If you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast that’s also nourishing and fun, this gluten-free Dutch baby pancake is one that everyone is sure to gobble up.
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Finding delicious breakfast options that avoid highly processed or sugary foods that your kids will love can be a challenge! That’s why this gluten-free Dutch baby is a family favorite and no-brainer in our breakfast lineup.
I love this one because it is made primarily of eggs. So, you are getting in all the awesome micronutrients, protein, and fats that eggs offer. Plus, when packaged in the super fun form of a puffy pancake, it feels way more exciting than a plate full of scrambled eggs.
What is a Dutch Baby Pancake?
Also known as a German pancake, a Dutch baby is an oven-baked pancake made of eggs, flour, and milk. It is especially known for how it puffs up while cooking so that when you pull it out of the oven you have a billowing pancake that always receives lots of excited “woah’s!”
Gluten-free Dutch babies have a flaky outside, while the inside is smooth and delightful, not eggy, with more of a custardy interior.
What Causes A Dutch Baby Pancake to Poof?
The notorious poof of the Dutch Baby is caused by steam being trapped inside the pancake. Within a few minutes of coming out of the oven, it will collapse or flatten. The steam is created by two important factors necessary in creating the best gluten-free puff pancakes:
1. A hot pan. It’s important to pour batter into a hot skillet. Therefore, when you are preheating your oven to 400°F to cook your Dutch baby, place your pan in the oven as well. You’ll want to have it preheating for at least 10 minutes to ensure that it is plenty hot to achieve lots of steam and maximum poof.
2. A well-aerated batter. Creating a batter with a lot of air will give room for the steam to create its signature rise in your gluten free dutch baby. This can be done several ways from heavy whisking in a large bowl, to using a stand mixer, food processor, blender, or immersion blender. After combining all of the ingredients, mix, mix, mix them up to allow as much air as possible to enter the batter.
Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Recipe
Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/3 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca flour/starch
¼ cup coconut flour
1 cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ cup fat for greasing the pan* (butter, coconut oil, or leaf lard)
Directions:
1. Spoon ¼ cup of fat on your pan and place it in the hot oven. Turn oven to 400°F to preheat.
2. Add wet ingredients (eggs, milk) to mixing bowl** and whisk vigorously. The more mixing, the more air, which means more poof!
3. Whisk in dry ingredients (arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt) until clumps are removed.
4. Pour batter into HOT 12” cast iron pan or 9×13 baking dish.
5. Bake at 400°F for 20 min until golden brown on top.
*Don’t skimp on the fat here. It will help the Dutch baby not stick and create a better final product.
**If using blender, wet and dry ingredients can be added together and blended thoroughly in place of mixing bowls.
Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Tips and Questions
What do you cook your Dutch baby in?
We love cooking this German pancake recipe in a 12” cast iron skillet. Alternatively, a 9×13 baking dish or similar-sized casserole dish would also work. A pie plate or dish with a shorter rim will likely not contain the massive puff!
How to serve a gluten-free Dutch baby?
We normally serve this either by 1) smothering it with butter and finishing it with a drizzle of maple syrup, 2) topping it with fresh fruit or fresh berries when in season, or 3) making a fruit jam or puree from frozen berries in the winter. On special occasions, we bust out the whipped cream for an extra special treat. Pair it with a side of bacon or maybe some yogurt and breakfast is served.
Why gluten free?
While our family does not strictly follow a gluten/grain-free diet and will occasionally include sourdough or einkorn flour, we do incorporate a lot of gluten-free meals. We enjoy them just as much and are left with a less heavy feeling after eating. This recipe is gluten and grain-free and uses a combination of coconut flour and arrowroot starch or tapioca starch in place of regular flour.
I’ve found that the combination of these two ingredients creates a much better texture than if you used just one or the other. Almond flour and cassava flour can also be gluten-free substitutes, though ratios may change slightly.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes! While we use whole cow’s milk for this recipe, you could easily substitute your milk of choice with no problems. This can include coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, and others.
Looking for more nourishing breakfast recipes? Check out our soaked baked oatmeal, crockpot yogurt, or potato crusted quiche.
Gluten Free Dutch Baby Pancake
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
If you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast that’s also nourishing and fun, this gluten-free Dutch baby pancake is one that everyone is sure to gobble up.
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1/3 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca flour/starch
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup fat for greasing the pan* (butter, coconut oil, or leaf lard)
Instructions
1. Spoon ¼ cup of fat on your pan and place it in the hot oven. Turn oven to 400°F to preheat.
2. Add wet ingredients (eggs, milk) to mixing bowl** and whisk vigorously. The more mixing, the more air, which means more poof!
3. Whisk in dry ingredients (arrowroot starch, coconut flour, salt) until clumps are removed.
4. Pour batter into HOT 12” cast iron pan or 9x13 baking dish.
5. Bake at 400°F for 20 min until golden brown on top.
Notes
*Don’t skimp on the fat here. It will help the Dutch baby not stick and create a better final product.
**If using blender, wet and dry ingredients can be added together and blended thoroughly in place of mixing bowls.
