Publised on 30/11/2023. Last Updated on 06/12/2024 by Richard
Super crispy golden vegan Yorkshire puddings that work every time! Yorkies are an essential for any vegan roast dinner or Christmas lunch!
Don't freak out, but my vegan Yorkshire puddings recipe is finally ready to share with the world! OK you can freak out now. They're the crispy, crunchy, golden-brown gravy vessels you've always dreamt of and they're made completely from easily accessible plant-based ingredients! No weird stuff!
Raise your hand if you've also been victimised by online vegan yorkshire pudding recipes! They always look great in the photos but totally gross in real life! EVERY SINGLE vegan Yorkies recipe I've followed has resulted in dense, pale, soggy muffins (and a consequently sad roast dinner).
That's why I've worked a total of FOUR YEARS (seriously... you can look at my beta version here) to get this recipe perfect! Follow this recipe if you want GUARANTEED tall, golden, crispy vegan Yorkshire puddings with that essential well in the middle.
Jump to:
❓What Are Yorkshire Puddings?
Before we do anything else, I'm sure there are a lot of people asking "what even IS a Yorkshire pudding?". Let me explain, Yorkshire puddings are savoury, crispy, baked pancakes served as part of a roast dinner in parts of the UK. Traditionally you'd have some sort of meat (or vegan alternative obvs), veggies, a Yorkshire pudding and everything smothered in gravy.
Now, let's talk origins. Yorkshire puddings originated in the northern English county of Yorkshire (where I used to live), hence the name. Back in the 18th century, cooks used to pour batter into the dripping pans while the meat was roasting to make use of the fat. Over the years, Yorkshire puddings have become a beloved dish enjoyed across the UK and beyond.
🌱 Why Are Vegan Yorkshire Puddings So Tricky?
The key features of a Yorkshire pudding (the rise, the crispy texture, the golden brown colour) are a direct result of using eggs and milk. As such, vegan Yorkies are very difficult to come by. However, I've done my vegan mad scientist best and created the best recipe I've ever tried. And my northern Mam agrees!
The challenges posed by this recipe were endless. From working out the perfect hydration level of the batter to get a lovely crispy texture. To getting the exact right amount of baking powder to replace the lift of the eggs, without affecting the texture. I also was determined to make this recipe without any weird esoteric ingredients like xanthan gum (which I relied on with my previous recipe). I think you're gonna be pretty happy with the results...
❗️Must Read Notes
This is where I get strict! You MUST read these notes before baking this recipe (I'll know if you don't). Even if you've made non-vegan Yorkshires a million times before. This recipe is different, and I want you to get perfect results. So:
- The Units: As always, on the recipe card at the bottom of this page I've provided a conversion to US Customary units (because Google gets mad if I don't). I'd like to advise STRONGLY AGAINST using US customary measurements. Cups and volumetric measurements are inconsistent and you're likely to get very different results if you deviate from the recipe even slightly. Please use an electric kitchen scale if at all possible - and yes, even for the liquid ingredients.
- Muffin Tin: Non-vegan Yorkshire puddings typically bake in a rather shallow tin and still manage to get significant height, again, thanks to the eggs. For this recipe you'll need a non-stick, high-sided (or deep-welled?) muffin tin. You can find a tray very similar to mine here or see the exact specifications of each individual well in the tin I use:
4.5cm deep, 8.5cm wide, 177ml (or ¾ cup exactly) volume.
❗️Must Read Notes Continued...
- The Oven: For all recipes (but especially this one) it's important to use the correct oven temperature. Yorkshire puddings get that rise because of the high oven temperature, so if your oven temp is not digitally regulated, use an oven thermometer to be sure. I have only tested this recipe in a convection/fan oven and I recommend you use one too if possible.
- The Ingredients: I know, I'm a serious grouch right now, but I will not provide substitutions for this recipe. This recipe took four years to get right and every ingredient has been selected for a reason. If you need to make a swap, by all means go for it, but you'll no longer be following my recipe. ✌️
Sorry for being mean! It comes from a place of love 🤣
🧈 Required Ingredients
OK phew, I've done all the serious bit now - I can take my mean face off. Thanks for your patience. So now you've read the very important notes, let's get a closer look at the ingredients you'll need for perfect vegan Yorkshire puddings.
- Plain white flour - AKA all purpose flour in the USA.
- Strong white bread flour - AKA bread flour. It must have a gluten content (protein) between 12-14%.
- Cornstarch - also known as corn flour.
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Sugar - I use caster sugar (or superfine in the USA) but any white sugar will do.
- Soy milk - unsweetened and unflavoured at room temperature. I've tried this recipe with oat and almond milk, and it worked but not as well.
- Aquafaba - the water from roughly 1.5 x 400g/14oz cans of unsalted chickpeas, at room temperature.
- Water - again, at room temperature pls.
- White wine vinegar - you can be a little flexible here, but make sure the vinegar you use is white and mild flavoured, like rice vinegar.
- Vegetable shortening - anything else, including oil or vegan butter, will result in soggy Yorkshire puddings.
🍰 How to Make Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
OK, here's a closer look at the actual method. Making the batter is very easy, just sieve the dry ingredients and add the wet, then let it rest for an hour. But the crucial part happens next. Here's how to ensure you get perfect vegan Yorkshire puddings.
1. Prepare the Tin: Grease the inside of the wells in your muffin tin with a little shortening and plop 1 teaspoon of extra shortening at the bottom of each hole. Stick the tin in the oven for 5-7 mins to allow it to get hot and for the shortening to melt. It MUST be hot when you add your batter.
2. Add the Batter: Working quickly, so the shortening doesn't have time to cool, pour the batter into the well of your muffin tin in a circular motion. This will trap a little circle of fat in the centre of the pudding which will help to form the hole in the middle.
3. Form the Hole: Because we're not baking with eggs, the Yorkshire puddings will puff up in the centre as well as the sides. To ensure our YPs have a hole in the middle, grease a tablespoon measure and use it to push down the centre of each pudding after 10 mins of baking.
4. Finish the Puddings: After pushing down the centres, return the vegan Yorkshire puddings to the oven for a further 15 mins. Then, remove the tray and transfer the YPs to a flat baking sheet and place back in the oven for a further 10. This helps to dry them out and ensure crispiness right through!
🤷♀️ Vegan Yorkshire Puddings FAQs
A: Absolutely! These vegan Yorkshire puddings are freezer-friendly. Once baked and cooled, you can store them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy them again, simply reheat in the oven at 160°C for about 10 minutes.
A: The resting process allows the flour in the batter to become fully hydrated, resulting in a significantly improved rise and final texture. It also allows the gluten in the batter to relax, making the Yorkshire puddings less tough and more crispy.
A: Preheating the oven ensures that it reaches the optimal temperature for baking the puddings. The melted shortening in each muffin tin hole not only acts as a greasing agent but also plays a crucial role in achieving that perfect texture. It gets really hot and creates a sizzling effect when the batter is added, helping to create the signature crispy exterior and a well-defined centre hole in the puddings.
And that's it! That was intense right? Now you need the rest of your essential roast dinner elements, like crispy vegan roast potatoes, a delicious vegan roast turkey and, of course, vegan gravy!
Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl
- Sieve
- 1 Measuring Jug
- 1 Deep non-stick 6 hole muffin tin
- oven
Ingredients
- 125 g plain white flour
- 35 g strong white bread flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1.5 teaspoon sugar
- 185 g soy milk unsweetened and unflavoured at room temperature
- 195 g aquafaba the water from roughly 1.5 cans of chickpeas, at room temperature
- 70 g water room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 6 teaspoon vegetable shortening plus extra for greasing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sieve together the plain white flour, strong white bread flour, cornstarch, baking powder, fine sea salt and sugar. Mix well to combine. Set aside.125 g plain white flour, 35 g strong white bread flour, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, 4.5 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1.5 teaspoon sugar
- In a measuring jug, whisk together the soy milk, aquafaba, water and vinegar (in this order). Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined and you have a smooth batter.185 g soy milk, 70 g water, 1.5 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 195 g aquafaba
- Cover the batter and allow to rest at room temperature for at least one hour.
- Once rested, preheat the oven to 220 °C.
- When the oven is hot, use the vegetable shortening to grease the insides of the holes in a deep 6 hole muffin tin. Add an extra 1 teaspoon of shortening to each hole and place it in the pre-heated oven for 5-7 minutes or until the shortening is completely melted and very hot.6 teaspoon vegetable shortening
- Working quickly, evenly divide the batter between the 6 holes (pour the batter in a circular motion onto the sides of the holes – this traps a little well of oil in the centre which helps to form the hole in the middle). Quickly return the tin to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven - the puddings should be pale and puffed up like muffins. Use a lightly greased tablespoon measure or a teaspoon to push down a hole in the centre of each pudding. Return the puddings to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven and carefully remove the puddings from the muffin tin and place them on a baking sheet - they should be lightly golden by this point. Return the puddings to the oven for a further 10 - 15 minutes or until golden and crispy all over.
- Remove from the oven and either serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven at 160 °C for 10 minutes.
Sarah
Amazing recipe, thank you!!!! I want to make them again but don't have chickpeas in the cupboard, would aquafaba from butter beans work?
CC
These are a lot crisper overall than our usual recipe which just uses milk, Sr flour, baking powder and salt but with those you just put them in the oven until done, so a lot simpler.
The first time these were too salty for our taste so I made them a second time with half the recipe amount which was a lot better.
They were really hard to get out the muffin tray so I used extra shortening the second time but they still didn't come out cleanly or easily.
They took 15 minutes to heat through from frozen, rather than the stated 10.
Overall they are worth the hassle for the taste/crispness but glad I did a trial run before Christmas.
Sean
Mine seemed a bit undercooked in the middle, any suggestions on what to adjust? My measurements were exact, I bake on a regular basis so I can appreciate measuring in weight.
Neomi
This is my first time making vegan Yorkshire puddings where they have puffed up and had a well in the middle!! The recipe made 12 puddings. Very happy- highly recommend!
Claire
I made these! My comments are...
I think my mixture curdled, it was thick and lumpy, which meant I couldn't pour it into the muffin tins without the melted shortening escaping, which might have been why my puddings stuck to the tin. I used a normal muffin tin, the mixture made 12. I used homemade aqafaba. Not sure why it curdled, I haven't done much vinegar vs milk cooking before... but hey they did turn out delish with a great eggy texture.
I think I will try it again, but any suggestions welcome.
Shirley McElhinney
Amazing!!!
I just got asked to make these for Christmas. Any chance they would turn out if I used GF 1:1 flour?
Thank you
Bill
I often have aquafibre from using chickpeas, but never know what to do with it so usually end up throwing it out.
How long can aquafibre be kept in the fridge and can it be frozen and used successfully later?
Will definitely have a go at this recipe when I next have some left over.
Mia
ordering the muffin tin pronto! superb!!
Ariane
Amazing! 👏
Campbell
This is HUGE