These Homemade English Muffins are made from a simple dough, and taste so much better than the preservative-filled ones they sell at the store. This recipe only requires one 1-hour rise, and is overall quite easy to make!

English Muffin Recipe - Served Toasted on Wooden Board with butter and jams

When melted butter pools inside the nooks and crannies of a crunchy, toasted homemade English muffin…oh…that’s heaven to me.

English muffins have always been “a thing” for my family. If you walked into the pantry of my childhood home at any time of night or day, you would find them in a variety of flavors: sourdough, whole wheat, cinnamon raisin, rosemary…always ready to be toasted for breakfast!

If you’ve never made English muffins at home before, they are one of the easiest and BEST bread recipes to make yourself.

This homemade English muffin recipe only requires one rise, and the dough is really simple. It’s made with all-purpose flour you probably already have in your pantry, and not bread flour.

Plus, they don’t have the preservatives that many store-bought versions have.

Tips for Best Results

Don’t rush the rise – You will need about an hour for the dough to double in size, but if your kitchen is cool and it seems to need longer, allow a little more time to get the full rise. This is the time the yeast needs to put the gas bubbles in the dough, which helps the end result be lighter rather than denser.

Push the cutter straight down – Just as when you make Scones, Biscuits, or anything else where you’re using a cutter, make sure you push the cutter straight down and don’t twist it at all on the way down. This will ensure the English muffins rise to their full potential.

Toast again before enjoying – The English muffins will be fully cooked at the end of the recipe, but just like with the ones you buy at the store, you’ll want to split and toast them again before serving for the classic experience.

Step by Step Overview:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, start by proofing active dry yeast (instant yeast is okay too) in warm water mixed with a little bit of sugar:

Blooming Yeast Over warm Water in Bowl

Tip: I use water here in order to keep the English muffins dairy-free. However, you may use whole milk instead for a richer and better flavor, if you consume dairy. Make sure to use 110F warm milk, just like the water.

Add all purpose flour, an egg, salt, and honey to the yeast mixture:

Pouring Honey Over Flour Mixture in Bowl

Mix the ingredients with a spatula to roughly combine into a sticky dough:

English Muffin Dough in Bowl in Shaggy State

Then transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, and knead until smooth:

Tradition English Muffin Dough in Stainless Steel Bowl

Let the soft dough rise for about an hour in a warm place, the bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, until doubled in size.

It will look stretchy and web-like on the sides, like this, when you pull the dough from the sides of the bowl:

Stretchy Webby Risen English Muffin Dough in Bowl

Gently punch down the dough to deflate some of the gas bubbles (otherwise the English muffins will rise too much during baking), then roll it out about 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.

Use a cutter to cut circles from the dough, making sure to push the cutter straight down instead of twisting it:

How to Make English Muffins - By Cutting Circles with a Metal cutter

Place the 12 equal pieces of dough onto each sheet pan (you’ll have two trays total). I like lining them with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Cut Dough Circles on a Silicone Mat

Then bake on the prepared baking sheet for 7 minutes on each side, until lightly golden brown on the bottom.

Cool your homemade bread completely on a wire rack before enjoying.

Griddle Option

English muffins can also be made on the griddle, however I prefer the oven because it’s easier, quicker, and cooks more evenly because the hot air circulates all around instead of the heat just coming from the bottom. Because the griddle is usually limited in size, it also often requires multiple batches.

If using an electric griddle, it can take anywhere from 7 to 14 minutes on each side, depending on thickness and temperature. They are done when the interior measures 200F with a thermometer. You can also try cooking batches in a cast-iron skillet.

Homemade English Muffins - On Wooden board with butter and Jam

Enjoy, and maybe even make some Red Neck Eggs Benedict!

How to Serve

The English muffins will be fully cooked after their time in the oven, but just as with the storebought version, I recommend fork-splitting or slicing in half and toasting before serving. This gives you both that chewy texture and crisp edge.

If you ask me, the best English muffins are simply spread with good quality salted butter. But they can also be spread with Orange Honey Butter, Pumpkin Butter, Strawberry Jam, White Chocolate Peanut Butter, or whatever spread you’d like.

Serve promptly and eat within 15 minutes of toasting, otherwise the bread tends to get stale.

Banana Bread, English Scones, and Cinnamon Raisin Bread are some of my other favorite homemade breads to bake in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and FAQ

How do you store leftover English muffins?

Because there are no preservatives, the English muffins will keep at room temperature for 2 days. For a longer shelf life, keep in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you freeze English muffins?

Place in an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave on the counter for 1 hour.

How do you reheat English muffins?

The toaster is best, however if you want to reheat large amounts at one time, you can also reheat them in the oven. Fork split or cut each one in half, then heat in a 400F oven for about 5 minutes, until crisp.

Can you make this recipe by hand?

Certainly, it will just require a bit of arm work. The dough is not overly sticky, so it should be relatively easy to work with.

Can you use other kinds of flour?

I have not tested this with other types of flour, like semolina flour or whole wheat flour. If you want to try whole wheat flour, do not attempt to substitute more than half of the flour, and expect a denser end result.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

English Muffin Recipe Served Toasted on Wooden Board with butter and jams

Homemade English Muffins

Servings: 24
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
These homemade english muffins are made from a simple dough, and only need one rise!
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Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups 110°F water
  • 1/4 ounce packet active dry yeast* (2.25 tsp)
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 22.5 oz all-purpose flour, by weight (4.5 cups, if measuring)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 tsp salt

Instructions 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy (this means the yeast is active and alive). 
  • Add the flour, egg, honey and salt, and use a spatula to roughly combine the dough. Fit the bowl to the stand mixer and knead the dough for about 10 minutes on medium low speed using the dough hook. 
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let it double in size, which should take about an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 400° F, and line two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  • Gently punch down the dough to deflate some of the gas bubbles (otherwise the English muffins will rise too much during baking). Lightly flour the countertop. Roll the dough to a half inch thickness. Use a 3″ cutter to cut circles from the dough, pushing straight and directly down to the counter to cut, then twisting to release (do not twist on the way down). 
  • Re-roll the dough and cut the scraps, and you should have about 24 English muffin circles. Place the dough circles on the prepared sheet pans, with 12 per pan.
  • Bake each tray for 7 minutes, then flip the English muffins over and bake for another 7 minutes. If you have a thermometer, you can check that they are done by measuring a 200°F internal temperature.
  • Cool completely on wire racks, then they are ready to be cut in half, toasted, and spread with your favorite butter or jam.

Notes

*You may also use an equivalent amount of quick-rise or instant yeast.
Storing leftovers: Because there are no preservatives, the English muffins will keep at room temperature for 2 days. For a longer shelf life, keep in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freezing: Place in an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave on the counter for 1 hour.
Reheating: The toaster is best, however if you want to reheat large amounts at one time, you can also reheat them in the oven. Fork split or cut each one in half, then heat in a 400F oven for about 5 minutes, until crisp.
Sweetness: These English muffins have a distinct sweetness to them from the honey. If you want less sweetness, reduce the amount to 2 tablespoons honey.
Griddle option: Some English muffin recipes are cooked on a griddle, which you can do with this same dough if you’d like. I prefer the oven because it’s easier, quicker, and cooks more evenly because the hot air circulates all around instead of the heat just coming from the bottom. Sometimes the outsides can get too brown before the interior cooks through, and then you have to put them in the oven anyway. Because the griddle is usually limited in size, it also often requires multiple batches. If you want to try the griddle, heat to 350F, and it can take anywhere from 7 to 14 minutes on each side, depending on thickness and temperature. They are done when the interior measures 200F with a thermometer. 

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 2g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 75mg, Potassium: 32mg, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 1.3mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug

[Updated from the archives with new photos, writing, and tweaked recipe. Originally posted November 2010]