Like many others during covid, I found myself sucked into the world of sourdough baking! Although I have made my own bread for many years, sourdough was a whole new challenge that I fell in love with. These are the best sourdough English muffins that my family asks for on repeat! They are light, fluffy, and have good chew which makes them the perfect vessel for whatever you want to put on them!
I don’t typically buy English muffins in our house but in my desire to try all things sourdough I thought this would be the perfect recipe to experiment with. Turns out, I was right!
Store bought vs. homemade
Let’s talk about why sourdough is so popular for a second. It all starts with how bread was made “back in the day.” To keep this short, long ago they didn’t have commercial yeast (quick rise) as we do today. In fact, it was necessary for folks to ferment the grains before they could bake them into delicious bread. The fermentation breaks down phytic acid in the grains making it easier for the body to digest. Today many people are sensitive to bread and I believe it’s because the preparation has changed.
Sourdough English muffins contain more nutrients
Sourdough English muffins are better for you because they are easier to digest and contain more nutrients that our body can absorb easier. When the phytic acid is broken down it enables our bodies to process these nutrients better.
Best tips for making Sourdough English Muffins
- Make sure you are using a nice and active sourdough
- Humidity and temperature matter with sourdough and might require you to add a bit more flour than the recipe calls for. If your dough seems runny, add a bit more flour in small increments until it’s no longer runny.
- The temperature of your home will also affect how fast your dough rises. Being in a colder climate I prefer to let my dough rise in the oven the majority of the year.
- Make sure the skillet has preheated and is hot before adding the English muffins. This will prevent the dough from sticking and allow it to get a nice golden color before going in the oven.
The Best Sourdough English Muffins
Ingredients
- 240 grams active sourdough starter, active* (see notes)
- 240 grams warm water (less than 110 degrees F)
- 5 grams honey
- 365 grams Bread Flour
- 30 grams melted butter, cooled
- 5 grams sea salt
- cornmeal for dusting the parchment paper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer (except for the cornmeal) and mix on medium-low speed for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer to the fridge for minimum overnight but idealy 20 hours.
- Cut our 12 4-inch squares of parchment paper and scrunch them in your hands before laying them flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each one generously with cornmeal.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. I like to use my scale to measure the total amount of dough then divide by 12 to get evenly sized English muffins. Form each piece of dough into a smooth ball but pinching sides under, and roll on your work surgace surface to create tension in the dough. If the dough is sticking you can lightly grease you work surface.
- Place each ball onto a parchment square and flatten with your flngers. The dough might be sticky but continue to flatten into a puck shape.
- Cover and allow to rise at room temperature 2-6 hours. If you house is cool it will take the lcloserto 6 hours to rise. You can speed up this process by turning on your oven then immediately turning it off. Make sure the oven is warm not hot, then place the muffins in the oven to proof.
- Once the english muffins have risen, remove from oven and preheat your oven to 350 degrees farenheit .
- Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer as many of the english muffins that will fit onto the griddle. Cook for 5-8 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Transfer to baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or place in fridge or freezer for longer storage.
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