Upgrade your family breakfast with this decadent Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Dutch Baby – a protein-packed, delightful way to start the day!
Do you ever have those days where you cannot for the life of you think of a good breakfast? The days where the idea of eating another bowlful of yogurt (even the creamiest goat milk yogurt) or skillet of eggs feels impossible? Every so often my kitchen creativity goes on a sabbatical and the kids and I grow tired of the same old breakfasts time and again.
Cereal is expensive and devoid of real nutrition, and oatmeal or pancakes never seem to feel any of us up. So what’s a mom to do when she needs a fun breakfast that takes minimal effort and still packs a protein punch? Enter the Dutch Baby!
What is a Dutch Baby?
Dutch Baby, Puff Pancake, German Pancake, Bismarck, Popover. The list of names for this breakfast treat goes on and on. It’s a large pancake sort of creation, baked in the oven, and uses no leavening agents (such as baking powder or yeast) to achieve its signature rise.
Many parts of Europe and the U.S. have their own dishes with similar ingredients that have been around for some time, but the term “Dutch Baby” seems to have been coined by a cafe in Seattle in the early 1900’s.
What are the Ingredients in a Dutch Baby?
Ingredients in puff pancakes vary from recipe to recipe. Some are sweet, some savory, but all tend to include milk, flour, butter or oil, and lots of eggs.
My Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Dutch Baby has milk, a bit of flour (I use Kamut to keep the gluten low and make it easier to digest), several eggs, a pinch of salt, some sugar (I use sucanat for an unprocessed option. You can use cane sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup or honey if you prefer!). I also add in salt and vanilla extract, as well as the chocolate chips. Don’t forget the brown butter! Toasty and fragrant, it really adds a depth of flavor and elevates this whole breakfast.
Despite the posh appearance and flavor profile, this puff pancake is as easy as they come. All the ingredients except the butter and the chocolate chips go right into the blender. Once the butter has browned in a cast iron skillet (or glass baking dish if you don’t have cast iron), you simply pour the batter into the hot frying pan, sprinkle in the chocolate chips, and voila! In 20-30 minutes you have a fabulous breakfast hot and ready to eat.
Tips for Browning the Butter
There’s no doubt about it, the nutty, delectable taste of brown butter is a big part of what sets this Dutch Baby apart.
You’ll want to be careful as you heat your cast iron though. There’s a thin line between “brown” butter and “burnt” butter.
My tip is to warm your cast iron pan over medium heat while the oven preheats. Go ahead and blend up the batter ingredients while you wait. Once the oven is preheated and the batter is ready, drop the butter into the warm skillet and stir it gently, keeping a close eye on it as it browns. You’ll know it’s close when the butter starts to foam and a delightfully nutty, rich smell fills the air.
I find this article on browning butter to be a helpful visual. Some tips it provides to avoid burning butter are to use room temperature butter (I like Kerrygold), cut it into smaller pieces before browning, and to use a light colored pan so you can easily see when the butter is brown. I don’t personally use a light colored pan (my cast iron isn’t enameled), but I can see how it would be helpful to do so!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Dutch Baby
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole milk I use goat milk, but cow milk or nut milks will work too!
- 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour I like to use Kamut or Einkorn flour, but any all purpose flour will work.
- 3/4 cup Sugar I use sucanat (evaporated cane juice) but any sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup would work too.
- 5 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- 1 pinch Sea Salt
- 4 Tbsp Room Temperature Butter, Browned
- 3/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips I like the Enjoy Life allergen-free brand!
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Begin warming your 10" cast iron skillet up on the stovetop over medium heat. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can use any frying pan or saucepan to brown the butter, and bake the Dutch Baby in a casserole dish instead.
- Blend all of the batter ingredients (reserving the butter and chocolate chips) in a blender, or in a large bowl with a whisk. Set aside.
- Once the skillet is nice and warmed, add in the butter. Ideally it will be room temperature and cut into smaller pieces to make it easier to brown evenly. Brown the butter in the hot pan. This should take approximately 8 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it smells nutty and fragrant and the foam begins to subside. For more tips, see the recipe notes above.
- As soon as the butter is browned, pour the batter into the skillet. You'll need to do this quickly so the butter doesn't burn!
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips into the batter and butter mixture, then place the whole skillet directly into the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the dutch baby is puffy and browned on top.
- Once you pull the dutch baby out of the oven the puffy parts will begin to deflate, rather like a soufflé. You can serve the pancake as is, or sprinkle some powdered sugar across the top. For a sweeter pancake, you may serve with maple syrup, but my family finds this breakfast plenty sweet without it.
So there you have it! A fun and fancy breakfast option that takes almost no hands-on time to prepare. I love that Dutch Babies are full of a good balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fat. My kids love that it adds a little pizzaz to our morning meal. And let’s be honest – we all love that it has chocolate.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you tried it, go ahead and leave a comment and let me know what you thought. I’d love to hear how you’ve tweaked the recipe for your family’s tastes too!
If you’re looking for more farm-fresh breakfast ideas, check out my Goat Milk Yogurt recipe, or my Adaptogenic Mushroom Chai recipe for another great way to start the day. For information about dairy goats and cheesemaking, be sure to check out my other blogposts, as well as my Beyond Chèvre course!
