Sourdough English Muffins Recipe
These easy Sourdough English Muffins are crusty golden brown on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and have a delicious sourdough flavor. The dough comes together easily the night before, ready to be cooked up into a yummy, from-scratch breakfast the next morning.
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It is no secret that I adore my sourdough starter. I use it to make food from scratch for my family every single day. Sourdough pancakes, bagels, scones, biscuits, even pop tarts and cinnamon rolls. An active sourdough starter not only ferments the flour in our sourdough bread and baked goods, it also adds a subtle layer of sourdough flavor that you just don’t get from the store-bought counterparts made with commercial yeast.
why sourdough?
I started baking with sourdough about 10 years ago when I started learning more about the proper preparation of grains. Entire civilizations have lived off of bread and wheat products all throughout history, but nowadays there are so many people who can’t tolerate gluten or grains. The key difference between then and now is the way grains are prepared. Centuries ago, people needed to ferment their grains in order for them to rise into bread. With the little packets of quick rise yeast now readily available, the fermentation process has been eliminated.
Using sourdough starter allows the dough to ferment more slowly, breaking down the gluten and releasing the phytic acid. Phytic acid is and antinutrient present on grains and beans to keep them from spoiling. They are there for a reason, but unfortunately, our bodies don’t handle them well. Properly preparing the grains eliminates the large majority of phytic acid, making the final product much more gentle on the gut and easier to digest.
Grab the dehydrated version of the sourdough starter I use in my kitchen every single day from my Etsy shop HERE.
sourdough english muffins
Want to know what I love about these homemade sourdough english muffins? Everything!
The taste and texture are far superior to their store-bought counterparts. The dough can be prepared the night before, making breakfast a breeze. They are so delicious with some homemade butter melting into all of the nooks and crannies. We also love to turn them into breakfast sandwiches with eggs, bacon and cheese.
everything you’ll need
tools & equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook attachment (can be kneaded by hand)
- large bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- rolling pin
- biscuit cutter or wide mouth mason jar ring
- cast iron skillet with lid
- wire rack
ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Active sourdough starter
- Raw or whole milk
- Honey
- Sea salt
- Organic cornmeal
step-by-step instructions for making the best english muffins
1. Feed your sourdough starter 12 hours before mixing the dough so that it is active and bubbly. It works well to do this in the morning and mix the dough in the evening.
2. Mix the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients. Mix on low speed with a dough hook attachment for 5-10 minutes.
3. Bulk fermentation. Transfer to a large bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature 8-12 hours overnight. Cover with plastic wrap or a beeswax wrap so the dough does not dry out. As long as your starter was active and bubbly and the dough was in a warm place, the dough will double in size.
4. The next day, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin to about 1″ thickness.
5. Cut out 3″ rounds using a biscuit cutter or a wide mouth mason jar ring, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled with parchment paper. After cutting out as many as you can, re-roll the dough scraps and you will be able to get 2 or 3 more.
6. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the English muffins to puff up just a bit, about 30-60 minutes.
7. Preheat at cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Place 4 sourdough English muffins in the skillet at a time. Cover with a lid, and cook each side for about 3-4 minutes. (Don’t add oil to the skillet before cooking.)
8. Place the English muffins on a wire rack to cool before slicing or toasting.
sample baking schedule
Day 1:
8 AM – Feed sourdough starter using a 1:1:1 ratio (equal parts sourdough starter, flour and water by weight).
4-8 PM – Mix sourdough english muffin dough. Cover and let rise.
Day 2:
8 AM – Roll out dough and cut out english muffin rounds.
8:30-9 AM – Cook english muffins and enjoy.
how to store and freeze sourdough english muffins
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze, allow the English muffins to cool completely and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
recipe tips and notes
Before cooking these sourdough English muffins, the skillet must be preheated so that the dough doesn’t stick.
If the English muffins are cooking too quickly on the outside, but are still doughy on the inside, turn down the heat of the skillet. If this happens, you can also finish them off in the oven.
Make sure your sourdough starter is nice and active before mixing the dough. This will give the dough all of the beautiful bubbles, and the English muffins will cook to nook and cranny perfection.
Any sourdough dough is impacted by temperature and humidity. If it is very humid and you’re struggling with a sticky dough, add more flour. If your house is on the cooler side, allow more time for the bulk fermentation.
Some people may be uncomfortable with the fact that this recipe calls for milk and then sits at room temperature overnight. The sourdough starter is fermenting the dough which will prevent any bad bacteria from taking over. I am comfortable with the process and do it all the time. If you would rather not, you can ferment the dough in the refrigerator for 48 hours instead. Or, sub water for the milk in the recipe.
For perfectly shaped english muffins, try these english muffin rings.
what to do with sourdough english muffins
Serve with homemade butter for an easy breakfast or quick snack.
My kids love peanut butter and jelly on a fresh sourdough english muffin.
Make breakfast sandwiches by toasting an english muffin and adding an egg, bacon and cheese.
Serve with dinner instead of bread or rolls.
other sourdough breakfast recipes you’ll love
- sourdough bagels
- sourdough buttermilk biscuits
- sourdough discard scones
- sourdough galette
- sourdough pop tarts
- sourdough crepes
- sourdough dutch baby
printable recipe card for sourdough english muffins
Sourdough English Muffins
These easy Sourdough English Muffins are crusty golden brown on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and have a delicious sourdough flavor. The dough comes together easily the night before, ready to be cooked up into a yummy, from-scratch breakfast the next morning.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cups active sourdough starter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 12 hours before mixing the dough so that it is active and bubbly. It works well to do this in the morning and mix the dough in the evening.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients. Mix on low speed with a dough hook attachment for 5-10 minutes.
- Transfer to a large bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature 8-12 hours overnight. Cover with plastic wrap or a beeswax wrap so the dough does not dry out. As long as your starter was active and bubbly and the dough was in a warm place, the dough will double in size.
- The next morning, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin to about 1" thickness.
- Cut out 3" rounds using a biscuit cutter or a wide mouth mason jar ring, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. After cutting out as many as you can, re-roll the dough scraps and you will be able to get 2 or 3 more.
- Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the english muffins to puff up just a bit, about 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Place 4 sourdough english muffins in the skillet at a time. Cover with a lid and cook each side for about 3-4 minutes. (Don't add oil to the skillet before cooking.)
- Place the english muffins on a wire rack to cool before slicing or toasting.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze, allow the English muffins to cool completely and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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