Mini Dutch Baby Pancakes

I’ve had somewhat of an obsession with Dutch baby pancakes for quite some time now. I mix up the classic cast iron-cooked, crispy-edged pancake at least once a week for my family of four, and it gets eaten up so quickly, I often have to make a second.

But for weekends when we have friends visiting for brunch, I skip the skillet in favor of my muffin pan. These mini babies are equally delicious, and so much smarter for serving a crowd. You’ll pour the simple batter into a preheated muffin pan and then stand back as as they puff and crisp in the oven, making light and fluffy custardy cups.

If you’re familiar with Kitchn’s classic Dutch baby, you know how easy the batter is to make: you give flour, milk, eggs, and sugar a whirl in a food processor or blender, then let it rest while you prepare the pan. For these mini Dutch babies, you’ll preheat a standard 12-well muffin pan instead of a skillet, and when the oven and pan are nice and hot, you’ll add a bit of butter to each cup and pour in the batter. As it bakes, each cup achieves the signature puff and crisped edges of a Dutch baby.

Don’t stress when babies deflate as they cool — this is supposed to happen! In fact, they become the perfect shape for filling with syrup or jam. Or, serve warm with a sprinkle of powdered and a squeeze of lemon.

Though these are best eaten within an hour of baking, you can still enjoy them cold or re-heated. Recently, I’ve take to making a batch of these on the weekend and then reheating a few in a toaster oven throughout the week for quick weekday breakfasts.