Cherry Puffy Pancakes Recipe

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/12/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by 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
Cherry puffy pancake

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 1 large pancake
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
258 Calories
12g Fat
28g Carbs
10g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 258
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 205mg 68%
Sodium 356mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 87mg 7%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 231mg 5%
*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.)

A big puffy pancake (also known as a Dutch baby) was always a treat growing up. When cherries are coming into the house fast and furious during cherry season, we've been known to throw a handful into the puffy pancake batter. It's a bit like a clafoutis, but with crispier bits and edges.

Fairly easy to make, the ingredients are combined and cherries placed on top, then put into an oven-safe frying pan or cast-iron skillet, and baked in the oven. The pancake puffs up and the edges curl for a delightful and tasty dish. 

Delicious for breakfast garnished with confectioners' sugar or you can drizzle some cherry or chocolate syrup on top. These cherry pancakes are also good to enjoy as a dessert, topping them with some whipped cream or homemade vanilla ice cream. Put a cherry on top for a finishing touch.  

Use any type of cherry you like, although it's a case where sweet works better than sour, in our humble opinion.

"The pancake was fantastic, and super easy to fix and bake. I used a blender for an ultra-smooth batter and the pancake was perfectly baked and puffy in about 18 minutes. Next time I plan to add 1/4 teaspoon or so of almond extract to bring out the flavor of the cherries." —Diana Rattray

Puffy Cherry Pancake/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces fresh cherries

  • 4 large eggs

  • 2/3 cup milk

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make a cherry puffy pancake

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F. Pit the cherries, pulling them into large pieces as you do so.

    A bowl of pitted cherries

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and milk.

    A bowl of beaten eggs and milk

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. In another medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.

    A bowl of flour, sugar, and salt

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Add the butter to a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the butter melts. Remove from the oven and set aside.

    A large skillet with melted butter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat to combine. Add cherries.

    A bowl of cherry pancake batter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Pour batter into the hot skillet. Transfer back to the oven bake until the pancake is puffed and well-browned, 18 to 22 minutes.

    A hot skillet filled with cherry puffy pancake batter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Garnish with confectioners' sugar. Cut the pancake into wedges and serve immediately.

    A cooked cherry puffy pancake in a skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is ideal, but any heavy oven-safe skillet should work just fine. If using a nonstick skillet, make sure it is oven-safe to 400 F.
  • Black cherries offer a very sweet and fruit flavor, and is one of our favorites to use in this recipe.
  • You can use Rainier or Bing cherries for a slightly less sweet more delicate taste than the black cherries.

Recipe Variation

  • Change it up and add some blueberries in with the cherries. Or try other fruits such as chopped up apples.
  • Add 1/4 to1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the batter.
  • Use an electric blender for an extra-smooth batter.
  • Serve the pancake with maple syrup or cherry syrup.
  • Make the pancake more of a dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream and your favorite sauce.

How to Store and Freeze

These pancakes are best eaten right after they have been baked. If there are any leftovers, you can store and reheat them, although they will not taste quite the same as when fresh.

  • To store leftover cherry baked pancakes, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. 
  • To reheat: they can be reheated in a toaster oven, oven, or microwave, being careful to only heat until they're warm.