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If you’ve visited this site very often, you probably know by now that I LOVE sourdough, and I love Sourdough English Muffins. They are so easy to make and so good to eat. We enjoy them with butter and jelly, and also for breakfast in egg and bacon sandwiches.
(Post modified with new photos on 1/9/24.)
My adventures with sourdough has led me to try many sourdough bread recipes–including these Sourdough English Muffins. Yes, the process takes awhile, but they are so easy to make and so good to eat. Our middle daughter actually prefers them over the softer kind you can buy at the grocery store.
I’ve actually named my starter “Bertha”, something my granddaughter finds quite funny. When she visits she often asks how Bertha is doing. But then, she LOVES sourdough, too.
“Bertha” was born June 2013, so she is now technically nearing her 11th birthday. And so is my granddaughter. No wonder there is an affinity there!
More Sourdough Recipes to Try
- Sourdough Pretzels with Mustard Dip
- Sourdough Whole Wheat Bagels
- Sourdough Puff Pastry
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients for Sourdough English Muffins
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- “fed” sourdough starter (a fed starter should be active–nice and bubbly)
- warm water
- butter, at room temperature
- granulated sugar
- instant yeast (This is optional. If your starter is good and active you shouldn’t require yeast. But if you want to ensure rising time in a “timely manner” go ahead and use some instant yeast to help things along.)
- kosher salt
- nonfat dry milk
- whole wheat flour
- all-purpose flour
- cornmeal for coating
Instructions for this Recipe
Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl combine your bubbly starter, warm water, softened butter, granulated sugar, instant yeast, kosher salt, dry milk powder, whole-wheat flour, and 2 cups all-purpose flour. Mix well.
Gradually add enough remaining all-purpose flour and knead to form a smooth dough. You can use your stand mixer with dough hook, or knead by hand on a floured surface. Your choice. Knead for 5-7 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1-2 hours until noticeably puffy. Gently deflate the dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
Make the English Muffins
Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion 1/2″ thick and cut in 4″ rounds until all of dough is used. I use a round measuring cup that works perfect for the size of my English muffins. If you have a large enough biscuit cutter, you could also use that. Repeat rolling and cutting with the remaining dough.
Place the rounds, on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal, 12 per sheet. Sprinkle rounds with additional cornmeal. Cover and let rise 1 hour until light and puffy.
Transfer rounds to a preheated griddle on low heat. Cook the muffins for 5 minutes, and then place the bottom of a large cookie sheet on top to help flatten the muffins. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Turn muffins and cook for another 5 minutes, being careful not to burn the sides. Remove the muffins from the griddle and cool on a wire rack.
As an extra precaution, to make sure the muffins are cooked through to the middle, I’ll place the muffins on a baking sheet in a 325 degree oven and bake for 5-10 minutes.
Store in zip bags for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
Serve English muffins warm or toasted with butter and your favorite jelly or jam. Or with an Egg Sandwich along with American cheese and bacon. This recipe will make approximately 16 – 18 muffins.
Browse more Sourdough Recipes Here. Browse Breakfast Foods Here.
Sourdough English Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup "fed" sourdough starter Recipe HERE.
- 2 cups warm water
- 1/4 cup butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour
- cornmeal for coating
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl combine the active sourdough starter, warm water, softened butter, granulated sugar, instant yeast, kosher salt, dry milk powder, whole-wheat flour, and 2 cups all-purpose flour. Mix well.
- Gradually add enough remaining all-purpose flour and knead to form a smooth dough, 5-7 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1-2 hours until noticeably puffy.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Gently deflate the dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten. Divide the dough in half.
Form and Cook the Muffins
- Roll one of the halves 1/2" thick and cut in 4" rounds until all of dough is used. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place the rounds, on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal, 8-9 per sheet. Sprinkle rounds with additional cornmeal. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour until light and puffy.
- Transfer rounds to a preheated griddle (low heat). Cook the muffins for 5 minutes, and then place the bottom of a large cookie sheet on top to help flatten the muffins. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Turn muffins and cook for another 5 minutes, being careful not to burn.
- Place muffins on a baking sheet and allow them to finish cooking in the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, while you cook the rest of the muffins.
- Repeat with the remaining muffins. When finished, allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack.
- Store in plastic bags for up to a week or freeze for longer storage. Makes 16-18 muffins.
Notes
Could I make these with only whole wheat flour?
Hi Kristen, I’m hesitant to encourage this as I’ve never tried baking with all whole wheat flour. I have tried using half white and half wheat flours in this recipe, but was not satisfied with the results. The muffins were quite dense and did not rise enough to please me. You might be able to offset this with more instant yeast or even a whole grain bread improver (King Arthur Baking) but I cannot say for certain. Sorry I’m not more help with this.