Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (2024)

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By

Elaine Lemm

Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (1)

Elaine Lemm

Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.

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Updated on 12/6/23

Tested by

Danilo Alfaro

Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (2)

Tested byDanilo Alfaro

Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 45 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 65 mins

Servings: 6 servings

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In the U.K., the word pudding (or "pud") means something totally different than in America. Rather than just a creamy dessert, pudding can refer to sweet and savory dishes of all different kinds, from black pudding to sticky toffee pudding. Yorkshire puddings are almost identical to American popovers, with crispy edges and a creamy center.

Light and fluffy as soufflés, Yorkshire pudding is made of a runny batter with eggs, milk, and flour that is whisked together before resting. Fat such as beef drippings, bacon grease, or lard is added to the hot pan before the batter. Thanks to the eggs and the high heat, the batter puffs up in the hot oven, leaving the signature crater in the middle.

Enjoy Traditionally...Or Not!

Yorkshire pudding shouldn't be reserved just for Christmas dinner. This recipe is simple enough for any weekend meal. Yorkshire pudding is traditionally served with gravy as a starter dish followed by the main dish, or alongside roast beef or similar meat for a dinner spread. Large Yorkshire puddings are filled with things like chili or sausage and served as popular pub food. You can also enjoy it as a dessert and top it with vanilla ice cream.

Tips for Perfectly Risen, Crispy Puds

  • Rest and Chill—Make sure your batter is well-rested for perfect puddings that are tender on the inside.
  • Smokin' Hot—The fat in the baking pan should be so hot it's smoking.
  • Don't Dilly Dally—Once you've poured the batter into the smoking hot fat, return the pan to the hot oven immediately to get the crispiest, lightest puddings.
  • The Best Fats—Some swear by vegetable oil, but this can make the puddings greasy and it doesn't add flavor. It's best to use lard, beef drippings, bacon fat or duck fat.

The Equal Parts Method

  • Note that the ingredient list calls for 4 eggs, 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour. You're aiming for equal parts of all three ingredients and should scale ingredients up or down to ensure this. To do so...
  • First: Crack your eggs into a measuring cup to determine their total volume.
  • Then: Measure out amounts of milk and flour in equal parts (by volume) to the eggs.
  • Measuring the ingredients this way ensures the correct consistency for your batter no matter the size of the batch you're making.

What You'll Need To Make Yorkshire Puddings

A Hand Mixer
A Muffin Tin
A Mixing Bowl

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Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 pinch fine salt

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons lard, beef drippings, or vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C.

    Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (7)

  2. Combine 4 large eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1 pinch fine salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly with an electric hand mixer or hand whisk. Let stand for 10 minutes.

    Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (8)

  3. Gradually sift 1 cup all-purpose flour into the milk and egg mixture, again using an electric hand mixer or whisk to create a lump-free batter resembling thick cream. If there are any lumps, push the batter through a fine sieve.

    Let the batter rest in the kitchen for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer if possible (up to several hours).

    Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (9)

  4. Place a pea-sized piece of lard, dripping, or 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil into each opening in a Yorkshire pudding tin. Alternatively, use a 12-hole muffin tin. Place in the hot oven until the fat is smoking.

    Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (10)

  5. Add 2 tablespoons cold water to the batter and give it another good whisk. Fill the openings in the tin 1/3 full with batter and return quickly to the oven.

    Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (11)

  6. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown, puffed, and crisp. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

    Serve immediately.

    Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (12)

How To Store

Yorkshire puddings are best right after they're baked, but you can refrigerate extras in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 1 month. Reheat them in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
179Calories
8g Fat
18g Carbs
8g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g10%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 130mg43%
Sodium 88mg4%
Total Carbohydrate 18g7%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 73mg6%
Iron 2mg9%
Potassium 129mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • pudding
  • yorkshire pudding
  • dinner
  • british

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Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Every Time with this Traditional Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making Yorkshire puddings rise? ›

There is a secret to every Yorkshire pudding recipe when it comes to getting Yorkshire puddings to rise properly. In fact there are two. The first is to let the batter rest once you've mixed and the second is to heat your tin and beef dripping so it's piping hot when you do pour the batter in.

What is the traditional way to eat Yorkshire pudding? ›

Traditionally in Yorkshire you would have the pudding as a starter to a Sunday roast (because they're cheap to make and filling so less meat is needed). Served with gravy. More regularly now small puddings are served with a roast. mint sauce is my favourite addition with lashings of marmite gravy.

What is the best oil for Yorkshire pudding? ›

Use a fat that will get hot enough to puff up the yorkies. Olive oil isn't the best choice, but sunflower or vegetable oil reach a higher temperature, which is essential for achieving the maximum reaction when the batter is added.

What is Yorkshire pudding called in America? ›

History. The popover is an American version of Yorkshire pudding and similar batter puddings made in England since the 17th century, The oldest known reference to popovers dates to 1850. The first cookbook to print a recipe for popovers was in 1876.

What is the best fat for Yorkshire puddings? ›

Cold batter and hot oil are the successful combination for a well risen and crisp pudding. Make sure your Rapeseed Oil is smoking hot before pouring your batter into the tin. It's the best oil for the job.

Why don t my Yorkshire puddings stay crispy? ›

The general rule of thumb is that substituting some, or even half of the milk in your recipe for water will make your puddings lighter and crispier, so try this modification if your puds are too dense or soft. The amount of eggs that you use matters, too – use an equal amount of flour, eggs and milk or water.

Why do Yorkshire puddings go cakey? ›

I think everyone has or will make at least one flat Yorkshire pudding at some point. The most common reason is that it isn't hot enough. Sometimes because the oven door is open too long or the pan or fat isn't hot enough before the batter is added.

Why is my Yorkshire pudding soggy in the middle? ›

15-20 minutes should be enough time for smaller Yorkshire puddings but for larger ones you will need to increase the cooking time slightly to make sure that the pudding does not have a soggy centre.

Why does Yorkshire pudding batter need to rest? ›

Resting the batter really does result in better-risen Yorkshire puddings with an airier texture (rather than chewy). About an hour is sufficient to allow the starch molecules to swell, giving a thicker consistency, and for the gluten to relax.

Should Yorkshire batter be thick or runny? ›

The best way to know whether or not you have the perfect consistency is to dip a spoon into the batter and see if the batter creates a thin layer on the back of the spoon. If the batter falls off, then it's too thin and if a lot of the batter stays on the spoon, it's too thick.

Should Yorkshire pudding batter be thick or runny? ›

What consistency should Yorkshire pudding mix be? For perfect Yorkies, you need a consistency of heavy cream, so really quite runny but not milk-runny. To make sure you achieve this I suggest pouring half of the liquid in and then slowly adding more until you reach the consistency.

Can you put too much oil in Yorkshire puddings? ›

Too much will make the bottom of your Yorkshires greasy, while too little could see your puds stick to the pan.

What is the Irish version of Yorkshire pudding? ›

Batter pudding is the Irish version of Yorkshire pudding. Many Irish like their meat quite well cooked, which rather spoils a good joint of beef in my opinion. A largish piece of beef cooked in this way will have the best flavour, as small joints are disappointing.

What is the German version of Yorkshire pudding? ›

Somewhere between a Yorkshire pudding and a souffle, German puffs are a rich and satisfying dish. This is a quick and easy historical recipe that makes a tasty breakfast or brunch dish.

What is the American version of British pudding? ›

American puddings are closer to what the Brits would call "custard." A British pudding is a dish, savory or sweet, that's cooked by being boiled or steamed in something: a dish, a piece of cloth, or even animal intestine.

How do you keep Yorkshire puddings from going flat? ›

10 Tips to Make Sure Your Yorkshire Puddings Rise
  1. 01 of 10. Measure Your Ingredients. ...
  2. 02 of 10. Mix Thoroughly. ...
  3. 03 of 10. Let the Batter Rest. ...
  4. 04 of 10. Use the Right Fat. ...
  5. 05 of 10. Then Stir Again. ...
  6. 06 of 10. Wipe Instead of Washing. ...
  7. 07 of 10. Don't Fill to the Rim. ...
  8. 08 of 10. Keep Batter Cool and Oven Hot.
Dec 8, 2019

Do more eggs make Yorkshire puddings rise? ›

Yorkshire puddings don't need baking powder or other raising agent, the secret to a good rise is plenty of eggs, hot fat and a hot oven.

Why do my Yorkshire puddings not rise evenly? ›

Sometimes because the oven door is open too long or the pan or fat isn't hot enough before the batter is added. Sometimes it's because there is too much batter in the pan, sometimes because the pan is too large for the quantity of batter, and sometimes because the pan isn't deep enough.

Why do my Yorkshire puddings fall flat? ›

It is almost always because the oil wasn't hot enough. Yorkshire Puddings rise because the water molecules in the milk turn to steam and as they rise, they force the batter upwards to make the puddings grow.

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