Making a perfect crumpet begins with a yeasty batter that’s slightly loose, creating that signature spongy texture. You’ll need a cast iron pan or griddle, and sometimes baking rings to help with the thickness, though non-stick rings can make life easier. As the batter cooks, air bubbles form, which creates those signature holes that allow toppings like fruit preserves, marmalade, honey, or butter to flow inside, making every bite delicious. If you prefer, you can cook them without rings, making Pikelets instead.
Whether you cook them with or without rings, they always come out perfect with that crispy and chewy texture that makes them so iconic. This recipe, inspired by Warburtons, the biggest crumpet maker in the UK, offers a homemade version that’s better than store-bought. If you’re after a more vegan version, simply substitute plant-based milk for regular milk, or even use water. This easy recipe will leave you blown away by how delicious and satisfying the crumpet can be!
What is a Crumpet? The Short Answer
A crumpet is a traditional English treat, often enjoyed for breakfast or during afternoon tea. Made from simple ingredients like flour, milk, water, and yeast, the crumpet has a unique texture that’s soft and spongy
- . Its defining characteristic is the surface, which is full of tiny holes. These holes allow butter to permeate from top to bottom, making each bite delicious as it soaks in the buttery goodness. Some compare crumpets to an English muffin or pancakes, but their fluffy, almost spongey texture sets them apart, creating an unforgettable eating experience. Whether you enjoy them plain or with a spread, crumpets are an iconic part of England’s food culture, combining the best of both bread and griddle cake.
How to Make Crumpets?
To make crumpets, start by mixing water, flour, salt, and a sticky, stirrable batter. Then, add yeast, baking powder, and sugar to make the batter smooth. Let it sit in a warm place for about 30 minutes until the surface becomes foamy. Once the batter is ready, heat a cast iron or non-stick pan on medium-low heat and ladle the batter into baking rings on the stove.
As the crumpets cook, you’ll see bubbles form on the top. Once the crumpet is set, flip it to finish cooking. For the best results, you want a golden colour on both sides. If you’re making pikelets instead, simply cook without the rings. After they’re done, you can toast them to get a crispy texture, and if you need to store them, keep them in the fridge or freeze them, making sure to defrost before reheating. This method is straightforward, but with practice, you’ll get that perfect crumpet every time.
British Crumpet Recipe:
To make a classic British crumpet, start by combining 450g of all purpose flour or plain flour with 9g of salt. Add 10g of active dried yeast and mix in 610g of full fat milk to create a smooth batter. If you’d like, you can add 1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda for an extra lift. The batter should be thick but easy to stir, and after mixing, leave it to rise in a warm place for about an hour. Once it has risen, ladle it into rings and cook them on a medium heat until you see bubbles forming on the surface. After the top sets, remove the rings and flip the crumpet to finish cooking. This recipe will make about 12 crumpets, perfect for enjoying with butter or your favorite topping.
Homemade Crumpets
During my time in England, I had the chance to try many quintessential British dishes, and crumpets were one of them. I remember my first attempt was at a hotel room where I went grocery shopping at Tesco and grabbed a package of crumpets. We popped them in the toaster, spread butter and jam, and took our first bite of English crumpets. My verdict was not favorable; they were excessively spongy in texture and had a bland flavor.
I even wondered why they held such a prominent place on the British table. However, my opinion completely changed when I had homemade crumpets at a friend’s house. The difference was night and day – these crumpets were crispy, chewy, and delicately spongy with a wonderful depth and rich yeasty flavor. They were everything I had been told about! From that moment, I wrote off my old thoughts and discovered the best homemade crumpets EVER. Trust me, once you try them, you’ll understand why they’re worth every bit of the effort.
The Crumpet Batter
Making crumpet batter is easy; it’s a simple dump-and-mix process. You need to mix it for a few minutes by hand or even faster with a handheld mixer to get the right gluten formation. This step is essential to achieve that signature chew and avoid a cakey texture, just like with any type of yeast bread. Once mixed, place the batter in a warm place so it can get foamy as it rises, similar to dough rising. It won’t expand much in volume—around 10% to 15%—but that’s enough to give it the perfect texture for cooking.
Crumpet Rings
Crumpet rings are an essential tool for making perfect crumpets. They are typically 9 cm or 3.5″ wide and about 2.5 cm or 1″ tall, with some even available in non-stick or silver finishes. However, you don’t need fancy crumpet rings; anything metal and round will work, such as egg rings, biscuit cutters, or even scone cutters. If you don’t have any of these, you can even use cleaned large tuna cans. And for a fun twist, crumpets don’t have to be round—why not try making star shaped crumpets?
Cooking Crumpets
When it comes to cooking crumpets, the key is getting the heat just right. Start with high heat to activate those little bubbles and give them a nice lift. Once you see the bubbles, turn the stove down so the crumpet cooks through without burning the base. This technique is a change I made from the original Warburtons recipe, which suggests cooking on medium high the whole time – but that often results in a scorched base. Also, while store bought crumpets may not have much colour on the holey side, I like to flip mine to get a light blush of colour and cook any residual raw batter. It might take a little practice, but once you get it right, the result is golden and fluffy, just like the perfect pancakes or pikelets.
How to Eat a Crumpet
Eating a crumpet may seem straightforward, but it’s an art in itself. First, make sure you toast it until the golden base becomes crispy. Then, slather it generously with butter. The holes in the crumpet are there for a reason – they allow the butter to be soaked all the way from top to bottom. After that, you can add any spread of choice, whether it’s jam, marmalade, or something else. Crumpet-Eating-Experts might roll their eyes, but if you’re new to eating crumpets, this simple method is all you need to start enjoying them like a pro.
Can I Make Sourdough Crumpets?
Yes, you can make sourdough crumpets! If you have a sourdough starter, you can use it to make a sourdough version of crumpets, which turn out amazing. These crumpets need to be cooked a little slower than the ones made with commercial yeast. If you’re unsure how to make them, I have a helpful video that explains the whole process. So, if you enjoy this blog and want to help support the ongoing content creation while keeping the website ad-free, consider making a contribution!
What’s the Different between a Crumpet and an English Muffin?
A crumpet and an English muffin may seem similar, but they have some key differences. Crumpets are made with a yeasty pancake-like batter, cooked on a griddle or non-stick pan inside a ring, giving them their rubbery texture and open texture filled with holes. These holes help soak in butter, jam, or any other toppings. In contrast, an English muffin is made from a firmer bread dough and is usually cooked on a stove top using a cast iron pan. They have a crispy texture on the outside, with a softer skirt around the edges and a pillowy soft inside. When toasted, English muffins can be filled like a bread roll or sandwich, often topped with tomato, cheese, or even served as part of eggs Benedict. Crumpets are traditionally split with dinner forks, unlike the English muffin which is cut open.
FAQs
What are British Crumpets Made of?
Crumpets are made from a simple unsweetened batter of water, milk, flour, and yeast, creating a soft griddle bread. They’re popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.
What is the Best Flour for Crumpets?
For the best crumpets, use strong white flour for a chewier texture and stronger structure, or plain flour for a softer crumb. Many cooks recommend blending both to get the benefits of each.
What do the British Put on Crumpets?
The British top crumpets with butter, cheese, bacon, honey, jam, or clotted cream. Their spongy texture helps them absorb these toppings remarkably well, unlike English muffins, which are split.
What is a Crumpet and How do you Eat it?
A crumpet is a traditional English griddle cake made from flour, milk, water, and yeast. It’s usually eaten for breakfast or with afternoon tea, often toasted and topped with butter or jam.
