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!
Preheat oven to 450°F and set the rack to lower position. Grease a 6-cup nonstick popover pan and set aside.
Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and sugar until the eggs and milk are smooth. Add the flour, parsley, and thyme. Whisk until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine. Pour in the melted and slightly cooled butter and mix to incorporate.
Divide batter into the prepared popover pan. Alternatively, a 12-cup muffin pan can be used, but the popovers will be smaller. Combine the Gruyere cheese and smoked Gouda cheese. Sprinkle 2 tbsp cheese on top of each popover.
½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese, ¼ cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
Place in the preheated 450°F oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F without opening the oven door, and continue to bake for 20-25 additional minutes or until the popovers are fully browned and crisp on top.
Remove from the oven and immediately remove the popovers from the pan and place on a rack to cool for 3-5 minutes. Letting popovers cool in the pans will cause them to deflate. Serve hot.
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Notes
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.