Perfect English Muffins
- PREP 13hrs 30min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 14hrs
With our recipe, you will make the best English muffins! The recipe uses simple ingredients to create a light, airy texture and so many nooks and crannies. I especially love the tangy flavor, thanks to the sour cream.
The dough takes a while to rise since we do it slowly in the fridge. This slow rise makes the English muffin dough easier to work with and the flavor vastly improves with the extra time. To make things easy, I like making my dough on one day, proof overnight in the fridge, and then form and cook the next day. See the tips below for how to make these in one day.
You Will Need
2 ⅔ cups (305g) all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon (8g) fine sea salt
3 tablespoons (43g) butter, melted
3/4 cup (177ml) lukewarm water (110°F to 115°F)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (30g) sugar or honey
2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) instant yeast, one 1/4-ounce packet
1 large egg, beaten
5 tablespoons (80g) sour cream
Semolina flour or cornmeal, as needed
Directions
Make the Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour and salt.
Whisk together the water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and foamy. If it does not bubble, the yeast is dead (toss the mixture and try again with new yeast).
Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, beaten egg, and sour cream to the flour in the stand mixer. Mix at medium-low speed until the dough begins to pull together, about 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. The dough will be very wet, slumpy, and sticky.
Proof the dough: Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Shape the Muffins
The next day, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with all-purpose flour.
Lightly flour your work surface. Then, without punching down the proofed dough, gently turn it onto the floured surface, flatten into a large circle, and then cut into 12 equal triangles.
Form each piece into a ball (see how I do this in our video). Place onto the prepared baking sheet, then flatten it into a disk (around 3 inches in diameter). Make sure there is some space between each muffin.
Proof again: Cover the baking sheet with a dish towel and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or for 1 hour with your oven’s proof setting).
Cook the Muffins
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare a second baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Dust with semolina flour and cook the muffins in batches until golden brown on both sides (about 3 to 5 minutes per side). I can fit 3 in my skillet at a time. Be careful when moving the muffins to the skillet. They will be a bit soft, but do it in a swift confident motion, and you should be okay (they might look misformed at first, but they puff back up).
Transfer partially cooked muffins to the prepared baking sheet. Then, once you have 6 muffins on the baking sheet, bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sides feel firm. Baking 6 at a time helps prevent the partially cooked muffins from falling back on themselves as they wait for the rest to cook in the skillet. The idea is to get them into the oven as quickly as possible to firm up.
Repeat the cooking process with the remaining dough and reuse the baking sheet you proofed the muffins on for baking the remaining 6.
Cool cooked English muffins on a wire rack. Use a pastry brush to brush away excess flour from the outside of the muffins, and then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days (or freeze for 1 month).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Yeast: Use instant yeast or active dry yeast in this recipe. Directions are the same for both. I prefer instant yeast when making bread since it’s usually more active and bubbly.
- Measuring your flour: Fluff the flour in its container, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup until slightly mounded. Level off the top with a knife for accurate measuring. For even more accuracy, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams).
- Serving: For the most nooks and crannies, don’t slice them, and use a fork to score around the middle of the English muffin instead. Then, gently pull the two halves apart with your fingers.
- Can I make these on the same day? To make these in one day, you can proof the dough at room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours. Then, place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (it can be longer). From there, you will form the muffins and proof for another hour before cooking them. Chilling the dough develops flavor and makes it much easier to work with.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.