This is your sign to try making popovers!
They’re gorgeous, golden, and puffed to perfection. Popovers are made with just five basic ingredients – eggs, milk, flour, butter, and salt. But a little kitchen science turns the simple combination into a stunning treat.
Recipe creator Dina Driggs shared her technique and recipe for a perfect popover.
The Science Behind the Puff
Here’s what makes popovers pop: the high heat at the start of baking causes the eggy batter to steam and rise, puffing up into a tall, hollow pastry. Then, turning down the heat ensures the inside bakes through, giving you that perfect contrast—crispy shell, tender middle.
If you’ve ever had a German pancake (aka Dutch baby), popovers are their cousins. They work for breakfast (with butter and syrup), dinner (with jam butter), or even dessert (rolled in cinnamon sugar)!
Popover Pans
Dina says you don’t need a special popover pan (though if you have one, it will help you get that tall, bakery-style rise). A regular muffin tin works just fine! Want something fun and bite-sized? Try a mini muffin tin. Want something hearty and dramatic? Go for a jumbo muffin tin.
Heat Matters
This is a recipe where timing and temperature really matter. You must preheat your oven to 450°F before you start baking—don’t put the pan in until the oven is hot! That blast of heat is what makes the eggs expand and the batter balloon into those signature puffs.
Beat It!
The key to light, fluffy popovers: beat the batter well. More than you think! Start by beating the eggs until light and frothy. Then, add the milk and butter. Gradually mix in the flour and salt. Once everything is combined, continue mixing for 2-3 minutes. Dina recommends using an electric stand or hand mixer here!
Why all the mixing? To build up the structure. Popovers that aren’t beaten enough turn out short and dense—not the tall, hollow beauties we’re aiming for.
Jam Butter? Yes, Please!
Dina’s serving suggestion: jam butter. It’s as good as it sounds. Just beat together soft butter and your favorite jam (strawberry, raspberry, mixed berry—whatever you like). You can freeze small scoops of it on parchment paper and pop them out whenever you’re having a hot, fresh popover.
Another tasty idea? Roll your popovers in melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
Popovers
Recipe by Dina Driggs
EQUIPMENT OPTIONS
- Popover Pan
- Large Muffin Tin (6 wells)
- Regular Muffin Tin
- Mini Muffin Pan or Mini Quiche Pan
INGREDIENTS
For the Popovers
- 2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp. Salt
For the Jam Butter (optional)
- ¾ Cup Jam of choice (strawberry, raspberry, mixed berry, etc.)
- ½ Cup Softened Butter
METHOD
Popover Batter
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Spray your pan generously with vegetable spray.
- Add ½ tsp. melted butter into each well of the pan.
- Beat the eggs until light and fluffy. (Use a stand mixer for at least 1 minute, or longer with a hand mixer.)
- Add milk and beat well.
- Gradually pour in the rest of the melted butter.
- Add flour and salt. Add the flour in small amounts until incorporated.
- Beat the batter:
Stand mixer: 2–3 minutes
Hand mixer: 4–5 minutes
- Pour a little more than ⅓ cup of batter into each well.
- Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce oven to 325°F and bake for another 15 minutes. (Don’t take them out early—even if they look done!)
- Remove from pan and serve warm with jam butter or toppings of your choice.
Alternative Bake Times
Regular Muffin Tin: 15 minutes at 450°F + 10 minutes at 325°F
Mini Muffin Pan: 10 minutes at 450°F + 10 minutes at 325°F
Jam Butter
- Beat butter until soft and light.
- Add jam of your choice and mix well.
To store for later use
Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop small mounds of jam butter onto the parchment and freeze.
Bonus Idea:
Dip warm popovers in melted butter and roll in a cinnamon sugar mix—especially tasty with mini popovers!
Find more recipes from Dina on Instagram, @dinasdiner, or on her website, dinasdiner.com.
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