Over the last year, Rich and I have made the switch to making only paleo baked goods, desserts, or breakfast pastries. We didn’t really do it for specific health goals, but we did want to eat a bit less refined sugar and to make sure that what we eat for brunch can fuel our weekend workouts. That means it needs to be more protein-dense. It’s a really simple swap, honestly. Most of what you need to do is switch our regular flour for blanched almond flour and dairy for some plant-based milk. For those of you who also agree that most almond flours are too pricey, I’ve found that Trader Joe’s has it for nearly half the price as other retailers. Pillsbury also has an affordable option, which you can get on Amazon here.

If you’re not familiar with what a dutch baby is, it’s basically a massive pancake cooked in a pan or cast iron skillet. It’s thicker and with crisp edges, and it’s soft and cake-y in the middle. I don’t know anyone who would object to that. It’s a great showstopper for brunches, and it’s easy to share among a group. Baking up this paleo dutch baby takes about 45 minutes or so, and I like to top it with fresh fruit, a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, and a whipped cream (not paleo) or whipped coconut cream (paleo-friendly). I put the recipe below. Let me know what you think if you try it out!

*A Note: If you’ve never baked paleo treats before, you’ll notice that they don’t rise as high as a typical baked good. That’s because there’s no flour in them. Doesn’t mean it isn’t just as delicious, though!

PALEO DUTCH BABY

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
• 1 cup almond milk (or preferred nut/oat milk)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons butter (you can substitute coconut oil if needed)
• fresh fruit
• confectioner’s sugar
• coconut whipped cream (recipe here)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and put 8 or 9 inch cast iron skillet or heat proof pan in the oven to heat up.

Using a stand or hand mixer, combine eggs, almond flour, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and baking power, mixing on high until fluffy (about 5-7 minutes). Transfer to the fridge for a few minutes to chill. This will allow the batter to rise even more.

Remove the pan from the oven, and add in the butter. Once melted, gently pour in the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Top with fresh fruit (I like berries), and dust generously with confectioner’s sugar. It’s even more delicious with whipped cream or my coconut whipped cream, which you can find my recipe for here.