Make gluten free popovers that come out perfect every single time. All you need are 5 basic pantry ingredients (gluten free flour, salt, butter, eggs, milk) and the right recipe. And here's a video to prove it!
Even if you're afraid of baking gluten free bread, you can make popovers. If you're afraid of baking pretty much anything, even drop cookies, you can make these gluten free popovers.
Proper popovers are crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. They're one of the few types of bread that you should eat when they're piping hot.
Popovers are best when they are fresh right out of the oven, but you can absolutely make them a couple hours ahead of time. Just follow the recipe directions exactly, and they'll hold their shape.
You don't need a popover pan, but you do at least need a muffin pan with deep wells. Popovers “pop” even without yeast, baking powder or baking soda because of the hot air of the oven circulating around the batter.
And the eggs are responsible for all of the ‘lift.' Here is the popover pan that I have had for years. It's the same one that everyone has. On my last photo shoot, it's the one the food stylist had.
In my First Cookbook, you may or may not have noticed a photo of a popover on the cover. Back in 2012, I shared the recipe here on the blog.
Well, we've come a long, long way since then. I've learned enough about flour blends to warrant a tweak or two in the recipe. And now I can shoot a sweet little 30 second video to prove to you just how easy they are to make.
Plus, whenever I think about the holiday season, I think about gluten free popovers, and how they should be on every table. So whether you have the book or not, you should have this recipe. Full stop.
Perfect Gluten Free Popovers
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (210 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour*
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs (150 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces or 300 ml) milk, at room temperature (nondairy is fine)
*A note about the flour blend: If you would like to use one of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends, like Better Batter, you will need 1 2/3 cups (13 1/3 fluid ounces or 400 ml) milk. Omit the xanthan gum if the blend you use already contains it.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grease well a 6-cup popover pan (or a regular muffin tin with very deep wells) with unsalted butter and set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum and salt. Add the butter, eggs, and milk, whisking well after each addition until the batter is smooth.
Place the greased popover pan in the hot oven for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately fill the wells of the pan 3/4 of the way full. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F, and continue baking until lightly golden brown on top (about another 10 minutes). Serve immediately, plain, with butter, or with your favorite jam or preserves.
Adapted from the book Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: 125 Easy Recipes for Eating Well on the Cheap, by Nicole Hunn. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2017. First shared on the blog in 2012.
Dara says
My first batch is in the over as I type this. Can’t wait to taste them…they look great so far! I (and my 14 year old celiac daughter) thank you for your tireless effort to bring us the things she misses most!
Joy Marie says
Nicole, today I received 2 bags of Cup4Cup in the mail – it was a deal (20% off & free ship) I couldn’t resist. Hubby says he bets you (the gluten free recipe lady) buy C4C in bulk, and I tell him you like Better Batter (which I haven’t yet tried) or make your own – and he says..well, she has a store, right? I say…a store??? He says yes, where she sell all her gluten free treats. I said no…Nicole writes cook books and a blog. He said well, she should open a store. So, there you have it. I say you should be on Food Network, but a store? Perhaps in the future. :)
Pam says
Can you make your recipes using cup for cup?
Joy Marie says
Look at Nicole’s comparisons between several gf flours. I use C4C mostly, but have tried Pamela;s, GF Bisquick, Pillsbury, Bob’s. When I need stretch (pasta/empanada) I use C4C.
rroe says
Thank you so much for these recipes Nicole, they look fantastic! I can’t wait to try them! I am thinking these will be really good with Strawberry Butter too!
AlliCat2727 says
Thank you! I will definitely be making these but there’s one thing missing in your recipe that is in the popover recipe from my childhood (beside gluten-LOL) : Cheese! :)
Lois says
How come the email version of the flour blend is different than the blog recipe? The email version doesn’t mention using better batter flour!
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, Lois, there is more detail in the recipe on the blog, including photos and a video, even. That’s a reason to click through!
Nancy says
Can you make the batter earlier in the day, refrigerate, bring to room temperature and bake later? I used to do that with Ina Garten’s recipe but of course that was not gluten free and I don’t know if this would be as successful.
Nicole Hunn says
You sure can, Nancy!
Lisa Parratt says
There’s a food lab article about the related yorkshire pudding, and they reckoned leaving the batter to rest overnight was the most important trick to getting a good rise.
Mare Masterson says
I use this recipe to make Yorkshire Pudding! I love this recipe!
Lisa Parratt says
Do they come out hollow like a traditional yorkshire? I’ve made them with tapioca flour in the past and had them wonderfully big and ephemeral, but they don’t have that puddingyness round the edge of the gaping void.
Mare Masterson says
You will not be disappointed. Make sure the pan with drippings is heated! Check out the food lab article Lisa Parratt referred to above in her post.
Nancy says
Where do you find the food lab article?
Mare Masterson says
I Googled food lab Yorkshire pudding article.
Nancy says
Thank you!
youngbaker2002 says
Love your super quick and simple videos!
Kbobbin says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! They came out fantastic!! I’m so trilled to have this recipe up my sleeve for Thanksgiving!
Mdjhveloria says
what could I use instead of butter, and also a sub for the milk?
Mdjhveloria says
what could I use instead of butter, and also a sub for the milk?
Hilary says
Does Better Batter flour already have xanthum gum in it?
Carol says
Gluten Free on a shoestring #1 was my first GF cookbook and by far my favorite. It is my “go to” cookbook. I am a missionary in Guatemala and frequently things are not available here…this cookbook seldom asks for “exotic” things…I just LOVE IT, thank you! Popovers are necessary whenever I need a bread fix! Yummy!!
Carol
Lolasdiner says
Can these be made a day ahead and then warmed up the next day?
Nicole Hunn says
As I say in the post, Lolasdiner, they can be made up to a couple hours ahead of time, but they will not be very impressive, I’m afraid, if you make them the day before. They truly only take about 30 minutes total to make, though, so I’d make them fresh if at all possible.
Nicole
Pam says
Thanks so much for posting this. Am definitely making these for T-day. Every one of your recipes turn out wonderful. And thanks for including the weights (grams); that’s how I bake now.
gfshoestring says
Baking by weight is so much easier, Pam! Glad you find it convenient, too. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
xoxo Nicole
Nicole Hunn says
Baking by weight is so much easier, Pam! Glad you find it convenient, too. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
xoxo Nicole
Jeannie says
I ran out of Better Batter at the absolute worst moment! GAH!! These look amazing.
Nicole Hunn says
Oh, no, Jeannie! Do you have some component flours? Maybe you could mix up some of my mock Better Batter mix?
xoxo Nicole
Jeannie says
I ran out of Better Batter at the absolute worst moment! GAH!! These look amazing.
gfshoestring says
Oh, no, Jeannie! Do you have some component flours? Maybe you could mix up some of my mock Better Batter mix?
xoxo Nicole
Sarah says
Any suggestions on making them dairy free?
gfshoestring says
I haven’t tried them with a dairy-free sub, Sarah, but I bet almond milk would work for the milk. The butter is mostly for flavor, so this is one of those few times that I would say a dairy-free butter alternative would be fine.
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t tried them with a dairy-free sub, Sarah, but I bet almond milk would work for the milk. The butter is mostly for flavor, so this is one of those few times that I would say a dairy-free butter alternative would be fine.
Cindy says
I made these today using Crisco and soy milk. I’d prefer to use unsweetened coconut milk, but we were out. The flavor was fine with the soy. Next time I’m going to try them using 3/4 cup all purpose flour (GF) and 1/4 cup coconut flour. We’ll see. I also used a muffin pan, so I think that affected it as well. They were good. I’ll definitely make them again. Planning to make a few batches to use for stuffing.
Cindy says
I made these today using Crisco and soy milk. I’d prefer to use unsweetened coconut milk, but we were out. The flavor was fine with the soy. Next time I’m going to try them using 3/4 cup all purpose flour (GF) and 1/4 cup coconut flour. We’ll see. I also used a muffin pan, so I think that affected it as well. They were good. I’ll definitely make them again. Planning to make a few batches to use for stuffing.
Gwen Dovecote says
This recipe is pretty much the same as Yorkshire puddings that we do here in the UK! Excellent to shlerrp up gravy and a bite of turkey! nom nom nom…
Gwen Dovecote says
This recipe is pretty much the same as Yorkshire puddings that we do here in the UK! Excellent to shlerrp up gravy and a bite of turkey! nom nom nom…
Ajsimmonsok says
Ok, you got me. Today I will make sure I’ve got GF flour, etc., to make these and other great recipes. I have both of your books.
gfshoestring says
Good for you, Ajsimmonsok! Once you realize how easy it is to turn out popovers on a whim, you’ll be making them all the time. My kids start to salivate as soon as they see that pan…
xoxo Nicole
P.S. Thank you so much for your support in buying both cookbooks. It truly means so much to me. :)