Sourdough English Muffins
A flavorful english muffin recipe that’ll make you ditch the store-bought bags
These plushy english muffins make for a fabulous eggs benedict or a top-tier breakfast sandwich—or simply toast and slather with salted butter and honey.
YIELD: Makes around 9-12 english muffins, depending on how thick you pat out the dough
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. salted butter
2 tbsp. agave or honey
2 tsp. kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
100g ripe sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
35g whole wheat flour (1/4 cup)
500g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups) + more for dusting
About 1/2 cup cornmeal, for dusting
TOOLS:
Stand mixer, fitted with a mixing bowl and dough hook attachment
Plastic wrap
Parchment paper or a non-stick silicone baking mat
1/2 sheet pan for baking
3-inch round cutter (or a cup)
A large cutting board or other flat surface (kitchen counter) for shaping the dough
A cast iron griddle, skillet, or comal
INSTRUCTIONS
Making the dough:
Combine milk, water, butter, and agave (or honey) in a glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 45 seconds until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm (120 degrees [F] or under as to not kill the yeast). You can use an instant read thermometer or check the temperature by sticking your finger briefly in the mixture; it should feel warm, but not hot.
Add the warm milk mixture to the mixing bowl, along with the starter, flours, and salt. With the dough hook attached, let knead on low (speed 2 on a Kitchen-Aid) for 6-8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, but is still very sticky.
Transfer the dough to a greased container with allowance for the dough to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
Shaping the dough:
Line a 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and dust with a layer of cornmeal.
Generously sprinkle some AP flour over your work surface. Flour your hands—or a bowl scraper if you have one—and gently turn the dough out, taking care to avoid pressing down on the dough and releasing air. Sprinkle more flour over the top of the dough. Pat it out with your hands until it’s somewhere between 1 and 1/2 inch thick.
Using a 3-inch round cutter, or a cup, cut as many circles from the dough as possible. You can pinch any large scraps together to cut out more circles, but discard the smaller pieces.
Space the circles out on the sheet pan dusted with cornmeal. Sprinkle more cornmeal over the tops of the circles and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1-2 hours.
Cooking the dough:
When ready to cook, preheat your cast iron griddle, skillet, or comal over medium-low heat, and set the oven to 350 degrees (F). Once the cast iron is warm, gently lift some of the circles and space them out on the pan/griddle. Cook for 5-8 minutes on the first side until the bottom is browned and the dough has puffed up. Gently flip, and cook on the second side for another 5-8 minutes.
Remove the english muffins from the heat and set aside. Brush off the extra cornmeal from the surface of the cast iron and repeat the cooking process until every piece has had a turn on the stove.
Shake the residual cornmeal off the sheet pan and parchment paper/silicone baking mat. Transfer the par-cooked english muffins back the lined pan. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for around 6-8 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of about 200 degrees (F).
Remove from the oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes, then enjoy! Pro tip; to ensure maximum nooks and crannies, I ditch the serrated knife. Split the english muffins open by stabbing a fork equatorially around the pale midsection, then pull the halves apart.
Note: In an airtight container, these english muffins can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days, or frozen for around 2 months.