This post is in honor of my grandfather and one of the foods he loved: popovers.
When I received a popover pan as a wedding gift at my bridal shower, I squealed with excitement…much to the confusion of many surrounding me. Several people asked me what a popover was. What?! I was shocked that so many people had not experienced the delight of eating a popover! This is one of the reasons I decided to do a post about them. If you haven’t had one before, promise me you’ll try them! They are awesome, guys.
Anyway.
My grandfather didn’t cook often, but he did have a few specialities: fresh strawberry jam (still the best jam I have ever had), fresh iced tea, vodka martinis, bloody Mary’s, and popovers. A random assortment, yes, but he was the master of them all.
I inherited that popover-loving gene, for sure. Popovers are a unique baked good. They have an ethereal airiness but are still rich and comforting. I love when they have a very crispy outer layer and are fluffy and tender on the inside. The method used to make these meets all those requirements.
I like to serve my popovers with sea-salted butter and fruit jam. My current favorite is black cherry jam…but I would give anything to have some of that fresh strawberry jam one more time. And to share a popover with my grandpa.
This one is for you, Fritz. We miss you!

Perfect Parmesan Popovers
- Yield: 6 popovers 1x
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 cup skim milk
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
For Serving:
- Butter, at room temperature
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Jam or jelly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F, and thoroughly coat a popover pan with cooking spray. Place the pan in the hot oven and allow it to heat up while you make the batter (this lends to a crispy outer layer).
- Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk gently. Stir in the flour, salt, milk, half-and-half, and melted butter until just barely blended; a few lumps are fine. Finally, whisk in the cheese. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes. It will resemble a thin pancake batter.
- Fill the popover pan wells ¾ full, and bake for 15 minutes. Very important: do not open oven door at all during the baking process. This will deflate the popovers!
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until the tops are brown and crusty.
- Remove popovers from the oven, and make a small slit in their sides with a sharp knife. This helps some of the steam escape, which keeps them crispy. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven. Serve with butter sprinkled with sea salt and pepper or jam
These look wonderful! I love popovers, and I can’t wait to try it with the addition of parmesan!
Thanks, Rayna! They are fantastic and addicting. You’ve been warned!
these look incredible!!! I’m loving this recipe and the homage to your Grandpa – lovely post!
Thanks, Christine!