I just made Homemade Crumpets with absurdly perfect honeycomb holes and a blistered edge that makes supermarket ones look criminal, you have to keep scrolling.

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I’m obsessed with English Crumpets in a way that makes me late for stuff. I love the wet, bubbled top and the chewy, slightly sour kiss from real yeast.

Butter melts into those little wells and I swear the edges get this just-right crisp while the middle stays bouncy. Homemade Crumpets feel honest, loud, and dumb-good.

I’ll take one with extra butter and no excuses. And yes, warm milk and instant yeast are part of that mess.

Pure bread thrill. No pretence.

Just a simple ring of joy you smash with a knife and devour seriously right now, every morning.

Ingredients

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Plain flour: the base that gives chewy crumpets and those lovely holes.
Salt: tightens the dough’s flavor, keeps it from tasting flat.
Sugar: feeds the yeast and adds a touch of sweet crust color.
Instant yeast: makes the batter rise fast, gives airy texture and tang.
Warm milk: adds richness and tenderness, makes crumbs soft and milky.
Warm water: loosens batter so it bubbles and cooks evenly.
Baking powder: boosts lift for extra spongey, hole-filled tops.
Melted butter: adds richness and a tender, slightly buttery crumb.
Butter for cooking: gives crisp, golden bottoms and a buttery finish.
Neutral oil: keeps rings and pan slick without changing the taste.

Ingredient Quantities

250 g plain (all purpose) flour (about 2 cups)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp granulated sugar

7 g instant yeast (1 packet)

300 ml warm milk (about 1 1/4 cups)

100 ml warm water (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp melted butter (plus extra for cooking)

neutral oil or extra butter for greasing rings and pan

How to Make this

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1. Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm milk, leave for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s foamy and smelling yeasty.

2. Whisk the flour and salt in a big bowl, make a well and pour in the foamy milk; mix to a thick batter with no big lumps.

3. Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rise in a warm spot for about 45 to 60 minutes, it should be bubbly and airy.

4. After the rise, mix the baking powder into the warm water, then beat it into the batter along with the melted butter to loosen it to pouring consistency; it should be like thick pancake batter.

5. Heat a heavy non stick or cast iron pan over low heat and lightly grease it with neutral oil or butter; warm your crumpet rings too and grease the inside so they don’t stick.

6. Place rings on the pan, pour batter into each ring filling about two thirds full, don’t overfill or the holes won’t form right.

7. Cook on very low heat until the tops are covered in holes and look set, this usually takes 8 to 12 minutes; resist the urge to lift the rings early.

8. Remove the rings and flip each crumpet for about 30 seconds to set the bottom, you only need a quick turn so the holes stay open.

9. Transfer to a rack, spread with butter while warm if you like and serve immediately toasted under a grill or as is.

10. Tip: keep the heat low, use warm liquids not hot, and if batter seems too thick add a splash more warm water.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl
2. Whisk (or fork)
3. Measuring cups and spoons and/or kitchen scale
4. Small jug or bowl for proofing the yeast
5. Crumpet rings (or metal cookie cutters)
6. Heavy nonstick or cast iron frying pan
7. Thin spatula or offset turner
8. Cooling rack (and a brush or paper towel for greasing)

FAQ

Q: Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant? A: Yes, but proof it first. Dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water with a pinch of sugar, wait until it's foamy (5 to 10 minutes) then add to the flour mix. Adjust timings a bit since it may be slower.

Q: Why don't my crumpets get holes on top? A: Usually because the batter was too thick, not rested enough, or the pan was too hot. Make it a bit looser, allow the first rise to show bubbles and cook on low heat so holes can form before the top sets.

Q: Can I make batter ahead and refrigerate? A: Yes you can chill it for a few hours, but bring it back to room temp and stir gently before cooking. Cold batter won't give as many holes and will take longer to cook.

Q: What can I use instead of milk for dairy-free crumpets? A: Use a plant milk like oat or soy warmed to the same temperature. Butter can be swapped for vegan margarine or oil. Texture might be slightly different but still yummy.

Q: My crumpets are dense, not spongy. What went wrong? A: Likely under-fermentation or using water that's too hot and killing the yeast. Make sure the batter gets bubbly in the first rise and that your liquid temps are warm, not hot.

Q: How do I keep crumpet rings from sticking? A: Grease them well with oil or butter before each batch and heat them in the pan first so the batter doesn't cling. Nonstick rings help too.

Traditional English Crumpets Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Plain (all purpose) flour: use 00 flour or plain spelt at a 1:1 ratio for a slightly softer crumb, or mix 75% plain flour + 25% strong bread flour if you want chewier, more open holes.
Instant yeast: swap for active dry yeast but first proof in the 100 ml warm water with a pinch of sugar for 5–10 minutes until foamy, then stir into the batter; or use 10 g fresh baker’s yeast crumbled into the liquid.
Milk: replace with equal parts dairy-free milk like oat or soy for a vegan-friendly crumpet, or use half milk half plain yogurt thinned with water for a tangier flavor and a bit more lift.
Melted butter: use melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil at the same amount for cooking and in the batter, or use softened butter creamed into the mix for a richer taste.

Pro Tips

1) Let the yeast get nice and foamy. If it barely bubbles, don’t keep going. That means the yeast is tired or the milk was too hot. Start over with new yeast or cooler milk. Also, if your kitchen is cold, put the bowl somewhere warm like an oven with just the light on for the rise.

2) Keep the heat really low when cooking. Too hot and the top will set before the holes form, leaving a dense pancake. Low and slow makes those classic crumpet holes. If you find you’re rushing, lower the heat and be patient.

3) Grease the rings and pan well, but don’t overfill the rings. Fill to about two thirds and watch the batter level as it spreads. If the batter is too thick, add a little warm water, spoon by spoon, until it pours like thick pancake batter.

4) Flip only briefly. You only need about 20 to 40 seconds to set the bottom so the holes stay open. If you flip too long they’ll brown and close up. Serve warm and buttered for best texture.

Traditional English Crumpets Recipe

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made Homemade Crumpets with absurdly perfect honeycomb holes and a blistered edge that makes supermarket ones look criminal, you have to keep scrolling.

Servings

servings

Calories

169

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl
2. Whisk (or fork)
3. Measuring cups and spoons and/or kitchen scale
4. Small jug or bowl for proofing the yeast
5. Crumpet rings (or metal cookie cutters)
6. Heavy nonstick or cast iron frying pan
7. Thin spatula or offset turner
8. Cooling rack (and a brush or paper towel for greasing)

Ingredients

250 g plain (all purpose) flour (about 2 cups)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
7 g instant yeast (1 packet)
300 ml warm milk (about 1 1/4 cups)
100 ml warm water (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp melted butter (plus extra for cooking)
neutral oil or extra butter for greasing rings and pan

Directions

Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm milk, leave for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s foamy and smelling yeasty.
Whisk the flour and salt in a big bowl, make a well and pour in the foamy milk; mix to a thick batter with no big lumps.
Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rise in a warm spot for about 45 to 60 minutes, it should be bubbly and airy.
After the rise, mix the baking powder into the warm water, then beat it into the batter along with the melted butter to loosen it to pouring consistency; it should be like thick pancake batter.
Heat a heavy non stick or cast iron pan over low heat and lightly grease it with neutral oil or butter; warm your crumpet rings too and grease the inside so they don’t stick.
Place rings on the pan, pour batter into each ring filling about two thirds full, don’t overfill or the holes won’t form right.
Cook on very low heat until the tops are covered in holes and look set, this usually takes 8 to 12 minutes; resist the urge to lift the rings early.
Remove the rings and flip each crumpet for about 30 seconds to set the bottom, you only need a quick turn so the holes stay open.
Transfer to a rack, spread with butter while warm if you like and serve immediately toasted under a grill or as is.
Tip: keep the heat low, use warm liquids not hot, and if batter seems too thick add a splash more warm water.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.