These No-Knead Sourdough Discard English Muffins are soft and fluffy and so easy to make with either an overnight option (my favorite!) or same day. The easy dough comes together quickly with no mixer and no kneading. Serve these muffins toasted with butter and honey or make a savory breakfast sandwich to rival all others. Once you've tried homemade English muffins there is no going back to store bought!
Recipe Background and Details
These Sourdough Discard English Muffins were inspired by my many other sourdough discard recipes - I really enjoy finding ways to use up that sourdough starter! Also, they were moved to the top of the list after a comment from a sweet reader saying how much they enjoyed my Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread recipe and asking if I had an English Muffin recipe. I had started to tinker with this recipe months ago and it kind of fell through the crannies as I moved on to other recipes. So I appreciated that kick in the pants to get back on it!
I have to admit, I've never been a huge English Muffin fan - not until I made them at home, that is. I find store bought English Muffins to be bland, gummy, dry, and kind of strange. These Sourdough Discard English Muffins are none of the above. They are soft, puffy, and perfect when toasted or simply eaten warm with whatever toppings or fillings you love. Fill them with bacon, egg, and cheese for breakfast, stuff them with your favorite cold cuts for lunch, or use them as burger buns for dinner. They are so versatile but my favorite way to enjoy them is the same way I love to enjoy my Sourdough Discard Biscuits: with salted butter and honey. Yum!
If you are new to sourdough or interested in starting, be sure to check out my Easy Sourdough Starter Guide. And if you are looking for more ways to use your sourdough discard, give these popular recipes a try: Sourdough Discard Soft Pretzels, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust, Sourdough Discard Crackers, Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread, and Sourdough Discard Banana Bread.
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A bit of English Muffin History
Why do they call it an English muffin?
English muffins were not actually created in England, but they were created by an Englishman in America. Fun fact, in Great Britain English muffins are marketed as American muffins.
Samuel Bath Thomas invented the English muffin in his bakery in Chelsea, New York. What he originally called a “toaster crumpet” soon became known as the English muffin and rose to popularity in the late 1800's as an elevated alternative to toast.
Ingredients
milk: whole milk is my preference. I wouldn't go lower than 2%.
melted butter: or your preferred fat just be aware that if you use something like bacon fat your English muffins will taste like it (not a bad thing, necessarily).
sourdough discard: If you have a pretty active starter you'll get more of a rise but I have also used very, very old discard from the back of my fridge with great results too. So use what you've got!
sugar: I love using sucanat or brown sugar in these as it really gives a nice depth of flavor. Any natural sweetener (honey, cane sugar, maple syrup, agave) you like will work.
active dry yeast: Since we are using unfed sourdough starter, we need a little bit of yeast to help these muffins rise.
salt: I always use kosher salt in my recipes.
flour: I prefer bread flour for these but all purpose works well. Feel free to swap a bit of the flour for a bit of whole wheat flour for some flavor. I like doing about ¼ cup sometimes.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Mix warm milk, melted butter, sourdough discard, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl and let sit for a few minutes. Next, add flour and salt and mix until a slightly sticky dough forms and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Scrape into a rough ball, cover, and let rise until doubled in size which should take 60-90 minutes. At this point I like to pop it in the refrigerator overnight but you can proceed with the recipe if you want to skip that step.
After dough has doubled in size (or after chilling dough overnight), dump onto floured surface and press or roll out to about a 1-inch thickness. Cut rounds with a 3-inch biscuit cutter or drinking glass/jar. Reshape scraps by stacking them, re-rolling, and cutting. I like to get about 9-10 but if you like thinner English Muffins you can roll them a bit thinner and get a few more. This recipe is easily modified.
Alternative shaping option:
Rather than rolling and cutting into rounds, you can divide the dough into 8-12 pieces, form each piece into a ball, and press the ball into a flat disk. This is for the people who hate dealing with scraps.
When you have all muffins shaped, place them on a pan lined heavily with cornmeal or semolina flour. Dust both sides well. Cover the muffins and allow to rise for about an hour until puffy and light. If your dough came straight from the refrigerator this can take about 2 hours. You want these nice and puffy before you fry them.
Now it's time to cook the English Muffins!
Preheat an electric skillet to 300 degrees or preheat a pan over medium-low heat and place risen muffins in leaving a bit of space between each one. You may have to do this in batches. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook on second side for another 5 minutes. At this point I like to reduce the heat to about 250, flip the muffins a few more times until the internal temp registers 195-200 degrees F. You can also pop them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking. This extra cooking time will depend on the thickness. I like mine on the thicker side so I almost always give them an extra few minutes.
Remove from pan and allow to cool on a rack. It's hard to resist a warm English Muffin, but they really are best if you let them cool to room temperature before cracking into one.
Equipment
I really like to use my lidded electric skillet for these as it is very easy to regulate the temperature and prevent scorching. Cast iron does a great job it is just a little harder to regulate and cast iron griddles rarely have lids so you'll have to get creative to cover these muffins if you use a griddle.
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Storage
Store cooled English Muffins in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 3-5 days. These also freeze very well - I suggest splitting them before you freeze so you can pop them straight in the toaster without thawing first.
FAQ
An English muffin is a yeast or sourdough-leavened bread that is cut into small disks and fried in a skillet. They are typically pried open with a fork, rather than cut with a knife, to create craggy edges or "nooks and crannies" that get golden brown and crispy when toasted.
Related - Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Monkey Bread (discard or active starter)
- Sourdough Star Bread
- Sourdough Discard Star Bread
- Sourdough Cheese Crackers
Pairing - Breakfast Recipes
- Banana Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Tortillas (discard or active starter)
- Mulberry Crumble Muffins
Sourdough Discard English Muffins Recipe
These No-Knead Sourdough Discard English Muffins are soft and fluffy and so easy to make with either an overnight option (my favorite!) or same day. The easy dough comes together quickly with no mixer and no kneading. Serve these muffins toasted with butter and honey or make a savory breakfast sandwich to rival all others. Once you've tried homemade English muffins there is no going back to store bought!
- Total Time: 2.5 hours plus optional chilling
- Yield: 8-12 English Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup (140 grams) sourdough discard
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix warm milk, melted butter, sourdough discard, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl and let sit for a few minutes. Next, add flour and salt and mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a slightly sticky dough forms and all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Cover and let rise until doubled in size which should take 60-90 minutes.
- At this point I like to pop it in the refrigerator overnight but you can proceed with the recipe if you want to skip that step.
- After dough has doubled in size (or after chilling dough overnight), dump onto floured surface and press or roll out to about a 1-inch thickness. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter or drinking glass/jar.* Reshape scraps by stacking them, re-rolling, and cutting. I like to get about 9-10 but if you like thinner English Muffins you can roll them a bit thinner and get a few more. This recipe is easily modified to your preferences.
- When you have all muffins shaped, place them on a pan lined heavily with cornmeal or semolina flour. Dust both sides well. Cover the muffins and allow to rise for about an hour until puffy and light. If your dough came straight from the refrigerator this can take about 2 hours. You want these nice and puffy before you fry them.
- Preheat an electric skillet to 300 degrees or a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and place risen muffins in, leaving a bit of space between each one. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook on second side for another 5 minutes, covered. At this point I like to reduce the heat to about 250, flip the muffins a few more times until the internal temp registers 195-200 degrees F. You can also pop them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking. This extra cooking time will depend on the thickness. I like mine on the thicker side so I almost always give them an extra few minutes.
- Remove to cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
- For the best craggy nooks and crannies, use a fork and your fingers to pry the halves apart before toasting.
*Alternative shaping option:
Rather than rolling and cutting into rounds, you can divide the dough into 8-12 pieces, form each piece into a ball, and press the ball into a flat disk. This is for the people who hate dealing with scraps.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes active plus rising and chilling
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: bread, yeast bread, sourdough
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Cynthia Vanden Beukel says
What does the sourdough discard do? Could I substitute it if I don’t have? Or do you have a recipe that doesn’t use it. Thanks!!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Cynthia! This recipe was written as a way to use up sourdough discard. The discard just adds a nice tangy flavor and it creates a no-waste option for someone who might be building up their starter or just has a surplus of it. If you want to omit it, you can add an extra 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water in its place. I have not tested it this way, but theoretically it will work! Let me know how it goes if you try it. Thanks and good luck!!
Rachel L says
I wish I could give this recipe 10 stars! I’m new to sourdough and have been on the hunt for easy recipes. This recipe was so easy to follow and my English muffins came out so good!! I made these Sunday and am already making another batch (today’s Tuesday) because my family and I have devoured them. They make super yummy breakfast sandwiches or are just super delicious with some jam. Highly recommend this recipe!
Florence Steven says
This is my third time making the muffins and they are perfect!! They are pretty easy to make. I made them in one afternoon after skiing! I have also made them later in the evening and let them rise in the fridge overnight and they did come out great too!
I usually double the recipe and freeze them.
Great recipe, Thank you!!!
Kimberly Smith says
So I tried making these, following the instructions. My dough never got right, it was sticky and never formed into a dough ball. I looked at another recipe ( identical to yours ) however that recipe called for 3 1/2 cups of flour. The 2 1/2 cups of flour did not seem to be enough. Did I do something wrong? Note: I used the other recipe that I found and the dough formed into a nice doughball, similar to the one you have pictured. I would really like to try your recipe again, any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Kimberly. Thanks for giving my recipe a try. This dough is meant to be quite sticky and soft which I do point out in the instructions. It is never meant to come together in a ball but the sticky, shaggy dough rises and forms into delicious English muffins. The high hydration is very common in English muffins and it is what creates the nooks and crannies. Some recipes actually use an even more hydrated dough than I do but I wanted to make mine a bit easier to work with (take a quick look at Preppy Kitchen's English muffin recipe for an example of a VERY wet dough). If you want to add more flour you certainly can, but too much more and it will have a texture more like a regular bread roll and less like an English muffin. I'd encourage you to try it again and trust the sticky dough - just be sure to use plenty of flour when patting it out and shaping as well as plenty of cornmeal for rising. As you can see from the comments, other bakers have had great success, so I hope you do too if you decide to try again. Thanks again and I hope this helps. - Anita
Kimberly Smith says
Hi Anita, thank you for getting back to me. I am definitely going to try your recipe again. Maybe I just needed to add a little more, 1tbl at a time. My dough was more in the soupy side. I did try another recipe as mentioned, however, you’re exactly right. They came out more like a heavy thick bread.
I will let you know how it goes second time around. And yes, you have many wonderful comments! I’m still learning, pretty new to the bread making world. Thank you again! Kim
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
You're very welcome! I'm always here to help and I do try to respond quickly. It could just be that your starter is more hydrated and if so, a bit more flour will definitely help! Don't hesitate to reach out here or by email if you have any more questions.
Kimberly says
They came out great! With Anita’s help and encouragement I tried making these again trusting that my dough was what it was supposed to be, sticky and shaggy so to speak. I changed my rating to 5 star because the recipe is easy and you’ll get great home made English muffins. Be sure to use a fork when splitting them! The other reason for the five star rating is that Anita will respond to your comments. She answered my questions and encouraged me to try again. Thank you, Anita, for your help guidance with my learning curve on making English muffins!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Kimberly! You just made my morning. I have been wondering if you tried the recipe and how it turned out if you did and I am SO HAPPY to read this amazing feedback. I'm so glad I was able to encourage you to try again. And I can't tell you how much it means that you took the time to not only leave this comment but that you updated the star rating. It really helps me out and it lets others know that this is a great recipe. Thank you so, so much! xoxo - Anita
Allyson Arnold says
I was wondering if I need to do anything different in the recipe if I want to add blueberries, or cinnamon raisin muffins.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Allyson, no you won't have to change anything in the dough to make those variations. Just know that the fresh berries will add a touch of extra moisture to the dough but I think they will turn out great!
Ashley says
can I substitute whole milk for heavy cream if thats all I have?
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi! Yes, you definitely can. I'd recommend thinning it a little. Maybe do 3/4 cup cream and 1/4 cup water.
Debbie says
How long does it take to double in size approximately?
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Debbie. It should take 60-90 minutes for the dough to double in size but could be less or more depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the liveliness of your starter and/or yeast.
Aly says
Hi! I prepared the dough for these on Wednesday and they’ve been sitting in the fridge. Can I roll them out tonight and cook them or is it bad?
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi! They should be fine! As long as they puff up during the second rise (after you roll them and shape them) you should be good to go!
Krusatyr says
Using Sourdough discard adds important flavor. A prominent national manufacturer adds vinegar to their English Muffins, likely to replicate sourdough twang.
Adelaide says
These are so good! Soft, fluffy, craggy, and wonderful for early morning breakfasts. I make these in big batches now and freeze packs of them!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Adelaide! I am so happy you have added this recipe to your rotation! I love having a big batch of these in the freezer as well! Thank you for this amazing feedback!
Bri says
Hi. Can you use instant yeast instead of active dry?
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi! Yes, you can 🙂
Roxy says
These are great. Have made them 3 times.
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Roxy! I am so glad you've been enjoying this recipe! Thanks so much for making these and for the 5 stars!
Miranda says
What do you recommend covering them with if you fry on griddle?? I don’t have electric skillet I’m assuming that is important part of process!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi there. You can use an overturned cake pan or two or anything heatproof that will cover them without squishing them. Also, a double layer of aluminum foil will work.
Gina says
I made these! They came out great. Never know what to do with my discard sour dough and this is a great idea, thanks!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
I'm so glad you enjoyed these! It's hard to beat a fresh, warm English muffin! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this kind feedback. xo - Anita
Ryan says
Silly question - do I let the dough double in size before putting it into the fridge?
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Not silly! Yes, let it double in size for the first rise and then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Christina says
I just baked and ate my first homemade English Muffin, came out very nice. I didn’t read the recipe through at first, and so when it came to adding the flour I realized it called for bread flour which, I did not have. Instead, I used AP and substituted 1/2 cup with some unbleached whole wheat flour I had, and crossed my fingers. I opted to place in refrigerator overnight, used a glass to cut the muffins; they rose and fried nicely. I also opted to finish at 350 for 10 minutes, as I cut mine on the thicker side; approx. 1”. The extra oven time brought them up to 190 degrees. In the future, I might play around with my flours, water, and sourdough starter to get bigger nooks and crannies, but as is, they were there, and they impressed the family. Thanks
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Hi Christine - thank you for giving this recipe a try for your first homemade English muffins! I'm glad it worked well for you and I should add a note to the recipe card that AP flour is just fine in a pinch. I bet that whole wheat added a really nice flavor and texture. I also like to cut them on the thicker side and toss them in the oven to finish - I just prefer the texture that way. Thanks again for making these and for this kind feedback and 5-star rating. I really appreciate it!!
Diana Steinmetz says
These are so good. Turned out wonderful!!
And easy to make!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Thank you Diana! I am so happy you enjoyed these! I appreciate your feedback so much!!
Diana Steinmetz says
I’m anxious to try this! But how much yeast should I use? Thanks!!!☺️
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
1 teaspoon! My goodness that is an important detail I left out - I just updated the recipe card. Sorry about that!