Crumpets need exactly 7 holes per square inch—Victorian bakers used hat pins to test proper batter consistency in 1850s England.
Crumpets
Get ready to elevate your breakfast game with these scrumptious homemade crumpets! Whip them up in no time using just flour, yeast, and a touch of milk for that perfect airy texture. Whether enjoyed straight from the skillet or toasted to golden perfection, these delightful treats are sure to become a weekend favorite!
Prep
2
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
6
people
Level
beginner
The Story
These spongy teatime torpedoes are actually Roman soldiers' bread gone rogue—when Anglo-Saxons nicked the griddle-cake concept around 1000 AD, they discovered that adding yeast and extra water created those signature crater holes that turned breakfast into a proper butter-trapping battlefield, making medieval England accidentally invent the world's most inefficient toast.
Regional Twist
In Yorkshire's Dales, they swap regular strong white flour for locally-milled Emmer wheat flour and add an extra pinch of salt from Middlesbrough's works, creating heartier crumpets that could survive a proper Northern winter.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cream tartar
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- baking soda (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- 240 g strong white flour
- sugar (to taste)
- 320 ml warm water
- yeast (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the batter ingredients together and whisk into a smooth batter.
- 2
Rest for 30 minutes in a warm place until the batter is bubbly.
- 3
Heat butter in a pan on medium-high heat, then add some well-greased crumpet rings and let them get really hot.
- 4
Add a spoonful of batter to each ring, then turn down the heat to medium-low and let cook for about 10 minutes.
- 5
When there are holes across the crumpet and the batter looks almost cooked, carefully take off the crumpet ring then flip the crumpet and cook for a minute until brown.
- 6
Cool on a wire rack.
- 7
Enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your crumpet rings to 200-220°F before adding batter because proper ring temperature creates immediate steam that forms the characteristic holes through rapid moisture expansion.technique200-220°F
- ✓Mix your batter to a pourable consistency (similar to thick cream) with 75-80% hydration ratio because this creates enough steam for hole formation while maintaining structure.ingredient75-80% hydration
- ✓Rest the batter for exactly 30-45 minutes at 75-80°F until doubled because the yeast and chemical leaveners create CO2 bubbles that become the signature holes when heated.timing30-45 minutes at 75-80°F
- ✓Cook at 275-300°F (medium-low) for 8-12 minutes because this temperature allows steam to escape through the top while setting the bottom structure without burning.technique275-300°F for 8-12 minutes
- ✓Use rings with 3-inch diameter and 1-inch height because this ratio creates optimal pressure for hole formation while allowing proper heat circulation.equipment3-inch diameter, 1-inch height
Share this recipe
Prep
2
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
6
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Crumpets need exactly 7 holes per square inch—Victorian bakers used hat pins to test proper batter consistency in 1850s England.
Crumpets
Get ready to elevate your breakfast game with these scrumptious homemade crumpets! Whip them up in no time using just flour, yeast, and a touch of milk for that perfect airy texture. Whether enjoyed straight from the skillet or toasted to golden perfection, these delightful treats are sure to become a weekend favorite!
The Story
These spongy teatime torpedoes are actually Roman soldiers' bread gone rogue—when Anglo-Saxons nicked the griddle-cake concept around 1000 AD, they discovered that adding yeast and extra water created those signature crater holes that turned breakfast into a proper butter-trapping battlefield, making medieval England accidentally invent the world's most inefficient toast.
Regional Twist
In Yorkshire's Dales, they swap regular strong white flour for locally-milled Emmer wheat flour and add an extra pinch of salt from Middlesbrough's works, creating heartier crumpets that could survive a proper Northern winter.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cream tartar
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- baking soda (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- 240 g strong white flour
- sugar (to taste)
- 320 ml warm water
- yeast (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the batter ingredients together and whisk into a smooth batter.
- 2
Rest for 30 minutes in a warm place until the batter is bubbly.
- 3
Heat butter in a pan on medium-high heat, then add some well-greased crumpet rings and let them get really hot.
- 4
Add a spoonful of batter to each ring, then turn down the heat to medium-low and let cook for about 10 minutes.
- 5
When there are holes across the crumpet and the batter looks almost cooked, carefully take off the crumpet ring then flip the crumpet and cook for a minute until brown.
- 6
Cool on a wire rack.
- 7
Enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your crumpet rings to 200-220°F before adding batter because proper ring temperature creates immediate steam that forms the characteristic holes through rapid moisture expansion.technique200-220°F
- ✓Mix your batter to a pourable consistency (similar to thick cream) with 75-80% hydration ratio because this creates enough steam for hole formation while maintaining structure.ingredient75-80% hydration
- ✓Rest the batter for exactly 30-45 minutes at 75-80°F until doubled because the yeast and chemical leaveners create CO2 bubbles that become the signature holes when heated.timing30-45 minutes at 75-80°F
- ✓Cook at 275-300°F (medium-low) for 8-12 minutes because this temperature allows steam to escape through the top while setting the bottom structure without burning.technique275-300°F for 8-12 minutes
- ✓Use rings with 3-inch diameter and 1-inch height because this ratio creates optimal pressure for hole formation while allowing proper heat circulation.equipment3-inch diameter, 1-inch height