Fresh Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby
By Alexandra Stafford
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Last Updated: 12/23/2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Made with fresh lemon zest and sweet blueberries, this Dutch baby recipe has become an Alexandra’s Kitchen community favorite! The batter comes together in no time, and 15 minutes later it’s done. Many readers have had success using frozen blueberries as well as gluten-free flour. See comments below!
Last week, in my newsletter, I mentioned a high-protein pancake I couldn’t wait to share with you. This is not that. This is a lemon-blueberry variation of my favorite apple Dutch baby recipe, a low-lift, high-return breakfast treat I’ve been loving: it feeds four comfortably and takes no time to whip together.
A Dutch baby, if you are unfamiliar, is like a cross between a popover and a pancake: it rises dramatically in the oven, then collapses upon removal. It’s custardy in texture, not fluffy like traditional pancakes, a consistency created not only by the high ratio of eggs in the batter, but also by the absence of any leavening agent — the water in the eggs, milk, and butter in combination with the hot skillet cause the batter to rise in the oven.
If you’ve never made a Dutch baby, I think it’s time to try. Every time I make one, I feel extreme joy when I open the oven door to find the pancake towering above the rim of the cast iron skillet. I know it’s science, but it still feels magical.
While you can make Dutch babies without any fruit, I love the sweet-tart flavors they impart, and lemon + blueberry is never a bad idea. The blueberries have been particularly good in recent weeks, but you can use any berry in their place, and as the months move on, peaches and other stone fruit will work beautifully, too.
And if you love the lemon-blueberry combo, you must try these lemon-blueberry muffins and these lemon-blueberry scones and this lemon-blueberry quick bread.
How to Make a Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: flour, milk, salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, butter, and blueberries.
Place all of the ingredients, with the exception of the blueberries and 2 tablespoons of the butter, in a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the blueberries, give them a shake, then…
… immediately pour in the batter and…
… transfer to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and …
… dust with powdered sugar if you wish.
Cut and serve…
… with maple syrup if you wish.
Fresh Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Adapted from an apple version of a recipe that appeared in Gourmet many years ago now.
Cranberry Variation: Use 1.5 cups cranberries in place of the blueberries and use the zest of one orange in place of the lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup (125 g) whole or 2% milk
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- the zest of one lemon
- 1 cup (154 g) blueberries
- Confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet over low heat on your stovetop. Keep it over low heat while you prepare the batter.
- Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet, then transfer to a blender. Add the milk, flour, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest, and blend until smooth. (Do not skip this step — the batter will be lumpy if you do.)
- Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the cast iron skillet. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Let the butter melt, add the blueberries, and give the skillet a shake. Immediately pour the batter over the blueberries and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.
- Remove pan from the oven, and dust with confectioners sugar, if you wish. Cut and serve immediately with maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
585 Comments on “Fresh Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby”
I have made this several times, but I omit the lemon, as I don’t enjoy lemon in my baked goods. My toddler gets this whenever she asks for cake, and she loves it. I sub fresh blueberries for frozen. I just eyeball the butter measurements. I use unbleached flour. I doubled the recipe today, with zero issues. My ingredients are never room temperature.
Great to hear, Sara! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes 🙂
Just delicious, the lemon zest and blueberries are such a classic pairing. So 😋
Great to hear! Thanks for writing 🙂
I’ve been making this for breakfast for years now. So good! I use a 12 inch skillet and I 1 1/2 the recipe. When my daughter is around–she has Celiac–I use almond flour. I’ve been substituting honey for the sugar these days, and it still comes out out great. I’ve noticed that the skillet you use matters. I once tried to make it in a copper skillet, but the cast iron is a better vessel, either with enamel or not. Thank you for this recipe. A go-to in our home.
Great to hear, Deb! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes — I do think the pan matters as well. Great to hear almond flour works well for a gluten-free option.
Deb …. Do you use Almond flour, cup for cup, in this recipe?
I would love to try and make this on our camping trip (day before). Can I blend the Ingredients ahead of time and bake it in a covered BBQ? In my head, I’m thinking it should work. I have fresh apricots that I’d like to add instead of, or maybe with the blueberries as both are in season right now
Hi! I think this could work… definitely re-whisk it before baking it. Apricots sound lovely. I have no idea how it will look in the end, but my guess is that it will still be very tasty even if you don’t get quite the dramatic rise.
Do you think I can half the recipe and put in a small cast iron skillet
Worth a shot! You might not get quite as dramatic a rise in the oven, but it will still be delicious 🙂
I made this dairy free with oat milk and dairy free butter and it came out perfect. I will make this again. You never know if it will turn out right when you do dairy free.
Great to hear, Erica! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this 🙂
Delicious! I’ve made this a couple of times, including today, with blackberries and raspberries and it comes out very tasty! Going to try different fruits in the future.
Great to hear! Thanks for writing 🙂
I have never had a Dutch Baby before, so it was nice to stumble across your recipe. Interesting process for making this dessert, and not too difficult. I would love to give your recipe a try, especially after picking blueberries in the summer.
I’ve made this twice so far, the only difference is I didn’t have lemon zest on hand and instead of using a blender, I mix and whisked everything with a fork. Why doesn’t the texture come out as sliced custard? Instead it looks like thin bread or naan flat bread.
I think using a blender will really help whip more air into the eggs, which will in turn help the Dutch baby rise in the oven and create that custardy texture. Are you noticing any rise on the Dutch baby when it’s in the oven? It collapses when it comes out of the oven, but you should definitely be getting some lift.
It does puff up in the oven and then deflates during cooling or as soon as the door opens. While baking, it rises about 2 inches above the edges of the cast iron pan. I’m going to try blending it next time!
OK, great. Yeah, try the blender next time 🙂