Traditional Yorkshire Pudding

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 6 servings

In the U.K., the word pudding (or "pud") means something totally different than in America. Rather than just a creamy dessert, pudding can refer to sweet and savory dishes of all different kinds, from black pudding to sticky toffee pudding. Yorkshire puddings are almost identical to American popovers, with crispy edges and a creamy center.

Light and fluffy as soufflés, Yorkshire pudding is made of a runny batter with eggs, milk, and flour that is whisked together before resting. Fat such as beef drippings, bacon grease, or lard is added to the hot pan before the batter. Thanks to the eggs and the high heat, the batter puffs up in the hot oven, leaving the signature crater in the middle.

Enjoy Traditionally...Or Not!

Yorkshire pudding shouldn't be reserved just for Christmas dinner. This recipe is simple enough for any weekend meal. Yorkshire pudding is traditionally served with gravy as a starter dish followed by the main dish, or alongside roast beef or similar meat for a dinner spread. Large Yorkshire puddings are filled with things like chili or sausage and served as popular pub food. You can also enjoy it as a dessert and top it with vanilla ice cream.

Tips for Perfectly Risen, Crispy Puds

  • Rest and Chill—Make sure your batter is well-rested for perfect puddings that are tender on the inside.
  • Smokin' Hot—The fat in the baking pan should be so hot it's smoking.
  • Don't Dilly Dally—Once you've poured the batter into the smoking hot fat, return the pan to the hot oven immediately to get the crispiest, lightest puddings.
  • The Best Fats—Some swear by vegetable oil, but this can make the puddings greasy and it doesn't add flavor. It's best to use lard, beef drippings, bacon fat or duck fat.

The Equal Parts Method

  • Note that the ingredient list calls for 4 eggs, 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour. You're aiming for equal parts of all three ingredients and should scale ingredients up or down to ensure this. To do so...


  • First: Crack your eggs into a measuring cup to determine their total volume.
  • Then: Measure out amounts of milk and flour in equal parts (by volume) to the eggs.


  • Measuring the ingredients this way ensures the correct consistency for your batter no matter the size of the batch you're making.
Golden brown puffy Yorkshire pudding on a small plate and on a serving platter

The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 pinch fine salt

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons lard, beef drippings, or vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C.

    Ingredients for yorkshire pudding recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. Combine 4 large eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1 pinch fine salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly with an electric hand mixer or hand whisk. Let stand for 10 minutes.

    Egg and milk mixture in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Gradually sift 1 cup all-purpose flour into the milk and egg mixture, again using an electric hand mixer or whisk to create a lump-free batter resembling thick cream. If there are any lumps, push the batter through a fine sieve.

    Let the batter rest in the kitchen for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer if possible (up to several hours).

    Thick, creamy, smooth batter in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. Place a pea-sized piece of lard, dripping, or 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil into each opening in a Yorkshire pudding tin. Alternatively, use a 12-hole muffin tin. Place in the hot oven until the fat is smoking.

    Muffin tin with a little oil in each hole

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  5. Add 2 tablespoons cold water to the batter and give it another good whisk. Fill the openings in the tin 1/3 full with batter and return quickly to the oven.

    Batter in muffin tin holes filled to about one-third

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  6. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown, puffed, and crisp. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

    Serve immediately.

    Puffed up golden brown Yorkshire pudding in muffin tin

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

How To Store

Yorkshire puddings are best right after they're baked, but you can refrigerate extras in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 1 month. Reheat them in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
179 Calories
8g Fat
18g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 130mg 43%
Sodium 88mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 129mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)