Have you been wanting to make English crumpets for your next breakfast or tea party? Look no further than this easy and delicious recipe; the hardest part is waiting for the batter to rise.
Looking for other English breads? You'll definitely want to try this English bloomer bread and this cob loaf.
About
English crumpets most likely originated in Wales. These English cakes are baked on griddles, and were popular because they didn't require an oven. The griddle was a flat piece of iron set over top of a fire, acting much like a skillet on a modern stovetop.
The signature nooks and crannies of this English bread come from the fermenting yeast in the crumpet batter which produces little bubbles of gas. When the batter hits the hot pan, the heat encourages the bubbles to rise to the top of the crumpet, creating the holes.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's made with a mixture of two flours. Using a blend of all-purpose flour and bread flour gives the crumpets a stronger gluten structure, which helps them rise higher and have a better texture.
- The batter is rested twice. The first time, it's rested until it falls back on itself, which takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours, and the second rest is shorter (only about 20 minutes). These resting times give the crumpets an excellent flavor and rise, and makes sure that they have the distinctive holes on the top.
Ingredients
The ingredients to make English crumpets are simple, and you might already have most on hand. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients.
- Flour: We use a combination of all-purpose flour and bread flour.
- Fat: We used butter for the dough and olive oil for cooking.
- Liquid: We use a combination of water and milk.
- Leavener: Yeast helps the dough rise while the baking soda promotes the fermentation of the yeast giving them their distinct holes.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Dairy Free/Vegan: Swap the milk for your favorite plant-based milk, and grease the crumpet rings with oil instead of butter.
- Gluten Free: We haven't tested this recipe made with 100% gluten free flour, but you're welcome to try it and let me know how it goes in the comments! Here's a great recipe for gluten free crumpets if you're looking for more specific tips.
How to Make English Crumpets
Gather the ingredients for the English crumpets.
- Mix together the two flours and the yeast in a bowl. (image 1)
- Warm up the milk to 115°F, then stir the sugar in it to dissolve. Pour all the milk mixture into the flour mix and stir vigorously for 3-5 minutes, until a smooth, stretchy batter has formed. (image 2)
- Let the dough prove until it increases in size and starts to fall back on itself. This will take at least 1 to 1 ½ hours. You can really see the strings of gluten in the dough in the photo above! (image 3)
- Warm the water to 115°F and stir in the salt and baking soda until dissolved. Gradually stir in the water to slacken the batter. (image 4)
- Cover the batter and let it stand for about 20 minutes, until it has risen and has a bubbly surface. Meanwhile, butter the crumpet rings. (image 5)
- Place the crumpet rings in a greased skillet and fill them halfway with batter. Cook until the crumpets are set, then remove the rings. Once they're dry and have small holes on top, flip them over and cook until lightly browned on the other side. (image 6)
- Place the cooked English crumpets on a wire rack, and cover with a tea towel to keep them warm. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining crumpet batter. (image 7)
- Serve these English crumpets with lots of salted butter and any other toppings you'd like. Honey, marmalade, raspberry jam, chutney, cheese, or ham are all tasty ideas. (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
A crumpet is a thick, yeasted pancake cooked in metal rings inside of a skillet. They have a spongy, doughy texture and distinctive holes on top, which is perfect for letting melted butter soak into the crumpet.
They are certainly similar but do have some differences. English crumpets are made from thick batter and are traditionally cooked only on one side. They are cooked in rings to hold their shape. On the other hand, English muffins are made from firmer dough and are always cooked on both sides. They also aren't cooked in rings, and are usually served cut in half.
Yes, you can buy crumpets at many grocery stores in the States, but they can be hard to find. If you have a craving for crumpets, it's fun and easy to make your own at home!
Traditionally, they are eaten hot with butter, clotted cream, and jam. However, you can try more unconventional toppings, such as maple syrup, chutney, cheeses, or sliced meats as well.
Leftovers: Leftover crumpets can keep at room temperature for 2-3 days if they are sealed in an airtight container. However, they will stay the freshest if they're frozen after being cooked and cooled.
Freeze: Seal them tightly in a zip-top freezer bag, pressing out the extra air and freezing for up to 1 month. There' s no need to defrost before toasting.
Serve
Wondering what toppings taste good with crumpets? Salted butter, clotted cream, and any type of jams or jellies taste amazing on crumpets. You can also have fun experimenting with savory toppings like chutney, cheese, or sliced meat as well.
Serving leftover crumpets? Pop them under the broiler or in a toaster to toast them. This makes them taste almost as fresh and crispy as when they were first cooked!
Looking for other English teatime treats to serve with crumpets? Make your afternoon tea extra special by serving it with some tea sandwiches, like these crab salad sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, or egg salad sandwiches.
If you want some British sweets to go with these crumpets, try this Earl Grey shortbread, lemon scones, or blueberry frangipane tart. If you're looking for more sweet breads, try these Cornish saffron buns, or Lincolnshire plum bread.
Expert Tips
- Stir the batter vigorously for 3-5 minutes until the batter is smooth and stretchy. The energetic stirring will build up the gluten in the dough, resulting in wonderfully chewy and holey English crumpets.
- Tired arm from stirring? Pour the batter into a stand mixer and let it do the hard work for you.
- Let the batter rise until it's starting to fall back. This will take some time, but it means that the batter will have a much better flavor.
- Be careful not to fill the crumpet rings more than ⅔ full since the extra batter will spill over the edges of the crumpet ring as it cooks.
- Place the cooked ones on a wire rack to keep them a little crispy. Cover with a tea towel to retain some of the warmth.
More Savory Breads You'll Love
Recipe
English Crumpets Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- 4 ½ teaspoons fast-action yeast
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Butter, for greasing
- Olive oil, for greasing
Instructions
Making the Batter
- Pour the two flours into a large mixing bowl and add the yeast.
- Warm the milk to 115°F, then stir in the sugar until dissolved.
- Add the milk to the flour and beat vigorously with a spoon until the mixture is quite stretchy and smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it prove in a warm place until the dough has fully risen and started to fall back. This will take at least 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Finishing the Batter
- Once the crumpet batter has proved, warm the water to 115°F, then dissolve the salt and baking soda in the water.
- Gradually mix all the water into the crumpet batter, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. Bubbles should form on the surface of the batter.
- While the batter is resting, lightly butter four 3 ½-inch (9 cm) crumpet rings and pull out a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
Cooking the Crumpets
- Heat the cast iron skillet over medium heat heat for a minute or two, then turn down the heat to medium low. Lightly brush the skillet with olive oil.
- Place a crumpet ring in one corner of the skillet and spread 3-4 tablespoons of batter inside the ring, filling it about halfway. If the batter runs out from under the ring, add a little more flour to the batter, but if the batter doesn't form holes after a couple minutes of cooking, add a little more water to the batter. Once the batter is a good consistency, repeat with the other three crumpet rings.
- Cook the crumpets until the edges are set and holes have formed in the top (about 7-8 minutes), then gently remove the crumpet ring with a pair of tongs. The underside of the crumpet should be a rich golden brown.
- Flip over the crumpets and cook briefly on the other side until it's a nice golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Place the cooked crumpets on a cooling rack and cover with a tea towel to keep them warm.
- Lightly grease the pan again, then continue to cook the crumpets in batches of four until all the batter is gone. Serve the crumpets immediately with butter and jam, or allow to cool and toast later.
Video
Notes
- Make sure the milk and water aren't hotter than 115°F, as temperatures hotter than this can kill the yeast.
- Don't want to stir the batter by hand? Use a stand mixer to do the hard work.
- Be careful not to overfill the crumpet rings, since the batter will overflow the rings, creating an unattractive crumpet.
- Keep heat on medium to medium-low, or the crumpets will burn before they are cooked through.
- Put cooked crumpets on a wire rack to keep them from getting soggy.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Mel
The measures are off on this recipe. When i mix the flour and milk it turns into a dough, not a badder.???
Emma Fajcz
I'm sorry you hit a snag with this recipe, Mel! I've made this recipe several times and haven't encountered that issue. The batter/dough should like the one in the photo. It will be thicker at this stage, as you don't add the remaining liquid (water) until later in the recipe. I recommend weighing the flour with a kitchen scale for accuracy, as having too much flour will make the batter thicker.
Елена
🤩thank 💖
Emma Fajcz
You're welcome!
Alan J. Meeker
Recipe is excellent , but your format is frustrating . Ingredients are in one place then you have to go down below the actual recipe for the amounts of the ingredients and then jump back to get another place for the procedure. Why can't you put amounts of ingredients and the procedure together? I was forever scrolling up down up down losing my place and it was very frustrating. But the recipe is very good.
Emma
We're sorry you found it frustrating, Alan. Both the ingredients and instructions are placed close together in the recipe card, so next time please cook from the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Lynne Grant
Made my first ever homemade crumpets today. My husband took one bite and said ‘these are delicious’, so no more bought crumpets ever again. They are delicious and will be made frequently at our house. Would recommend this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Emma
How wonderful, Lynne! I'm delighted to hear that you and your husband enjoyed the crumpets so much! They're a hit in our family, too.
Rose
Nothing like crumpet and a cup of tea!
Emma
Yes! It's a wonderful combination!
Beth
I had never heard of crumpets until just over a year ago, but they've quickly become a favorite of mine. They are ten times better than pancakes 🥞! They taste amazing with marmalade slathered on top. These are a must-try!
Emma
I agree--crumpets definitely are delicious! I love them better than pancakes, too. 🙂