Description
Traditional British crumpets made from scratch with a yeast and baking powder batter, cooked in rings on a griddle to create the signature spongy texture and holes that perfectly trap butter and toppings
Ingredients
Crumpet Batter
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150g (1 cup) white flour, plain or all purpose
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200ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) warm water, just tap water (200g)
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1/2 tsp salt, cooking or kosher salt (1/4 tsp if using table salt)
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1/2 tsp white sugar
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1 tsp baking powder
Yeast Mixture
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1 tsp yeast, instant or rapid rise (dry active yeast works too)
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1 tbsp warm water, just from the tap
For Cooking
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2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (or vegetable oil if you prefer)
Instructions
Place the flour, 200ml warm water, and salt in a bowl. Now here’s where the magic starts—whisk vigorously for a full 2 minutes by hand, or 1 minute with an electric beater on speed 5.
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast into 1 tablespoon of warm water. Give it a quick stir and let it sit while you catch your breath from all that whisking. The water should be warm but not hot.
Add your yeast mixture, sugar, and baking powder to the flour mixture. Whisk for another 30 seconds by hand, or 15 seconds on speed 5 with your mixer. The batter should be smooth and pourable, about the consistency of thick pancake batter.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and place it somewhere very warm. The top of the fridge, near a sunny window, or even inside your oven with just the light on works beautifully. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes until the surface gets nice and foamy.
Grease 2 or 3 rings generously with butter. If you’re using non-stick rings, a light brush of melted butter works. For everything else, really smear that butter on to prevent sticking.
Brush your non-stick skillet lightly with melted butter and place the greased rings in the pan. Turn the stove to medium-high heat (or medium if you have a powerful stove). Let everything heat up together for a minute or two.
Pour 1/4 cup (65ml) of batter into each ring, filling them about 1cm or 2/5 inch deep. The batter will rise to about 60% more than where you started, so don’t overfill. You want room for those bubbles to do their thing.
Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on medium-high heat. You should start seeing bubbles appearing on the surface, but they won’t be popping yet. This initial blast of heat gets everything activated and sets the process in motion.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 1 minute. Now some bubbles should start popping around the edges. This is when things get exciting—you’re watching the crumpet magic happen in real time.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for another 2 1/2 to 4 minutes. The surface should set and most of the bubbles will have popped, leaving behind those iconic holes. If a few stubborn bubbles remain, you can gently pop them with a skewer.
Carefully remove the rings (you might need to run a knife around the edges to loosen them). Flip the crumpets and cook the other side for just 20 to 30 seconds to get a light blush of color.
Transfer the crumpets to a wire rack with the golden side facing down. Let them cool completely. This is harder than it sounds because they smell amazing, but cooling is crucial. They’ll be a bit moist and doughy inside if you eat them warm.
When you’re ready to eat, pop your crumpets in the toaster until the base is crispy and golden. The holes will open up even more, creating perfect little butter reservoirs.
Slather with butter while they’re hot. Watch it melt down into all those beautiful holes. Add your spread of choice (honey is absolute perfection, but jam works too), and eat immediately while everything is warm and melty.
Notes
Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t picture-perfect. Crumpets have a learning curve, just like pancakes did when you first started making them. The key is watching how the bubbles form and adjusting your heat accordingly.
If you don’t have proper crumpet rings, clean tuna cans with both ends removed work in a pinch. Make sure everything is the same height for even cooking.
Keep your batter warm between batches by leaving it in that warm spot—cold batter won’t bubble as nicely. If bubbles aren’t forming well, give the batter a gentle stir before pouring the next batch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-30 minutes
- Category: Beakfast
- Method: Griddle/Stovetop
- Cuisine: British