Sourdough English Muffins
Homemade sourdough English muffins with that signature texture and tangy flavor. Uses sourdough discard, requires no oven, and delivers perfect nooks and crannies every single time.
Servings: 6 medium-sized English muffins
Calories: 152kcal
Equipment
- large bowl
- whisk
- rolling pin
- 3½" biscuit cutter or wide mouth Mason jar ring optional, see instructions
- parchment paper optional
- Baking Sheet
- 10" to 12" skillet seasoned cast iron or non-stick
- spatula
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sourdough discard discard or fed 12-24 hours prior
- ½ cup milk can use non-dairy milk like almond or soy milk or water
- 1 ⅔ cup all purpose flour or bread flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- corn meal or semolina flour optional, you can use all purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, sugar, and milk (or water) until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add the flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let rest for 45 minutes.
- Do a series of stretches and folds by pulling a side section of the dough up about 5 inches and pressing it back down into the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl a 1/4 turn and repeat the process until you have stretched and folded the whole ball of dough and the dough is tight and smooth. This process should take less than a minute.
- Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel (or plastic wrap if you live in a dry area) and and let rise at room temperature or a warm area about 8 hours (see chart in notes) for the bulk fermentation rise.
- After the bulk rise, gently turn your dough out onto a corn meal or semolina flour covered surface (you can use flour instead).
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle about 1/2-inch thick. Use a 3½" biscuit cutter or wide mouth mason jar ring to cut out your sourdough English muffins. *If you do not have a biscuit cutter or mason jar ring, cut the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll out to 1/2" thickness with a rolling pin.
- Place cut muffins on a parchment covered (or greased) baking sheet. Cover with a damp tea towel or greased plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours, until they have risen slightly and are puffy.
- Preheat cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Sprinkle a little cornmeal or semolina flour into the skillet (to prevent sticking). Carefully place the muffins in the skillet and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned and sides are dry, about 10-15 minutes. Flip the muffins with a spatula and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the English muffins to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.Use a fork to pierce the edges of the English muffin all the away around, then split in half.
- Serve with butter, honey, or jelly. Or use them to make a breakfast sandwich.
Video
Notes
FOR GRAMS MEASUREMENTS click on METRIC tab above.
This recipe uses a discard or unfed sourdough starter, which means one that was fed 12-24 hours before starting the recipe. Our recipe does not use a starter that's at its peak when mixing the dough. A 100% hydration sourdough starter works best for this recipe.
Recipe Variations:
- Use whole wheat flour for up to half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat English muffins. They have a heartier texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
- Add shredded cheese and herbs (like cheddar and chives or parmesan and thyme) for herb sourdough English muffins to serve with soups or stews.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and abrown sugar after the final roll-out for cinnamon sugar English muffins that pair perfectly with honey butter.
- 80ºF about 4-5 hours
- 75ºF about 6-7 hours
- 70ºF about 8-9 hours
- For temperatures under 70ºF it can take up to 12 hours or more
- Place the bowl in the oven with the door closed and light on to create a slightly warmer climate without actually turning the oven on.
- Use a heated mat (like those used for germinating seeds) for rising.
- Use the "proof" setting of your oven (I set mine to 85ºF) and set a timer. This will speed up the rising process, so check it at 4 and 6 hours.
- If there is a sunny room in the house that stays warm, keep the dough covered in that area.
- Watch the rise, not the clock. Rise times depend on your kitchen’s temperature—warm rooms speed things up, cooler ones slow it down. Instead of watching the clock, watch your dough! It should look soft, puffy, and have a noticeable rise. For cooler kitchens, place the dough in a turned-off oven with the light on to help it along (monitor the temperature to ensure it doesn't get too hot).
- Don’t skip the fork-splitting. For those soft, nooks and crannies you see when you split open your muffin be sure to resist the urge to slice with a knife. Instead, use a fork to pierce all the way around the muffin, then gently pull it apart.
- Use semolina or cornmeal to avoid sticking and to get that bakery-style crunch. Sprinkling a bit of semolina or cornmeal onto your work surface and your skillet not only prevents the dough from sticking but also gives your muffins that signature textured finish on the outside.
- Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, keep in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw before toasting.
- Check out our in-depth guide on how to store sourdough bread for more storage tips.
Nutrition
Serving: 1English muffin | Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg