Sky-High Popovers with Whipped Honey Butter and Jam

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Sky-high, dramatically puffed popovers with crisp shells and custardy, hollow centers.
• Simple pantry ingredients and a foolproof method for dependable lift.
• Two luxe spreads: airy whipped honey butter and a quick, glossy strawberry jam.
• Perfect for brunch, holiday dinners, or any time you want a bakery-worthy bread basket.

Grocery List

• Produce: Strawberries (12 oz), 1 lemon
• Dairy: Eggs (4), Whole milk, Unsalted butter (2 sticks total)
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, Sugar, Honey, Kosher salt, Fine sea salt, Vanilla extract (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Popovers

• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) whole milk, warmed to 100–110°F
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted (plus 1 tbsp for greasing the pan)

For the Whipped Honey Butter

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but lovely)

For the Quick Strawberry Jam

• 12 oz (340 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and warm the ingredients

Position an oven rack in the lower third and place a 12-cup muffin tin or a 6-cup popover pan on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450°F. While the oven heats, warm the milk to about 100–110°F (just warm to the touch) and let the eggs sit in warm tap water for 5 minutes if they are cold. Room-temperature eggs and warm milk help the batter rise sky-high.

Step 2: Make a smooth, fluid batter

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended and slightly foamy. Whisk in the warm milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Sprinkle the dry mixture over the egg mixture and whisk until smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Whisk in 2 tbsp melted butter. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to relax the flour and reduce bubbles that can lead to uneven rises.

Step 3: Heat the pan and butter the cups

Carefully remove the hot pan. Quickly divide 1 tbsp unsalted butter among the cups (a small pea-sized piece in each). Return the pan to the oven for 2–3 minutes, until the butter is sizzling. This sizzle jump-starts the rise and creates a crisp crust.

Step 4: Fill the cups and start the bake

Working quickly, remove the hot pan and immediately fill the cups: about 1/3 cup batter per well for a standard muffin tin (fills halfway), or 1/2 cup per well for a deep popover pan (about two-thirds full). Return to the oven and bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door.

Step 5: Reduce the heat and finish baking

Without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake 15 minutes more, until the popovers are deeply golden, lofty, and feel firm on the sides. Remove the pan and use a skewer to pierce each popover once to vent steam, which keeps the shells crisp.

Step 6: Whip the honey butter and cook the quick jam

While the popovers bake, make the spreads. For the honey butter, beat the softened butter, honey, salt, and vanilla with a hand mixer (or vigorously by hand) for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. For the jam, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook on medium-low, stirring often, until glossy and thickened, 10–12 minutes. Mash lightly for a rustic texture. Cool to warm.

Step 7: Serve sky-high and steaming

Gently loosen the popovers from the pan and serve immediately while piping hot. Split or tear, swipe the hollow centers with whipped honey butter, and spoon in warm strawberry jam. Expect crisp edges, tender interiors, and lots of smiles.

Pro Tips

• Weigh the flour if possible (180 g) for consistent structure and maximum lift.
• Use truly hot, preheated pan and sizzling butter to encourage rapid steam and tall domes.
• Do not open the oven during baking; a quick temperature drop can flatten the popovers.
• Place the pan in the lower third to prevent overly browned tops before the centers set.
• For extra-crisp shells, leave popovers in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for 2–3 minutes after baking.

Variations

• Cheddar-Chive Popovers: Add 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar and 2 tbsp minced chives to the batter; serve with salted butter.
• Cinnamon-Sugar Finish: Toss hot popovers in 1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon; serve with vanilla honey butter.
• Lemon-Poppy: Add 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 tsp poppy seeds to the batter; serve with lemon-honey butter (swap in 1 tsp lemon zest for the vanilla).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Popovers are best fresh within 15 minutes of baking. To store, cool completely and keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day. Re-crisp at 350°F for 5–8 minutes. Freeze up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 350°F for 8–10 minutes. Whipped honey butter keeps in the fridge up to 2 weeks (bring to room temp before serving). Quick strawberry jam keeps refrigerated 1–2 weeks.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1 serving (2 popovers, 1 tbsp honey butter, 1 tbsp jam): 380 calories; 41 g carbs; 10 g protein; 19 g fat; 2 g fiber; 12 g sugars (plus honey and jam sugars as listed).