Popovers
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These popovers bake up beautifully tall and crispy, with a melt-in-your-mouth, eggy interior and crisp, golden crust—no popover pan necessary. Cheese optional, but highly recommended!
Popovers are essentially hollow rolls made from an eggy batter that rises dramatically as steam builds inside, creating that signature “pop.” What makes them truly special is the texture: crisp and golden on the outside, with a soft, almost custardy interior. While popovers are traditionally baked in special pans, you don’t need one here—a standard muffin tin works beautifully. This easy popover recipe comes together in one bowl, with a batter similar to crepes or pancakes. The cheese topping is optional, but trust me, it’s a game changer. The idea comes from the the cheese-topped popovers served at BLT Steak—truly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!
Popovers are perfect alongside a hearty beef stew, tomato soup, or a roast beef tenderloin. For breakfast, they’re delicious with over easy eggs and bacon or slathered with butter and jam (just omit the cheese for the sweet version).
What You’ll Need To Make Popovers
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the batter, creating a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Essential for the popover’s structure, helping them rise and become fluffy.
- Milk: Provides moisture and helps create the steam needed for the popovers to puff up.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the batter, giving the popovers their structure and texture. To ensure accuracy, measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Gruyère Cheese: Optional topping that adds a savory, nutty flavor and creates a deliciously crispy crust.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower-middle middle position, allowing at least 5 inches of space above the rack for the popovers to rise. Place a 12-cup muffin pan in the oven while you make the batter. Pouring the batter into a hot pan maximizes the amount of steam generated, resulting in fluffier, lighter, and taller popovers.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, and salt.
Whisk in half of the milk.
Add the flour and whisk until completely smooth. Add the remaining milk and whisk until combined.
Carefully remove the muffin pan from the oven and generously spray the whole pan, including the parts between the cups, with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour or ladle the batter into the muffin cups, filling to just below the rim.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the batter, if using.
Return the pan to the oven (remember it’s hot!) and bake until puffed and golden-brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Don’t open the oven until after 35 minutes, or you’ll risk the popovers deflating.
Lift the popovers out of the pan and onto a serving platter. Serve immediately. The popovers will deflate a bit as they cool; this is normal.
Video Tutorial
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Popovers
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 5 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups milk
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 oz Gruyère cheese, finely shredded (optional but recommended; about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set an oven rack in the lower-middle middle position, allowing at least 5 inches (13 cm) of space above the rack for the popovers to rise. Place a 12-cup muffin pan in the oven while you make the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and salt. Whisk in half of the milk. Add the flour and whisk until completely smooth. Add the remaining milk and whisk until combined.
- Carefully remove the muffin pan from the oven and generously spray the whole pan, including the parts between the cups, with non-stick cooking spray. Pour or ladle the batter into the muffin cups, filling to just below the rim. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the batter, if using. Return the pan to the oven (remember it’s hot!) and bake until puffed and golden-brown, 40 to 50 minutes. (Don’t open the oven to check until after the 35-minute mark, or you’ll risk the popovers deflating.)
- Lift the popovers out of the pan and onto a serving platter. Serve immediately. The popovers will deflate a bit as they cool; this is normal.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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what can I do with leftovers?
Can I reheat and use with eggs?
I made them last night with beef tenderloin. very good/crispy
Hi Nidhi, popovers are most definitely at their best right after they come out of the oven. That said, leftovers can be reheated in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes to crisp them up (although they won’t reinflate) or repurposed as mini sandwiches, French toast, croutons, or bread pudding. You can also slice and toast them and slather with butter or jam.
Hi Jenn,
I need to double the recipe. Can I mix up the dough in one bowl? Or, should I make two separate batches of dough? It is probably a silly question, but I am cooking them for Christmas and I don’t want to mess them up!
Thank you,
Kim
Hi Kim, Totally fine to make the dough in one bowl. Happy holidays! 🙂
Hi Jen! I have a popover pan I’d like to use. There’s 6 cups. Would I need to adjust the recipe?
Hi Paige, They may take a bit longer to bake, but no other adjustments needed. Please LMK how they come out!
Hi Jenn
Making your beef stew which is so delish! Can the stew sit on the stove top on low heat while the popovers are in the oven? Since the cooking temps are different.
Thank you
Sure! Just give it a stir periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Enjoy!