Yorkshire Pudding

This Yorkshire pudding recipe is a must-serve side dish for the holidays. Make our tried-and-tested recipe for yourself!

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After sharing our Perfect Prime Rib recipe with you last week – it was only a matter of time before we shared this Yorkshire Pudding recipe!

What is Yorkshire Pudding?

It’s a traditional English side dish that is often served alongside roasts of beef like prime rib, top of the round or eye of the round. The piping-hot meat drippings are poured into a large pan, then topped with a simple batter.

Then it goes in the oven to bake until it puffs up like a soufflé. The “puff” collapses as it cools, leaving you with a soft, custard-like center and crispy outer edges.

As shown in our photos, this is traditional way to make Yorkshire Pudding – then it is served by cutting into squares after it bakes.

But it can also be made in individual servings to resemble a popover – in a popover pan or a deep muffin tin. The basic method is the same – and no matter your skill level in the kitchen, you can learn how to make this recipe in a few easy steps.

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Why you’ll love this Yorkshire pudding recipe!

• It’s made with five simple ingredients, and most of them should be in your pantry.
• The batter can be prepared the night before. (In fact, the batter should be fully chilled before baking.)
• It really doesn’t require any special tools – just a roasting pan, mixing bowl, and whisk – but we do list some optional kitchen tools below that can make this recipe a little easier.

Optional Special Tools

• Large measuring cup with handle and spout – Instead of a mixing bowl, use a large measuring cup like this. It’s large enough to mix the batter, and the spout and handle will make it easy to pour the batter into the hot roasting pan.
• Popover pan – If you do want to make individual popovers instead, this type of pan is the best option. Follow our Jordan Pond Popovers recipe here for more details. A muffin tin can also be used but you won’t achieve the tall shape.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Beef fat – This is simply the rendered pan drippings left after cooking your roast. It not only creates the classic flavor of the dish, but the heat helps the batter to rise as well. In a pinch, you can use olive oil instead, but the flavor of the drippings is the best!

Flour – Stick with all-purpose for the best results – not self-rising or cake flour. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 blend that’s labeled “all purpose” but understand they may come out slightly more dense.

Whole Milk – Fat is very important to the success of any Yorkshire pudding recipe, so be sure to use whole milk and not 2% or skim. We haven’t tried a non-dairy version before, but oat milk will have the best consistency.

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Chef’s Tips:

There are two tricks to get your homemade Yorkshire Pudding to puff up in the oven:

1. Make sure that the beef drippings are extremely hot. Once you’ve taken the roast out of the oven to rest, put the pan with the beef fat back in oven, so it can heat up again.
2. The batter should be extremely cold. We typically chill it for at least two hours after it’s mixed – or ideally chill it overnight, so it’s ready to go when you need it.

How to make Yorkshire pudding

1. Whisk the batter ingredients together. Then cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or (ideally) overnight.
2. Preheat the oven once the batter is well-chilled – or if you are roasting a Prime Rib, leave the oven on while the meat rests before serving.
3. Heat the beef fat in the oven in a large roasting pan.
4. Pour in the batter while the pan is still in the oven. If you need to remove the pan for safety reasons, keep the door closed while you add the batter so the oven temperature doesn’t drop.
5. Bake until it is fully puffed and the top starts to brown – and whatever you do, don’t open the oven door until it is done!
6. Cut into squares and serve immediately. It’s normal for it to deflate when it’s pulled from the oven, especially in the center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yorkshire Pudding served before or after the roast? In olden days, it was served before the main course to fill guests’ bellies before the expensive meat was served (you can read more about the history here) – but now it’s presented alongside the roast to be eaten together.

What does it taste like? It’s a bit like a savory, egg-y pancake that is rich in flavor and crispy around the edges. (It’s amazing!)

Can I make it without the pan drippings? Yes…but the flavor won’t be as good with the beefy flavor from the rendered fat. If that doesn’t bother you, use an equal amount of high-quality, extra virgin olive oil instead.

What is the secret for getting homemade Yorkshire pudding to rise? Use extra hot beef drippings and extra cold batter. (It’s important to let the batter rest and chill after mixing.)

My Yorkshire Pudding keeps coming out flat. What am I doing wrong? If you follow all of our other tips, and it still won’t work, there may be a problem with your oven. A consistent, hot oven temperature is crucial for making this Yorkshire pudding recipe work.

Can I use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour? No – if you do, the dish won’t puff up the way it is supposed to. Plus, the flavor and texture will be off as well.

What’s the difference between Yorkshire Pudding and a Dutch baby? While they both look similar, Dutch babies use butter instead of beef fat, and they are typically sweet instead of savory.

This post originally appeared on A Family Feast in October 2015.

You might like these other side dish recipes:

• Jordan Pond Popovers
• Creamy Horseradish Sauce
• Pearl Onions in Cream Sauce
• Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Twice Baked Potatoes

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