Do we use active Sourdough Starter or Discard?

In this Homemade Sourdough English Muffin recipe, I’m asking you to use active, live sourdough starter.

That means that you will feed the starter about 8-12 hours before you plan to mix up this dough, so that you’re using it when it has reached its peak bubbliness.  

If you don’t have a sourdough starter, this is your sign to make one! You can make your own sourdough starter from scratch in just 7 days! Here’s the FULL TUTORIAL!

If you’re more into a simpler yeasted version, guess what? I got you. Try these Easy Homemade English Muffins.

INGREDIENTS

• warm water – the ideal temperature for the water is 90 degrees F. You don’t want the water too warm or it will kill the yeast.
• whole milk – Feel free to use whole milk, 2%, or even almond or oat milk for a vegan spin. I’ve had great results with all of them. Just be sure to warm the milk to about 90 degrees F, so that the yeast activation happens faster.
• sourdough starter – as if an English muffin could get any better, make it sourdough! You want to use your sourdough starter when it is bubbly and active, so be sure to feed 8-12 hours prior to mixing up this dough.
• raw honey – The honey in this recipe doesn’t make the English Muffins sweet, but it does help balance the flavor. Use raw honey or granulated sugar for a vegan option.
• kosher salt – I use Morton’s kosher salt in all of my bread recipes. If you are using Diamond Crystal, add another 4 grams of salt.
• unbleached all purpose flour – I use unbleached all purpose flour from King Arthur Baking Company. It has a higher protein content than most AP flours. You could use bread flour if that’s what you have. If you want to add whole grain flour, replace 30g of the total flour amount with the whole grain flour of your choice. Do not substitute the total amount of flour for whole grain flour, as the results will vary greatly, and you English Muffins will be dense.
• avocado oil or light extra virgin olive oil – I use neutral avocado oil to the dough and to the griddle to cook these English muffins. It’s a cleaner oil, and can safely be heated to high temperatures. It’s also possible to substitute the same amount of melted butter in the dough if you like.

English Muffin Timeline

• Day 1: 
• 9:00am – feed your sourdough starter
• 7:00pm – mix up your English Muffin Dough, cover and let ferment overnight at room temperature
• Day 2:
• 7:00am – Roll out and cut your Sourdough English Muffins, cover loosely with a towel, and let rest for 1 hour
• 8:00am – preheat your skillet, then cook the English muffins, covered, for about 4 minutes per side. Enjoy!

HOW TO GET MORE “NOOKS AND CRANNIES”?

As always, I tested this recipes SO many times to get it just right. For me, that meant the maximum amount of nostalgic signature “Nooks and Crannies.” If you’re not sure what I mean, they’re the airy fluffy interior, and air pockets. When toasted, the melted butter usually pools in the nooks and crannies and it’s heavenly!

From my extensive R+D, I found that an overnight rise gave the dough much better flavor, and allowed for proper fermentation. Fermentation is really important when developing the airy crumb of the dough.

Another trick is use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the English Muffins. I tried both rolling balls of dough and using a cutter. Both results were incredible, but the cutter method yielded slightly more nooks and crannies. This makes sense because we’re handling dough less, which preserves more of the coveted air bubbles.

mixed dough

kneaded dough

shaped English muffins

SUBSTITUTIONS

As with most bread recipes, I wouldn’t substitute many things. You could substitute the milk for another non-dairy milk. I’ve had success with oat milk and almond milk. You could also substitute the avocado oil for a light olive oil or melted butter.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFINS

Great Homemade English Muffins are super simple to mix up! The dough is mixed up the afternoon/evening before you plan to make these, so plan ahead! The overnight proof is really important to get the proper crumb, fermentation, and air bubbles in the dough.

Start by mixing the milk, sourdough starter, and honey in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well! The honey helps nourish the sourdough starter and feed it so it’s super active. Then, add the oil, whisk, and the flour and salt. Mix the dough using a wooden spoon. Then pour the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for 2 minutes. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes. This autolyse step will give the flour a chance to absorb the liquid, which results in better gluten development, and an easier time of kneading.

Continue to knead the dough for about 5-6 minutes until the surface of the dough is smooth. Rinse out the bowl, and drizzle about a teaspoon of oil in the bowl. Place the kneaded dough back into the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a clean show cap. Let the proof at room temperature for 8-10 hours, or overnight.

How to Shape Sourdough English Muffins

The next day, lightly sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal or all purpose flour. P0ur your dough out onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour, and roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness.

Use a 3-inch round cutter to punch out as many English muffins are possible from the dough. Flour the cutter in between each muffin so that it doesn’t stick to the dough. Place the dough round onto the prepared baking sheet. Press the scraps together, and punch out a couple more muffins. You should get 11-12 Sourdough English Muffins from this batch of dough. Cover the dough with a damp (not wet) clean kitchen towel to keep the English muffins from drying out. Let the dough proof at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes or until puffy and slightly jiggly.

Do you Cook or Bake Sourdough English Muffins?

Great question, and the answer might surprise you!

English Muffins are actually cooked on the stovetop! Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet on medium/low heat. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or light olive oil into the pan. Lower the heat to low, and gently place the Sourdough English Muffins into the pan, and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side. Flip, then cook for another 3-4 minutes on the second side with the lid on. Check to make sure that the English muffins don’t burn.

Let these Sourdough English Muffins cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing them open.

WHAT’S THE CORRECT WAY TO SLICE AN ENGLISH MUFFIN?

People have very strong feelings about this, and rightfully so! The correct way to slice English Muffins in half is by piercing the outer edge with a fork, perforating the equator of the muffin. Then use your hands to gently pull the muffins apart into two halves. Using a fork helps to achieves the craggy edges and desirable nooks and crannies that toast up slightly unevenly, but are so perfect.

HOW TO STORE ENGLISH MUFFINS

Like all bread, English Muffins are best eaten the same day they’re made. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze these Homemade English Muffins for up to 1 month. Slice before freezing, and reheat in the toaster.

BAKING TOOLS I USE AND LOVE

Here are just a few tools that I can’t live without in the kitchen, and I’ve linked them all for you here!

If you make these delicious Sourdough English Muffins, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Without further ado, here are my classic Sourdough English Muffins! Be sure to save this recipe and Pin It to your Bread boards on Pinterest!

Happy Baking xo LeAnne