Main Course / July 29, 2022

cinnamon sugar peach dutch baby

Yay weekend! Yay brunch! Yay MORE PEACH RECIPES!

I promise that peach mania is winding down, as I’m starting to feel more interested in playing with other summer produce like zucchini and corn, but this guy was too good to pass up. Ever since my first Lemon Sugar Dutch Baby, I’ve wanted to create another one, and what better than a peach rendition to go with the recent theme?

I revert back to things I enjoy when I start to feel thrown by life, and an unwelcome sense of being overwhelmed. Peaches have been that escape in my development. They’re incredibly versatile, can be paired with sweet and savory dishes, and have such an aesthetic and flavor that I can’t help but feel joy when I work with them. I am a proponent of finding and spreading joy, in all days, and sometimes that means gettin’ a little peachy.

Perfect for weekend brunch, or a midday treat, this Cinnamon Sugar Peach Dutch Baby is simple to make, quick to cook, and stunning to view, with its pockets of pillowing batter climbing up the sides of a cast iron skillet. The peaches get baked down with browned butter and cinnamon sugar for a ton of comforting flavor that works beautifully with all sorts of toppings, like powdered sugar and maple. No fuss, feeds a crowd…ideal, right?

You’re a Peach

First thing to do is preheat the oven until it’s screaming hot. Like, when you open it you hear the faint yells of your ancestors. 450 degrees, in layman’s terms.

Slice up a big peach and spread on the bottom of a big cast iron skillet. Dab some thinly sliced pats of butter overtop and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for a few minutes until the butter browns, froths, and the peaches begin to caramelize.

Oh, Baby

You can easily whip up the batter while the peaches hang in their tanning bed, so take advantage of those few minutes and get that mixer running.

I like to beat the eggs on their own for a minute before I add everything else, as I’ve found this contributes to an especially poofy pancake. I also bring them to room temperature really quickly by setting them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Useful if you forget to take them out awhile ahead of time, like I oft do.

Anywhoozles, whip up the eggs, then add whole milk, all purpose flour, a couple tablespoons of melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Beat until no clumps remain.

When the timer dings for the peaches, remove the skillet and immediately pour in the batter. Sprinkle with a touch more cinnamon sugar and bake until the pancake is risen and golden. Do not open oyur oven door in the first 15 minutes. Do not. No. As with the Brown Sugar Peaches and Cream Puffs, you risk a massive deflation if you’re too nosy too soon.

If all has gone well, your Dutch baby should have lots of dunes on it surface, a good crispy dark edge, and speckles of golden brown in the middle. If not, what might’ve happened? Your skillet may not have been hot enough (especially the case if you leave it on the counter too long after pre-cooking the peaches), the batter too lumpy, or you opened your oven door. Every Dutch baby will look slightly different, but the theme of big and voluptuous should be the norm regardless of the shape and size.

You can definitely do some whipped cream, but I kept it simple with powdered sugar and a little cinnamon sugar I had left. Fresh peach slices provide a nice contrast from the cooked peaches. Dish this out warm and, if you need a savory counterpart, pair with the Smoked Gouda Potato Tart, another painless brunch fixture that’ll be a real hit amongst all.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Need more weekend brunch ideas?

Caprese Brunch Bar

Smoked Gouda Potato Tart

Blueberry Lemon Sugar Brioche Rolls

Baked Earl Grey Blackberry French Toast