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Crumpet Recipe

BritishBreakfastMedium
Prep
5 min
Cook
20 min
Total
55 min
Serves
6
✦

Ingredients

crumpet batter

  • 150 gwhite flour, plain / all purpose (approx 1 cup)
  • 200 mlwarm water, tap water (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp; 200g)
  • 0.5 tspcooking/kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
  • 0.5 tspwhite sugar
  • 1 tspbaking powder

yeast mixture

  • 1 tspdried instant yeast
  • 1 tbspwarm water, tap water

cooking

  • 2 tbspunsalted butter, melted (for greasing rings and skillet)

Method

  1. 1CRUMPET BATTER — Place flour, water and salt in a bowl and whisk for 2 minutes (electric beater 1 minute on speed 5).
  2. 2YEAST MIXTURE — Dissolve yeast into 1 tbsp warm water in a small bowl.
  3. 3Add Yeast Mixture, sugar and baking powder into the batter bowl, then whisk for 30 seconds (or 15 seconds on speed 5).
  4. 4Cover with cling wrap or a plate, then place in a very warm spot for 15 to 30 minutes until the surface gets nice and foamy. It will only increase in volume by approximately 10–15%.
  5. 5COOKING CRUMPETS — Grease 2 or 3 rings with butter (approx 9 cm / 3.5" wide; any ring or metal shaper will do). Brush a non-stick skillet lightly with melted butter, then place rings in the skillet.
  6. 6Turn stove on medium high (medium for strong stoves) and bring to heat. Sizzle test: press a dab of batter on a butter knife tip onto the skillet — gentle sizzle = ready; wisps of smoke = too hot.
  7. 7Pour 1/4 cup (65ml) batter into each ring, about 1 cm / 2/5" deep. It will rise approximately 60%.
  8. 8Cook for 1 1/2 minutes — bubbles should start appearing on the surface but not popping yet.
  9. 9Turn heat down to medium, cook for 1 minute — some bubbles should pop around the edges. Continue until the surface is "set" and no more bubbles are popping. You can help the final bubbles pop with a skewer.
  10. 10Remove rings then flip and cook the other side for 20 to 30 seconds for a blush of colour.
  11. 11Transfer to a wire rack (golden side down) and fully cool. Can be eaten once cool, but even better the next day.
  12. 12TO SERVE — Toast in a toaster until the base is crispy. Slather generously with butter, then add a spread of choice (honey is perfection), and devour immediately.

Notes

Warm water should be just tap water, warm enough for a comfortable bath — not so hot it would scorch. 200ml = 200g for easy pouring without measuring separately. Yeast: instant/rapid rise used here; fresh yeast equivalent is 7.75g / 0.275 oz per 1 tsp dry yeast — crumble into warm water with the sugar and follow recipe as written. Rings: use biscuit cutters, egg rings, or a cleaned empty tuna can (remove top and bottom, clean thoroughly and grease well). Any cookie cutter shape will work. Heat control is key: stronger heat at the start gets the holes bubbling; then lower heat to cook through without burning the base while still strong enough to pop the bubbles. Crumpet texture becomes just like store-bought if left overnight. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days, or freeze for 3 months. Nutrition is per crumpet.