These homemade English muffins bring the charm of a cozy breakfast bakery right to your kitchen. Ready in just over 2 hours, these golden-brown classics deliver the perfect balance of crispy exterior and soft, pillowy center.
Each 157-calorie muffin offers that signature nook-and-cranny texture that’s ideal for soaking up melted butter or your favorite jam. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, this straightforward recipe yields professional-quality results worth waking up for.
Ingredients
- Instant Yeast: 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) – ensure it’s fresh for best rising results
- Buttermilk: 1 3/4 cups, warmed – adds wonderful tangy flavor
- Honey: 2 Tablespoons – provides perfect sweetness and helps with yeast activation
- Egg: 1, lightly beaten – contributes to structure and richness
- Butter: 3 Tablespoons, melted – creates tender, flavorful muffins
- Salt: 3/4 teaspoon – enhances overall flavor
- All-purpose Flour: 3 1/3 cups – forms the base structure
- Cornmeal: 1/3 cup – creates that classic English muffin coating
Instructions
- Mix and Rest: Combine yeast, milk, honey, egg, butter, salt, and flour gradually. Form a sticky dough and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Shape: Scoop ¼ cup portions onto cornmeal-dusted parchment paper, flatten into 3-inch disks, and coat both sides.
- Rising Time: Cover and let rise for 1½ hours until puffy and doubled in size.
- Griddle Time: Cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200°F.
- Fork Split: Once cooled, use fork tines to split around the edges for that signature nooks and crannies texture.
- Serving: Toast and enjoy with butter, jam, or create a delicious breakfast sandwich.
Cooking Tips for Perfect English Muffins
Getting those signature nooks and crannies in your English muffins comes down to the right temperature and patience! Keep your griddle or pan at medium-low heat (around 325°F) – too hot and the outside will brown before the inside cooks.
When you’re cooking them, resist the urge to press down on the muffins. They’ll naturally puff up and then slightly deflate when flipped, creating that classic texture we all love.
Simple Substitutions
No buttermilk? Regular milk works great too! If you’d like to make your own buttermilk substitute, just add 1½ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
You can also swap the honey for sugar if needed – use about 1½ tablespoons instead. For whole wheat fans, try replacing up to 1 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin.
Creative Ways to Serve
While butter and jam are classic toppings, these homemade English muffins make amazing mini pizzas – just add sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings! For breakfast, try mashed avocado and a poached egg, or go sweet with cream cheese and sliced strawberries. They’re perfect for any meal of the day, from breakfast sandwiches to tuna melts for lunch.
Storage and Reheating
These muffins stay fresh at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Want them to last longer? Pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months! When you’re ready to eat, thaw them at room temperature and toast until golden brown. The toasting step brings back that wonderful crispy exterior and warm, soft interior.
English Muffins
Equipment
- Griddle or Skillet
- Baking sheets
- Mixing bowl
- Fork
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk warm, or regular milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornmeal for coating
Instructions
- Mix yeast, milk, honey, egg, butter, salt, and 1 cup flour to a mixing bowl and mix well. Add remaining flour and stir everything until very well combined, to form a soft, sticky dough. Cover bowl and rest for 20 minutes.
- Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal between the two. Grease a ¼ cup measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray and scoop batter into equal portioned ‘blobs’ onto the cornmeal on the sheet pans.
- Press and shape each batter blob into a flat, round disk, around 3 inches in diameter, then flip to the other side, to coat both flat sides lightly in cornmeal. Space the dough discs at least an inch apart along both baking sheets.
- Cover the pans with a light kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 ½ hours.
- Heat a griddle to about 325 degrees (or a cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium/medium low heat). Cook for 7-10 minutes on each side until golden brown and center registers 200°F.
- Remove to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before splitting open with a fork and serving.
