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A beautifully puffed sourdough German pancake topped with powdered sugar and lemon, showing its airy rise and crisp edges.

The Sourdough German Pancake

Olivia Carter
This is the puffiest, tangiest, easiest oven pancake ever. It’s got that cool sourdough thing going on, making brunch super dramatic but zero effort.
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5 minutes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Custom Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
COST About $6 to $8. A decent price for a breakfast this impressive!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, German
Keyword Best Pancake Ever, Giant Puff, Sourdough
Servings 6 hungry people
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • oven
  • Cast Iron Skillet or a regular 9x13 metal pan
  • Blender This makes it SO fast, trust me
  • Your measuring cups

Ingredients
  

  • 6 Large Eggs Use room-temp ones if you can—they puff higher! (Duck eggs = bonus points for richness!)
  • 320 g Sourdough Starter (Active) This is the star! Make sure your starter is fed and bubbly.
  • ⅓ cup Whole Milk We use less milk because the starter is already wet. Science!
  • 6 tbsp Salted Butter Salted butter is just better here. It caramelizes perfectly.
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract A tiny bit of sweetness.
  • ½ tsp Fine Salt Balances everything out.
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup Toss this in the batter—it cuts the sourdough tang just right!

Instructions
 

  • Crank the Heat & Melt : Blast your oven to 425°F. Put the 6 tbsp of butter right into your pan and slide it into the oven.
    Heating the Pan and Melting Butter
  • Blend, Baby, Blend! Throw the eggs, starter, milk, vanilla, salt, and syrup into the blender. Blend for a minute until silky smooth.
    A blender actively mixing ingredients for sourdough German pancakes, showing the vortex of the batter. This image demonstrates the process of creating a silky-smooth and aerated batter, essential for a fluffy Dutch Baby.
  • Pour Like a Boss: Pull out the sizzling hot pan. Pour the batter right over the melted butter—don’t be shy!
    A blender actively mixing ingredients for sourdough German pancakes, showing the vortex of the batter. This image demonstrates the process of creating a silky-smooth and aerated batter, essential for a fluffy Dutch Baby.
  • Patience, Padawan:Bake for 20–25 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR! Seriously, no peeking. Wait until it’s golden and looks like a ruffled masterpiece.
  • Serve NOW: Pull it out, cut it up, and load it with powdered sugar and lemon juice. Eat it while it’s hot!

Notes

  • Go Cast Iron: If you have a cast-iron skillet, use it! It holds heat better and gives you that perfect, crispy, caramelized bottom.
  • Savory Swap: Want to eat this for dinner? Skip the vanilla and syrup, add a little black pepper, and top it with melted Gruyère cheese or sautéed mushrooms when it comes out. Game changer.
  • Don't Rest the Batter: Unlike regular pancakes, this Dutch Baby batter likes to be baked right after blending. Get that air in, and get it in the oven!
 

Nerdy Nutrition (Approximate Calories)

 
Metric Amount Metric Amount
Calories 3350 kcal Sugar 5–10 g
Protein 12–15 g Sodium 350–450 mg
Total Fat 18–22 g Cholesterol 200–250 mg
Carbs 25–30 g Fiber 1–2 g