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This savory Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby is baked in a small skillet and filled with ham and cheese. It’s simple, flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Featured Comment
“OMG, this recipe is fantastic. No need for me to look for another breakfast dish. Thanks for sharing this recipe.”
– Basia
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Ready in less than 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
- Savory & Versatile: Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
- Delicious Flavor: Cheesy, savory, and lightly seasoned with mustard and nutmeg.
- Fun to Make: Puffs up beautifully in the oven and looks impressive.
- Scales Easily: Double the recipe and use a larger skillet to a larger Dutch Baby.
What I love most about this small Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby is how something so simple can feel so special. The edges puff and crisp in the oven while the center stays tender and custard-like, almost melting into the ham and cheese. It’s rich, savory, and feels like something you’d be served in a little Parisian café.
Although I often enjoy it on its own, try serving your Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby with butter swim biscuits, small batch lemon scones, a small tomato salad, or a small hashbrown casserole.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy Dutch Baby recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Egg: One large egg binds the batter and helps create a fluffy texture.
- Milk: I use 1% milk, but any cow’s milk works. Almond milk is a good dairy-free option.
- Mustard: Stone-ground mustard adds a bold, tangy flavor. Dijon or yellow mustard work too.
- Ham: Deli ham or leftover pan fried ham steak both work well. Try extra ham in our small batch ham and cheese sliders, single serve split pea soup, or our chicken cordon bleu recipe.
- Cheese: Gruyère is my favorite, but Cheddar, Swiss, or Pepper Jack are great too. Use extra in our crustless tomato quiche recipe, open-faced croque madame, or our French onion soup recipe.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
This savory Dutch Baby is easy to customize. Try one of these tasty options:
- Spicy: Add diced jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Vegetable: Stir in spinach, chopped tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Seafood: Swap the ham for smoked salmon or cooked shrimp.
- Cheese: Try Havarti, Fontina, or another favorite cheese.
How To Make A Ham And Cheese Dutch Baby
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a ham and cheese Dutch Baby. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 400°F. Place the butter in a 6.5-inch cast-iron skillet or a 5×5-inch baking dish and put it in the oven to melt.
- Make the Batter: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, mustard, salt, and nutmeg. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Stir in the ham and cheese.
- Add the Batter: Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Swirl the melted butter to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the skillet.
- Bake: Return the skillet to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the Dutch Baby is puffed in the center and golden around the edges.
- Cool Slightly: Remove from the oven and use a spatula to transfer to a cooling rack or plate. Let cool slightly before serving.
Expert Tips
- Smooth Batter: Whisk until no lumps remain. Use a hand whisk or electric mixer for best results.
- Preheat the Skillet: A hot skillet helps the Dutch Baby puff up properly.
- Customize the Spices: Nutmeg pairs well with Gruyère but is optional. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Use the Right Pan: A 6.5-inch cast iron skillet or 5×5-inch baking dish gives the best thickness. Larger pans will yield a thinner Dutch Baby.
- Oven-Safe Cookware: Make sure your dish is safe to use at 400°F. Check the label if unsure.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a cast iron skillet isn’t required. I often use a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet, but a 5×5-inch baking dish works just as well.
A Dutch Baby rises because it’s baked in a very hot oven. The heat generates steam from the milk and eggs in the batter, causing it to puff up.
It’s normal for a Dutch Baby to deflate quickly after removing it from the oven. While it’s puffy and beautiful right when it’s baked, deflating is a natural part of its cooling process.
More Dutch Baby Recipes To Try
If you’ve fallen in love with the simplicity and versatility of Dutch Babies, you’re in for a treat! Here are a few more single serving Dutch Baby recipes:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby For One
Equipment
- 6.5-inch cast iron skillet or 5-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon butter (use salted or unsalted butter)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon stone-ground mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ounce chopped ham (about 1 slice of deli ham)
- 1 ounce shredded Gruyère cheese (about ¼ cup)
Instructions
- Set the oven to 400°F. Place the butter in a 6.5-inch cast-iron skillet or 5×5-inch baking dish and put it in the oven to melt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, mustard, salt, and nutmeg. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the ham and cheese.
- Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Swirl the melted butter to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the skillet.
- Return the skillet to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the Dutch Baby is puffed in the center and golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and use a spatula to transfer to a cooling rack or plate. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Smooth Batter: Whisk until no lumps remain. Use a hand whisk or electric mixer for best results.
- Preheat the Skillet: A hot skillet helps the Dutch Baby puff up properly.
- Customize the Spices: Nutmeg pairs well with Gruyère but is optional. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Use the Right Pan: A 6.5-inch cast iron skillet or 5×5-inch baking dish gives the best thickness. Larger pans will yield a thinner Dutch Baby.
- Oven-Safe Cookware: Make sure your dish is safe to use at 400°F. Check the label if unsure.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
why do you not add baking powder to your dutch baby recipes? I have made several recipes of the puffed “pancake” over the years and recently made your peach “did-not-puff baby” – it did not puff but was quite tasty. when I compared it to other recipes i could see you did not use baking powder. is that the reason your “baby” didn’t puff? now i see you don’t have baking powder in this ham/cheese baby either. and your reason for omitting it is????
You’re right, a Dutch baby is supposed to puff up in the oven and then deflate a bit once it comes out, that’s completely normal. I don’t use baking powder because a properly made Dutch baby rises from the steam created by the eggs, milk, and flour. If yours didn’t puff, a few things could be the cause: the skillet may not have been hot enough, the batter might have needed more whisking, or there may have been too much fruit (if making a fruit-filled version). I hope you give it another try!
I had never heard of a Dutch Baby. It looks easy and delicious. Thanks for your recipes for 1/2 people.
Delicious! I serve Canadian maple syrup on the side for dipping.
Just made this recipe but added diced onion and bok choy from my garden…delicious!!! Enjoy all your recipes. Thank you for sharing !!
How can this be made for 2, a breakfast dish for my husband and me?
To make the Dutch baby for two, simply double the recipe ingredients and bake it in a larger skillet, like a 10-inch or 12-inch. This will ensure it spreads out nicely and cooks evenly for both of you. I hope you and your husband enjoy it!
Can one serve the Dutch baby recipes in the small iron pan or does it need to be plated?
You can definitely serve the Dutch baby right in the small iron pan. It keeps it warm and adds a nice rustic touch. No need to plate it unless you prefer to.
OMG, this recipe is fantastic. No need for me to look for another breakfast dish. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I made this using gluten free flour (King Arthur’s 1-to-1, the best!!) and it came out great! I’ve never had a dutch baby before so I actually have no idea how it was supposed to come out, but it was tasty 😀 Looking forward to trying some of the other recipes as well, and trying to make a dairy-free one for my partner.
OMG this was delicious! I used my sourdough discard instead of the milk and flour, used leftover ham steak that had a brown sugar mustard glaze, and cheddar cheese. I served it over dressed greens with a poached egg. It was like a restaurant meal, so good. Will be making this again and again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Wasn’t sure about the mustard and nutmeg, but I gave it a try. It’s a keeper!