![Gluten-Free Popovers [Basic but AMAZING Recipe]](https://i1.wp.com/www.goodforyouglutenfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Gluten-Free-Popovers-header.jpg?resize=1000%2C667&ssl=1)
This gluten-free popovers recipe is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill and this post includes affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement for details.
If you’ve been following my blog you know that I’ve been growing my gluten-free baking skills like a madwoman. Instead of relying on recipes from cookbook authors, magazines and bloggers, I’ve begun experimenting with my own gluten-free concoctions.
One book that has impacted my baking skills quite a bit is Ratio by Michael Ruhlman. In this book, Ruhlman teaches you how to bake anything using specific ratios of fat, flour, sugar, liquid, egg, etc. Once you learn the basic “codes” to baking, you can bake anything, he says.
I often find myself following Ruhlman’s ratios to see if (and how) they work with my gluten-free flours.
I was flipping through a magazine over the holidays when I saw pictures of people eating beautiful popovers at their holiday meals. The popovers looked sooooo good and I wondered if I would ever be able to have a popover again now that I’m gluten-free. Then I had this thought… “What if I could make gluten-free popovers using my favorite gluten-free flour blend in place of wheat flour?” The thought stuck with me for awhile…
What Is a Popover?
A popover is a light, hollow roll made from an egg batter. (For my English friends, it’s an Americanized version of Yorkshire pudding.) The popover batter will swell upward, which is a beautiful sight to see. A popover pan has sides that are straight so the rise is dramatic. (I used a muffin pan, which has angled sides, so the rise upward isn’t as dramatic.)
I consulted Ratio to see if Ruhlman had the “codes” for creating a popover recipe at home and sure enough, he does! Ruhlman says the perfect popover recipe includes two parts liquid (milk), one part egg and one part flour.
One large egg is two ounces, so I used this foundational ingredient to build my recipe. With two ounces of egg, I knew that I’d need four ounces of milk and two ounces of flour. I doubled the recipe to two eggs, eight ounces of milk and four ounces of flour so I could make six popovers using my muffin tin. (It would make about four popovers in a proper popover pan.)
Of course, Ruhlman’s ratios are built with regular wheat flour – not gluten-free flour blends. So would the ratio still work if I used my gluten-free flour? Let’s see!
As you can see, the ratios worked perfectly!
In fact, when I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, which you can use as a cup for cup or ounce for ounce measurement with any recipe that calls for wheat flour, the popovers turn out perfect. They taste amazing, look fantastic and any regular Joe would have NO clue that these popovers are actually gluten-free!
What I love about using Bob’s Red Mill 1-1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend is that Bob’s Red Mill has already put in the hard work to create and perfect a gluten-free flour blend that works. There’s no need for ANYONE on a gluten-free diet to mix their own flour blends when Bob’s has created an easy-to-use gluten-free flour blend that works so perfectly in so many recipes that call for wheat flour.
This recipe is FANTASTIC for many reasons.
First, the gluten-free popovers turned out fluffy, soft and doughy. The texture and consistency couldn’t have been any better. For someone craving a doughy texture, these popovers deliver!
Second, the popovers had nice rise to them. In the first batch I made, I failed to fill the batter to the top of the muffin tin cavity… but in my second batch I filled the batter to the top of the cavity and the rise was much more dramatic. (And when you use a popover pan the rise is even more substantial!)
Finally, the gluten-free popovers had a wonderful buttery flavor. The pat of butter at the bottom of the pan ensured that the butter would coat the entire bottom of the popover so every bite offered up the taste of buttery perfection.
I personally couldn’t have asked for a better accompaniment to my delicious slow cooker short ribs, which I had simmering in my slow cooker as I baked these gluten-free popovers in my oven.
Why Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend?
When you use Bob’s Red Mill’s 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, you don’t have to mix together a variety of flours to get the texture and taste you want. All you have to do is know that Bob’s has perfected this gluten-free flour blend for you and you can use it when you need it without having to do a lot of fussing in the kitchen.
All you need to do is trust the process because, well, it works! (Please note that Bob’s 1-to-1 GF Flour Blend is NOT the same at Bob’s All Purpose GF Flour Blend. Look for the blue bag as seen in the picture below.)
The good news is that if you use Bob’s Red Mill’s 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend as your secret weapon, you will only need a total of FOUR basic ingredients to make this recipe. Yep, you’ll only need FOUR INGREDIENTS, which you probably already have on hand (eggs, butter, milk and your Bob’s GF flour blend), in order to create a buttery, delicious gluten-free popover. How amazing is that?!?
How to Make Gluten-Free Popovers
When you’re ready to try this gluten-free popover recipe for yourself, follow these simple instructions (a printable recipe is below):
(1) Whisk together the flour, eggs and milk, then allow the batter to rest for 30+ minutes at room temperature.
(2) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put your muffin pan (or popover pan) into the oven to get hot.
(3) Remove the pan from the oven and add a small pat of butter to each cavity. The butter will quickly melt.
(4) Fill each cavity to the top (don’t be shy) with the popover batter. As mentioned, a popover pan is best for making beautiful popovers that rise tall, however, a standard muffin tin will absolutely work (and it’s what I used). If you use a muffin tin, you’ll just have shorter gluten-free popovers.
(5) After the popovers cook for 10 minutes, turn down the heat to 375 degrees to allow them time to finish cooking.
I highly recommend enjoying your gluten-free popovers as an accompaniment to a savory stew. The popover will help you soak up the gravy and give you the bread-like texture you crave when you’re on a gluten-free diet.
When I made these particular gluten-free popovers, I also cooked up a batch of the most delicious slow cooker beef short ribs recipe I have ever made and tasted! I make this recipe only for special occasions. It just happened to be New Year’s Eve when I made this batch of slow cooker beef short ribs.
I invited friends over for dinner and got rave reviews. They, too, loved not only the savory beef short ribs but they couldn’t get enough of these indulgent gluten-free popovers!
Popovers can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone dessert. You can top them with honey, jam, a pat of butter or plain. (I’ll have to try these popovers as a dessert next go round… and trust me, there will be a next time for sure!)
I can’t wait to hear how your gluten-free popovers turn out. Please leave a comment to let me know how it goes!
Gluten-Free Popovers
Ingredients
- 16 ounces milk
- 4 large eggs (4 ounces)
- 8 ounces Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend (remove about 2 Tbsps from a full cup of flour) - NOT Bob's All Purpose GF Flour
- 2 tsp. Kosher salt, to taste (omit if using salted butter)
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Place 12 cavity muffin pan in your oven (if you have a popover pan, use that instead - you'll get taller popovers). Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- In a large bowl, add milk and eggs and whisk together until well combined.
- Add flour and salt and continue to mix batter until all ingredients are uniformly combined.
- Allow the batter to rest on your countertop for 30 minutes (longer okay) in order for the flour to hydrate.
- Remove pan from oven (remember, it will be extremely hot) and add a small pat of butter into each of the 12 cavities of your standard muffin pan (if you have a popover pan, it will fill about 6 cavities). Fill to the near top of the cavity.
- PLEASE NOTE: Sometimes the batter can overflow or the butter will splatter. Place muffin pan on top of a foil lined baking sheet to catch any spills.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 425, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 20-25 minutes longer.
- Allow popovers to cool and serve. Enjoy!
I honestly struggled to get them to rise (and stay that way) without the gluten but they taste terrific. I will make them again one day for sure. It was a bummer to get such a mean comment though, especially on Christmas Eve. I’m not a perfect baker, and making things GF requires a lot of trial and error. Maybe you’re just having a bad day. Merry Christmas.
Why on earth would you picture a flat popover? This makes me not trust you. Dude, do it again and take a different picture.
I think so but am not certain because I haven’t tried it.
Would a non-dairy milk substitute work in this recipe, like almond or rice milk? My gf/df daughter is dying to try these.