Easy Muffin Tin Popovers

Made using 7 baking staples and a standard muffin tin, these fail-proof Popovers are guaranteed to come out light and airy with caramelized and golden edges. This easy recipe will show you how to make these perfect mini breakfast or brunch treats without using any special equipment, plus some very helpful tips.  

No need to invest in a unitasking piece of equipment such as a popover pan to get perfectly baked popovers every morning! All you need is a regular muffin tin, the right ingredients, and a few simple techniques to achieve sky-high, light, and crispy popovers of your dreams. 

They would make the ideal Christmas breakfast goodies together with some cinnamon toast cookies and strawberry and goat cheese pop tarts.  

Why This Recipe Works

• No special equipment needed!
• This recipe requires ingredients that you most probably have in your pantry and fridge. 
• Using muffin tins means shorter baking time and smaller-sized popovers that are perfect for on-the-go snacking or as a quick pick-me-up during the day.
• These puffed-up pastries are so versatile. Enjoy them as they are, or pair them with sweet spreads or savory accompaniments for breakfast, brunch, snack time, or dessert. 
• Much like most delicious carby treats these popovers hold up exceptionally well in the freezer.

Ingredient Notes

• Milk – the key to making tall, fluffy, and airy popovers is to use 1% low-fat milk. High-fat milk will weigh down the popovers and will keep them from rising to their full potential. 2% is okay if you have that already. 
• Eggs- will bind the ingredients together and add moisture and flavor to the batter. The proteins in eggs help trap and stabilize the air, leading to the characteristic "popping over" effect.
• Bread flour- has a higher protein content than regular flour. The higher protein count provides more structure to the popovers, so they rise higher, get crispier, and hold their shape better. 
• Vegetable shortening- or cooking spray for greasing pans. I use non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening such as Spectrum Organic. Butter is not recommended for greasing the pans due to its water content.

*Full ingredient list with quantities is in the recipe card.

Helpful Equipment

• Muffin pan/tin- while popover pans will supposedly get you better results, using your trusty ‘ol muffin tin gets the job done just fine! 

Step by step instructions

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add in the milk, sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve and the milk is warm to the touch. Remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs until they're light and frothy, about 3 minutes.
2. Sift in the flour, one cup at a time, and whisk until no lumps remain. Cover the batter and let rest for an hour.***
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, then grease the outer 10 muffin cups on a pan, leaving the inner two cups ungreased. Place the muffin tin in the oven to heat up for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove the muffin tin from the oven, then whisk the batter to recombine. Pour the batter into the cups about ¼ inch away from the top, leaving the middle two cups empty. 
5. Bake, without opening the oven door until browned, about 15-20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees, and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Use a skewer to poke a small hole in the top of each popover, return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
6. Remove popovers from the pan and serve immediately.

Tips For Success

• Always use room-temperature eggs and milk. This will make it easier to mix the ingredients together and result in a smooth batter. 
• Do not over-mix the batter. Overmixing can result in dense popovers, so stop as soon as the batter is smooth and everything is incorporated.
• Let the batter rest. This will help the bread flour fully absorb the liquid for better texture. 
• Do not overfill the muffin cups. Only fill them ¾ of the way to give them space to rise as they bake without over-spilling. 
• Leaving the middle two muffin cups empty will promote even cooking.
• Once the popovers are in the oven, avoid opening the oven door, especially during the initial baking period. Sudden temperature changes can cause them to deflate.
• To help the steam escape and prevent the popovers from becoming too doughy inside, pierce each popover with a skewer or toothpick a few minutes before the end of the baking time. 

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the poppers warm! Enjoy them plain, slathered with butter and jam, doused with maple brown butter, dipped in a creamy soup, and stuffed with ricotta scrambled eggs and homemade bacon. They are so good, that we even have them loaded with melted chocolate chips for dessert! 

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