At its core, a Dutch baby is a pantry hero — just eggs, milk, and flour whisked together into something far greater than the sum of its parts. It’s endlessly adaptable, too: top it with sautéed vegetables, a handful of greens, or whatever cheese or herbs are lingering in the fridge, and dinner is served. (Or go the sweet route for brunch!)

The only catch? Traditional versions don’t offer much protein. I set out to change that by upping the eggs and whisking in cottage cheese. The result is an extra-tender Dutch baby that puffs perfectly every time — and boasts 18 grams of protein per serving.

my foolproof dutch baby method

Considering its short ingredient list, there are are a surprising number of variables when it comes to making a Dutch baby. The temperature of both the skillet and the ingredients matters, as does the ratio of those ingredients and how you combine them. Luckily for you, I’ve tested every possible combination to help you achieve the Dutch baby of your dreams.

  1. 1. Start with room temperature milk, eggs, and cottage cheese. Set them out on the counter at the very beginning of your prep.
  2. 2. Get the skillet nice and hot. Place it in the oven while it preheats. It needs to be hot enough for the butter to immediately sizzle and melt upon contact.
  3. 3. Whisk the batter by hand, not in a blender. Many Dutch baby recipes call for blending, and I assumed that would be best here to smooth out the cottage cheese. But whisking by hand resulted in much more consistent results — and the curds melt into the batter in the oven, anyways.
    4. Add cold butter to the skillet. It seems counterintuitive, but adding cold butter to the hot skillet actually helps the sides rise evenly.

I can’t wait for you all to try this one. Let me know what you think in the comments, and tag me in your pics on Instagram!

Macros per serving: 330 calories, 18g protein, 26g carbs, 18g fat, 2g fiber

Savory Cottage Cheese Dutch Baby with Mushrooms

serves 4

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup 4% small-curd cottage cheese, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and remove any racks above it. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the rack, and heat the oven to 425°F. 
  • In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, milk, cottage cheese, flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and several grinds black pepper until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the chives and 1 tablespoon of the thyme leaves. Set aside to rest while the oven finishes heating.
  • Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and immediately add the butter. Swirl to melt, making sure it coats the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. 
  • Bake until golden and puffed and crispy on the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, toss to coat, and do your best to arrange them in a single layer. Sear, undisturbed, until the bottoms are well-browned, about 3 minutes. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds black pepper. Sauté until browned and tender, about 5 minutes. 
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon thyme leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar. 
  • At this point, your Dutch baby should be just about ready. When it’s done, pull it out of the oven and immediately top it with the mushrooms. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon chives and more Parmesan cheese. Slice into 4 wedges for serving.
Adapted from my Parmesan-Herb Dutch Baby recipe.