Herb & Cheese Popovers

These herb and cheese popovers may not be the traditional Thanksgiving bread option, but they’re a great alternative this year. With a soft, egg-inspired center and a crusty cheese-covered top, this bread choice will be everyone’s favorite. Plus, they’re easy to make and a real time saver!

An easy-to-make showstopping bread to impress.

Popovers taste like a delicacy when you taste one but do you know the secret? They are quick and easy. Popovers have a simple batter with flour, eggs, milk, and some butter. The batter is thin, but the gluten from the flour and the protein from the eggs trap in the steam that is created when the batter goes in the hot oven. The steam causes the batter to grow dramatically and become crisp brown around the edges but custard-like and soft in the middle. The key is a hot oven. Here is my game plan: at the end of the preparation of all of your other Thanksgiving dishes, when the turkey is resting before slicing, prepare these popovers, stick them in the oven, and they’ll be ready to go when everyone’s ready to eat.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Whole milk makes the batter the correct consistency, which is pourable. Use whole milk for more flavor.
• All-purpose flour gives the structure and gluten needed. The gluten helps trap in the steam causing the popovers to grow in the oven.
• Eggs provide a custard-like interior to the popovers. The high ratio of eggs is key to the unique texture of a popover.
• Sugar makes the popovers turn golden brown and balance the flavor.
• Gruyere cheese is a rich, creamy, and nutty cheese. The salty flavor seasons add a savory twist to the popovers.
• Smoked Gouda cheese is a rich, smoky cheese that melts easily and deepens the flavor of the popovers. The cheese creates a golden crust on each popover.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Prepare the milk and egg mixture. In a bowl, place the eggs, whole milk, sugar, and salt. Whisk the ingredients until everything is smooth with no streaks of eggs visible.

2. Add the herbs and flour. To the wet batter, add the all-purpose flour. Then chop up the fresh parsley, strip the thyme leaves from their stems, and chop them slightly. Also, add these two herbs directly to the batter and whisk everything together until evenly incorporated.

3. Add the melted butter and shred the cheese and add the melted butter. Pour the melted and slightly cooled butter into the batter and mix it in to ensure it is evenly combined. Using a cheese grater, shred both the Gruyere cheese and smoked gouda into thin strips. Combine the two kinds of cheese together so that when sprinkled on top of each popover, some of each cheese will bake on top.

4. Pour the batter into the popover pan. To a popover pan or muffin tin, pour the batter, evenly distributing the batter into each form. On top of each popover, sprinkle the mixture of cheese.

5. Bake in the oven. Place the popovers in the preheated 450°F oven and bake for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for the remaining 20 to 25 minutes. Once baked, remove the popovers from the oven and remove each popover from the pan immediately. Let them cool slightly on a wire rack and serve immediately.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• Popovers are a great alternative to the traditional dinner roll recipe, but there is one caveat. They need to be made right before the meal since they tend to deflate after a period of time. They are best served warm right from the oven.
• It’s always important to have your oven preheated and ready with the rack set to one of the lowest settings. Since the popovers need room to grow vertically, it’s best not to crowd them with a rack on top.
• Right after the popovers are taken from the oven, immediately remove them from the pan. If left in the pan, the moisture from the pan will cause the popovers to become soggy.

More Thanksgiving recipes to try.

• Classic dry-brine turkey
• Apple and sausage cornbread stuffing
• Stuffed acorn squash casserole
• The best buttermilk biscuits
• Honey oat dinner rolls
• Easy slow cooker stuffing
• Chipotle sweet potato casserole
• Corn spoon bread
• Grandma Alice’s mashed potatoes
• Hearty kale salad with lentils and pears

Have I convinced you to make this recipe?

I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they too can make, enjoy, and love!