A Dutch baby is a pastry-like pancake with sweeping, tall edges, a crisp surface and an almost custard-soft centre. The classic is baked in cast-iron pans in the oven, but it translates surprisingly elegantly to the air fryer — the intense, concentrated heat makes the edges puff up dramatically, and the baking time becomes markedly shorter. You blend a simple batter of eggs, milk and flour, pour it into a hot baking dish in the air fryer, and 12-15 minutes later you have an impressive dessert bake ready for fresh fruit, icing sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The beautiful thing about a Dutch baby is that it puts on the show all by itself — you don’t need to flip it or watch over it, and the result is every time a large, golden piece of pancake art that sinks slightly in the centre and forms a natural bowl for the topping.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love Dutch baby in the air fryer
In the air fryer, the concentrated circulating heat hits the batter right at the edges from the start, and that’s exactly what makes a Dutch baby puff up. The result is taller, crispier edges than in an ordinary oven, and the baking time drops from around 25 minutes to 12-15 minutes. That makes it an everyday dessert just as much as a weekend brunch.
The difference between air fryer and oven
The traditional oven version needs a preheated cast-iron pan and high heat for 20-25 minutes. In the air fryer I use a small round cake tin or a silicone mould, and the intense heat makes the edges burst up almost immediately. You get a more dramatic puff and a crispier crust, because the air circulation is closer to the surface of the batter.
My kitchen test of the Dutch baby
I’ve tested the Dutch baby several times in my Cosori Dual Blaze and Philips XXL at 200 °C. In the Cosori with an 18 cm round cake tin it took 13 minutes before the edges were deeply golden and the centre just barely set. The Philips XXL gave the same result in 14 minutes with a slightly larger tin. The most important thing is to preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes, so the tin is really hot before the batter hits it — that’s the temperature-shock effect that lifts the edges.
If you compare it with the oven version, the air fryer is around 30-40 % faster here. My Dutch baby from the oven took 22 minutes at 220 °C; the air fryer manages it in 13-14 minutes at 200 °C — and the edges turn out taller, because the concentrated heat is closer.
Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes before baking, so the gluten relaxes — it gives a softer interior structure and helps the edges puff up higher.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is pouring the batter into a cold tin. If you don’t preheat the tin together with the air fryer, you lose the temperature shock that makes the edges shoot up — and you end up with a flat pancake. Always grease the tin with butter and let it sit in the air fryer at 200 °C for 2-3 minutes before you pour in the batter. Another classic is opening the air fryer early to take a peek — the heat escapes, and your puffing batter sinks before it’s set. Wait at least until the first 10 minutes have passed. Finally, avoid cold milk and cold eggs straight from the fridge. Room-temperature ingredients whisk up more easily into a smooth batter and give a better rise.
How to serve Dutch baby
A Dutch baby sinks slightly in the middle after baking and forms a natural bowl for the topping. My favourite combinations:
- Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) with icing sugar and lemon juice
- Slices of banana and warm caramel sauce with a pinch of flaky salt
- Fried apple slices with cinnamon and brown sugar
- Mascarpone, honey and crushed hazelnuts
- Classic: butter, maple syrup and a slice of lemon
Storage and reheating
Dutch baby tastes best freshly baked, but it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat it in the air fryer at 175 °C for 2-3 minutes — it won’t get the same puff back, but the crispness returns. Don’t freeze it; the texture suffers too much. The topping is always added just before serving, otherwise the pancake goes soft.
Dutch baby is one of those dishes where the air fryer really comes into its own — faster, crispier and more dramatic than the oven. Try it the next time you have guests over for weekend brunch or simply fancy a quick dessert with fresh fruit.
FAQ
Yes. A small round cake tin or a silicone mould that fits in your air fryer basket works fine. The most important thing is to preheat the tin together with the air fryer, so the batter meets a hot surface.
It always sinks slightly in the middle after baking — that’s normal. If the whole pancake collapses, you’ve probably opened the air fryer too early or used a cold tin. Wait to open it until after 10 minutes, and always preheat the tin.
It depends on your air fryer. If you have a large model like the Philips XXL, you can use a larger tin and extend the time by 2-3 minutes. In smaller air fryers it’s better to bake two portions one after the other, so the heat is distributed evenly.
Recipe
Dutch baby in the air fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Lille kageform eller bagedåse (ca. 18-20 cm) - Must withstand high heat
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Take the eggs and milk out of the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand so they reach room temperature — this gives the best rise in the pancake.
- Whisk 4 pcs large eggs and 1 dl milk together thoroughly in a mixing bowl with a whisk.
- Add 100 g plain flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla sugar and 1 knivspids salt and whisk to a completely smooth batter without lumps. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C convection.
- Put 2 tbsp butter in a small cake tin or baking dish that fits in your air fryer. Place the dish in the hot air fryer for 1-2 minutes, until the butter has melted and is lightly browning at the edge.
- Carefully take out the dish, pour the batter straight into the hot dish and put it back in the air fryer immediately.
- Bake at 200 °C for 12-15 minutes, until the Dutch baby has puffed up high and is golden brown at the edge. Don’t open the air fryer during baking — it will make the pancake sink.
Serving
- Carefully take out the dish — the pancake sinks quickly, so have the topping ready.
- Dust with 2 tbsp icing sugar, top with 200 g fresh berries and squeeze the juice from 0.5 pcs lemon over.
- Serve immediately, while the Dutch baby is still slightly puffed and warm.
Our notes for the recipe
The eggs and milk MUST be at room temperature — cold ingredients kill the rise. The piping-hot, melted butter dish is crucial: the batter needs to “shock” against the hot surface to puff up. Variation:
Swap the fresh berries for apple slices tossed in butter and cinnamon for an autumn version, or serve with lemon cream and blueberries in summer. Serving:
Serve immediately with a cup of coffee or tea. The Dutch baby is best in the first few minutes, while it’s still puffed and airy. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller than 5 L, halve the recipe or bake in two batches.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
