There’s nothing like fresh popovers coming out of the oven. They rise tall, puff up dramatically, and create a golden crisp shell with a soft, airy center. Best of all? Popover batter uses just a handful of pantry staples — eggs, milk, flour, butter, and salt.
These simple homemade popovers are the perfect addition to breakfast, brunch, or dinner. Serve them warm with butter and jam, alongside roast beef for a classic popover dinner roll, or drizzle them with honey for a cozy weekend treat.
If you’ve never made popovers before, don’t worry — they’re surprisingly easy and incredibly impressive.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Popover Recipe
• Only 5 basic ingredients
• Crisp outside with a light, hollow center
• Ready in about 30 minutes
• Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner rolls
• Great with butter, honey, jam, or gravy
What Are Popovers?
Popovers are a classic American baked roll similar to Yorkshire pudding. The thin batter is poured into a hot pan and baked at high heat, which causes steam to expand inside the batter — creating that signature dramatic rise and hollow interior.
The result is a golden, airy roll with crispy edges that practically begs for melted butter.
Ingredients
Simple pantry staples are all you need.
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Optional for the pan:
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
How to Make Simple Popovers
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Place a popover pan or muffin tin in the oven while it heats. A hot pan is key for getting those tall popovers.
2. Mix the Batter
In a bowl whisk together:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Melted butter
Add the flour and salt and whisk until smooth. The batter will be thin — similar to pancake batter.
Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes.
3. Prepare the Hot Pan
Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven.
Add a small amount of butter or oil to each cup and swirl to coat.
4. Fill the Cups
Pour batter into each cup about ¾ full.
You should get about 6 large popovers or 10–12 smaller ones.
5. Bake
Place the pan in the oven and bake:
- 20 minutes at 450°F
- Then reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 10–15 minutes
Do not open the oven door while baking or they may collapse.
6. Serve Immediately
Remove from the oven and poke a small hole in the side to release steam.
Serve hot with butter, jam, honey, or gravy.
Tips for Perfect Popovers
Use room temperature ingredients
Cold ingredients can prevent proper rising.
Preheat the pan
This helps the batter puff instantly.
Don’t open the oven
Opening the door too early can cause them to deflate.
Use plenty of heat
The initial high temperature creates steam that makes popovers rise.
Delicious Variations
Once you master the basic recipe, try these fun variations.
Garlic Herb Popovers
Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon fresh herbs.
Cheddar Popovers
Stir ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar into the batter.
Parmesan Pepper Popovers
Add parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.
Sweet Cinnamon Popovers
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the tops when they come out of the oven.
Bacon Popovers
Add crumbled crispy bacon to the batter.
What to Serve with Popovers
Popovers pair beautifully with both sweet and savory meals.
They’re especially good served with soups and stews
Simple Homemade Popovers
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 SERVINGS 1x
Description
These simple homemade popovers bake up tall, golden, and perfectly airy inside. Made with just a few pantry ingredients, this easy popover recipe creates crisp buttery rolls with a light hollow center that are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or served alongside roast dinners.
Ingredients
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
Optional for pan
2 tablespoons butter or oil for greasing the pan
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a popover pan or muffin tin in the oven while it heats so the pan gets very hot.
-
In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and melted butter.
-
Add the flour and salt and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thin and similar to pancake batter.
-
Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes.
-
Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and add a small amount of butter or oil to each cup.
-
Fill each cup about ¾ full with batter.
-
Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes.
-
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake another 10–15 minutes until tall and golden brown.
-
Remove from the oven and poke a small hole in the side of each popover to release steam.
-
Serve warm with butter, jam, honey, or alongside roast dinners.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients for best rise. Do not open the oven during baking or the popovers may collapse.
- Prep Time: 10 MINUTES
- Cook Time: 30 MINUTES
- Category: BREAD
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn’t my popovers rise?
Usually this happens if the pan wasn’t hot enough or the oven temperature was too low.
Can I make popovers without a popover pan?
Yes. A standard muffin tin works perfectly.
Why are my popovers dense?
Overmixing the batter or using cold ingredients can prevent proper rising.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Yes. The batter can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before baking.
How do I store leftover popovers?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
Final Thoughts
These simple homemade popovers are one of those recipes that feel fancy but are incredibly easy to make. With just a few ingredients and the right oven temperature, you’ll get tall, golden popovers with crisp edges and soft airy centers every time.
They’re perfect for holiday dinners, cozy brunch spreads, or whenever you want something warm and buttery fresh from the oven.
Once you make them from scratch, you’ll never go back to store-bought rolls again.
