Soft and chewy, these simple sourdough English muffins are perfect with butter or are ready to make into the best breakfast sandwich.
A toasted English muffin with butter melted all over the top, puddling into the nooks and crannies. Is there anything better?
A from-scratch sourdough one, of course! For years, I told myself that sourdough English muffins were too hard to make. Don’t ask me why when I have been making rustic bread, muffins, and biscuits for years. There was a huge mental block there.
I was so wrong. Simple sourdough English muffins are just that simple. Like many things in life, we pass something by and overcomplicate it only to realize how easy it is.
This English muffin recipe has all the benefits of sourdough, plus it is a no-kneed recipe—a double win! You mix the dough, let it rise overnight, shape it, let it rise again, and cook. You don’t have to turn your oven on, making it a great bread for the warmer months.
My favorite way to enjoy these sourdough English muffins is to use them to make breakfast sandwiches. I love to spread a bit of butter on the inside and top it with a fried egg and sausage patty or bacon. Make a whole batch of sandwiches, wrap them in parchment paper, and freeze them for days when you need a quick grab-and-go breakfast full of protein and good for your carbs.
Simple Sourdough English Muffins: Why You Need Them
- They taste so much better than their store-bought cousins
- Have all the benefits of sourdough
- They are easy to make
- Freeze well
- Make an AMAZING breakfast sandwich
Do you really need any more reasons than that? As a bonus, they are great burger bun substitutes and are nice to have on hand for dinner on days when you don’t want to heat the whole house up to make bread.
Simple Sourdough English Muffins
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 12 muffins
Soft and chewy, these simple sourdough English muffins are perfect with butter or are ready to make into the best breakfast sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 tablespoon sucanat, or unrefied sugar of choice
- 4 - 4 1/4 cups unbleached white flour or freshly milled flour*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unfined salt
- cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- Add the milk, water, and butter to a small saucepan. Bring to low heat to warm the liquids, and just melt the butter.
- Meanwhile, mix the starter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl using a dough whisk. Carefully pour in the warm liquid mixture.
- Add the flour one cup at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together to form a shaggy dough. Over with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 20 minutes. This step is all the more important if you use freshly milled flour.
- Once the dough has rested, add additional flour, one tablespoon at a time, if needed. Gently knead to form a smooth ball. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for 8-12 hours until doubled in size.
- When you are ready to bake, divide the dough into 12 equal balls, folding the side under to create a smooth surface.
- Flatten each dough ball to about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with cornmeal. Place on a baking sheet to rest.
- Cove with a damp towel and allow to rest for one hour.
- Warm a large skillet; I prefer cast iron over low heat. Place a few rounds of dough in the skillet, keeping in mind not to overcrowd. Cook on one side for about 8 minutes, checking part way through the light and browning, then flip and cook on the other side for an additional 8 minutes.
- Once cooked, place the muffins on a wire rack to cool. If desired, check to see that the internal temperature is about 220 ℉.
- Repeat the process until all the English muffins are cooked.
- If they seem undercooked, place them on the baking sheet and bake at 300 ℉ until cooked through.
Courses Breakfast
Tips and Tricks:
- Don’t be tempted to turn the skillet up too high; it will burn the outside of the muffins while leaving it doughy inside. Slow and low is the key.
- If you are using whole wheat flour from the store or freshly milled flour, don’t skip the 20-minute resting step. It allows the wheat to fully absorb the flour. If the dough still feels too sticky, increase the flour 1 tablespoon at a time up to 1/4 cup.
- If you plan to freeze the English muffins, partially slice them before freezing.
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