Flammkuchen Recipe - (German Pizza with Sourcream)

Flammkuchen is a German-French Alsatian dish that combines a thin crispy base with sour cream, bacon, and onion toppings. Also known as a German Pizza (which is not strictly true) it is crispy, creamy, and moreish.

With my easy flammkuchen recipe, you can make this dish in under 30 minutes. And it's even easier than making pizza! Plus I will give you some alternative flammkuchen topping ideas for vegetarian and smoked salmon versions.

By popular demand, this reader-favorite recipe made it into my debut cookbook, German Kitchen-Classic Dishes!

Jump to:

• What is Flammkuchen?
• Where does the Flammkuchen recipe originate from?
• How to make Flammkuchen?
• Flammkuchen Recipe Steps
• Tips and Tricks for the BEST Flammkuchen
• Alternative flammkuchen topping ideas
• How to serve Flammkuchen?
• How to store Flammkuchen
• More German Street Food Recipes
• Recipe

What is Flammkuchen?

Flammkuchen is also called "Flambée" or "Flammekueche". Flammkuchen in English translates as "Flame Cake". It is a French-German flatbread that is topped with sour cream, creme fraiche, onions, and bacon. It is sometimes referred to as German pizza. You can find it in German supermarkets in the frozen section with the traditional pizzas. But nothing compares to homemade flammkuchen.

What is the difference between Flammkuchen and Pizza?

Pizza is made with yeast dough and a long rising time, whereas German Flammkuchen is made with a simple dough from flour, water, and oil. Italian pizza is topped with tomato sauce, herbs, and cheese. In contrast, Flammkuchen has a simple sour cream base with an onion and bacon topping.

The main similarity is that they are both cooked in a wood-fired oven with a stone base.

Where does the Flammkuchen recipe originate from?

It originated from the Alsace area (Elsass) around the French-German border. Some argue whether it is a French or German dish, as the region changed borders in the last 150 years. In French, this traditional dish is known as "tarte flambée" However, everyone agrees it is Alsatian and delicious.

The recipe is ancient and was invented in Alsatian farmhouses, at the time they used to make bread in wood-burning ovens. They would roll out a piece of dough very thin and place it on the hot stone. If the base became crisp the temperature was right for the bread. In time crème fraiche, onions, and bacon were added, and so the Flammkuchen recipe was born.

At first, flammkuchen was a dish you would make only at home. With the growing popularity of pizza in the 1960s, flammkuchen started to appear in restaurants and markets all over Germany [source: Wikipedia].

Another German dish is Zwiebelkuchen, which is also made with onions and bacon but has a more creamy pie-like consistency.

How to make Flammkuchen?

This is a traditional Alsatian flammkuchen recipe (Elsässer Flammkuchen or Flammenkuchen Elsässer Art in German). One thing to remember about flammkuchen is that it loves to be baked hot. In traditional stone ovens, they used to be baked at 300 to 400 degrees. For a home cook, like me, it is sufficient to turn to oven to its highest setting at 220-50 degrees Celsius.

How to make the Flammkuchen base?

This flammkuchen base is made without yeast.  The ingredients for the base are olive oil, water, salt, and flour, simply mixed in a bowl. Knead the dough thoroughly. The key is to roll out the dough very thin. This is not an easy task, as it might shrink back together, but persist. Flammkuchen does not have to be round like pizza. It is often rectangular (like the shape of the baking tray) or oval.

How to prepare the Flammkuchen Toppings?

The traditional toppings for Elsässer Flammkuchen (Alsatian Flammenkuchen) are:

• Bacon - or diced speck. Use smoked bacon for the best result. You could also use Pancetta
• Crème Fraiche (if not available use full-fat Greek yoghurt. Here is also a simple recipe on how to make it from scratch)
• Sour Cream - American sour cream, has a stronger taste than German Saure Sahne. So I would recommend mixing it with Greek Yoghurt.
• Onions - red or white
• Chives - freshly cut. They don't only look good but add freshness and spice to this German flammkuchen recipe.

About the Sour Cream Pizza Base

In Germany, Schmand is a sour cream-based product with a 20% fat content. Schmand is only available in Germany, so to replace it I would suggest mixing Creme Fraiche (which has a 30% fat content) and Sour Cream (which has a 10% fat content). For those in the US, where a tub of Creme Fraiche is very expensive, I would use a mixture of Greek yogurt, and sour cream, as the US sour cream has a stronger taste.

Flammkuchen Recipe Steps

1. Slice the onions very fine. The bacon is cubed, and the crème fraiche is mixed with the sour crème and seasoned with salt and black pepper.
2. One tip I have learned is to soak the raw onions in water. Then steam them lightly in the microwave for one minute to soften them. This can prevent the onions from crisping too much in the high heat.
3. Bake the flammkuchen at around 220-250 degrees Celcius (428°F) for around 15-20 minutes. Watch it so it does not burn too much. However, it is common to find some chargrilled corners on our Flammkuchen. (see images)
4. There is no definite sign when the flammkuchen is ready. When the edges turn crisp and golden brown, remove the bread from the oven and check if the middle is done well.

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Flammkuchen

• Get the consistency of the Flammkuchen dough right. The dough should not be too sticky and stick to the bowl. If necessary add more flour.
• Roll out the dough directly on the parchment paper. It allows you to roll out the dough very thinly without it ripping when transferring to the baking tray.
• Use the dough at room temperature. Do not store it in the fridge as this will make it harder to roll out. Also, a well-kneaded dough will be more elastic. Also, adding oil will make the dough smoother and easier to work with so do not save on the oil.
• For the ultimate base use a pizza stone. You can just place it in the oven and it will heat up.
• Test your oven. Flammkuchen likes to be baked hot, but every oven is different. When baking the cake for the first time, keep an eye on it, so it does not crisp up too much.

Alternative flammkuchen topping ideas

In Germany, Flammkuchen is very popular and there are many variations to the traditional Flammkuchen toppings. You will find whole restaurants specializing in Flammkuchen pizzas. It is also popular at Christmas markets. Here are some suggestions for you:

• Vegetarian Flammkuchen with feta, cherry tomatoes, and spinach.
• Flammkuchen with smoked salmon and spring onions, leeks, or rocket salad
• Sweet Flammkuchen with goat's cheese, honey, and figs.
• Vegan Flammkuchen with soya yogurt, mushrooms, sliced cooked potatoes, and spring onions

How to serve Flammkuchen?

Flammkuchen is served traditionally on a prewarmed wooden board. It is traditional to drink a light white wine (Elsass Riesling) from the Alsace area.

How to store Flammkuchen

Flammkuchen is best eaten the same day it is cooked. However, it also tastes good cold. Just store it in an airtight container and consume it within 3 days.

If you like this recipe you might also like

More German Street Food Recipes

Recipe