Make Ahead

Homemade Crumpets

by:
February 17, 2014
4
3 Ratings
Homemade Crumpets
  • Prep time 2 hours
  • Cook time 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Makes 12 crumpets (depending on size)
Author Notes

Although crumpets and English muffins are often mistaken for the same thing, they are two completely different breakfast breads.

English muffins, made from a dough which is rolled, cut, browned on the stove, and finished in the oven, have a light, soft texture. Crumpets, on the other hand, are made with a batter that’s akin to what you'd get if you mixed bread dough and pancake batter and left out the eggs. This batter is then cooked in a frying pan using ring molds until tiny bubbles appear. Each crumpet gets flipped and browned on the other side, resulting in a chewy texture and a crisp outer layer.

One more important difference: English muffins are split and toasted before being eaten. Crumpets are toasted whole (traditionally over a fire, but a toaster is just as good) and eaten warm, normally slathered with salted butter and honey or marmite. The cratered surface means that whatever you top them with permeates the whole crumpet, creating melty pockets of goodness. —Izy Hossack

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup water (1/2 cup cold + 1/4 cup boiling)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (any kind) or honey
  • 1/4 ounce package active dried yeast
  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon boiling water
  • 1 splash neutral oil, for greasing the rings and pan
Directions
  1. Stir together the milk, water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit everything sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture, then beat the batter together with a wooden spoon until it’s completely smooth, about 5 minutes. (The mixture will be similar in texture to a thick pancake batter or a sourdough starter.)
  3. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave somewhere warm for 1 1/2 hours. The batter will look bubbly.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together the baking powder, baking soda, and water. Immediately pour this into the large bowl of batter and stir until it’s completely combined. Set aside for 15 minutes in a warm place.
  5. Meanwhile, use a pastry brush to grease a few chef rings with vegetable oil. Lightly oil a large non-stick frying pan and place the ring molds in the pan, leaving some space between them. (I fit two 3-inch and two 2-inch rings into my pan.) Heat over a medium-low flame.
  6. Scoop the batter into the rings in the pan. (I used about 1/4 cup of batter for the 3-inch rings and a little less for the 2-inch rings.) Cook the batter in the rings for 8 to 15 minutes, until the surface of the batter looks opaque and dry with quite a few holes in it. The batter may start pulling away from the sides of the rings.
  7. Use a butter knife to loosen the crumpets from the rings. Remove the rings from the pan using kitchen tongs.
  8. Flip the crumpets using a spatula and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan to a wire rack.
  9. Repeat steps 5 though 8 until all the batter has been used.
  10. Serve hot from the pan or leave them to cool on the wire rack then reheat in a toaster. Eat warm with salted butter and honey!
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  • Stephanie Grillo
    Stephanie Grillo
  • Hina Khokhar
    Hina Khokhar
  • BavarianCook
    BavarianCook
  • Mom 2_3
    Mom 2_3
  • Izy Hossack
    Izy Hossack
Izy Hossack
Passionate about cakes, roasted vegetables and anything involving Maldon salt or maple syrup. Izy is a student living in London, UK who spends her spare time blogging and rambling on topwithcinnamon.com

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12 Reviews

Stephanie G.
Stephanie G. November 18, 2022
Never made a crumpet before - this was a good recipe with clear instructions. These are sinful when slathered with butter while still hot!
 
Lisa
Lisa March 23, 2015
Hi! I just tried this recipe, the taste and texture turned out fantastic but I had some trouble with them turning out too oily. Do you have any recommendation for how to avoid this/ how much oil I should be using? Thank you!
 
Cathy
Cathy February 3, 2015
Why did I not get a lot of bubbles on top when cooking? Got some but they didn't pop.
 
Kroenig
Kroenig September 13, 2014
Hina. I would cut a few cans in half and fit them together for the moulds. A bit small, but easily stored with cans or disposed of when used. A quarter ounce package of yeast should have three teaspoons of volume.
 
Mom 2.
Mom 2. January 25, 2016
I think a pkg. of yeast has 2 1/4t., doesn't it?
 
Hina K.
Hina K. September 9, 2014
What should I do if I don't have the ring molds? I'd really rather not buy them since I have very limited storage space in my kitchen. Also, can you please provide a teaspoon measurement for the yeast? Thanks!
 
rlandau
rlandau May 8, 2020
You can use rings from mason jars if you have them in your pantry.
 
Ralph G.
Ralph G. May 13, 2014
Can I make the batter the night before and use it in the morning?
 
Izy H.
Izy H. May 13, 2014
yes! I'd say chill it overnight after completing step 2, then in the morning pick up at step 4.
 
Miles
Miles April 20, 2014
Hi. Can you use instant yeast in this? Looks really good! Thanks!
 
Izy H.
Izy H. April 28, 2014
yep, go for it!
 
BavarianCook
BavarianCook March 14, 2014
Thank you for this fantastic recipe! I am just pulling these off the griddle and the first bite was delicious. These came together quickly and taste wonderful!