Can I Use Olive Oil For Yorkshire Puddings

Right, let’s tackle the burning question that has probably kept you up at 3 a.m., sweating into your pillow: Can I use olive oil for Yorkshire puddings? The short answer is yes, but it’s a bit like asking if you can use a bicycle to pull a tractor—technically possible, but you’ll get some funny looks and probably a burnt backside. Let’s dive into this greasy, glorious mess together.

The Golden Rule of Yorkshire Puds

First, a quick history lesson: Yorkshire puddings were invented by accident when someone dropped batter in beef dripping and thought, “Hey, that’s not a total disaster.” The secret to a majestic, puffy, golden Yorkshire is smoking hot fat with a high smoke point—usually beef dripping or vegetable oil. Olive oil, especially that fancy extra-virgin stuff, smokes and burns at a lower temperature than your ex after a bad date.

Imagine this: you pour your precious batter into a tray of smoking hot olive oil, and suddenly your kitchen smells like a Greek salad that just got mugged. The result? Flat, greasy pucks that scream for help instead of rising like proud little soufflés. But don’t despair—there’s a loophole.

The Olive Oil Gamble

If you’re staring at an empty pantry and only have a bottle of Lampante olive oil (the cheap, refined stuff, not the “cold-pressed artisan” hipster brand), you can make it work. Refined olive oil has a higher smoke point—around 470°F—which is just about acceptable for a decent puff. But you’ll still miss that magical beefy flavor that only dripping provides.

Fun fact: during World War II, when beef dripping was rationed, Brits used lard or margarine with disastrous results. Olive oil would have been considered treason, punishable by being forced to eat a sponge. Yet today, we live in an age where people put avocado on toast, so why not olive oil in puds? You absolute rebel.

The Best Oil For Cooking Yorkshire Puddings - Cully's Kitchen

The Science of Sadness (or Success)

Here’s the nerdy bit, delivered with a cheeky grin: Yorkshire batter needs rapid steam expansion to rise. Olive oil’s lower smoke point means it can’t get as screamingly hot as beef dripping (which goes to 500°F) without burning. You end up with a sad, oily pancake that tastes like a disappointed Italian grandmother. “Mamma mia, what is this?”

But! If you mix a splash of olive oil with a neutral high-smoke oil (like rapeseed), you get a hint of fruity flavor without the smoke alarm going off. It’s like wearing a fancy hat to a football match—pointless, but amusing.

You can’t go wrong with this Yorkshire pudding - Olive Oils from Spain

The Verdict from My Kitchen (and My Stained T-Shirt)

I tried it once, for science. I used a mid-range olive oil, preheated the tray until the oil literally shimmered like a mirage, then poured the batter. The results? One pud rose beautifully, three others looked like deflated Whoopee cushions, and the smoke detector ghosted me for three days. My family ate them with gravy, but they kept side-eyeing the olive oil bottle like it’d stolen their wallet.

So, can you use olive oil for Yorkshire puddings? Yes, if you enjoy living on the edge and don’t mind a 50% failure rate. But if you want puffy, golden, life-affirming puddings that make your Sunday roast weep with joy, stick to beef dripping or sunflower oil. Save the olive oil for dipping bread and pretending you’re on holiday.

Now go forth, pour that batter, and remember: even a flat Yorkshire pudding is still a delicious mistake—just like that time you tried to make a dress out of a shower curtain.