Light and Crisp Black Pepper and Gruyere Popovers

4 from 2 reviews

Light and Crisp Black Pepper and Gruyere Popovers

This foolproof black pepper and gruyère popover recipe is an easy way to serve bread with dinner without fussing with yeast or kneading. The popover batter is made in a blender and takes just 5 minutes to prep and another 35 minutes to bake. The exterior is crisp and golden brown, while the center is tender, airy, and light. Enjoy with butter, jam, or honey alongside your favorite dinner recipes.

Prep5

Cook35

Total40

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: british comfort food, chef-tested recipe, easy popover recipe, how to make popovers, popover recipe

Servings: popovers (in a muffin tin)

Calories: 145kcal

Author: Ari Laing

Video

Equipment

12-cup standard muffin tin, or a popover pan (will yield 12 muffin-size popovers or 6 larger popovers based on the pan)

Food blender

Paring knife

Nonstick spray or additional melted unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature
1½ cups (360g) milk, any kind, room temperature or lukewarm
¾ tsp Kosher salt
1½ cups (180g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
½ cup (3-4 oz) Gruyere, grated
3 Tbsp (45g) salted butter, melted (unsalted is fine)
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for topping

Instructions

Adjust the oven rack. Place an oven rack in the bottom third in the oven, then preheat to 450°F (230°C). Note: you should remove the other rack or make sure it’s at the top of the oven so the popovers don’t touch it during baking.
Prepare the pan. Brush the inside and tops of a standard 12-cup muffin tin or popover pan with melted butter or coat well with nonstick spray. It’s important to get the top as well, so the popovers do not break when removing.
Make the batter. Place 4 large eggs, 1½ cups (360g) milk, and ¾ tsp Kosher salt in a blender, then process on medium-high speed until thoroughly mixed, about 20 seconds. Dump 1½ cups (180g) flour in all at once, then blend again for another 15 seconds. Add ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese, 3 Tbsp (43g) melted butter, and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, then blend one final time until frothy, another 15 seconds.
Bake the popovers. (Will make 10 taller or 12 shorter popovers, depending how you divide the batter.) Pour enough batter into each muffin mold to fill it half way. Once divided, go back and top off each tin with remaining batter. Add a couple cracks of black pepper on top of each, then carefully transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the oven, then continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the popovers have completely puffed up and are golden brown.
Release the steam. As soon as you pull the popovers out of the oven, poke the tops of each with a paring knife. This will release the steam and help them maintain their shape. Serve warm with butter or jam or alongside your favorite fall dinner!

Notes

Tips: Don’t open the oven while baking. Pierce popovers immediately after baking to help them hold their shape. Use room-temperature eggs (warm in water for 5 minutes if needed). Large popover pans need the full extra bake time; smaller pans may need less. No blender? Whisk eggs, milk, and salt until smooth, then whisk in flour, butter, and pepper.
Make ahead: Batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead, but popovers are best baked fresh.
Storage & reheating: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat at 350°F until crisp.
Freezing: Freeze cooled popovers up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.

Nutrition

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