Simple sourdough crumpets (beginner friendly)

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Have you ever wondered what to do with that excess sourdough starter after you’ve used what you need to make bread? Instead of throwing it away as so many sourdough starter recipes recommend, you can use this excess to make some delicious and easy sourdough crumpets! These crumpets are so yummy, especially when paired with lashings of butter and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

What are crumpets?

Crumpets are a small, round, spongy unsweetened bread with characteristic holes in the top. They are popular in the UK and many other regions of the world. Crumpets are made using simple ingredients and are often eaten as a sweet breakfast with honey or jam. The spongy texture is created by allowing the mixture to cook, rise and set before flipping. This creates the holes in the top of the crumpets which allow the toppings to soak in. Although crumpets are traditionally made with instant yeast, they can be made with sourdough active sourdough starter to create a nice rise and delicious sour taste.

What are the benefits of making sourdough crumpets?

The sourdough starter, when added to flour, water and salt, cultures the batter with living microbes. When left to ferment, yeast and bacteria work together to break down the sugars and gluten protein to produce carbon dioxide (air bubbles) and lactic acid (tangy flavour). Products made with sourdough culture offer health benefits such as easier digestion and enhanced nutrient absorption compared to unfermented wheat products.

Using your excess sourdough starter in recipes instead of discarding it reduces food waste and also saves you money. You can check out my article on how to care for a no-discard sourdough starter here.

What is sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter, or levain, is a complex, living culture of microbes used to leaven breads and other baked goods. It contains good bacteria (Lactobacilli) and wild, natural yeast.

Sourdough starter is made from two ingredients, flour and water, which contain living organisms that ferment this mixture, creating air bubbles. Like many ferments, starters have been around for thousands of years and have been used by cultures all over the world for rising bread products. The culture, thanks to the fermentation process, creates a distinct sour flavour and light, chewy texture in baked goods.

Homemade sourdough starter, once developed can last indefinitely provided that it’s cared for properly.

Can you use sourdough discard instead of starter?

Essentially, sourdough ‘starter’ is the fed, active starter that is ready to be used in baking sourdough bread or other goods. Sourdough discard, however, is the leftover sourdough starter that would normally be discarded when feeding your starter. Discard is generally not as active as sourdough starter, and may not give a good rise when baking. You can use sourdough discard in this recipe so long as it is bubbly and active. If it’s not, you can add 1/2 tsp active dry yeast to give the batter a boost.

How long does it take to make sourdough crumpets?

As with most sourdough recipes, the fermentation process requires some time for the living culture to work it’s magic. However, the actual hands-on time to make these crumpets as much less than you might expect. 

It is best to allow the batter to ferments for at least 8 hours before cooking. I like to make the batter the night before cooking crumpets (if making for breakfast). I leave the batter to ferment at room temperature overnight.

You can also leave the batter to ferment for 12-24 hours if kept in the fridge. You really can make this sourdough crumpet recipe fit your specific schedule with a little bit of planning and forethought.

What equipment do you need to make sourdough crumpets?

• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Measuring cups/spoons
• English muffin rings/metal egg rings
• Medium pan or cast iron skillet
• Cooling rack

How to make sourdough crumpets

Combine ingredients

In a medium-sized bowl, combine sourdough starter with water, sugar and salt. Add flour and stir well to combine. The batter should be loose enough to scoop and pour but not too runny. If the batter seems too thick, add a little water. If the batter seems too wet, add some additional flour.

Ferment batter

Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours. This can be done for 12-24 hours if placed in the fridge.

Add baking powder

When ready to make crumpets, sprinkle baking powder over the batter and mix well to combine. The batter will start to become bubbly.

Preheat skillet and metal rings

Heat a skillet or pan over low-medium heat. Grease the metal ring molds with butter, ghee or coconut oil. Add rings to the skillet to heat and add some more butter to the bottom of the pan.

Cook batter

Once hot, add crumpet batter using a small ladle or measuring cup, filling to 2/3 of the height of the ring. Do not over-fill the rings as the batter will overflow. Allow to cook over low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes. The batter will start to rise and create small holes/bubbles on the top. 

Once the top of the crumpet is nice and bubbly, it will start to set on the top (I love watching the holes pop!). The sides of the crumpet should have come away from the inside of the crumpet rings. Gently remove the metal rings with a pair of tongs. 

Flip crumpets

Gently flip the crumpets using a spatula once the bottom of the crumpet is golden brown. Lightly cook the crumpets on the other side until golden brown, then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack. 

Repeat

Repeat these steps with the remaining batter. I like to cool the metal rings in cold water before greasing with more butter before starting the next batch of crumpets.

Enjoy

You can eat these crumpets hot, straight from the pan if you wish. If you’re not ready to eat the crumpets, store them in an airtight container or freeze in a zip-lock back for up to 3 months. Reheat by placing in the toaster until heated through and crispy on both sides. Top with a knob of butter, some honey, or your favorite jam.