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

By

Elaine Lemm

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

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

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.

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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.

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.)

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

FAQs

What is the tradition of Yorkshire pudding? ›

It was originally cooked in northern England over a fire with the meat roasting above it. The fats and juices from the meat would drip into the pudding and provide flavour and colour. Traditionally, the word “pudding” referred to homely and rustic desserts that were commonly eaten by the lower classes.

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.

How do you make Yorkshire puddings rise better? ›

Resting the batter overnight is key for developing better flavor. Forget about cold batter: letting it rest at room temperature helps it rise taller as it bakes. A combination of milk and water gives the Yorkshire puddings extra rise and crispness.

Is it better to use butter or oil for Yorkshire puddings? ›

Bacon fat: Save some of the grease from your morning bacon for smoky, salty Yorkshire puddings. Butter: While butter undoubtedly makes scrumptious popovers, it also burns easily, so we recommend using a combination of melted unsalted butter and oil instead.

What is the best oil for Yorkshire puddings? ›

This needs to get to the exact temperature and be piping hot to ensure the maximum sizzle for the maximum rise in those puds! The oven temperature you'll need is around 220oC / 200oC Fan. What oil is best for Yorkshire puddings? We believe that a cold pressed Rapeseed Oil is the best oil for the job.

Why don't you have Yorkshire puddings at Christmas? ›

Well, from a very traditional viewpoint, Yorkshire puddings absolutely belong with roast beef, and a traditional British Christmas dinner normally involves a bird — goose, turkey, chicken, whatever — and you don't traditionally have Yorkshire puddings with any of those.

Are Yorkshire puddings meant to be on a Christmas dinner? ›

Traditionalists claim it's a festive faux pas, but a survey suggests that Yorkshire puddings may well have a place on our Christmas dinner plates.

What is the most Yorkshire puddings eaten in one sitting? ›

eaten in one siting is 400! Yikes, that's alot! We. suggest you start with one, try ours next time!

Is it best to use water or milk in Yorkshire puddings? ›

It would be a poor substitute. Absolutely do not use milk in yorkshire puddings! It makes them soft and doughy. Cold water and a thoroughly good whisk to get plenty of air into the batter.

Should you stir Yorkshire pudding batter after resting? ›

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

Is it best to let Yorkshire pudding batter 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 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.

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