Fresh Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby

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.

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.

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