Sourdough English Muffins
The BEST homemade Sourdough English Muffins. Pantry staple ingredients, super quick to mix up, and the perfect compliment for all your breakfast needs! SO. GOOD. That perfectly much sums up these amazing fluffy bites of sourdough bread It’s the perfect sandwich bread to make up today, tomorrow, this weekend, WHENEVER. With just a couple of simple ingredients, this is sure to become your favorite way to enjoy breakfast sandwiches again! No more store-bought muffins. Healthier, 10x more delicious, and a great way to use sourdough starter. Good for breakfast, brunch, as an afternoon snack, or even dinner!
About The Recipe
English muffins have been an essential part of my family’s breakfast for so many years. Whether we’re smothering them with butter and honey, making a delicious sandwich, or just using them as a sneaky bite of bread, it’s always been there! But, I have to admit, we have never tried to make them until now!
True, it does take two days of (basically) waiting to have these muffins, but they are so worth it! I have never had something so tender, buttery, soft, and SO flavorful come from the grocery store.
Plus, who doesn’t want ways to use up their sourdough starter other than just making more loaves of bread?
We have been committed to find the best ways to use starter and this had definitely hit the top of the list! Right next to our Sourdough Pancakes, obviously.
These english muffins are one of the best ways to enjoy breakfast again. They are so versatile and always delicious!
Equipment Needed
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Flour Sack Towels
- Rice Flour
- Circle Biscuit Cutters
- English Muffin Splitter
Ingredients
For The Firm Starter:
- Bread Flour
- Sourdough Starter
- Water
For The English Muffins:
- Water
- Firm Starter
- Barley Malt Syrup
- Bread Flour
- Salt
how to make sourdough english muffins
Even though the process is long, these are actually really easy to make! The first thing you need to do is make the firm starter. So, combine the sourdough starter and flour, adding the water as necessary to make a soft dough.
Knead the soft dough about 4-5 minutes, or until smooth. Place in a clean glass bowl or plastic container and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, roughly about 4 hours. Refrigerate overnight.
The Next Morning
One day closer! Get the firm starter from the fridge and place it in a large bowl with water. Stir until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Stir in malt syrup.
Add the bread flour and mix until a tacky dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Add the salt and work through the dough thoroughly. Place in a large lidded container or clean glass bowl. Cover.
Every thirty minutes, turn the dough. First in half, in half towards the right, in half towards the left, and then in half upwards. You don’t have to take it out of the container but we did this so you could see what was going on.
Repeat this every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. Let rest for another 2 hours.
Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper, letting the paper curve up the sides. Flour heavily. Turn the dough onto the floured parchment and press to 1 inch thickness.
Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, and cover with another piece of parchment paper. Wrap the whole thing in tea towel, and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Day 2
Finally, cooking day! Remove the pan of dough from the refrigerator. Coat a preheated griddle with clarified butter. Cut out each round of dough with a 3 or 4-inch cutter. Brush off excess flour and place on the griddle, letting cook for a few minutes to brown on one side. Turn over and let brown on that side, about another 3-4 minutes.
Remove from the griddle once both sides are browned and place on a plate or a cooling rack. Split them while warm and enjoy!
Storing/Reheating
The best way is to store them in a sealable, airtight bag and keep them in either the fridge or freezer. Just reheat in the toaster for a delicious crunch and the perfect warm english muffin!
Expert Tips
- If the dough is still loose when you put it in the rising container, turn it out onto a heavily floured surface to turn it instead of turning it in the container. This will work in some extra flour to make it a firmer dough.
- Use rice flour to dust the parchment and the top of the dough! It’s the best to keep it from sticking.
- While you can use a knife to cut the muffins open, or a fork to pull them apart, I recommend a muffin splitter. It keeps the muffin from being smushed and keeps that wonderful hole structure in tact!
- Want to make these vegan? No problem! You can substitute the butter with olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
When you make these Sourdough English Muffins, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Sourdough English Muffins
Ingredients
Firm Starter
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 cups [sourdough starter]
- 1/8-1/4 cup water
English Muffins
- 3 cups water
- All of Firm Starter
- 2 teaspoons barley malt syrup or honey, optional
- 6 cups bread flour
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
Firm Starter:
- Combine starter and flour, adding water as necessary to make a soft dough.
- Knead 4-5 minutes until smooth.
- Place in a clean glass bowl or plastic container.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 4 hours.
- Refrigerate overnight.
English Muffins:
- Remove firm starter from refrigerator 1-2 hours before you are ready to start.
- In a large glass bowl, combine water and Firm Starter.
- Stir until combined and smooth.
- Stir in malt syrup.
- Add bread flour and mix to a tacky dough.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Add salt and work through dough thoroughly.
- Place in a large lidded container or clean glass bowl. Cover.
- Let rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 4 hours, turning the dough every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.*
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment, letting it curve up the sides. Flour heavily.
- Turn the dough onto the floured parchment and press to 1" thickness.
- Lightly sprinkle the top with flour, and cover with another piece of parchment.
- Wrap the whole thing in flour sack or tea towel, and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- When you are ready to cook the muffins the next morning, preheat a griddle to 300 degrees.
- Remove the pan of dough from the refrigerator.
- Coat the griddle with clarified butter. (There needs to be a puddle.)
- Cut out each round of dough with a 3 or 4-inch cutter as you are ready to place it on the grill.
- Brush off any excess flour, place on grill and allow to cook until light golden brown.
- Turn over and brown on other side.
Notes + Tips!
- If the dough is still loose when you put it in the rising container, turn it out onto a heavily floured surface to turn it instead of turning it in the container. This will work in some extra flour to make it a firmer dough.
- Use rice flour to dust the parchment and the top of the dough! It's the best to keep it from sticking.
- While you can use a knife to cut the muffins open, or a fork to pull them apart, I recommend a muffin splitter. It keeps the muffin from being smushed and keeps that wonderful hole structure in tact!
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I made this recipe and it turned out great – a half batch made ~16 for me. What is the purpose of the firm starter? I found it very difficult to work back into the water on day 2.
Hi, Bethany! The purpose of the firm starter is to give the muffins a head start. It helps with both the rise and flavor development. It’s the same basic principle as using a piece of pâte fermentée in non-starter based hearth loaves. It is difficult to work it back into the water. Try setting the firm starter out an hour or two before you are ready to work so that it can warm up a little before mixing it with the water. That should help.
Great – thanks for the info! I’m making round 2 this week.
Great! Let me know how they turn out!