouldn’t be able to pre-heat it (no point in that :) I believe that hot pan in contact with the batter, adds to the rise/puffiness of the pancakes, so I suspect that part would suffer without metal. That said, if silicone is all you have, I’d give it a go, just to know. Maybe try a half-recipe? If you try it, let me know how it works!