Simple & Hearty English Muffins
The sourdough saga continues today with these incredible (if I do say so myself) sourdough English muffins! Instead of using store-bought yeast (as we would with classic English muffins), we’re using the power of wild yeast from active sourdough starter to create lots of lift and flavor in this classic breakfast treat. Sourdough English muffins are fun and very easy to make with basic ingredients. They are mildly tangy with a unique flavor profile that tastes like something you’d buy from a fancy bakery. Texture-wise, they’re the same as their non-sourdough counterparts just as robust and hearty (but, as a bonus, healthier!). This recipe makes muffins that are perfect doppelgangers of their non-sourdough counterparts: a beautiful mottled golden color on the outside and full of lovely nooks and crannies on the inside, perfect for trapping melted butter (or honey butter) and raspberry sauce or strawberry sauce (ooh, or lemon curd!). I highly recommend toasting your muffins before topping them; this elevates them even more, giving a subtle, lovely crunch on the outside with a soft and chewy interior.
What You Need
My sourdough English muffin recipe is surprisingly simple (perhaps just surprising to me, I hadn’t expected I could manage such a wonderful flavor with basic pantry staples and no sugar). You’ll need just a few ingredients:
Sourdough starter. You’ll want your sourdough starter (not discard!) to be active and bubbly before adding it. Don’t have any starter? Learn how to make your own in my how to make sourdough starter post–it’s easy and there’s so much you can make with starter. Bread flour. I prefer bread flour here for a chewier and more-true-to-the-classic texture. Make sure to measure your flour properly, or you could end up with dense, dry English muffins. Honey. This feeds the yeast in our starter, and it adds a bit of sweetness, flavor, and moisture to the dough. When writing this recipe, I was intentional about not using sugar, but if you’d like you could instead use granulated sugar here. Egg. A single egg enriches the dough and adds to the flavor. It also helps give it some added lift as it cooks. Warm water. This should be between 90-100F (32-37C). Cornmeal. This ingredient is optional. Its original purpose was to keep the English muffins from sticking, but this isn’t an issue if you use parchment paper like I do. It does add a fun texture though, and if you’re looking to replicate the feel of that orange and white brand you can find in the supermarket, you’ll want to sprinkle some on your baking sheet. I typically don’t add it with this recipe so it’s entirely a personal choice.
SAM’S TIP: I like to use these rings when making English muffins; however, if you don’t have some or don’t want to buy any, you can still make this recipe. You’ll simply drop the batter into the skillet and gently smooth it into a round shape (but don’t make it too flat!) with the back of a spoon. They won’t be as precise, but they’ll still taste amazing! Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Sourdough English Muffins
SAM’S TIP: You’ll notice I include a range of time for baking the English muffins. This is because the bake time largely depends on how long your muffins are first cooked on the stovetop. I usually find mine take about 13 minutes. An instant read thermometer is best for testing that they’re done, otherwise it can be difficult to tell for sure. I’ve been developing a lot of sourdough and sourdough discard recipes (like these sourdough blueberry muffins and sourdough biscuits) recently, but I’ve been hesitant to share as I’m frankly not sure how interested you might be in sourdough recipes specifically. Is this something you’d like to see more of, or does sourdough simply not interest you? I’d love to know, as it helps me plan what to share in the future! Enjoy! Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
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