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Hobbit elevenses pairs a tasty treat with a cuppa for the perfect cozy mid-morning refreshment. Scone and a hot tea, anyone?(For more cozy British dishes, check out these pub food recipes!)
A dear friend and I recently started watching The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. We’re four episodes in and so much has happened – and we’re already hooked! And of course it put me in the mood to watch the entire LOTR/Hobbit film series again. The timing is perfect because September 22 is Hobbit Day, as well as both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ birthday.
If you’re putting together a Lord of the Rings menu, planning a LOTR or The Hobbit movie marathon, or just enjoy a treat mid-morning, this hobbit food compilation is for you. Fancy a cozy hobbit feast?
What Does Elevenses Mean?
The meaning of elevenses is pretty straightforward: it’s a light meal, snack, or refreshment (often paired with a cup of tea or coffee) taken around 11 o’clock in the morning. You might also hear elevenses called “morning tea”. But don’t confuse it with breakfast, with is a separate meal to “break the fast” of not eating overnight. Examples of elevenses are a pastry with a cup of coffee or a muffin with a cup of tea.
You might be surprised that elevenses isn’t a fictitious meal that J.R.R. Tolkien invented. Elevenses is a real thing! Enjoyed in the United Kingdom, elevenses might consist of a scone and a cup of hot tea. Or how about cuppa paired with a thick slice of homemade crusty artisan bread spread with butter and jam?
A cozy cup of oat tea makes a great mid-morning treat.
Elevenses As a Hobbit Meal
If you’ve ever seen The Lord of the Rings, you may remember the scene at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring where Pippin frantically asked Aragorn about when they’d be eating next, complaining that they had only had one breakfast. It always makes me laugh.
Although Tolkien mentioned that hobbits enjoy six meals a day, seven are mentioned in the movie. Here’s the full list of hobbit meal names along with their approximate serving times:
Breakfast – 7 a.m.
Second Breakfast – 9 a.m.
Elevenses – 11 a.m.
Luncheon – 1 p.m.
Afternoon Tea – 4 p.m.
Dinner – 6 p.m.
Supper – 9 p.m.
As you can see, a hobbit eating schedule is quite intense! Oh, to eat like a halfling, lol. Each meal quells the hunger pangs and tides you over until the next meal.
To quote one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s most famous hobbits, Bilbo Baggins:
“It has been remarked by some that a Hobbit’s only real passion is for food. A rather unfair observation, as we have also developed a keen interest in the brewing of ales and the smoking of pipeweed.”
A Delicious Hobbit Elevenses Menu
Apple Streusel Muffins Recipe
If you're looking for an easy crowd-pleasing fall treat, apple streusel muffins are it! Inspired by classic apple pie, these feature moist apple cake with a cinnamon crumble topping and a decadent vanilla glaze.
This curry puffs recipe (karipap) yields savory pastries with a crisp, flaky butter crust and aromatic spiced potato filling. They taste just like veg puffs at your favorite Indian café, and they’re easier to make than you might think!
There's nothing quite as comforting as the sweet buttery aroma of warm apple crumble tarts wafting through the kitchen as they bake. Picture this: a golden-brown crust, oozing with spiced apple goodness, crowned with a generous sprinkle of buttery crumble!
Szarlotka (Polish Apple Pie) features a cinnamon-spiced apple filling in the middle of a buttery sweet pastry. The pastry is what truly makes this autumnal pie unique; it’s a cross between shortcrust and pound cake.
Easy Flapjack Recipe (Classic British Golden Syrup Flapjacks or Oat Bars)
This easy flapjack recipe makes British golden syrup flapjacks (aka oat bars or granola bars) that are crisp outside and chewy inside with rich vanilla toffee flavor.
With perfectly spiced homemade pear filling wrapped in a flaky pie crust, these pear hand pies make a cozy and delicious mid-morning treat with a cup of tea.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect moist chocolate banana bread with chocolate chips, then this is the recipe for you! It’s easy to make, and a great way to transform three overripe bananas into a rich and decadent, yet breakfast-worthy treat.
Strawberry Lemonade Muffins have a soft, tender crumb and a crunchy sugar coating and are aromatic with strawberry, a hint of a vanilla, and a touch of lemon.
Pumpkin pasties are a classic Harry Potter recipe; with sweet spiced pumpkin filling in a flaky butter crust, these portable hand-held pies taste like classic pumpkin pie!
These healthy carrot cake muffins are fluffy, moist, and flavorful with warm spices – they’re perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snacks. And they’re easy to make in 1 bowl and just 30 minutes!
Cherry Scones Recipe with Vanilla Cream and Cherry Jam
This is the perfect cherry scones recipe, yielding scones that are soft and tender inside, crisp and golden outside with bursts of sweet cherries and a subtle vanilla aroma. You can use either fresh or dried cherries to make them!
The sweetest snack to pair with your tea, this vanilla snickerdoodle bread brings all the tangy sweetness of your favorite cookie into this loaf. A warm hug in the form of a comfort food snack!
Hobnobs, a type of classic British biscuits, are essentially crunchy oat cookies with a buttery caramel flavor. The chocolate bottoms are optional, and these crisp cookies are delicious either way. They're quick and easy to whip up with simple ingredients!
Filled with warm spices, pops of fresh apple, and a crunchy, crumbly topping, these cozy scones are the perfect snack to nibble on during the cooler months of the year. Don't skip the tangy glaze, it uses a secret ingredient and and tastes just like a tart apple!
Learn how to make no knead artisan bread the easy way in a Dutch oven. This no-fail recipe yields a gorgeous loaf that's crispy and golden outside and chewy inside! There's no kneading required and minimal hands-on work.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Faith spent a significant amount of time living in Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait where she immersed herself in Middle Eastern culture and cuisine. Her first cookbook is a celebration of authentic Middle Eastern recipes made approachable for home cooks.
