A Dutch Baby delivers the goodness of pancakes without patiently tending the griddle. This recipe is adapted from the "Joy of Cooking - All About Breakfast & Brunch" and makes one 10-inch pancake. I've included a variation for a 12-inch version in the Notes below. Serve the Dutch Baby with your favorite pancake fixings. My go-to is sautéed apples with maple syrup, maybe a side of breakfast sausage.
Position oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Add milk, flour, sugar, eggs, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk well to make a smooth batter.
On the stove top, melt the butter over low to medium heat in a 10-inch ovenproof pan. Tilt the pan so butter coats entire bottom and a bit up the sides.
Pour the batter into the pan. Give the pan a gentle shake to evenly distribute the batter. Don't worry about any butter that pooled up and over the batter.
Transfer the pan to center rack in the oven and bake 12 - 15 minutes until pancake is set, puffed, and golden brown around the edge. Admire the beautiful puff before it quickly deflates soon after removal from the oven. Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe requires an ovenproof pan. My preference is cast iron.
I've called for 2 to 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, but you can use up to 4 Tbsp unsalted butter for a more buttery Dutch Baby. I prefer to use less butter for the Dutch Baby because I typically serve with butter-sautéed apple slices (1 large apple, sliced into wedges, sautéed in 1 or 2 Tbsp butter till soft and browned to your liking).
For a larger 12-inch Dutch Baby to better serve 4 people, use a 12-inch ovenproof pan and adjust the ingredients as follows: 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar, 3 large eggs, 1/8 tsp Kosher salt, 3 - 4 Tbsp unsalted butter. Bake time remains 12 - 15 minutes.