A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, hooligan, or a hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

Unlike most pancakes, Dutch babies are baked in the oven, rather than being fried. They are generally thicker than most pancakes and contain no chemical leavening ingredients such as baking powder. Despite the name, they are not small, nor do they originate in the Netherlands.

They can be sweet or savory and can be served at any meal.

The idea of a Dutch baby pancake may have been derived from the German Pfannkuchen, but the current form originated in the United States in the early 1900s.

It is made with eggs, flour, sugar and milk, and usually seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon, although occasionally fruit or another flavoring is also added. A basic batter incorporates a third of a cup of flour and a third of a cup of milk per two eggs.^{[citation needed]}

It is baked in a hot cast iron or metal pan and falls (deflates) soon after being removed from the oven. It is generally served with freshly squeezed lemon, butter, and powdered sugar, fruit toppings or syrup.^{[citation needed]}

It can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dessert, and even for "brinner" (breakfast for dinner). Dutch baby pancakes are generally served immediately upon removal from the oven.^{[citation needed]}

The Dutch baby is a specialty of some diners and chains that specialize in breakfast dishes, such as the Oregon-founded The Original Pancake House or the New England–based chain Bickford's, which makes both a plain Dutch baby and a similar pancake known as the Baby Apple, which contains apple slices embedded in the pancake.^{[citation needed]}