Traditional English Crumpets

By Elaine Lemm

Updated 11/17/18

English Crumpets
English Crumpets.

Andrew Dernie/Getty Images

Ratings (81)
  • 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
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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.

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

  3. Skim any film off of the top.

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

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

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

  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).

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

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

  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.

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

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

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

  14. Repeat with the remaining batter.

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

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

  17. Serve with lots of butter and jam.

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.