Sourdough Discard English Muffins

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.

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. 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

Related - Sourdough Recipes

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Sourdough Discard English Muffins Recipe

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5 from 4 reviews

• Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
• Total Time: 2.5 hours plus optional chilling
• Yield: 8-12 English Muffins

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Description

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!

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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

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Instructions

1. 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.
2. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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. 
7. Remove to cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
8. 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