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Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
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Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

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This Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote is the perfect holiday breakfast recipe! It takes 10 minutes to prep and is so light and fluffy. This light and crispy pancake is best served with cranberry-orange compote, whipped cream, and a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s an easy and impressive holiday breakfast recipe!

If you’re looking for the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning, this Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote is for you!

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

There’s something special about pancakes for a holiday breakfast. They’re warm and sweet and perfect for starting a day of festivities. While I love traditional pancakes, this Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote is just next level.

It’s the perfect combination of a soft pancake with crispy edges and perfectly sweet. The cranberry compote is sweet and tangy with a strong hint of orange and vanilla.

All you have to do to serve is pull the pancake out of the oven and top with the cranberry compote, whipped cream, and a light dusting of powdered sugar. The perfect breakfast!

This is an easy recipe to throw together any morning, but feels especially perfect for the holidays.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

What is a Dutch Baby?

A Dutch Baby, also known as a German pancake, is a cross between classic pancakes, crepes, and a Yorkshire pudding.

For those new to the concept of a Dutch baby, it’s a pancake that is baked in a single sizzling-hot skillet that has been prepared with a tablespoon or two of butter.

The sides of the pancake rise high above edges of the pan, creating a light, puffy crust with a tender, eggy middle. It’s not overly sweet and can be topped in a variety of ways. You can even make savory dutch baby pancakes, topped with cheese, eggs, and bacon.

This Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote is an easy and versatile recipe that you’ll turn to over and over again.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Easy – What could be easier than tossing all the batter ingredients in a blender and pouring into a skillet? The blender, skillet, and oven do all the work leaving you to relax and enjoy the morning.

Visually appealing – Not only is this Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote delicious, it’s also visually impressive! When you set this baby down on the table for breakfast, you’ll get all the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’.

Festive – Cranberries are so underrated and I love a recipe that uses them during the holidays. This Cranberry Compote is glossy and beautiful and pairs so perfectly with the crisp and fluffy pancake.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

How to Make a Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

Investing in a cast iron skillet is important for this Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote! Cast iron distributes heat evenly and if you take care of it, lasts several lifetimes. My cast iron skillets are total workhorses in my kitchen.

Tools Needed

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Milk. Whole milk is a must here.
  • Eggs. Room temperature eggs make the mixture smooth.
  • Flour. All-purpose flour is best.
  • Grand Marnier. This is my secret ingredient in tons of my sweet recipes! Grand marnier is best, but any orange liqueur will do.
  • Sugar. I use all purpose sugar for the batter and brown sugar for the cranberry compote.
  • Vanilla bean paste. I highly recommend investing in a jar of vanilla bean paste. It’s one of my most-used baking ingredients! You can buy a small jar on Amazon here.
  • Nutmeg. A bit of freshly grated nutmeg adds amazing flavor to the batter.
  • Orange. Orange zest and juice in the cranberry sauce.
  • Cranberries. Fresh or frozen are fine!
  • Whipped cream. I always make my whipped cream with a touch of pure maple syrup and vanilla beqan paste. So good!

The Process

Make the Compote

Combine all the ingredients for the Cranberry Compote in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have burst and are soft. You still want them to be a little saucy and syrupy. Let them cool for 10 minutes or so.

Make the Batter

Combine all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let the batter sit for 10 minutes while the oven preheats.

Preheat the Skillet

Preheat an oven to 400 F. Place the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, drop the diced butter in the skillet and swirl it to coat. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to burn the butter. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the batter in.

Bake

Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with the cranberry compote, whipped cream, and a dusting of powdered sugar. You can also top with a bit more orange zest.

Tips for Making the Perfect Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature ingredients blend more easily and give you a smooth and silky batter. Cold ingredients won’t rise as well.

Use a blender or immersion blender. The key to a perfect dutch baby lies in a very smooth batter. Making everything in a blender just makes everything so much easier. You can use a bowl and whisk, but make sure that there are no lumps. Unlike a traditional pancake batter, this will be much thinner and closer to crepe batter.

Preheat the skillet. Pouring the batter into a hot skillet gives you a perfectly puffy dutch baby. Melt the butter in the hot skillet, but don’t let it burn.

Use a cast iron skillet. There are some people that say it’s not necessary, and in truth, it’s not. But it does yield best results. Cast iron heats evenly and holds its temperature making it an ideal tool for cooking and baking.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

Serving your Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

Once you remove the dutch baby from the oven, it will deflate a little. That’s okay! It’s still beautiful and impressive.

I like to remove the pancake from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before setting it at the table on a trivet.

Once the dutch baby is on the table, top with the cranberry compote, whipped cream, and a fresh grating of orange zest. Dust with powdered sugar and dig in!

Topping Variations

The cranberry compote is the perfect holiday flavor to top your dutch baby, but there are so many options! Dutch babies are a breakfast and brunch staple all year long. Here are some of my favorites.

Nutella and banana. Is there a better combo than chocolate and banana? Spread nutella over the warm dutch baby and top with sliced bananas and powdered sugar.

Bananas foster. Saute sliced bananas in butter with brown sugar and a touch of rum. Pour the banana and syrup over the dutch baby and top with whipped cream.

Fresh berries. Fresh berries and whipped cream is a classic dutch baby topping! Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are a great combo.

Cinnamon apples. Turn this dutch baby into a pseudo apple pie by sautéing sliced apples in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

More Brunch Recipes to Try Now

Red Chilaquiles
Bacon Leek Frittata
Migas Breakfast Tacos
Brioche French Toast

This post contains affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote - Best Christmas Brunch Ideas
Breakfast, Brunch

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote

This Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote is the perfect holiday breakfast recipe! It takes 10 minutes to prep and is so light and fluffy. This light and crispy pancake is best served with cranberry-orange compote, whipped cream, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

Dutch Baby

  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • powdered sugar, for dusting

Cranberry Compote

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1/4 cup grand marnier
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • pinch of sea salt

Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream, cold
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Cranberry Compote

  • Combine all the ingredients for the Cranberry Compote in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have burst and are soft. You still want them to be a little saucy and syrupy. Let them cool for 10 minutes or so.

Whipped Cream

  • Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Dutch Baby

  • Preheat an oven to 400 F.
  • Combine all the ingredients in the blender, except for the butter, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let the batter sit for 10 minutes while the oven preheats.
  • Place the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, drop the butter in the skillet and swirl it to coat. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to burn the butter. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the batter in.
  • Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with the cranberry compote, whipped cream, and a dusting of powdered sugar. You can also top with a bit more orange zest.

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