Raspberry Sourdough Popovers | Discard or Starter

ByEmily Rider Updated
Jump to Recipe

These raspberry sourdough popovers are golden, dramatically puffed, crisp on the outside, and hollow and airy inside with a warm pocket of raspberry jam in every single one.

They look like something from a bakery window and taste even better – the sourdough discard adds a faint tang that lifts the flavor beyond a standard popover, and the raspberry jam melts into the warm hollow center in the most satisfying way.

Serve them warm alongside a cup of Homemade Spiced Chai Latte Mix, pair them with Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe | Discard or Starter for a full spread, and keep this one in the rotation all spring long.

Overhead flat lay of raspberry sourdough popovers in vintage aluminum popover cups on a wire rack, with two popovers plated on rose-patterned china beside fresh raspberries, small bowls of raspberry jam, and white baby's breath flowers on a pink linen.

Did you know you can convert your recipes to freshly milled flour? I share how to convert your recipes and more at The Cottage Mill.

A wooden flour mill dispensing freshly ground flour into a glass bowl in a cozy kitchen with copper utensils.

Step into The Cottage Mill: Freshly Milled Flour Guides, Recipes, and More Await!

Enter The Mill

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Dramatic rise, minimal effort – One bowl, a quick whisk, a hot pan, and the oven does everything. The result looks like something from a bakery window.
  • Raspberry jam in every bite – A teaspoon of raspberry jam dropped into each cup before baking melts into the hollow center as the popover rises and produces a warm, jammy interior that plain popovers simply do not have.
  • Sourdough discard or active starter – Both work equally well here. The sourdough adds a faint tang that lifts the flavor of the popover beyond the standard recipe without announcing itself as sourdough.
  • Ready in 35 minutes – From cold ingredients to golden popovers on the rack in under 35 minutes. There is no faster cottage kitchen brunch showstopper.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – The structural base of the popover batter. All-purpose flour gives the right balance of protein for a batter that rises dramatically without becoming too dense or too fragile. Measure by spooning into the cup and leveling. Too much flour produces a heavy popover that will not rise properly.
  • Sourdough starter or discard – Half a cup of starter at 100% hydration, active or cold discard, goes directly into the batter. The sourdough does not leaven these popovers, the steam from the eggs and milk does that work, but it adds a faint tang and a small amount of additional liquid that gives the finished popover a slightly more complex flavor than a standard recipe. New to sourdough? Read How to Make a Sourdough Starter | Beginner’s Guide.
  • Eggs – Two large eggs at room temperature. Room temperature eggs are non-negotiable here – cold eggs reduce the temperature of the batter and slow the initial steam burst that drives the dramatic rise. Take them out at least 30 minutes before baking.
  • Whole milk – One cup of whole milk, warmed slightly. Warm milk helps the batter combine evenly and contributes to the steam that makes popovers rise. Do not use cold milk straight from the refrigerator.
  • Salt – A small amount sharpens the flavor and balances the sweetness of the raspberry jam filling.
  • Vanilla extract – One teaspoon rounds out the sweetness and gives these a slightly bakery-forward flavor that plain sourdough popovers do not have.
  • Salted butter – Used to generously coat each cup of the hot pan before filling. The butter creates the golden, slightly crisp exterior on the sides and bottom of each popover.
  • Raspberry jam – One to two teaspoons dropped into each filled cup just before going into the oven. The jam sinks slightly as the batter rises around it, creating a warm, jammy center in the hollow interior. Use a good-quality raspberry jam with real fruit for the best flavor.
Single sourdough popover with a tall, golden-brown hollow crown on a rose-patterned vintage china plate, with fresh raspberries alongside and more popovers on the wire rack blurred in the background, on a pink linen surface.

Variations & Add-Ins

  • Blueberry jam – Swap the raspberry jam for blueberry for a slightly sweeter, less tart filling that works beautifully in the same batter. Blackberry and strawberry jam both work equally well.
  • Apple pie filling – Drop a teaspoon of apple pie filling into each cup instead of jam for a warm, spiced autumn version that pairs naturally with a cup of chai.
  • Cinnamon sugar finish – As soon as the popovers come out of the oven, brush the tops lightly with melted butter and roll them briefly in a cinnamon sugar blend for a churro-adjacent finish that is completely irresistible.
  • Whipped honey butter – Serve alongside whipped butter beaten with a tablespoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon instead of extra jam. It melts beautifully into the warm hollow interior.

Recipe Tips

The hot pan is the whole secret – Preheat the empty popover pan or muffin tin in the oven while it heats to 450°F. When the cold batter hits the screaming hot pan, the steam created in that first moment is what drives the dramatic rise. A cold or warm pan produces a flat, dense popover.

Room temperature ingredients only – Cold eggs or cold milk will drop the batter temperature and slow the steam burst. Pull the eggs and milk from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. Slightly warm the milk before adding to the batter.

Do not open the oven door – Opening the oven door during baking releases the heat and steam that the popovers need to stay risen. Do not open it during the first 15 minutes under any circumstances.

Do not overmix the batter – Whisk until just combined with a few small lumps remaining. Overmixed popover batter develops too much gluten and produces a tough, chewy result rather than a light, airy one.

Fill the cups three-quarters full – Any more and the batter overflows before it can rise. Any less and the popover will not have enough batter to build the dramatic height this recipe is known for.

Add the jam after filling – Fill each cup with batter first, then drop the jam on top. If you add the jam first it sinks too far and sticks to the bottom rather than settling into the hollow center as the popover rises.

Serve immediately – Sourdough popovers are best within 5 minutes of coming out of the oven while the exterior is still crisp and the interior is warm and airy. They soften quickly as they cool.

Overhead view of sourdough popover batter ingredients in a blender — sourdough starter, eggs, and milk — ready to blend, on a pink eyelet fabric background.
Hand pouring sourdough popover batter from a glass measuring cup into preheated aluminum popover cups on a dark baking sheet, with the remaining cups ready to fill, on a pink linen and crochet lace surface.
Hand spooning raspberry jam into sourdough popover batter in aluminum popover cups on a dark baking sheet, with jam already added to several cups and one spoonful being swirled in.
Overhead view of six freshly baked raspberry sourdough popovers in vintage aluminum popover cups on a wire rack, showing golden-brown tops with hollow centers, on a pink linen and crochet lace surface.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the pan – Place the empty popover pan or muffin tin in the oven and preheat to 450°F. Let the pan heat for the full preheat time – it needs to be screaming hot before any batter touches it.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt until combined.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the warm whole milk, room temperature eggs, and sourdough starter or discard until smooth and slightly frothy.
  4. Bring the batter together – Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients along with the vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined – a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
  5. Butter the hot pan – Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Working quickly, use a pastry brush to coat each cup generously with melted salted butter. The butter will sizzle immediately on the hot surface – that is exactly right.
  6. Fill and add jam – Fill each buttered cup approximately three-quarters full with batter. Drop 1 to 2 teaspoons of raspberry jam on top of the batter in each cup.
  7. Bake at high heat – Carefully return the filled pan to the oven. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes without opening the oven door.
  8. Reduce and finish – After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F without opening the door. Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes until the popovers are deep golden brown and dramatically puffed.
  9. Cool briefly and serve – Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve within 5 minutes while the exterior is still crisp and the interior is warm. Top with a dollop of butter or extra raspberry jam.
Two hands holding a vintage rose-patterned china plate presenting a single tall, golden sourdough popover with a hollow open crown, with the full popover rack blurred in the background on a pink linen surface.

Freezing and Storage

  • Serve fresh – Sourdough popovers are at their absolute best within 5 minutes of coming out of the oven. The crisp exterior softens quickly as they cool and cannot be fully restored.
  • Room temperature – Store cooled popovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes to restore some of the crispness.
  • Make-ahead batter – The batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before filling the hot pan and baking.Freezing – Let popovers cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

FAQ

The hot pan is the most important factor. Preheating the empty popover pan or muffin tin in a 450°F oven before adding any batter creates an immediate steam burst the moment the batter hits the hot surface – and that steam is what drives the dramatic rise. Room temperature eggs and slightly warmed milk also matter significantly. Cold ingredients slow the steam burst and produce a flatter, denser result.

Yes, sourdough discard works beautifully in popover batter. It does not leaven the popovers since steam from the eggs and milk does that work, but it adds a faint tang that gives the finished popover more flavor depth than a standard recipe. Active starter and cold discard both perform the same way here. Read How to Make a Sourdough Starter | Beginner’s Guide if you are new to working with sourdough.

All-purpose flour is the right choice for popovers. Bread flour has too much protein and produces a tough, chewy result rather than the light, airy interior a good popover needs. Cake flour has too little structure and produces a fragile popover that collapses easily. All-purpose hits the right balance of protein for a batter that rises dramatically and holds its shape once baked.

The most common cause is a pan that was not hot enough before the batter was added. The pan needs to be preheated in a 450°F oven for the full preheat time. Cold eggs and cold milk are the second most common cause – both need to be at room temperature before the batter is made. Opening the oven door during the first 15 minutes will also cause popovers to collapse.

Yes, the batter keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bring it to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using so it is no longer cold when it hits the hot pan. Cold batter added to a hot pan slows the initial steam burst and produces a less dramatic rise than room temperature batter.

Join The Community

Want More Cozy Recipes & Seasonal Inspiration?

Get cozy, from-scratch recipes, seasonal cottage living tips, and slow living inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.

Join Today!

More Cozy Recipes from the Cottage

⭐️ Rate This Recipe

Made this recipe? Leave a star ⭐️ rating below, it means the world to me and helps my recipes get found by more people like you.

Single sourdough popover with a tall, golden-brown hollow crown on a rose-patterned vintage china plate, with fresh raspberries alongside and more popovers on the wire rack blurred in the background, on a pink linen surface.
5 from 1 vote

Raspberry Sourdough Popovers (Discard or Starter)

Author: Emily Rider
These raspberry sourdough popovers are golden, dramatically puffed, and crisp on the outside with a warm pocket of raspberry jam melted into the airy hollow center. Made with sourdough discard or active starter in under 35 minutes.
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep:5 minutes
Cook:30 minutes
Total:35 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Sourdough
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • 1 popover pan or standard muffin tin
  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Pastry brush
  • 1 Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 grams (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ cup sourdough starter or discard 113 grams (100% hydration, room temperature)
  • 2 large eggs 100 grams (room temperature)
  • 1 cup whole milk 227 grams (slightly warmed)
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt 7 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 9 grams
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter 28 grams (melted, for greasing pan)
  • 6 to 12 teaspoons raspberry jam 30 to 60 grams (1 to 2 teaspoons per cup)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the pan – Place the empty popover pan or muffin tin in the oven and preheat to 450°F. Let it heat for the full preheat time.
  2. Mix dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  3. Combine wet ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, room temperature eggs, and sourdough starter or discard until smooth and slightly frothy.
  4. Make the batter – Add the flour mixture and vanilla extract to the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Butter the hot pan – Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Brush each cup generously with melted butter. It will sizzle immediately.
  6. Fill and add jam – Fill each cup three-quarters full with batter. Drop 1 to 2 teaspoons of raspberry jam on top of the batter in each cup.
  7. Bake at high heat – Return the pan to the oven and bake at 450°F for 15 minutes without opening the door.
  8. Reduce and finish – Reduce to 375°F without opening the door. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until deep golden and puffed.
  9. Serve – Transfer to a wire rack and serve within 5 minutes with butter or extra raspberry jam.

Notes

Hot pan is essential – The pan must be screaming hot before any batter touches it. This is what drives the dramatic rise.
Room temperature ingredients only – Cold eggs or cold milk slow the steam burst and produce a flatter result. Pull them from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking.
Do not open the oven door – Not during the first 15 minutes under any circumstances.
Make ahead batter – Batter keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 330mg, Potassium: 111mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 262IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you give this a try?

If you made this or tried this, I’d be so grateful if you would share it with others. Use the buttons below to share, comment, or connect. I truly enjoy seeing and celebrating your cottage journey.

@themoderndaycottage Leave a Comment @themoderndaycottage
Close-up of a woman in a peach blouse smiling and leaning against a kitchen counter, with fresh flour and wheat berries visible beside her.

Emily Rider

Home miller since 1999 with fresh-milled flour & sourdough experience. Sharing from-scratch recipes and traditional kitchen skills, rooted in the seasons and inspired by everyday cottage living and seasonal rhythms.

About Me

More From The Cottage...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate This Recipe




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 Comments

  1. I don’t see any raspberries listed in the ingredients? How much? I see fresh frozen or jam listed on the directions, but not a quantity.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ruth,

      Sorry for not getting back to you sooner! Regarding your question, here’s the info you need: Add a dollop of raspberry jam to each filled muffin tin, using 1-2 teaspoons of jam. If you’re using fresh raspberries, add 4-5 raspberries per cup. If using frozen raspberries, defrost them first and then add 1-2 teaspoons of the defrosted berries to each filled muffin tin.

      Thanks for pointing that out! The recipe has now been fixed.

      Warmest Regards,
      Emily and Ruby Ann

      Reply