Soft Sourdough English Muffins (with nooks and crannies!)
This is the only sourdough English muffin recipe you need, it’s so easy to make! They not only taste better but are so much better for you than the store-bought versions! With this recipe, you’ll even get those iconic nooks and crannies we all love! This recipe post includes a video tutorial so you can make it alongside me, step-by-step!
This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
If you want to make this recipe but don’t have a sourdough starter, no worries! Grab my free guide so you can make your own starter at home.
If you’re new to sourdough baking and feel hesitant, or you have questions, I’ve got something for you! I broke down the basics of what you need to know about sourdough baking in my free sourdough baking guide for beginners. I highly recommend grabbing a copy!
There is something about slicing an english muffin in half, toasting it, and spreading on some butter and jam. It’s such a special breakfast or snack.
My husband and I love using my homemade strawberry jam on these muffins. We also really enjoy using them as for breakfast sandwiches!
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough English Muffins
- Easy to Make: You won’t find any confusing or overcomplicated steps in this recipe!
- Wholesome Ingredients: Each ingredient is wholesome and nutritious.
- Saves You Money: Instead of buying them at the store, make them at home for much less!
- Better for You: When you make these English muffins at home, you eliminate harmful additives, bread conditioners, and excess of sugar.
Why Make English Muffins with Sourdough
When you make english muffins with sourdough, you get gut benefits from the starter’s cultures. When you bulk ferment the dough, those cultures ferment the other ingredients. It fills the dough with gut benefits just like with any fermented food!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this sourdough English muffin recipe you will need a few basic ingredients:
- fed sourdough starter: make sure it’s active and bubbly before you begin.
- all-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached
- salt: I use sea salt
- milk: any kind you prefer. I use whole milk
- raw honey: or substitute for pure maple syrup
- fine-to-medium ground cornmeal: NOT cornbread mix
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains affiliate links to products we know and love
How to Make Sourdough English Muffins (step-by-step instructions)
Feed Your Sourdough Starter
Feed your entire sourdough starter jar 4-12 hours before starting this recipe.I recommend feeding your entire starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when making this recipe. (Example: Feed your entire starter 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let it sit on the counter at room temperature until it’s bubbly and has grown in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to use in this recipe.)
Making Sourdough English Muffin Dough
Combine sourdough starter, salt, milk, and honey in a large bowl.
Add in flour and stir until it’s all combined. You’ll have to use your hands at the end to gently knead the excess flour into the dough.
Turn the dough out on the counter and knead for 3 minutes (or use a stand mixer on the lowest setting).
Place the dough back into the bowl, and cover loosely with a towel, lid, or plastic wrap.
Bulk Ferment
Let it sit on the counter at room temperature to bulk ferment dough for 10-12 hours (the dough should double, be puffy, and have air bubbles)
How to Shape Sourdough English Muffins
When the bulk fermentation has ended. Lightly flour your workspace and turn the dough out.
Gently shape the dough into a round disk 1.25 inches thick (tall).
Use a medium to large biscuit cutter to cut out the English muffins.
When you get to the point where you don’t have any more room to cut out the English muffins, ball the excess dough up, reshape it into a smaller 1.25-inch disk, and cut the rest out.
Once they’re cut out brush the top with water and sprinkle on cornmeal for texture.
Place each English muffin, cornmeal side down, on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Then repeat with brushing water on the top and sprinkling on cornmeal so both sides are covered.
Proofing English Muffins
At this point, you can proceed with the recipe or pop the baking sheet into the fridge for up to 12 hours if you need more time.
Cover the baking sheet with a towel and let them rise for 2-3 hours on the counter.
How to Cook Sourdough English Muffins
Repeat until all are cooked. If you notice burning or smoke turn down the temperature to medium-low. You can use a toothpick inserted in the side to see if they’re cooked all the way through
When you’re ready to cook them, heat a skillet over medium heat, and add in a little butter or avocado oil to grease.
Place 2 English muffins in the pan and cover it with a lid.
Cook them on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Then flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes covered.
Video Tutorial
Molly’s Tips for Success
- Always cook english muffins in a covered pan. It helps them cook fully.
- Don’t skip the proofing (aka 2nd rise). It creates a soft and fluffy english muffin.
- These are not sourdough discard english muffins, be sure to use fed starter when making them.
How to Store English Muffins
Store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
How to Freeze and Thaw
Freeze them for up to 3 months after they’ve completely cooled down. When you’re ready to thaw them, simply place the english muffins on the counter at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
Best Ways to Serve
Here are a few ideas for enjoying sourdough english muffins:
- toasted with butter
- slathered with honey or jam
- used for a breakfast sandwich
FAQs
I like to slice them in half and spread them with butter, honey, and/or strawberry jam.
Yes, they do! You can slice them in half and layer ham, bacon, or sausage with cheese along with an egg if you prefer.
No, if you don’t have it on hand or you don’t want to add it, you can leave it out. It just creates the iconic texture of an English muffin, but it doesn’t mess up the recipe if you don’t use it.
More Sourdough Breakfast Recipes to Try
- Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich
- Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Sourdough Everything Bagels
- Softest Sourdough Maple Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Coffee Cake
- Sourdough Espresso Chocolate Chip Scones
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo on your social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Sourdough English Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fed sourdough starter (must be active and bubbly before you begin)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
- 1/8 cup corn meal (for the tops)
- 1 tsp avocado oil (for the pan)
Instructions
- BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Feed your entire sourdough starter jar 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. I recommend feeding your entire starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when making this recipe. (Example: Feed your entire starter 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let it sit on the counter at room temperature until it's bubbly and has grown in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to use in this recipe.)
Make the dough
- Combine sourdough starter, salt, milk, and honey in a large bowl.
- Add in flour and stir until it’s all combined. You’ll have to use your hands at the end to gently knead the excess flour into the dough.
- Turn the dough out on the counter and knead for 3 minutes (or use a stand mixer on the lowest setting).
- Place the dough back into the bowl, and cover loosely with a towel, lid, or plastic wrap.
Bulk Ferment
- Let it sit on the counter at room temperature to bulk ferment dough for 10-12 hours (the dough should double, be puffy, and have air bubbles)
- When the bulk fermentation has ended. Lightly flour your workspace and turn the dough out.
Shape the english muffins
- Gently shape the dough into a round disk 1.25 inches thick (tall).
- Use a medium to large biscuit cutter to cut out the English muffins.
- When you get to the point where you don’t have any more room to cut out the English muffins, ball the excess dough up, reshape it into a smaller 1.25-inch disk, and cut the rest out.
- Once they’re cut out brush the top with water and sprinkle on cornmeal for texture.
- Place each English muffin, cornmeal side down, on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Then repeat with brushing water on the top and sprinkling on cornmeal so both sides are covered.
Proof (2nd Rise)
- At this point, you can proceed with the recipe or pop the baking sheet into the fridge for up to 12 hours if you need more time.
- Cover the baking sheet with a towel and let them rise for 2-3 hours on the counter.
Cook the english muffins
- When you’re ready to cook them, heat a skillet over medium heat, and add in a little butter or avocado oil to grease.
- Place 2 English muffins in the pan and cover it with a lid.
- Cook them on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Then flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes covered.
- Repeat until all are cooked. If you notice burning or smoke turn down the temperature to medium-low. You can use a toothpick inserted in the side to see if they’re cooked all the way through
Video
Notes
Storage and Freezing
Store English muffins in an air-tight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. You can freeze these English muffins up to 3 months after they’re cooked.Troubleshooting & Tips
What to do if your dough isn’t doubling in size during the bulk ferment and/or 2nd rise:- If your dough doesn’t look like it’s doing anything halfway through the rises, you need to place it in a slightly warmer area.
- This can be in a turned-off oven with the light on and oven door open, or you can slightly warm the oven to about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, then turn it off and place your dough inside with the door shut.
- Never leave the oven on, even on the keep warm setting, with fermenting dough inside. Your dough, for both rises, needs to double.
- If your dough doesn’t double even in the warmer area, there is a problem with your starter. It is too weak to ferment the dough even in a warm environment.
- To fix this, you will want to leave your starter out on the counter for 2 days and feed it every 12 hours at a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water.
- For example, 1 cup unbleached flour + 1/2 cup filtered (or bottled) water.
- Make sure you’re using unbleached flour and filtered or bottled water to do this. If you don’t, it will affect your starter strength. Reverse osmosis water (or any water that uses salt in the filter) can make the starter weak.
- This will strengthen the cultures in your starter to give you fluffy baked bread and treats. After the 2 days, you can go back to feeding it like usual (once a week if stored in the fridge or once a day if stored on the counter). Be sure to use the 2:1 ratio feeding from here on out.
One of our favorite breakfast recipes!
Lovely!
Thank you so much for the 5-star review!