Description
Homemade English Muffins made with a sourdough starter and cooked on a griddle to achieve the classic nooks and crannies texture. This recipe uses an overnight fermentation for better flavor and texture, resulting in soft, chewy muffins perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
The Night Before (8 hours before)
- 1 cup (180 g) active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey
- 2 cups (488 g) milk
- 4 cups (500 g) all purpose flour, unbleached
Next Morning
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, unbleached (up to 2 cups if needed)
To Cook the English Muffins
- Cornmeal for dusting griddle or semolina or farina
Instructions
- Mix the night before dough: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sourdough starter, milk, honey, and 4 cups of flour. Cover and place on the counter at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours to ferment until active.
- Add remaining ingredients: The next morning, sprinkle baking soda, salt, and 1 cup of flour over the dough. Begin kneading until smooth, about 5 minutes with a stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand. Add up to 1 more cup flour if dough is too sticky.
- Rest the dough: Allow the dough to rest for 10 to 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Shape the muffins: Roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Use a 3 to 4 inch cutter or round glass to cut circles. Place circles on a lightly greased baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Re-roll scraps to get up to 18 small or 9 large muffins.
- Proof the muffins: Cover the muffins loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour until puffy.
- Cook on griddle: Preheat a griddle or heavy pan to 325°F (medium-low heat). Generously sprinkle with cornmeal or semolina. Place muffins on griddle, cooking about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Cover pan if possible to help cook through evenly. Check bottoms frequently to avoid burning.
- Check doneness and cool: Muffins are done when the center reaches 190°F. Remove and cool on a rack before splitting with a fork to create the signature nooks and crannies.
Notes
- Split muffins with a fork, not a knife, to preserve nooks and crannies.
- Use an electric griddle, stovetop griddle, or frying pan with a wide flat surface.
- Sprinkle the griddle generously with fine cornmeal, semolina, or farina to prevent sticking.
- If the pan is not non-stick, spray with vegetable oil prior to adding cornmeal.
- Check the muffins after 2 to 3 minutes on each side to prevent burning and adjust heat as needed.
- These muffins freeze well in sealed bags or containers for up to one month.
- Alternative method: use sourdough discard by omitting baking soda and adding 2 to 3 teaspoons instant yeast, mixing all ingredients in one day with a shorter rise.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small English muffin
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 270 mg
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
