Sourdough English Muffins

These sourdough English muffins are soft, tangy, and full of the signature nooks and crannies that make them perfect for toasting. This recipe makes 12 muffins and offers two cooking methods. You can either bake them in the oven for a slightly crisp finish or cook them on a skillet for a classic, golden crust. Either way, they’re a delicious way to use your sourdough starter and make a homemade breakfast staple.

Equipment:

• Food scale for measuring ingredients
• Mixing bowl for mixing dough and bulk fermentation
• Dough whisk or sturdy mixing spoon
• Bowl scraper to help clean up bowl edges
• Bench scraper for dividing and shaping dough
• Spatula for flipping english muffins
• Plastic wrap for covering during bulk fermentation and final proofing

Additional equipment for oven method:

• Parchment paper – large for lining baking sheet
• Two baking sheets for final proof and baking
• Optional English muffin rings (can also use wide mouth mason jar rings)

Additional equipment for skillet method:

• Parchment paper – 12 small individual squares for final proof
• Skillet, griddle or cast iron pan for cooking

Ingredients:

• 360g Bread flour
• 150g Water
• 90g Milk
• 100g Sourdough starter at peak
• 20g Sugar (can substitute honey)
• 30g Avocado oil or melted butter, plus more for frying
• 7g Salt
• Cornmeal, for shaping

Dough Instructions:

Grab your kitchen scale and mixing bowl to get started. First, pour the water and milk into your bowl and add your sourdough starter (for best results, make sure your starter is at peak). Stir them together using your dough whisk or mixing spoon. Next, add the avocado oil, sugar, flour, and salt, and mix until all the dry bits are fully incorporated. Once all ingredients are well combined and you have used your bowl scraper to clean up the sides of your bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Now that the dough has rested for 30 minutes it is time to knead it. Using your bowl scraper, grab your dough from the bowl and place on your countertop. Stretch the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then fold it back over itself and repeat. If kneading is new to you, see my post on brown butter bagels for a visual on kneading to help guide you. Continue kneading for 8-10 minutes. It may be a bit messy at first but the dough will come together nicely. Aim for a smooth, elastic texture that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Use your bench scraper as needed to clean the counter and help keep the dough manageable. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours. I usually time mine to bulk ferment overnight so it’s ready to shape first thing in the morning.

Shaping:

Once the dough has doubled in size, is jiggly, and has visible bubbles, it’s time to shape. Use your bench scraper to loosen dough from the bowl edges then turn the dough out onto the counter and gently press out the air. Use your kitchen scale to weigh the entire dough, then divide that number by 12 to get the weight of each piece. Portion the dough into 12 pieces based on that weight for evenly sized English muffins. They should be around 65g. Take one piece at a time and shape it into a ball by gently pushing and pulling it against the counter in a circular motion to build surface tension. You should feel the dough tighten slightly as it forms a smooth, round ball. Take your cornmeal and pour a pile onto your counter or small plate. Pick up each ball and place smooth side down first, sprinkle top side with more cornmeal and press flat into a disc.

Oven prep:

Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. If using English muffin rings, grease the inner ring with avocado oil or butter liberally and dust with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Place dough discs seam-side down on your baking sheet. If using baking rings / mason jar rings, place dough seam-side down inside the prepared rings. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-3 hours, until they’re soft, puffy, and airy to the touch.

Skillet prep:

Place the dough discs seam-side down on small individual pieces of parchment paper on your counter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-3 hour, until they’re soft, puffy, and airy to the touch.

Oven baking:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (195℃). Remove the plastic wrap and gently place your second baking sheet directly on top of your English muffins so they are sandwiched between the two baking sheets. Bake the English muffins for 10 minutes. Remove the top sheet, flip English muffins and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reads 205-210°F (96-98℃). Once they’re done, transfer to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. For classic nook and crannies, use a fork and poke around in a circle along the edge and pull English muffin apart.

Skillet baking:

Preheat your skillet or griddle to medium low heat and add a little oil or butter right before frying. To transfer the muffins easily, lift one by its parchment paper, gently flip it upside down into your hand to remove the paper, then flip again and place it seam-side down in the skillet. Cover with lid and fry for 4-5 minutes. Remove lid, flip, place lid back on and then fry for an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove lid, flip and fry for 2 minutes more on each side without the lid. Remove once golden brown and internal temperature reads 205-210°F (96-98℃). Once they’re done, transfer to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. For classic nook and crannies, use a fork and poke around in a circle along the edge and pull English muffin apart.