Whole Wheat English Muffins
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
Soft and chewy 100% whole-wheat English muffins are going to become a family favorite. This homemade English muffin recipe is incredibly easy to make and tastes so much better than anything store-bought.
This post is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
After I shared my homemade English muffins, so many of you asked for a whole wheat version. So I teamed up with Bob’s Red Mill to bring you what you asked for.
Whole wheat English muffins are a high-fiber, low-fat option for your bread cravings. They are made from scratch with natural ingredients and sweetened with a touch of honey.
I used quality organic whole wheat flour from Bob’s Red Mill so the muffins come out perfect every time. The flour is 100% stone ground and has all of the nutrients still intact. This makes the flour a wholesome option which is often preferred when making bread for breakfast.
Since the English muffins are leavened with yeast, they do require time for the dough the rise. There are two rises with this recipe. The first rise happens after the dough has been combined and kneaded. The second rise happens after the English muffins are shaped.
I chose to use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast. The only difference is instant yeast is more reliable and the dough takes less time to rise.
Why this recipe works
- I adapted the recipe from my tried and true English muffin recipe. I used whole wheat instead of bread flour. And reduced it by ¼ cup.
- I added ¼ cup more milk to help hydrate the dough. Whole wheat flour will absorb more liquid so you need that extra liquid to give you a great textured muffin.
- Use instant yeast. I found that instant yeast works best for 100% whole wheat bread. It’s more reliable and rapid rise, meaning it will work quicker and require less rise time.
Ingredients
This English muffin recipe uses the same ingredients as my regular homemade English muffins. The only difference is the use of organic whole wheat flour. Let’s go over everything you’ll need.
- Milk: It’s best to use whole milk. Anything low-fat or a milk alternative will not give you the same results.
- Honey: Use raw local honey that is of high-quality. The honey helps feed the yeast to ensure the dough rises properly.
- Yeast: Instant yeast works best. It is more stable and reliable.
- Egg: You’ll need an egg for these muffins. The egg enriches the dough and makes the muffins taste better.
- Butter: A little melted butter also enriches the dough.
- Flour: Bob’s Red Mill Organic Whole Wheat Flour is what I tested the recipe with. It’s of high quality and offers premium results. I can’t guarantee that other whole wheat flour brands will work the same.
- Salt: Because salt makes everything taste better.
- Cornmeal: You only need a dusting of cornmeal. It’s used to keep the shaped dough from sticking to the parchment paper and griddle.
To make these you’ll need:
- Stand mixer: A stand mixer will make your life easier. It does all the hard work for you. If you don’t own one, you can still make the muffins by mixing the dough with a wooden spoon and then knead it by hand.
- Griddle: A griddle that’s either electric or sits over a stove burner will work just fine.
- A large frying pan will also work great.
How to make whole wheat English muffins
Making English muffins at home is extremely simple. Make sure you follow the instructions exactly as they are written.
The process does take a bit of time because the dough needs two rises. So plan ahead for that. The muffins also freeze well, so you can make a batch well in advance and freeze them for later use.
The Dough – English muffin dough should be fairly wet and sticky. My whole wheat version isn’t quite as sticky as ciabatta bread but it should have a good amount of hydration. The dough is also very soft, making it easy to shape into small discs for muffins. You’ll love the chewy texture whole wheat flour offers!
Step 1: Make the dough
Start by warming milk and honey in a saucepan over low heat until it reaches 105-115°F. Then add the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes.
You typically don’t need to do this with instant yeast. I like to since we are using 100% whole wheat flour. Sometimes it can be difficult to get whole wheat flour to rise because of its structure. But activating the yeast with warm milk and honey will give the yeast a little boost to ensure the dough rises properly.
After the yeast is good and foamy, whisk in the egg and melted butter.
Add all the whole wheat flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and turn it on low speed. Gradually pour in the yeast mixture.
Let the mixer run on low until all the dry flour is incorporated. You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the dough is smooth and sticky. This will take about 4 minutes.
Step 2: Proof and shape the dough
Scrape the dough into a lightly greased bowl. Brush a little oil over the top of the dough then cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Set the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. This can take around 45 minutes. The warmer the environment, the quicker it will rise.
I like to have my oven preheating so that the heat will rise up to the microwave above the stove. This makes the microwave the perfect cozy, little spot for the dough to hang out.
Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a dough cutter to divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces.
Roll the pieces of dough into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Place the discs of dough onto baking sheets that are lined with parchment paper and dusted with cornmeal.
Cover the muffins with a lint-free towel and set them in a draft-free place to rise for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Bake the muffins
If you haven’t already, preheat the oven to 325°F. Warm a griddle over medium-low heat.
Gently place a few discs of dough onto the griddle. Be careful to not overcrowd the griddle. Cook the English muffins for about 2 minutes on each side, until the tops and bottoms are golden brown.
Transfer the muffins back to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have browned all the muffins.
Bake the muffins in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. I prefer to bake them because I feel like they burn too easily on the griddle. Anytime I try to cook English muffins fully on the griddle, the outside is burnt while the inside is doughy. Baking them in the oven is a safeguard for perfectly cooked muffins.
If you want to double check they are in fact cooked through, use a probe thermometer. The internal temperature should read 200°F.
Cool the English muffins completely before slicing them open or the centers will appear doughy. Toast the halved muffins until lightly browned. Serve them warm with your favorite toppings.
How long do they last?
Keep the English muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze them?
Whole wheat English muffins will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then warm before serving.
How to slice them?
The easiest and best way to slice an English muffin is with the tines of a fork. Press the tines in the center all the way around the edges of the muffin. This will allow the muffin to be pulled apart easily while keeping each nook and cranny intact.
Tips for success
- Weigh the flour! This will ensure you are using the correct amount. Accidentally using too much flour will cause the muffins to be too dense.
- Use instant yeast for the best results. Regular active dry yeast can be used but it will take longer for the dough to rise.
- A stand mixer makes it much easier to knead the dough but if you don’t have one, you can certainly knead by hand.
- Don’t rush the process. The dough needs time to rise. It will take about 45 minutes for the dough to double in size.
If you like English muffins, you’ll love these other delicious bread recipes:
100% Whole Wheat English Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 1 packet
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 ¾ cups (593 g) Bob's Red Mill organic whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk and honey over low heat until it reaches 105-115ºF. Remove from heat, stir in the yeast, and set aside for 5 mins. Whisk in the egg and melted butter.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the dough hook attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed and gradually pour the yeast mixture into the flour.
- Continue to beat on low until all the flour is incorporated, stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Turn the speed up to medium and mix for about 4 minutes, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is smooth and elastic. The dough should feel slightly tacky when gently pressed with your fingertip.
- Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Brush a little oil over the top of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and generously dust the paper with cornmeal. Set aside.
- Gently punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough together into a ball and divide it in half. Divide each half into 8 equal-sized pieces. You should have 16 dough balls. Roll each piece into a ball then flatten the ball into a disk. (If the dough is too sticky, lightly oil your hands to make it easier to handle the dough.)
- Place the disks on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle a little cornmeal over the tops. Cover with a lint-free towel and set in a draft-free place for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. Gently lift each disk with a spatula and place it on the griddle. (Handle the dough with care so you don’t deflate it) Cook them for about 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned on both sides. Work in batches.
- Place the muffins back on the baking sheet and bake them for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. Check for doneness with a probe thermometer. It should read 200°F.
- Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- Split the English muffins with a fork and toast them in a toaster until the edges are lightly browned. Serve warm with your favorite topping.
Notes
- Active dry yeast can be used if you don’t have instant yeast. The dough may take a little longer to rise.
- English muffins are good for up 5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- English muffins can also be wrapped in plastic wrap, sealed in a zip-top bag, and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and toast before serving.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
Terrific! I expected to have difficulty with this recipe, as it was my first round with English muffins and I didn’t know how wet the dough should be. I worried the whole time I wasn’t doing it right. I used English muffin rings, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, and I am thrilled with the results. Time consuming, but worth it, I think. Even though these are all whole wheat, they rose well and have an airy crumb….just as they should. The rings produced wonderful tall muffins. My plan is to make a variety of freezer breakfast sandwiches, so I’m glad the recipe makes a large batch. Next time I am going to use a 1/3 cup measure to get the dough into the rings (as suggested by another foodie). Thank you!
I had sticky dough too. I sprinkled in just enough flour at the late stage of mixer for it to start to pull away from the bowl. I oiled the foil before placing (I did not have parchment). Later, when transferring with spatula, I oiled the spatula each time and this helped them pull away better.
Also, I only had 1 % but there was a dollop of whip cream leftover in the fridge. I threw it in the dough. I had no fresh eggs so used 1 Tbs chia and 2.5 Tbs water (5 minute soak until gelled).
The muffins turned out fabulous!
Thanks!
Just a note – this is the *stickiest* dough I have ever encountered. Both on the board and the parchment, if I ever try this again I will use way more flour and cornmeal than I interpreted her meaning when she said “light” and “as little as possible”. It was even impossible to get the discs off the parchment onto the frying pan! There was so much dough left on the parchment I had to start over with a fresh sheet before baking. They did poof back up during frying so hopefully it will be fine? But it really wasn’t much fun to battle the dough at every turn.
I do appreciate the recipe, just could have used more warning/guidance on that so I hope this note helps someone else.
I’m sorry to hear the dough was so sticky for you. There are so many variables that can affect yeast dough, like the humidity where you live. You may very well need to incorporate a tablespoon or more flour during the mixing process so it’s not so sticky. Also, oiling your hands a bit will make it easier to handle the dough.
@Jen Sobjack, oiling my hands! Great idea, thanks. I’m trying it again today because they are *so* delicious it’s worth it 🙂
Nice to read the question and answer about stand mixture vs by hand. I only have a hand mixer that I am sure would blow out if I tried using that. Made bread “back in the day” and only used my hands. Silicone spatula would work great with the hand as well. Fall is here and I’m feeling like cooking.
Thanks for the recipes.
I used Milanaise Organic Whole Wheat Bread Flour and 1% lactose-free milk.
I had to put a dash more of flour to get the right consistency, let’s say around 650g.
I mixed with a spatula, forget about mixing by hand for this recipe. The dough was very sticky and difficult to manipulate properly, but as soon as they started to griddle in my pan they kept form.
I made 14 of them instead of 16, so it gets to 214 cals per English muffins for me.
They are sooo good!!
I’ll redo this recipe again for sure.
Looking forward to trying these. Any recommendation of how to make them if I’m not using a mixer and doing everything by hand?
You would just knead it by hand and use as little flour as possible when doing so. You can mix the dough together in a bowl with a wooden spoon or a clean hand before turning it out to knead it.
I followed the recipe exactly except the cooking. I cooked them over medium low for 7 minutes on each side on the stove top on my nonstick pan (no oven needed … the way I cook my regular english muffins).
Love them! I usually don’t like my whole wheat bread when I give it a try … but love these muffins!
I tried the receipe . It turned out amazing and tasty. I share it with family and friends. Thank u
I’m excited to try this recipe. If I wanted to use a mix of white and whole wheat flour, would I have to change anything in the recipe?
I haven’t tested it but it may be okay with equal amounts of each flour.
Just came here to say these were so fluffy! I read other recipes that said 100% whole wheat were dense and these were not at all. I couldn’t resist and ate them straight from the oven. Thanks for sharing!