Description
This Homemade English Muffins recipe yields soft, chewy, and perfectly golden muffins with a characteristic nooks-and-crannies texture that’s ideal for slathering with butter or jam. Made from simple pantry ingredients and cooked on the stovetop, these English muffins are perfect for breakfast or brunch and deliver a delightful homemade touch to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 ¼ cups warm milk (not hot)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
For Cooking
- ¼ cup cornmeal (for sprinkling)
- Butter (for greasing skillet)
Instructions
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Yeast: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the warm milk, melted butter, egg, sugar, instant yeast, and salt until well mixed and uniform.
- Knead the Dough: Attach the dough hook and mix in the all-purpose flour on medium speed for 7-8 minutes until you achieve a smooth, elastic dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. If the dough feels too sticky, incorporate up to 1 tablespoon more flour.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare Baking Surface: Lightly sprinkle cornmeal over a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy transfer and to prevent sticking.
- Shape Muffins: Punch down the risen dough and transfer it onto a generously floured surface. Roll it out evenly to about ¾ inch thick. Using a 2 ½-inch round cutter, cut out circles and place them spaced apart on the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet.
- Second Rise: Sprinkle a light layer of cornmeal on top of the dough circles, cover them, and allow to rise for another 30 minutes until noticeably puffed.
- Cook on Skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with butter. Place 3-4 muffin rounds on the skillet, leaving space between each. Cover the skillet and cook for 7-8 minutes on one side until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 7-8 minutes. Adjust heat to low if the muffins brown too quickly on the bottom. Remove and cool before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast.
- Kneading time is crucial for good texture; avoid over-addition of flour to keep muffins soft.
- Cooking over medium-low heat prevents burning and ensures muffins cook through.
- Use a round cutter slightly smaller than traditional muffin tins to get proper thickness and texture.
- Allow muffins to cool slightly before splitting with a fork to reveal the characteristic nooks and crannies.
