Homemade English muffins are so much easier than you think! This recipe is simple and will give you soft, chewy muffins in no time. Enjoy them with butter or your favorite jam!
Prep Time 35 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Additional Time 2 hourshours
Total Time 2 hourshours55 minutesminutes
Servings 16
Ingredients
2cups(480ml)whole milk
3tablespoonshoney
2 ¼teaspoonsactive dry yeast, 1 packet
1large egg
4tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
5cups(650g)bread flour
1 ½teaspoonsalt
cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
In a small saucepan, heat 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. with the mixer on low speed, gradually pour the milk mixture into the flour.
Continue to beat on low until the flour is incorporated, stop and scrape down the sides and bottom 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 out into a lightly oiled bowl. Brush a little oil over the top of the dough. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
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. (If you want smaller muffins, divide each half into 11 pieces to equal 22 dough balls.) Roll each piece into a ball and 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 a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been dusted with cornmeal. Sprinkle more cornmeal over the tops. Cover with a lint-free towel and set in a draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. Gently lift each disk with a plastic 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 cookie sheet and bake them for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature should be about 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
Split the English muffins with a fork and toast them a toaster until the edges are lightly browned. Serve warm with your favorite jam or butter.
Notes
Milk: I prefer using whole milk because it yields a rich, tender texture. Some readers have had success using almond milk, oat milk, and skim milk.
Honey: If you don't have honey or don't want to use honey, you may use 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in its place.
Yeast: This recipe doesn't call for proofing the yeast in water before you use it. It goes directly into the warm milk to proof. Because of this, it's important to use brand new yeast that's well within its expiration date. If you are worried about whether your yeast is good, you can add it to 1/4 cup of warm water (105-115°F) with 1 teaspoon of sugar and let it sit for 5 minutes. If it foams, it's good to use. Omit 1/4 cup of milk (so you'd only use 1 and 3/4 cups) and add the yeast mixture to the warmed milk mixture as you would in step 1.
Flour: Bread flour yields the classic chewy texture and will give you the very best results. All-purpose flour may be used by keep in mind it contains less protein and the texture of the muffins may suffer.
Shaping muffins: To get muffins that are uniform in size, I suggest weighing the dough. For 16 muffins, each portion of dough should weigh 78 grams. For 22 muffins, each portion of dough should weigh 57 grams.
Make ahead tip
Muffins are good for up 5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
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.