A Dutch baby is a large fluffy pancake that’s part pancake, part popover. I don’t actually know what a popover is, but that’s how the Internet describes a Dutch baby. A Dutch baby is also a tiny human from the Netherlands, but that’s for a different day. 

Traditionally, a Dutch baby is made with eggs, but being the vegan that I am, I set out to veganize a Dutch baby. 

Are you curious about how I veganized this Northern European baby child? The answer is tofu! Yes, you read that correctly: tofu! 

How did I come up with tofu? Well, I thought, if I can make a savory eggless quiche out of tofu, surely I can make a sweet eggless Dutch baby out of tofu too, right?

I used silken soft tofu, the softest variety of tofu, since I wanted a softer and fluffier texture than that of a quiche.

And the best part of this recipe? You can throw all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until creamy and smooth and then just pour into a skillet before hitting the oven. Minimal work involved? Yes, please. 

And since it’s the holidays, I just had to add a festive flair with these cranberries. You can use any berries you like though. I enjoyed pairing this baby with pure maple syrup and vegan cool whip, but for a healthier idea, you can serve it with plant-based yogurt and fresh fruit. 

If you try out my vegan Dutch baby recipe, let me know :) 

Vegan Spiced Cranberry Dutch Baby

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter, divided

• 1/2 cup coconut milk or other non-dairy milk (soy milk would be great)

• 10 ounces silken soft tofu

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1//3 cup organic granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 cup fresh cranberries

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 of a small orange, zested

• 1/2 of a lemon, zested

• Powdered sugar for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C.

2. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the vegan butter. Once melted, add cranberries in a single layer and sprinkle on cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant and the cranberries are warmed.

3. Meanwhile, make the Dutch baby batter. Melt the remaining vegan butter (1 1/2 tablespoons) and pour into a blender. Add the coconut milk, tofu and vanilla extract and blend on medium-high until smooth. Alternatively, use an electric mixer and beat on high speed.

4. Then, add the flour, sugar and salt to the blender and blend until combined and no lumps remain.

5. Pour the batter over the cooked spiced cranberries in the skillet and spread out evenly with a rubber spatula. Cook for 1-2 minutes to slightly set.

6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the top and sides are lightly golden brown.

7. Top with orange zest, lemon zest and powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup and vegan whipped cream, if desired.