When I was younger, I was loyal to my bowl of cereal every morning for breakfast. Most of the time it would be Corn Flakes. Occasionally it would be Rice Krispies. As I got older and moved away from my fussy habits, I began to appreciate savoury breakfasts.

Maybe the appreciation for a savoury breakfast has come with the growth in popularity of brunch. Anyone who knows me will know that I am a massive fan of avocado on toast for breakfast. Midweek or weekend, you’ll find me smashin’ avo in the kitchen. All that said, I’m still a big fan of something sweet every now and again.

If you don’t fancy making your own brunch, check out my review of my favourite places to go for brunch in south Dublin.

In this recipe I have used regular plain flour because I have no reason to use a gluten-free alternative. If you have Coeliac disease or a gluten intolerance, a gluten-free blend from the supermarket works exceptionally well in this recipe too!

To add more fibre to the recipe you could use half plain flour and half oat flour. This will add a nutty taste to the crumpets and they’ll be slightly denser. Experiment – that’s what cooking is all about.

If using dairy milk and dairy cream cheese, this recipe is vegetarian-friendly. By opting for non-dairy alternatives, this recipe is vegan-friendly. I like to use Alpro coconut milk and Violife cream cheese when making the vegan options.

Hope you enjoy!

Amy x

Ingredients
300g plain flour
1 sachet yeast (approx. 8g)
½ tsp salt
200ml milk (dairy or non-dairy)
200ml warm water

For a sweet topping
1 tsp blackcurrant jam
1 tsp maple syrup
30g cream cheese (dairy or non-dairy)
1 tsp icing sugar

For a savoury topping
1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
2 red onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1 tsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 tsp salsa
30g cream cheese (dairy or non-dairy)
Fresh herbs, to garnish

Method
Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix the milk with the warm water in a jug.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and gradually mix in the liquid. Mix for 4-5 minutes to make a smooth dough. Leave the bowl, cover with cling film and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

To cook the crumpets, heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and drop circles of dough on to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

For a sweet topping
Serve with a spread of cream cheese, a drizzle of jam and maple syrup and a sprinkle of icing sugar.

For a savoury topping
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Coat the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking tray in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
Serve the crumpets with a spread of cream cheese and salsa and some roasted vegetables on the side.

Leftover crumpets, without topping, can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.