You can make delicious sourdough English muffins at home with just a few simple ingredients. While store-bought English muffins may be convenient, there is something special about making your own from scratch. You can achieve a soft interior and those signature air pockets with the added benefits of fermentation. In this blog post, we will discuss why making your own sourdough English muffins is worth the effort, a description of the process, customizations that can be made, and a recipe to get you started.

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Why Make Your Own?

One of the main reasons to make your own sourdough English muffins is the taste. The sourdough adds a unique flavor profile that cannot be replicated by store-bought muffins. Additionally, making your own allows you to customize the flavor to your liking by adjusting the fermentation time or adding different ingredients such as herbs or spices. Another benefit of making your own muffins is that you can control the ingredients, ensuring that they are fresh and of high quality.

The Process

Making sourdough English muffins requires a few steps but is relatively simple. The process begins by making the dough the night before you want to bake them. Alternatively, you can make the dough in the morning and bake it in the evening. 

First, you will need to create a levain, which is a mixture of sourdough starter, flour, and water. Allow the levain to sit for 4-8 hours. 

Once your levain begins to bubble, you will mix the dough, and allow it to ferment overnight. The key to a successful sourdough English muffin is ensuring that the dough is fermented properly, which can take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. This long fermentation time allows the dough to develop complex flavors and creates the characteristic air pockets in the muffins.

In the morning you will shape the muffins (see below), and cook them on a griddle or cast iron skillet. First, cook them on low to allow them to rise. Once they have risen, increase the heat a bit to create that golden exterior, and cook on both sides for about 4 minutes. These are my favorite pans for baking English muffins, tortillas, and just about anything else! They are handcrafted and designed to be passed down for generations!

I wrote this recipe in grams but if you do not have a kitchen scale, check out my Metric Conversion Chart to determine the measurements in cups and tablespoons.

Shaping the English Muffins

After your muffins have fermented overnight, place the dough on your lightly floured counter and gently stretch until the dough is about 1 inch thick. Cut out the rounds in whatever size you’d like. A biscuit cutter works well but you can get creative here. I have used the rim of a glass, wide-mouth mason jar bands, and cookie cutters. Sprinkle both sides of the muffins with semolina or cornmeal to prevent sticking and for that signature texture on the exterior.

Customizations

One of the best things about making your own sourdough English muffins is the ability to customize them to your liking. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. You can use any flour you’d like here but I suggest All-Purpose or Bread flour.
2. You can use any sweetener you’d like such as honey, agave, or coconut sugar.
3. Optional Add-Ins:

• Add herbs or spices to the dough, such as rosemary or garlic for a more savory.
• Top the muffins with cheese when cooking on the second side.
• Add cinnamon and raisins for a sweet muffin.
• Use whole wheat for some added nutrition.