Cheesy Sourdough Popovers

With only six ingredients and two steps, these Cheesy Sourdough Popovers are so easy to make and come together quickly!

The sourdough discard popovers incorporate cheddar cheese into the custardy batter and rise sky-high in the oven.

These savory and cheesy popovers can be served any time of day, from breakfast to a dinner side.

Follow the detailed tips and recipe instructions below on how to make this easy sourdough discard recipe.

---

---

---

🛠 Tools Needed

• Baking scale
  • Flour and sourdough starter can weigh differently from person to person, so weighing your ingredients will give you the best results. Measuring your ingredients by weight will make your baking more consistent and accurate.
• Whisk, for mixing the popover batter
  • You can also use a blender or food processor to mix the batter like in my Mixed Berry Sourdough Clafoutis or Sourdough Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes recipes.
• Mixing Bowl, for mixing the batter
• Box Grater, for grating the cheese
• Popover Pan
  • A popover pan has six deep wells or cups that are a few inches high, allowing the popovers to be extra tall.
  • Can also bake in a standard 12-cup muffin pan with a faster baking time and less batter in each cup.

---

🛒 Ingredients Needed

Please see below for my ingredient recommendations and potential substitutions.

• Whole Milk, room temperature
  • Whole milk will give you a more tender and richer popover due to its higher fat content.
  • If your milk is cold, warm it gently in a saucepan or the microwave.
• Eggs, room temperature
  • You can bring cold eggs to room temperature quickly in a bowl with warm water for 5-10 minutes.
• Sourdough Discard
  • Runny, acidic discard works better for this recipe instead of fresh discard.
  • If you don’t have an active sourdough starter, learn how to make one in a week following my how-to guide. See my top sourdough starter tips and other sourdough discard recipes.
• Salt, for flavoring
  • For other seasonings, you could add dried herbs like thyme, oregano, Old Bay seasoning, or garlic powder.
• All-purpose flour
  • I use King Aryothur all-purpose flour for popovers with a tender interior that still rise tall.
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Grate the cheddar with a box grater instead of using pre-shredded mix like I do for Sourdough Grilled Cheese. It has a better flavor and no anti-caking agents, which may not melt or cook the same way.
  • I prefer a sharp, orange cheddar for this recipe, such as Cabot or Kerrygold.
  • You can substitute with another dry, low-moisture cheese that melts well, such as Gruyère, Parmesan, or Monterey Jack.

---

🧀 How to Make Cheesy Sourdough Popovers

Follow this detailed recipe guide as you make the best cheesy sourdough popovers in just two easy steps.

1. Whisk the Sourdough Popover Batter

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sourdough discard, and salt until the mixture is frothy and no clumps of discard remain.

Add the flour and whisk just until the flour is hydrated and no lumps remain.

Set aside to rest for 15-30 minutes while you preheat the oven.

2. Bake

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC). The oven needs to be hot for the popovers to rise well, so be sure to let it preheat fully and use an oven thermometer to check that it’s actually hot enough.

Spray or grease a six-well popover pan or standard 12-cup muffin pan.

Pour the popover batter into the prepared pan well (about half to two-thirds full). Distribute the mixture evenly among the pans you’re using, but avoid overfilling.

Grate the cheddar cheese if you haven’t already, and sprinkle the cheese on top of the batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 375ºF (191ºC) and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the popovers are puffed high and the tops are dark brown and crispy.

Don’t open the oven door during baking or you risk lowering the temperature too much and deflating the popovers.

Remove the popovers from the oven and immediately cut a couple of slits into each one with a paring knife. This will help steam release so the popovers don’t collapse and prevent a soggy interior.

---

How to Store and Serve

The cheesy sourdough popovers should be served immediately and while warm.

Unfortunately, popovers don’t store well and become soggy, losing their texture over time. They should have a crispy exterior with a soft, custardy interior.

You can serve these savory sourdough popovers for breakfast, brunch, or as a side dish for dinner, replacing dinner rolls, Sourdough Biscuits, or Sourdough Honey Cornbread.

---

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

---