How to Make Easy English Muffins ~ this simple recipe yields tall, fluffy, flavorful English muffins ~ I’ve never been more excited to wake up and pop an English muffin in the toaster.
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I spent the afternoon baking with my friend Darby this past weekend. She’s waiting to hear from grad schools, so she needed some serious distraction. We baked dueling batches of English muffins. I couldn’t resist tweaking a basic recipe from King Arthur Flour to make big puffy Buckwheat Oat muffins. Since I eat a store bought English muffin 5 out of 7 mornings a week, this is the holy grail of breads as far as I’m concerned.
I researched recipes in preparation for our session and I was amazed at how many different approaches there are to making English muffins. English muffins are basically a yeasted dough that is cooked on a griddle, and they’ve been eaten in England for at least 200 years. Some recipes call for a batter type dough that gets poured into molds and then cooked on a griddle. Others have you shape a more classic bread dough into small rounds and bake them in the oven. Still others are a hybrid of the two methods. I chose to shape my muffins by hand, and cook them on a griddle. I think it’s the griddle cooking that really gives these muffins their classic English muffin look.
But it’s not until you flip your muffins that you begin to see their magic transformation from blobs of dough into beautifully shaped and browned English muffins.
I was positively giddy watching these take shape.
I’ve said it before, but there is something so satisfying about making your own version of something that you’ve bought for years and always just assumed came out of a package.
Darby has a lot more experience with bread making than I do, and I picked up s few good tips from her as we made our muffins. For instance, since we live in a dry climate, I should have covered my rising dough with plastic rather than a dish towel. Even the thinnest skin that forms on the surface of the dough can prevent it from rising evenly as it cooks.
The theme of my early bread experiments is ease. I know that if I’m going to incorporate bread making into my cooking routine it’s going to have to be pretty straightforward and easy. I like this English Muffin recipe because everything gets dumped all at once in to the bowl of the stand mixer and the dough comes together in 5 minutes. You don’t even have to fiddle with proofing the yeast, or anything else, for that matter. After the dough rises it gets shaped into round flat disks, rests for about 20 minutes, and then cooked on the griddle.
I added some buckwheat and oat flour for a little flavor and interest, but you can use all white for a traditional English muffin. I adapted my recipe from King Arthur Flour.
Check out my Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins too!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk (about 110 degrees)
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (room temperature)
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- semolina or farina, for sprinkling on the griddle or pan (you can also use cornmeal)
Instructions
- Put everything except the semolina into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not the bread hook) Alternatively, if you have a bread machine you can set it to the dough cycle.
- Mix the dough on medium speed for about 5 minutes, The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl and be smooth and quite elastic. I had to scrape the sides of my bowl a couple of times.
- Scrape the dough down into a rough ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours until risen and puffy.
- After the rise, gently deflate the dough. This dough will be softer than traditional bread doughs, so just handle it carefully. Turn it out onto a surface that has been dusted with the semolina, or corn meal, and form it into 12 pieces. (First cut the dough in half, then cut each half into three pieces, and cut each of those pieces in half)
- Form the pieces into rounds, and then flatten them into disks about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Make sure they are dusted on both sides with the semolina. Cover loosely with plastic and let rest for about 20 minutes. They will puff gently.
- Spray your griddle or large cast iron pan with a little cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little semolina or corn meal. Cook the muffins on a low to medium low heat for about 15 minutes on each side, until they are golden browned and done. You can test for doneness with an instant read thermometer...the inside should register 180 to 200 degrees F. If they are very brown before getting thoroughly done on the inside, transfer them to a 350F oven to finish cooking.
- Be sure to use a fork to split the muffins to bring out that famous English muffin texture.
Notes:
- If you have an electric griddle, set it to 300F. Otherwise, use low to moderate heat on the stove. A heavy bottomed pan, like cast iron, works well to modulate the heat. The muffins have to cook through, so you don’t want them to get too brown too quickly.
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31 Comments
Darlene
June 22, 2016 at 1:31 pmAnother great recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Dee
October 31, 2015 at 6:10 amWould it be possible to use all purpose flour instead of bread flour since that’s all I have on hand?
Sue
October 31, 2015 at 7:44 amYou can certainly try Dee, but they won’t have quite the same texture.
Darice
July 1, 2015 at 1:09 pmWhere can I find the name of Darby’s blog? Thanks.
Sue
July 1, 2015 at 1:36 pmHere’s a link, Darice http://fragmentsofsulpicia.blogspot.com/2013/02/english-muffins-part-1.html
Kathy@Playinwithmyfood
May 4, 2014 at 3:53 pmWhy did I ever think making English Muffins was hard? Yours came out great. Will definitely give these a try. Toasted, with melted butter…Mmm.
Marcia
July 25, 2013 at 7:16 amIs it possible to use a gluten free bread flour??? any adjustments?
Sue
July 25, 2013 at 7:48 amHey Maria—I haven’t tried a gluten free recipe, but I know it can be done. Here are a few links, and in the meantime I’ll look into it myself.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-sourdough-english-muffins-recipe
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/04/gluten-free-english-muffins.html
http://www.food.com/recipe/gluten-free-english-muffins-440137
danielle dhillon
May 21, 2013 at 3:53 amI would love to make this without oat and buckwheet flour. Rather plain flour and maybe rye. Also just wheat. How would I do this? Also what about adding things like cinn rasin, brownsugar, honey butter or french toats (using maple and something for butter flavor)… please email me the recipe adjustments please please.
Thank you
Danielle (xkrystalxtears@yahoo.com)
I’m disabled and tjis looks like I could handle makening it
--OUR INNERWORK--
March 15, 2013 at 1:31 amI want, need that griddle …. Where do I buy one. Pleeeeeease reply. Cheers …. Oh I’m working through this entire site! Love it!
--OUR INNERWORK--
March 15, 2013 at 1:31 amI want, need that griddle …. Where do I buy one. Pleeeeeease reply. Cheers …. Oh I’m working through this entire site! Love it!
--OUR INNERWORK--
March 15, 2013 at 1:31 amI want, need that griddle …. Where do I buy one. Pleeeeeease reply. Cheers …. Oh I’m working through this entire site! Love it!
--OUR INNERWORK--
March 15, 2013 at 1:31 amI want, need that griddle …. Where do I buy one. Pleeeeeease reply. Cheers …. Oh I’m working through this entire site! Love it!
--OUR INNERWORK--
March 15, 2013 at 1:31 amI want, need that griddle …. Where do I buy one. Pleeeeeease reply. Cheers …. Oh I’m working through this entire site! Love it!
--OUR INNERWORK--
March 15, 2013 at 1:26 amI want, need that griddle …. Where do I buy one. Pleeeeeease reply. Cheers …. Oh I’m working through this entire site! Love it!
A Plum By Any Other Name
February 14, 2013 at 6:33 pmWanted to let you know I made these the weekend of the big Boston snow storm. They were FABULOUS. Can’t wait to make them again. Thank you for sharing!
Kathy Shea Mormino
February 10, 2013 at 2:08 amHi! I’m new follower of your blog and would like to invite you to join me at my weekly Clever Chicks Blog Hop: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/02/clever-chicks-blog-hop-20-and-lollipop.html
I hope you can make it!
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
l o v e l y t h i n g s
February 7, 2013 at 1:20 pmwish I had one of these right this minute, plain with a little smear of butter…no need for all that other stuff because I have a feeling these are that good. Love your photos….I know I always say that….
xo
annie
MD White
February 7, 2013 at 12:05 pmFunny. I used KAF recipe for these on Sunday! Yummy! Will go to Darby’s blog to see the recipe for the sourdough version. Thanks!
Orkneyflowers
February 6, 2013 at 3:18 pmNow I’ve always shyed away from these, but I’m going to give the, a go, think they look awesome!
Penny
February 6, 2013 at 12:56 pmWow, I never thought to make homemade English muffins. I have the griddle too. So I guess this will be a fun project. Your muffins look perfect. Thank you Sue.
Magnolia Verandah
February 5, 2013 at 11:09 pmI love muffins but avoid buying packaged mostly because of all the preservatives. But how easy does this look, and how beautiful right down to the semolina on the griddle.
SavoringTime in the Kitchen
February 6, 2013 at 1:51 amI have an English muffin for breakfast several times a week with my favorite jam. These look absolutely perfect.
bellini
February 5, 2013 at 10:49 pmLook at all those nooks and crannies to hold the butter.
Mary Younkin
February 5, 2013 at 10:43 pmI absolutely LOVE finding ways to make at home the foods that we eat all the time. These are gorgeous and I bet they were delicious, Sue!
shannon weber
February 5, 2013 at 9:43 pmcan’t agree more: i LOVE baking something for the first time when i’ve only ever had the premade version from the grocery store. and english muffins? favorite bread product. hands down. I have a few recipes here in cookbooks, but i’ve been scared to try them (you know, me…yeast…egh) but i feel like i could do these! yours turned out beautifully. i would have been super excited to pop one in the toaster too.
Amy
February 5, 2013 at 7:57 pmThis is so cool! I love english muffins, but I have to have them a very specific way. For some unknown reason I never buy them, and I only eat them when I go back to my parent’s home. I really want to try these though, and I have buckwheat and bread flour on hand (and oat flour, as you know!), so I might just go ahead and do that next chance I get. Beautiful inspiration.
Tricia @ saving room for dessert
February 5, 2013 at 7:04 pmHomemade English muffins are the greatest thing in the world! I love the deep pockets where the butter can seep in and make a home. Good gracious – I haven’t made these in a long time – but love it!
A Plum By Any Other Name
February 5, 2013 at 6:45 pmI have been dying to make English muffins, but hadn’t settled on a recipe yet (you’re right, there are so many out there). Can’t wait to try these!!
Kate
February 5, 2013 at 6:14 pmWe make these quite often and love them. Everyone that has ever dropped by when we are making them are awed by the uncomplicated process and even more so by the astounding flavor. The nooks and crannies hold a tantalizing variety of toppings in our house… making a quick fix of breakfast through dinner ingredients. Ours are cut from patted dough with a large cookie cutter but before that was secured an emptied 28 oz. tomato can was used! We also like to let them rise on oat bran/poppy seeds/sesame seeds etc. as well as cornmeal. Nice step by step photos ;)
Averie @ Averie Cooks
February 5, 2013 at 5:57 pm” everything gets dumped all at once in to the bowl of the stand mixer and the dough comes together in 5 minutes. You don’t even have to fiddle with proofing the yeast” —
AMEN!! Just made pizza dough with all that in mind!
I have a English muffin BREAD recipe that I bake as bread, rather than as individual muffins. I don’t have a big griddle like that or anything even close and so the bread that I can slice and toast works so well. And it’s a knead-free recipe. Practically a quickbread and is so quick!
Your muffins are professional and fabulous!