If you want to make truly delicious perfectly-looking popovers then you need the best popover pans.
Muffin trays can be a replacement but they’re not the same thing.
Invest in a great popover pan if you want the real deal and if you crave popovers often.
Popovers are delicious and easy to make, you don’t need any baking skills at all.
You just need to find a good popover recipe, make the batter from simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, eggs, milk, salt, and butter (use warm ingredients not hot), then preheat the popover/muffin pan, add the butter and melt it in the oven for a few minutes (don’t use cooking spray, use melted butter for coating the cups), add the batter, and then bake for about half an hour.
Then, you can serve popovers with anything.
They can be eaten with any meal, they’re perfect for eating with soups, gravy dipping, and can be even served with tea and jam.
Simple, versatile, and delicious, that’s the whole charm. The bit crispy outside is to die for.
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Best Popover Pans Reviews
The prices are not that high and, if you think about it, you’re going to use the same pan for many years to come. They’re good to have around.
1. Bellemain 6 Cup Nonstick Popover Pan
- this one is my top recommendation, it’s very popular and considered by many to be the best popover pan
- made of steel
- very well-made
- highly durable
- it has 6 cups
- nonstick coating
- it would be perfect if you could get it on sale, the full price is pretty expensive
- dishwasher safe but I would still wash it by hand to make sure that the coating is not damaged at all
2. Chicago Metallic Professional 6-Cup Popover Pan
- made of aluminized steel, which explains the more affordable price
- basically, it’s steel with aluminum coating
- the aluminized coating prevents it from rusting unless the coating is scratched
- it has 6 cups
- they also have a 12 cups option that’s not by much more expensive, it’s totally worth it if you bake for more people
- the price is excellent, one of the most affordable popover pans
- but it’s not of the highest quality so, give it a second thought before going for this one
- dishwasher safe but the manufacturer recommends hand-washing if you want to extend the pan’s life
This manufacturer also makes one of the best mini cheesecake pans.
3. Nordic Ware Grand Popover Pan
- this is one amazing popover pan
- so well-made
- exceptional durability
- it’s made of heavy cast aluminum
- it has 6 cups
- nonstick coating – if you scratch it, the batter will end up sticking to the walls, there are a few instructions that come with this pan, read them carefully
- wash it only by hand
- it’s also one of the most expensive best popover pans, get it on sale, otherwise the price is too much for a normal household
How to Pick the Best Popover Pan
Let’s see which are the most important things to consider when looking for the best popover pans.
Material
Usually, the cups are made from steel, which heats up quickly and bakes the batter quickly, and helps it rise so beautifully.
Another popular material is aluminum.
both materials are highly durable.
You can start the baking process on a high temperature (450 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 15 minutes and then lower it a bit (350 or 375 degrees Fahrenheit) for another 15 minutes or until they become golden brown. Everyone has their own recipe, they all vary.
Nonstick
Non-stick cups are another feature to look for, which is pretty logical, you have to release them without any problems and without damaging the pan.
However, melted butter is also used before adding the batter so the nonstick feature is definitely helped by the butter quite a lot.
An easy releasing system is also necessary because we don’t want to mess up that beautiful shape.
Size
Get one with 6 or with 12 baking spaces, depends on the size of your family.
Price
The best popover pans that I reviewed above are all high quality.
The price is pretty affordable for all models – they’re pretty worthy if you bake often.
I know that this is a single-purpose kitchen tool and, usually, it’s a pain to buy them because there’s only one thing they can be used for but if you’re a big fan of popovers getting a specially designed pan is one exception that you should consider making (that’s the case with Madeleine pans, too).
Easy to clean
Last but not least, the pan should be easy to clean.
Some are dishwasher safe but it’s best to wash them by hand in order to preserve the nonstick coating in good condition.
Can you use a muffin pan?
Nevertheless, at the end of the day, a muffin tray can function as a perfect replacement.
Compared to a muffin pan, the cups of a popover pan are deeper, the cups are skinnier, narrower, which means that you can easily achieve a high rise, a crispy outside combined with a light and tender inside, and the beautiful unique shape.
What do you think, are you now convinced that you need to get the best popover pan for your household and immediately start baking?
Popover Pans FAQs
Let’s see which are some of the most important frequently asked questions.
1. Do you really need a popover pan?
If you are a big fan of popovers and you bake them often, then I think that you need a tray that was designed especially for this delicious baked product. Otherwise, if you only bake some like once a twice a year, then you can bake them in a muffin tray.
2. How do you grease a popover pan?
Use melted butter that has been melted in the pan for a few minutes in the oven. The remove the pan from the oven and add your batter. Don’t use cooking spray. The melted butter will keep them from sticking to the pan, this will always guarantee a quick, easy release.
3. Is cast iron good for popovers?
If you have a bakeware that is made of cast iron and is advertised as being perfect for popovers, cupcakes, muffins, mini cakes, etc. then you can absolutely use that one. Cast iron has awesome heat retention so it can be used as a material. However, the best popover pans are usually made from steel, which heats up quickly, makes the batter rise beautifully, and bakes the batter quickly.
