I’m Chinese, born in Hong Kong. My husband, Scott, is Scottish-German, born in Buffalo, New York. Boy oh boy, our kids are insanely lucky! Not only do they get red envelopes full of money during Chinese New Year, but they also score big time on Halloween, Lunar Festival, Christmas, birthdays, Dragon Festival and Easter.
Neither Scott nor I are overly religious (meaning, if I was in deep-shit, praying “Dear God” probably wouldn’t get past His screener.) We decided early on that perhaps we could skirt around the religious aspect of holidays and Sundays by creating meaning through special family rituals that we celebrated when we were kids. For example, hand-knitting our Christmas stockings, eating long-life noodles for birthdays and baking pumpkin-shaped cookies from a cutter made by PaPa.
Family traditions, passed on from generation to generation are more meaningful than just chocolate Easter bunnies, a Santa who picks the lock at our front door and prancing around the neighborhood dressed as Elvis or Elvira.
Our little kids, who are 2 1/2 years old and 4 years old, don’t fully understand the meaning of “tradition” quite yet, but they know that every Sunday morning is reserved for German Oven Pancakes. It’s an incredibly easy recipe that even the youngest can help out with. Go ahead, ditch the electric mixer and make this by hand in a big glass bowl and a whisk.
Instead of cooking individual pancakes on the stovetop, the entire batch of batter bakes in a skillet. Since our kids make the whole thing – from beginning to end, we really never know what shape will emerge- sometimes the German Oven Pancake is flat with a high curved edge, sometimes it has puffs, valleys and crevices perfect for hiding chocolate chips.
We all gather in front of the oven window and watch the German Oven Pancake rise and form. The edges are light and crisp, perfectly browned. We usually top it with in season fruits, slather it with whipped cream and eat it right out of the skillet, tearing pieces with our hands. My older son, Andrew, loves the golden edges while Nathan goes straight for the soft pillows in the middle. It’s our Sunday morning family tradition and hopefully, it will be one that will be passed on for many more generations to come.
Straight out of the oven: it can come out with a giant puff in the middle:
or a German Oven Pancake with really super-high sides:
but either way, the German Oven Pancake is really YUMMY!
PrintGerman Oven Pancakes Recipe
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, sifted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Preheat oven to 450F. If you have a convection oven, set it at 425F – the pancakes rise even higher on the convection setting.
Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, melted butter, salt and sugar. Gradually add flour to egg mixture, a spoonful at a time. Have your child help you by spooning the flour in while you whisk by hand. Make sure the flour is well incorporated in the batter with no lumps, but do not over-mix, as you want to keep the pancake light.
Lightly spray a 9″-11″ oven-safe skillet with cooking spray. Pour batter in the skillet. Bake 12-18 minutes, just until the edges are golden. Check your pancake at the 12 minute mark. It’s fun to turn on the oven light and watch the pancake form!
Note: Try experimenting with different pans and skillets – just as long as you use something at least 9″ wide and oven-safe. You could also divide the batter into two smaller pans and have them bake side by side and see which one rises higher. Just make sure that your oven rack is in the middle position or lower. Top with fruit granola, yogurt, powdered sugar, syrup, toasted almonds or fruit butters. Drizzle with caramel, chocolate syrup, honey or maple syrup.
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Other recipes that my kids love:
The Perfect Loaf of French Bread
Baby Back Ribs with Asian Orange Ginger Glaze
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Look who won the Szechuan Peppercorn contest!
LPC- email me your address! jan (at) steamykitchen (dot) com
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MrsHBT- Oh wow, those are your initials! LOL!
Kitt- I hope that my cast iron skillet gets passed down too. My mom didn’t have one but she has a beloved wok that I am eyeing!!!
When I was getting ready to move to South Dakota, Mom came out of the house with the pan and gave it to me. I will always remember that moment, because I know how reluctant she was to part with it, and I hadn’t so much as hinted that I wanted it. It never occurred to me that she would give it up. That makes it even more special.
But she can still come visit it! I cook for her with it when she does.
Gasp! Those handsome stud muffins are going to be lady-killers when they grow up!
Sorryyyyy, when I looked at your cute lil’ boys, I forgot about your pancakesssss hehehe
! i made these today! they’re just so yummy. i slathered a honey-cream cheese spread and strawberry sauce all over them…. delicious! especially with pineapples and strawberries!
I make something similar but cook fruit with it. First, in the same oven-safe pan — I have a well seasoned cast iron one — I melt some butter and add a few tablespoons of brown sugar and some (1 cup?) fruit — pitted cherries, peaches, apples, canned fruit cocktail — almost anything. And sometimes nuts and some cinnamon or vanilla or lemon. Just saute it for a few minutes while you mix the batter and then pour it over the top. My pan is great and it doesn’t stick, even with the sugar and fruit. Yum. I am so glad I started making this because it is delicious and very fast and easy.
I love all these different ideas and variations that y’all are suggesting! We’ll do one with honey and some cherries this weekend.
I don’t know why I keep reading this damn blog of yours.
Your are going to increase my grocery bill as well as the pounds on my scale.
Most unappreciated!
YES, I am still going to devour that damn pancake – – real friggin nice – stop badgering me.
My grandmother is from Germany and this is one of the more famous and favorite breakfasts she makes.
Normally, the toppings are simply powdered sugar, a little butter, and fresh lemon from her lemon tree.
One time, though, she made plum syrup. I don’t think I’d like another breakfast food more that this pancake with plum syrup. If you can find it, Alaskan Salmonberry syrup is also very very good.
One funny thing is that this pancake is so eagerly eaten, we don’t cook it in anything smaller than a 9×13 casserole dish. Not quite sure what in the recipe changes for this size of pan, but we still get it to rise to an awe-inspiring size. My sister makes it when she has friends stay the night, just because it is so surprising to see after it’s all cooked up. Bravo for spreading the word of the German Puff Pancake (That’s what Oma calls it, anyway!)
Oh my! My mother used to call this oven surprise. It was my favorite breakfast treat growing up. I completely forgot about it. Thank you for reminding me of my own family traditions.
I make these too, every chance I get
But I usually slice up some apples very thin and fry them in some butter and cinnamon while the pancake is cooking to put on them. Also, I don’t have an oven-proof skillet, so I use a glass pie dish.
Oh, and if you want it to stay poofy in the middle instead of deflating; leave it in after it’s done and just crack the door a bit when you turn the oven off. You have to wait a bit before you can take it out, but it’s kind of pretty that way too. Although I’ll admit I don’t often have the patience to wait
I put mine in a flower shaped Casserole dish, it turned out well, but next time I will divide the batter up more, the bottom was a little thick. It looked very pretty, the egg rose up the side, and it ended up looking like a baseball mitt! ^_^ yay! and also I didn’t have a sifter, but it still turned out ok…sifter is on my Christmas list.
I can’t wait to make these again,
Amy
Jaden your 2 boys are absolutely adorable. Dont u wish they always remain young and little and never grow up. Love the pancake , actually saw someone else make it and link it back to you. This is defi a bookmark.
In the part of California where I lived for a time they called these Dutch Oven Pancakes as a previous poster mentioned. But, almost as well known were individual pancakes called “Dutch Babies”. Same sorts of toppings with the powdered sugar and lemon thought to be the most authentic.
Your kids are too cute! I have never tried German Oven Pancakes but they look wonderful and filling it with fruit makes them even healthier! I always try to include my 4 yr old when cooking and baking. I believe that in these days of processed foods its very important to teach kids the value of healthy versus “out of the box” and easy. Not only are you establishing a family tradition and wonderful memories you are teaching your children early kitchen skills. Kudos to you!
just made the german oven pancake, just a big problem. I eat 3/4 of it by myself with fresh fruit, dont have to tell you how good it was,
Thank Jaden for your great recipes and for the boy’s to teach us how.
Awesome with Nutella, but I recommend lining the pan with parchment. Even with a coat of spray, the bottom stuck.
I had this bookmarked for over a year and FINALLY we made them today. DELICIOUS as it look!
These pancakes look delicious! And the recipe seems easy to follow. Thanks!
I love the pancake! I have made a few and was in love with your photos. I started making the pancake and then noticed there wasn’t a flour amount. How much flour do you add to your recipe?
OMG!!! I just made this and it was absolutely amazing!!! My figure is going to kill you!
Thanks again.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write. Your comments and feedback are always appreciated. : )
I have just found you on the net while looking for baby eggplant recipes but re the German Pancakes…they are also called Dutch Baby
and can be served with a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice and granulated sugar…heaven!! I do like your idea of the fruit filling too. Either way…YUM!! Your children are adorable and the pics are great. thanks.
Like to try a savoury version? Make a “white sauce”–I usually use 1 Tbsp. butter:2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour:1 cup milk, plus minced onion, salt and pepper and get a speckled sauce. Check refrigerator for left-over vegetables,”not enough” cooked chicken,ham,etc.–or cook some up fresh. Cut into small pieces and add to the sauce and heat, adding seasonings to taste. Make puff pancake, omitting sugar, baking in smaller casseroles or pans for individual servings if you wish. Add vegetables to serve. “Looks like you tried,” as Peg Bracken would say, and tastes good, too.
fab idea!
Everyone is “religious” it just depends on what you are a slave to..yourself and your desires or pursuits in life or a true spiritual being. I hope your boys turn out to see and learn about a better meaning and purpose to life than what you are teaching them.
Leilani- I don’t understand why you consider traditions and something we cherish together as a family as meaningless. I feel sorry for your spiritless soul. ~jaden
While you still have breath, may you find the truth and grace in Christ.
ahhhh.. in my family they are called Big Dutch Babies….and what you are missing out on is a less healthy version which calls for a 1/4 cup of butter to be thrown into the pan in the oven while heating up. the end result is a salty sweet explosion of flavour with little salty crispy brown bits on top, a christmas morning tradition which has leaked into the rest of the year.yum.
oh and you eat it with your bacon on top and put however much pure maple syrup you want…no judgements.. christmas morning tradition also dictates that it is served with some nicely browned cornmeal back bacon…but no one eats the cornmeal.it just looks pretty.
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