With their soft, chewy texture and craggy surfaces that allow pools of butter to tuck into every nook and cranny, toasted English muffins are always a welcome addition to any breakfast spread.
If you’ve never prepared an English muffin recipe from scratch, the process is a bit unique from other breakfast baked goods you may have made before. Unlike buttery croissants or homemade bagels, which are baked in the oven, English muffin recipes are rolled and cut like a batch of buttermilk biscuits. Then, they’re cooked on a hot skillet like your favorite fluffy pancakes.
While the cooking process may be a bit different from other breads, it’s far from difficult. If you’ve made a pancake before, you can master the art of cooking an English muffins recipe. After you work through the recipe once, you’ll be hooked and whipping up a batch of these every chance you get. Serve plain with a smear of jam or butter, or pile your English muffin high with eggs, bacon and cheese for the breakfast sandwich of your dreams.
English Muffin Ingredients
- Milk: Milk adds moisture to the dough and introduces extra fat, which tenderizes and softens the English muffins recipe. If you need a swap, here are our favorite milk substitutes for baking.
- Butter: Adding a bit of butter to the English muffin recipe adds richness for superior taste and texture. Butter also helps create a wonderfully crisp and golden exterior on the English muffins.
- Sugar: Sugar lightly sweetens the dough and provides necessary food for the yeast, which aids in the fermentation process.
- Salt: One of the common mistakes of bread baking is forgetting to add salt (or not adding enough salt). Salt is important because it enhances the flavor of the dough and also tightens the gluten structure to give your dough strength and stability.
- Yeast: English muffins are a yeasted bread, meaning you’ll need a bit of active dry or instant yeast in order for them to rise. Here are our top tips for how to use yeast.
- Water: Water activates the yeast. Make sure to use an instant-read thermometer as you warm the water to the yeast manufacturer’s recommended temperature for the best rise.
- Flour: While English muffins can be made entirely with all-purpose flour or as whole wheat English muffins, this English muffin recipe uses a combination of both flours. The regular all-purpose flour brings softness and lightness to the English muffins, while the whole wheat flour brings whole-grain goodness.
- Seeds: This English muffins recipe tosses in a combination of sesame and poppy seeds for added texture and subtle crunch.
- Cornmeal: Cornmeal is used for English muffin recipes to help prevent the muffins from sticking to the skillet when they’re cooked. If you don’t have cornmeal, semolina flour may also be used.
Directions
Step 1: Make the dough
Scald milk in a saucepan, then add the butter, sugar and salt. Stir until the butter melts, then cool to a lukewarm temperature. In a separate bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water (otherwise known as proofing yeast). Add the yeast to the milk mixture, then stir in the all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour until smooth. Add the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and enough remaining whole wheat flour to make a soft dough.
Editor’s Tip: Scalding milk refers to the process of heating milk to a temperature just below boiling and then cooling to room temperature. Milk boils at around 212°F, so for scalding, you’ll typically aim for a temperature around 180° and 185°. For best results, use an instant-read thermometer to get an accurate temperature.
Step 2: Knead and rise
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer it to a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled in size, about one hour.
Editor’s Tip: Kneading your bread dough properly is a great practice for any home baker to know. It will give you the texture you’re aiming for. You may also knead dough with a stand mixer, if desired.
Step 3: Cut into circles
Punch the dough down, then roll to a 1/3-inch thickness on a cornmeal-covered surface. Cut into circles using a 3-1/2-inch or 4-inch cutter. Cover the English muffin cutouts with a towel and let them rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Leave 1 to 2 inches of space between the English muffins while they complete their final rise to ensure they do not stick together. New to bread making? Here’s why bread dough rises.
Step 4: Cook the English muffins
To cook, place the English muffins, cornmeal side down, in a greased skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until bottoms are browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is browned and the centers are fully cooked, 12 to 14 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: You’ll have to work in batches of three to four English muffins at a time if you’re cooking them in a standard-size skillet. Alternatively, a large cast-iron or Blackstone Griddle may also be used to cook the English muffins in larger batches.
Step 5: Split, toast and serve
Cool the English muffins on wire racks. To serve, split them in half and toast. Spread with butter or homemade jam, and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Leave out the seeds: If you prefer a seedless English muffin, you may omit the sesame seeds and poppy seeds from the English muffins recipe.
- Add a cinnamon raisin twist: If you love cinnamon raisin bread, try adding 1/2 cup raisins to the English muffin recipe dough along with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Knead blueberries into the dough: For an English muffins recipe as fruity as your favorite blueberry muffin or blueberry bagel, gently knead up to 1 cup fresh blueberries into the dough.
How to Store English Muffins
English muffin recipes should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You may also refrigerate this English muffin recipe for a longer shelf life. However, refrigerated English muffins will dry out faster than those stored at room temperature. For more tips, check out this guide on storing bread so it stays fresh.
How long do English muffins last?
When stored at room temperature, this English muffins recipe will stay fresh for three to five days. If refrigerated, English muffins may last for up to 10 days, but they could dry out before then.
Can you freeze English muffins?
If you don’t plan to enjoy your English muffins recipe within three to five days, freezing the muffins is recommended since it will best preserve their moisture and texture. To freeze English muffins, store them in a freezer bag or an airtight food storage container for up to three months. To enjoy, thaw them completely before slicing and toasting. Here are more tips about how to freeze bread.
Can you make English muffins in advance?
For make-ahead English muffin recipes, mix the dough as directed, then proof it overnight in a covered container in the fridge. (The cool temperature of the fridge slows down the fermentation process, so it takes longer for the bread to rise.) When ready to use, let the dough warm at room temperature for one hour. Then, proceed with Step 3 of the recipe.
English Muffin Tips
What’s the best way to cut an English muffin?
Forget about a knife; instead, use a fork to split your English muffin to get the wonderfully craggy surface. Insert the fork’s prongs into the side of the English muffin, carefully prying the muffin open slightly. Repeat around the entire muffin until you can easily split it into two halves.
How else can you use English muffins?
While you can never go wrong with simply toasting an English muffin and slathering it with butter or jam, there are countless other ways to enjoy English muffin recipes. My personal favorite is eggs Benedict. Top each English muffin half with Canadian bacon, a perfectly poached egg and a generous amount of creamy hollandaise sauce. For something sweet, try baklava English muffins, or load them up with any of these many ways to love toast.
What can you serve with English muffins?
Serve English muffins with any one of your favorite egg casserole recipes or one of these other healthy egg breakfast recipes. Add your favorite crispy hash brown potatoes and a colorful minted fruit salad, and you’ll have a brunch menu fit for a king and queen! Need to plan ahead? Try serving this English muffin recipe with one of these make-ahead breakfast recipes.
