A vegan-friendly version of a traditionally non-vegan dessert. This vegan dutch baby pancake with raspberries calls for seven basic ingredients and 20 minutes of prep time, for a quick sweet breakfast even when you’re strapped for time.
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🥞 What Is a Dutch Baby Pancake?
A Dutch baby pancake, also known as a German pancake, a Bismarck or a Dutch puff, is a thick, fluffy, oven-baked pancake that typically calls for butter, eggs, milk, flour and sugar. Traditionally, there are no chemical leavening ingredients, such as baking powder, required, with eggs acting as the primary raising agent.
However, with ingredients like butter, milk and eggs, a classic Dutch baby pancake couldn’t be further from being vegan. Until now, that is. Keep on reading to find out how I took on the challenge of making a vegan German oven pancake.
🧡 Why You Will Love This Recipe
This Dutch baby pancake recipe is:
- Vegan – egg-free and dairy-free.
- Soy-free – made without silken tofu.
- Made without aquafaba – a common egg replacement in vegan recipes.
- Soft, thick and fluffy.
- Healthier than regular pancakes.
🥣 Ingredients You Will Need to Make a Vegan Dutch Baby Pancake
- Coconut oil – Fat is used as the base layer on top of which you pour the batter. You can also substitute it with vegan butter.
- Plant-based milk – Any kind of plant milk will work, such as soy, almond, oat, cashew or hemp. I like to use almond milk in this recipe, as it doesn’t have a strong flavour.
- Flax meal – To make flax eggs, which are used to replace regular eggs in the recipe. Adding flax eggs or flax meal to vegan desserts is an easy way to achieve that egg-like texture, and benefit from a healthy dose of omega-3 fats at the same time.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works best in this recipe. If you’re using whole wheat flour or buckwheat flour, the pancake won’t be as soft and fluffy. I haven’t tested it with a gluten-free flour mix, but it might work.
- Sugar – To sweeten the batter. You can also omit sugar if you prefer the pancake less sweet.
- Vanilla extract – Optional, but it adds a nice aroma.
- Fresh raspberries – You can add some fresh raspberries to the batter. Don’t use frozen raspberries, as they release too much juice and can cause the pancake to be soggy in the middle.
🗒️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Heat coconut oil in a cast iron skillet.
Place one tablespoon of coconut oil in a 9" cast iron skillet and set it in the oven while preheating it to 400°F (200°C).
Step Two: Prepare flax eggs.
In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of flax meal with ¾ cup (180ml) of warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it thickens. Use it to replace 4 eggs.
Step Three: Prepare the batter.
Pour the milk, flax eggs, vanilla, sugar and flour in a blender, and blend until smooth. Let the batter sit for 15-20 minutes.
Step Four: Assemble and bake the pancake.
Remove the skillet from the oven. Handle it carefully, as it's hot! Pour the batter in the skillet, then arrange fresh raspberries on top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the pancake is set in the middle and the edges are very puffy and golden brown. Let the pancake sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.
💡 Pro Tips for Success
- Make sure you’ve preheated the oven long enough before baking.
- Don’t open the oven while it’s baking to keep the temperature consistent.
- You need to pour the batter into a very hot skillet. This allows the middle of the pancake to bake through and also makes the sides of the pancake curl up at the edges of the skillet.
- Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Do NOT bake this on the fan-forced setting. Use conventional setting if using an oven with both options. Baking this with the fan on can cause the edges of the pancake to become burnt while the middle remains undercooked.
- It’s best to use a cast iron skillet. If your baking tin is thicker or non-stick, this can cause the batter not to cook properly.
- I don't recommend using frozen raspberries. They release more liquid than fresh raspberries, which can make the middle of the pancake soggy.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
🫐 Recommended Toppings
Fresh berries, powdered sugar, lemon juice and maple syrup are all great choices. Because this pancake already has some raspberries in the batter, I highly recommend topping it with an extra dose of fresh raspberries.
💬 Vegan Dutch Baby FAQs
This Dutch baby pancake is best when served fresh. If you have any leftovers, you can store it in the fridge for a day or two, but the texture will change.
The most common reasons for this are:
- The oven wasn’t heated to the right temperature.
- The skillet with coconut oil wasn’t hot enough when you poured in the batter. This can happen if you don’t preheat the oven long enough, or if you remove the skillet too soon before you’re ready to pour in the batter.
- The skillet was the wrong size. If the skillet is too small, the pancake will be thicker and won’t cook in the middle.
More Vegan Pancakes to Love
Vegan Dutch Baby Pancake with Raspberries
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 ½ cup plant-based milk
- 4 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ cup sugar
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Place one tablespoon of coconut oil in a 9" cast iron skillet and set it in the oven while preheating it to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of flax meal with ¾ cup (180ml) of warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it thickens.
- Pour the milk, flax eggs, vanilla, sugar and flour in a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Handle it carefully, as it's hot! Pour the batter in the skillet, then arrange fresh raspberries on top.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the pancake is set in the middle and the edges are very puffy and golden brown. Let the pancake sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Sam says
The middle never set, unfortunately, but the crust was delicious.
Ella says
Took a few tries to get it right- letting the batter sit for up to 20 min and baking for about 40 minutes has finally given me a pancake with a cooked center. Very delicious
Ella says
This recipe is actually awesome, IF you let the batter sit for 10 (up to 20) minutes. I’ve also been baking it for up to 45 min before the middle is set. So yes, it takes longer, but still a success👍