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Sourdough English Muffin Recipe

Sourdough English Muffins

Delicious sourdough English Muffins are a breakfast staple. This overnight recipe is so easy, even the kids can do it!
4.71 from 105 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Fermentation Time 12 hours
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American, English
Servings 24 Muffins
Calories 121 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Biscuit Cutter

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g Sourdough Starter  fed and bubbly (reduce in warmer weather)
  • 500 g Milk cold is better for overnight ferment
  • 600 g Bread Flour
  • 12 g Salt
  • 20 g Honey you can use sugar if you want to
  • 50 g Cornmeal for dusting

Instructions
 

  • In a large glass bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, including your sourdough starter and bring it together to form a dough. The dough will be quite sticky. Gently knead the dough to bring it together.
    It's easy to do by hand in the bowl for less washing up, but if you prefer to do it in a stand mixer that's perfectly fine too.
  • Once you have a dough formed, cover it in plastic wrap and set aside for around 12 hours to ferment at room temperature (see notes). You want the dough to rise (it doesn't need to double though). It should rise at least half in the bowl and become a smoother, structured dough (see the pics above of my dough). It's important that the dough maintains its gluten structure in order to be shaped into rounds.
    Just like traditional sourdough bread, you'll need to watch the dough, rather than the clock.
  • Once you're happy with the dough, you can wet your hands and gently shape your dough into a rough ball by performing a set of stretch and folds. This will deflate the dough - but don't worry.
    Now leave the dough to rest for around 30 minutes.
  • Dust your work surface with corn meal and then ease the dough out of the bowl. Sprinkle corn meal on the top of the dough too. Depending on how sticky your dough is, you might need to add some extra as you go along so keep it handy.
  • Gently press the dough into a rectangle using your hands. Using a rolling pin, gently roll your dough to around ½ - ¾ inch thick.
    You don't want it too thick or your muffins will be doughy and take too long to cook in the middle. Using a biscuit cutter (or glass or plastic tumbler) gently cut out rounds of your dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with corn meal. Keep going until you can't cut any more. Then gather up the dough, roll it back out and repeat until you've used all the dough up.
    Cover the muffins with a tea towel and leave to rest for around 30 minutes.
  • Heat a fry pan or skillet on the stove top. You want a medium heat - you don't want to burn the outside and leave the inside raw, so just keep an eye on them and adjust as you need to.
    Place 4 - 6 muffins in your skillet, cover with the lid and cook for around 6 minutes on each side. There is no need for oil or butter, the corn meal will protect them from sticking. Turn them over once you see the dough bubbling (they will be puffed up from the heat).
    Once they are golden on each side, take off the heat and allow to cool. Repeat the process until all of the muffins are cooked.
  • Once they are cool, use a fork to split them and enjoy them with butter or toast them for extra golden goodness!
    Sourdough English Muffin Recipe

Notes

A few notes on the fermentation times:
 
It's ok to leave the mixture at room temperature, even though it has milk in it. The good bacteria in your sourdough starter will protect your dough.
If your house is very warm, leave it to ferment at room temp for half the time and then put it in the fridge to avoid it over fermenting. You could also reduce the amount of starter too.
The dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days after the initial fermentation has occurred at room temp.
 
Nooks & Crannies
To make sure you get the nooks and crannies English Muffins are famous for, make sure you use a fork to split them rather than slicing them with a knife.

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 203mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Sourdough Discard, Sourdough Recipes
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