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Crisp on the outside and incredibly light on the inside, these simple popovers are an impressive yet simple side to any meal.
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I often think that main dishes are only as good as their sides make them, and one way to instantly have me running to the table is when popovers are on offer.
Popovers are deceptively simple to make, and yet they haven’t quite gained the traction across the United States that Yorkshire pudding has in the UK. I say we change that!
Airy yet wonderfully crispy, popovers are perfect for serving with a slow cooker pot roast, your favorite beef chili, or simply enjoying as an appetizer or snack. This recipe adds parmesan and black pepper for a bite that stands all on its own.
You don’t even need a fancy popover pan *! This recipe works just as well in a muffin tin, so grab yours and get ready to make popovers!
Key ingredients for popovers
This is just an overview. For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card, or use the button on the side.
Popovers generally only require a handful of ingredients, and you’ll likely already have them on hand.
Use unsalted butter to grease the pan and add to the batter.
I recommend using whole milk in popovers rather than a lower fat milk for the richest taste.
Have your eggs at room temperature. The eggs are a main component of this recipe, so you’ll want them to be good quality!
For the parmesan cheese, grate it yourself off a wedge. Parmesan granules (like from a can) will not work here, and pre-bagged shredded Parmesan doesn’t work well either ! You want the cheese to be able to melt into the popovers.
Equipment
While you do not need a popover pan for this recipe, they do have a few benefits. The cups in a popover pan are deeper and more narrow, which forces the steam upward as it bakes. The cups themselves are also more spread out so there is better airflow between each popover. Both of these elements help create taller, more airy popovers!
Buy Now → *
Popover pans can be expensive, so if you choose to use a muffin pan * instead, go for it! Using a 24-cup muffin pan * and staggering filling the cups can help get a bigger rise.
How to make this recipe
Preheat your oven to 425°F. With popovers, the oven starts at a higher temp and is then reduced to promote early rising.
Grease a popover pan or 12-cup muffin tin with softened butter. Place it in the oven while it’s preheating; adding the batter to a hot pan helps create that big puff.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and cooled melted butter until combined, then whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Sprinkle on the parmesan and stir just until incorporated.
Remove the hot pan from the oven and pour the batter into each cup, filling them about 2/3 full. Carefully slide the pan back into the oven.
In a popover pan: Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce to 350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes.
In a muffin pan: Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce to 350°F and bake for 10-15 minutes.
The popovers are done when they are puffy, deeply browned, and crisp. If you’re using a muffin pan, they won’t rise as high, but they should still be visibly puffed.
Once baked, remove the popovers from the pan and serve hot.
Recipe tips
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. If you are working with cold eggs and cold milk, it will take longer for the batter to bake, resulting in less of a puff.
The batter should be somewhat thin, because it relies on the creation of steam for rise rather than leaveners. If it looks like heavy cream, that’s about right!
Don’t skip preheating the oven fully, and make sure to put the pans in when heating. Again, it’s all about the rise, and a hot pan gives the batter a head start.
Popovers can sink a bit as they cool, especially if you baked them on the lower side of timing. It’s up to you on whether you like the interior more plush (less time) or want a sturdier exterior that holds up.
Resist the urge to open the oven door to check on your popovers! Opening the door allows the steam to escape, so try to limit yourself to checking just once—or rely on the oven light and peek through the window.
Popovers aren’t quite as good reheated the next day, so if you want you can save half of the popover batter for later. Let it come to room temperature and give it a quick mix before using.
Leave out the parmesan and black pepper if you want to serve these with butter and jam for breakfast!
With the soft inside and wonderfully crunchy exterior, these easy popovers just might be your new favorite!
Black Pepper Parmesan Popovers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pan
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 1/2 ounces
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a 6-cup popover pan or 12-cup standard muffin pan. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Whisk the milk, eggs, and melted butter together in a medium bowl until well combined.1 cup whole milk, 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the flour, salt, and black pepper and whisk until the batter is completely smooth. Stir in the Parmesan until evenly incorporated.1 cup all-purpose flour *, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Divide the batter evenly among the popover cups, filling each about two-thirds full. If using a muffin pan, divide the batter evenly among all 12 cups.
For a popover pan
- For a popover pan, bake for 20 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, until the popovers are deeply golden brown and crisp.
For a muffin pan
- For a muffin pan, bake for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 10-15 minutes, until puffed, deeply golden brown, and crisp.
- Remove the popovers from the pan and serve immediately.
Notes
- Makes 6 popovers using a popover pan or jumbo muffin pan, or 12 popovers in a standard muffin pan.
- Nutrition estimate is for popovers baked in popover pan.
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We’ll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, we’ll send new recipes to your inbox weekly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…
