I bet you when you think of an apple dutch baby the word ‘easy’ doesn’t come to mind. I have one kid that always wants to order one when we go out for breakfast, and every single time there is ‘allow for 30 mins cooking time’ next to apple dutch baby, which invokes an immediate ‘NO f’ing way’ from me.

But through my desire to use up all of my apples from our apple orchard family day, I have started making these – A LOT. Turns out easy apple dutch baby really can be a thing. Maybe it does really take 30 mins start to finish, but when you’re at home who really gives a shit on the time…30 minutes does not seem that long.

Where’d they come up with that name?

So apple dutch baby’s are simutaneously called dutch baby and German pancakes – and I have no idea why they are called either. According to wikipedia – the all knowing internet encyclopedia – they originated in Seattle.

How is it different than regular pancakes?

Dutch baby’s are baked in the oven not on a stovetop like a traditional American pancake. They are baked in a cast iron and never flipped like pancakes. You slice them up like a pie, which, if you have a large enough cast iron, makes them good for a family breakfast.

I think the best description of one is kind of like a sweet Yorkshire pudding or a clafoutis. It is definitely more eggy than pancake-y. And I would not recommend trying to sell this as ‘just like a pancake’ to a kid, because it is not. Tell your kids your taking a trip around the world instead…getting all exotic and shit on them (if you are American).

What do I need for it?

This apple dutch baby is easy mainly because it require things you likely have at home already:

Flour
eggs
milk
sugar
salt
cinnamon
butter
apples

See? Easy

Syrup on this?

Ok so here is one thing you may not have, but is also totally optional…yeah you can totally use maple syrup, the first two recipes I tried of this we all drizzled with syrup and it was lovely.

But by the third and fourth try (recipe testing is real), I did something more awesome. I took a cup of the apple cider we also got at the orchard, and reduced the f–k out of it to create a cider caramel syrup to drizzle on this and OH MY GOD. If you have apple cider in your fridge DO THIS! It was not too sweet and added the perfect extra apple punch in the face you never knew you wanted. I mean, really it could not be easier too – no extra sugar, just natural cider turned magical.

Easy apple dutch baby

Ingredients

For the apple dutch baby

4 eggs room temperature
¾ cup whole milk room temperature
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar totally leave this out if you are anti sugar for breakfast - I have left it out plenty of times
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large apple cored and sliced ¼” thick (I don't peel my apples, I like the bit of texture the skin on gives, peel tho if you don't)
1 teaspoon brown sugar

For the cider caramel syrup

1 cup apple cider

Instructions

For the cider caramel caramel syrup

Bring the cup of cider to a vigorous boil in a havy bottomed small sauce pan. Cook until reduced by at least half, maybe two-thrids, depending on how thick you like your syrup. Remove from heat. Note: You can use right away or make ahead of time and store in a container in the fridge.

For the apple dutch baby

Heat your oven to 425. Heat your cast iron skillet over medium heat and melt two tablespoons of the butter and the brown sugar together. Add your apple slices and gently cook until the apple are slightly sofetened, I'd say five minutes tops. Remove the apples from the skillet and wipe it out - DO NOT WASH - with a paper towel. Add the last two tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt and swirl around the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
While the apples are cooking, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, sugar, salt and cinnamon until smooth. You want a nice thin batter, almost like crepe batter. Make sure to do this while the apples are cooking, and not after. You want a solidly hot cast iron skillet when you pour this into it.
Put the apple back into the pan, in the center and pour the batter over and around the apples. Immediately put in the oven - middle rack if you can. bake this about 15 minutes. Check after 12 minutes, it should be puffing up around the edges and browned, but the center should still look like a custard with apples. Always takes15 minutes for me.
Remove from oven and drizzle with that glorious cider caramel syrup. Slice up and enjoy!