Savory Bacon and Cheese Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/10/23
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
A savory bacon and cheese dutch baby served in a cast iron pan, garnished with parsley

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 27 mins
Total: 42 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 1 Dutch baby

This savory pancake is an excellent breakfast or brunch dish, and it's very easy to prepare. The pancake is also quite versatile. Use bacon and cheese or use whatever you have on hand.

"This recipe reminded me of how much I love Dutch babies and that they're so easy to make! Bacon and cheese are always a great combination. The Dijon mustard added a bit of zing while the parsley and chives added beautiful color and fresh flavor." —Diana Andrews

Savory Bacon and Cheese Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 strips bacon, diced

  • 2 ounces fontina cheese

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or brown mustard

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • Fresh chopped parsley, chives, or a combination, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    savory bacon and cheese dutch baby ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425 F. Heat a 10-inch heavy-duty, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Set the pan with the bacon drippings aside.

    bacon cooking in cast iron pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Grate the cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Set aside.

    grated cheese in small bowl for dutch baby

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. In a large bowl or blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk or process until the batter is smooth.

    dutch baby batter in bowl with whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Heat the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Add the butter.

    butter heating in cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. When the butter melts, pour batter into the skillet.

    dutch baby batter in hot skillet with butter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Combine the grated cheese and bacon. Sprinkle over the center of the egg batter, leaving a 1-inch border to allow the batter to puff as it bakes.

    grated cheese and cooked bacon added to dutch baby batter in pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Bake until pancake is browned and puffed around the edges, 15 to 17 minutes. Garnish with the herbs, slice into wedges, and serve hot.

    browned and puffed savory dutch baby garnished with parsley

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Make sure the skillet with melted butter is hot when you add the batter. 
  • Whisk the batter by hand or beat it with a blender or electric mixer for a smooth batter.

Recipe Variations

  • Fontina cheese is a creamy melting cheese, but other cheeses may be used. This Dutch pancake would also be excellent with Gruyère, Gouda, or a mild provolone. Mozzarella cheese is another good option.
  • Instead of bacon, top the pancake with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of crumbled cooked breakfast sausage or sliced cooked link sausage. Diced cooked ham may be used as well.
  • For a vegetarian pancake, replace the bacon with vegetarian "bacon," meat replacement crumbles, or sliced mushrooms.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped sautéed onion.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped red or green bell pepper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
262 Calories
16g Fat
14g Carbs
15g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 262
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 177mg 59%
Sodium 505mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 143mg 11%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 188mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)