Description
This homemade English muffins recipe uses a sourdough starter to create soft, chewy muffins with the characteristic nooks and crannies. The dough is fermented overnight, then shaped and cooked gently on a griddle, resulting in a delightful breakfast treat perfect for toasting and topping with butter or jam.
Ingredients
Scale
Starter and Liquid
- 1 cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups milk
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour, unbleached (up to 2 cups as needed)
For Cooking
- Cornmeal for dusting griddle (or semolina or farina)
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a medium sized bowl, combine the sourdough starter, milk, honey, and 4 cups of flour until well incorporated.
- Ferment Dough: Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for several hours or overnight, about 8 to 10 hours, allowing the starter to ferment and activate the dough.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: After fermenting, sprinkle in the baking soda and salt, then add 1 cup of flour. Mix to form a dough.
- Knead Dough: Knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes with a stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand. If sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour to achieve a workable consistency.
- Rest Dough: Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes to relax the gluten and make rolling out easier.
- Roll and Cut: Roll the dough out to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Use a 3 to 4 inch circle cutter or a round glass to cut out muffins. Place cut dough circles on a lightly greased baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
- Reuse Scraps: Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut to maximize the number of muffins, up to about 18, or divide the dough into 9 larger muffins if preferred.
- Proof Muffins: Cover the muffins lightly with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour until puffed.
- Cook on Griddle: Preheat a griddle to 325°F or a large pan over medium-low heat. Lightly dust the griddle or pan with cornmeal. Place a few muffins at a time on the griddle and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Cover the pan to help cooking through and develop the characteristic texture.
Notes
- The sourdough starter should be active and bubbly for best results.
- Fermentation time may vary depending on ambient temperature and starter activity.
- Kneading by stand mixer is faster, but hand kneading works well too.
- Covering the muffins while cooking helps retain heat and cook them evenly inside.
- For best texture, use cornmeal, semolina, or farina to dust the baking sheet and griddle.
- English muffins can be toasted and served with butter, jam, or used for breakfast sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: English muffins, sourdough, breakfast bread, homemade muffins, griddle muffins
