Savory Lemon Thyme Popovers are baked puffy breads studded with fresh aromatic thyme and tangy lemon zest. They have a wonderfully crisp exterior, a light and airy center, and a melt-in-your-mouth taste. It's the ideal Spring or Summer comfort food that is sure to brighten up any brunch spread!
If these puffed pillows of happiness look intimidating to you, don't worry-I've got you covered. Easier to make than muffins, these lemon thyme popovers are prepared with just a handful of simple ingredients. The hardest part is resisting the urge to open the oven door!
With that being said- if you have ever tried my sweet Dutch baby, then you already know how easy the batter is to prepare. The hot pan and steam created from the batter will cause these babies to rise, just like the cost of the eggs it took to make them.
And be sure to have some good old butter ready for slathering. You'll want to eat these as soon as they come out of the oven, which shouldn't be a problem.
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What are popovers?
A popover is a type of light, hollow bread made from an egg batter similar to that used in Yorkshire pudding. They are typically baked in specialized popover pans, which have deeper, narrower cups than regular muffin pans.
Popovers get their name from the way they rise in the oven, and then "pop over" the top of the pan. The result is an impressively tall, puffy, golden brown bread-like muffin, that is typically served with butter, jam, or other spreads.
Ingredients
Making popovers is similar to making crepes. The base is just four simple ingredients, plus the aromatics to make these savory and bright.
- Eggs and milk- Popover batter has a high moisture content, typically from eggs and milk. When the batter heats up in the oven, the moisture turns into steam, creating pockets of steam within the batter.
- Flour- Provides structure and gluten to the batter.
- Salt- Flavors the batter.
- Lemon, thyme and pepper- Provides the savory and citrusy flavors.
- Butter- Fat helps tenderize the gluten in the flour, and is used to grease the wells of the popover pan.
Equipment
If you are a popover enthusiast, you may want to invest in a popover pan. This specialized pan has deep, hollow wells, perfectly positioned to help your popovers rise nice and tall.
Good news though- you don't need a popover pan to make popovers! You can use a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Just note, that due to its shape, your popovers will not achieve the same rise as with a specialized pan.
Step by step instructions
Check out this tutorial for baking up delightfully tall and airy lemon popovers with thyme. Be sure to preheat your popover pan while you prepare the batter. See the recipe card for full instructions.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs and milk for about 1 minute until frothy.
Add the sifted flour and salt, and whisk until the flour is incorporated.
Add the pepper, thyme, and lemon zest, and mix again.
Fill the preheated wells with ½ teaspoon of melted butter each. Divide the batter among the wells.
📝Expert tips
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature or else the batter won't rise.
- Whisk the eggs and milk for at least one minute until frothy.
- Preheat your popover pan! I like to place mine in the oven as soon as I set it.
- To avoid a soggy, deflated interior, resist the urge to open the oven door while baking.
- Set a timer so that you can remember to decrease your oven temperature.
- Remove the popovers immediately from the pan when they are finished baking.
- To keep them inflated for longer, using a sharp knife-poke a few small holes in the popovers to let out some steam.
Substitutions and variations
These lemon thyme popovers are delicious on their own but feel free to mix up the herbs and make it your own.
- Lemon- In place of the lemon, you could use orange zest.
- Thyme- Try swapping out the thyme, for rosemary, basil, or tarragon.
- Cheese- To add a cheese twist, add a ½ teaspoon parmesan cheese to the tops before baking.
What to serve with lemon popovers
Popovers can be eaten plain, with butter or jam, or served on the side of a heartier meal. Savory popovers are also perfect for dunking in your favorite soups!
- Butter- Nothing beats classic butter. Slather some butter on your piping hot popovers for a classic pairing.
- Lemon thyme butter- If you want to drive home the lemon flavor, mix a teaspoon of both thyme and lemon zest into a few tablespoons of salted butter.
- Lemon curd- For a sweet pop of lemon, top with lemon curd.
- Honey- Trust me on this one- it is so good!
- Jams- Serve with your favorite jams, sweet or savory. For a fruity twist, try my blueberry jam.
- Bacon- Try crumbling some candied bacon over the split popovers.
Storage and make ahead
Sorry popover lovers, these bad boys are best when eaten right away. If you do have leftovers, you can rewarm them in the oven at 350℉ for about 10 minutes or until heated through. They will lose their crispiness when reheating, but can still be quite tasty.
Frequently asked questions
Several reasons can lead to dense popovers. Ensure your ingredients are room temperature, your batter is rested for at least 15 minutes, and your ingredients are fully incorporated. When mixing the flour into the batter, do not overmix. This causes the gluten to activate, leading to heavy, chewy popovers. Lastly, resist the urge to open the oven door while baking, as this can cause the popovers to deflate, leading to chewy interiors.
Related recipes
Lemon and herb lovers rejoice! These recipes will have you swooning.
Did you make this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating with a comment right below the recipe card. If you snap a photo of your creation, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @brunchandbatter.
📖Recipe
Savory Lemon Thyme Popovers
Equipment
- 6-well popover pan or standard 12 cup muffin tin
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves only or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- butter, jam or honey for serving
Instructions
- Place the popover pan on the lowest rack of your oven. Make sure you leave room for the popovers to grow. Preheat the oven to 450℉ with the pan inside. (I place my popover pan on a baking tray for easier handling).
- In a large bowl (preferably one with a spout), whisk the eggs and milk until frothy, about 1 minute.3 large eggs, room temperature, 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk, room temperature
- Add the sifted flour and salt, and whisk until combined. Do not overmix (a few lumps are ok). The batter will be runny, with a consistency similar to heavy cream. Add the thyme, lemon zest, and pepper, and stir to combine.1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted, ½ teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves only, 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon), ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- When the oven is finished preheating. Remove the pan, and add ½ teaspoon of melted butter to each of the popover wells (it will sizzle). Divide the batter evenly among the wells, and return the pan to the oven. Bake at 450℉ for 15 minutes (set a timer). After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350℉ and continue baking for 10-20 minutes or until puffed up, and golden brown. DO NOT open the oven door.2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- Immediately remove the popovers from the pan. Serve with butter, jam, or honey.butter, jam or honey for serving
Notes
-
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature or else the batter won't rise
- Whisk the eggs and milk for at least one minute until frothy.
- Preheat your popover pan! I like to place mine in the oven as soon as I set it.
- To avoid a soggy, deflated interior, resist the urge to open the oven door while baking.
- Set a timer so that you can remember to decrease your oven temperature.
- Remove the popovers immediately from the pan when they are finished baking.
- To keep them inflated for longer, using a sharp knife-poke a few small holes in the popovers to let out some steam.
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary depending on many factors, such as products used, measurements and substitutions, therefore it is recommended that you obtain nutritional calculations based on your own finished recipe.
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