Traditional English Crumpets

Written by
Elaine Lemm
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.
Learn about our editorial process
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Published on 11/25/19 by Elaine Lemm
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.
Learn about The Spruce Eats's Editorial Process

Updated 11/25/19

Traditional English Crumpets Recipe

 The Spruce
  • Total: 30 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • To foam the batter: 2 hrs
  • Yield: 24 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
87 Calories
3g Fat
13g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 294mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 2g
Calcium 66mg 5%
*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.)

Crumpets are the quintessential afternoon tea treat, served warm with lots of butter. Different from the original recipe of flat griddle cakes, the soft, spongy crumpets we know today are a product of the Victorian era. It is the extra yeast in the batter which creates the soft texture and the myriad of little holes on the top, perfect for soaking up butter.

There are many ready-made brands of crumpets available, but it is easy, and so much fun, to make your own. Just be sure to plan ahead as the crumpet batter needs an hour or two to rise. Once the crumpets are cooked, simply serve warm with butter and a little jam.

Make a little extra batter your first time so you can practice getting them right, including getting the pan to the proper temperature. It only takes making one or two crumpets until you get the hang of it. This recipe yields 24 crumpets, but if that is too many, the recipe can easily be halved.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups water (lukewarm)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  2. First, warm the milk in a saucepan. Make sure that it is warm, but not boiling.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  3. Skim any film off of the top.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  4. Whisk together the warmed milk, flour, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  5. Once combined, add half the water and beat into the batter.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  6. Continue to add more water until the batter is thick and smooth. Stop adding water once it reaches the consistency of thick cream.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  7. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm, draft-free place until foaming. This should take about 1 hour, but can be up to 2 hours (keep an eye on it).

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  8. Whisk the salt and baking powder into the batter.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  9. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan on the stove until hot, but not smoking.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
    The Spruce 

  10. Moisten a paper towel with a little oil and grease the base of the pan and crumpet (or pastry) rings measuring approximately 3 x 1 1/2 inches.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  11. Place one ring in the heated pan, and pour in enough batter to fill just below the top of the ring.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
    The Spruce 

  12. Cook for 5 minutes, until there are many tiny holes on the surface, and the crumpet is setting.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  13. Flip the crumpet over (in the ring) and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
    The Spruce 

  14. Repeat with the remaining batter.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  15. Rest the crumpets on a wire rack until cool.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  16. To reheat, place crumpets in a toaster or under the broiler before serving.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

  17. Serve with lots of butter and jam.

    Traditional English Crumpets Recipe
     The Spruce

Tips

  • If the crumpet batter seeps out from under the ring into the pan, it means it is too thin. Whisk in more flour to thicken, adding a small amount at a time.
  • If a cooked crumpet is heavy and without holes, the batter is too thick; slowly add more water until a better consistency develops.
  • If you don't have any pastry or crumpet rings, you can use a similar-sized, clean food can—just be careful with any sharp edges.