Best Yorkshire Pudding Recipe (English Popovers)

Name: Best Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 large eggs (at room temperature); 3¼ cups whole milk; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons salt (coarse ); ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground ); 4 Tablespoons pan drippings, or 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil (reserved from the beef roast)

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This is the best Yorkshire Pudding recipe for holidays and dinner parties! My traditional popover recipe is super fluffy and crisp on the outside, perfect for soaking up gravy. It’s always a hit with everyone at the table! Prep in 5 minutes, bake in 30, with just 6 ingredients including salt and pepper.

Cooked golden-brown Yorkshire puddings in a popover pan

Best Yorkshire Puddings

I am the type of person who loves to plan ahead for the holidays every year. Having the perfect dinner all planned out and ready to go so there’s no last-minute stress is a blessing when you’re already so busy and want to spend as much time as possible with your family!

That’s what makes make-ahead dinner party recipes like my Yorkshire Pudding recipe a great choice for the holidays. I know I can have these popovers ready right on time every holiday, and they’re perfect for serving with roast beef.

Serve these popovers with slow cooker beef gravy and sliced prime rib, and you’re all set. They are so delicious!

Tools

To make Yorkshire puddings, you will need…

A sheet pan to catch drippings from the puddings
Yorkshire pudding pans or 6 to 12 count muffin pans
Your oven
Optional: A blender

Specially made Yorkshire pudding pans are perfect for this recipe, but you can also use muffin tins.

Because Yorkshire puddings bake with pan drippings from beef or gravy, there is always a chance a few of them might drip in the oven. Placing a sheet pan under the rack helps catch any overflow from the puddings, so you will want to use one.

A blender will make it easier to mix the ingredients for the popovers, but you can also make the mixture by hand with a whisk, so it isn’t necessary.

FAQs

What is the secret to making Yorkshire puddings rise?

If you want your Yorkshire puddings to rise, you must keep the batter at room temperature and preheat the greased pan, so as soon as the batter hits the pan, it begins to rise immediately. You won’t see it happening, but the effect will be immediate!

How do you keep Yorkshire puddings from deflating?

To keep Yorkshire puddings from deflating, do not open the oven while they are baking. The puddings will collapse if you open the oven. Let them finish baking and do not be tempted to check on them by opening the oven door!

What is Yorkshire pudding?

Yorkshire pudding is an English popovers recipe using flour, milk or water, eggs, beef pan drippings from a roast, salt, and pepper. They are soft and fluffy and generally served for the holidays with roast beef.

Can Yorkshire pudding batter be made ahead?

You can make Yorkshire pudding batter up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store the batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature outside of the refrigerator first, then bake according to instructions.

Can you use self-rising flour for Yorkshire puddings?

You should not use self-rising flour for Yorkshire pudding recipes as it will more often than not result in flat puddings. For best results, use all-purpose plain flour.

What is the best oil for cooking Yorkshire puddings?

Pan drippings from roast beef work the best for greasing the pan to make Yorkshire puddings. If you don’t have pan drippings, vegetable oil is a good substitute. Do not use olive oil.

Are Yorkshire puddings better with milk or water?

Whether you prefer milk or water for your Yorkshire pudding recipe is up to preference; however, I recommend using milk. Milk lends Yorkshire puddings a softer texture and richer flavor, while water will make them crispier.

What is the difference between Yorkshire puddings and popovers?

Popovers and Yorkshire puddings are essentially the same recipe as they both use water or milk, eggs, flour, and beef drippings or butter. These terms are often used interchangeably for this reason.

Can you refrigerate Yorkshire puddings?

To store leftover homemade Yorkshire puddings, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at low heat or in the microwave when ready to eat.

Can Yorkshire puddings be frozen?

You can freeze Yorkshire puddings after baking by first allowing them to cool, then adding them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freezing for up to 2 to 3 months. Label with the freezing date; then, when ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven at low heat.

Freshly baked yorkshire pudding recipe on a baking rack on a white surface, next to cracked eggs and a milk glass

How to Make Yorkshire Pudding from Scratch

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a sheet pan on the bottom rack to catch drippings from the puddings when you bake them.
Crack eggs into a blender with milk, all-purpose flour, coarse salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Blend on high until the mixture resembles heavy cream. Or, blend thoroughly by hand with a whisk if you don’t have a blender.
Pour pan drippings into each popover cup or muffin tin, just enough to cover the bottom of each tin. Heat in the oven for 2 minutes.
Once heated, quickly and carefully pour the Yorkshire pudding batter into the preheated cups. Fill each cup about halfway.
Place in the oven and do not open the door. Keep the light on to monitor the Yorkshire Puddings in the oven. Opening the oven door will deflate the popovers, so resist the temptation!
Bake until puffed and golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Yorkshire puddings puff up to their highest point in the last 10 minutes of cooking, so don’t worry if they aren’t rising before then.

Close up of yorkshire pudding recipe on a baking rack

Recipe Tips for Perfect Popovers

Use a muffin tin. If you don’t have a popover tin, you can use a muffin tin to bake this recipe.
Use vegetable oil. If you don’t have pan drippings from beef, you can use vegetable oil or another fat of your choice to fill the puddings with. But, pan drippings are the best!
Room temperature batter is best. The highest, puffiest popovers will come from room temperature batter. Trust me!
Preheat the greased pan. The reason you preheat the pan before adding the filling is that when the batter hits, it immediately begins to rise, even though it isn’t visible. This will make the popovers super fluffy.
Double the batter to make more. Trust me, you’ll want to. They’re that good!
Make one large Yorkshire pudding by baking in a 9 by 13-inch pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, add 2 Tablespoons beef fat or vegetable oil to the bottom of the pan, then pour in the batter. Bake according to directions in recipe card.

Close up of two yorkshire puddings in front of the blurred batch from the yorkshire pudding recipe

What to Serve with Yorkshire Pudding

This traditional English pudding recipe is perfect for serving with all of your favorite holiday meals. I love making it for everything from Easter to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

This recipe makes a great side dish for the holidays. Pair it with my other Side Dishes for Ham, Thanksgiving Dishes, Side Dishes for Prime Rib or Christmas Side Dishes!

Did you try this recipe? I would love to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below and with a rating. If you have any questions about the recipe, ask away!

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