Sourdough English Muffins (Simple Overnight Recipe)

Sourdough English Muffins are delicious, light, and very easy to make. Enjoy them with eggs, ham, cheese or bacon for a complete breakfast.

Still don’t have a sourdough starter? Learn how to make your own sourdough culture!

This recipe is very easy to follow. You don’t really need anything but a round cutter to make them and a hot cast iron skillet.

Don’t have a round cutter? Use a glass cup or anything round. You can also substitute an iron skillet for a normal frying pan.

Ingredients

Active sourdough starter. You’ll need an active sourdough starter for this recipe. I’ve tried making it with my sourdough discard, but the final result were dense, heavy english muffins that didn’t really pleased me. I use a 100% hydration starter for this recipe.

Sugar. Use white or brown sugar. It can be replaced by honey, or maple syrup.

Butter. For this recipe, you can use unsalted or salted butter. Melt it first. Can be replaced for vegetable or coconut oil for a vegan version.

Milk. I use whole milk, but it can be replaced for partially or skimmed milk. Use any plant-based milk for a vegan english muffin.

All-purpose flour. I usually make this recipe using white flour only. If you want to add more fiber to your diet and make it with whole wheat, substitute 1 cup of white flour for 1 cup of whole wheat flour.

Salt. Use fine sea salt. Don’t skip this ingredient, salt plays an important role in fermentation!

Cornmeal. Cornmeal is optional, but using it for dusting will give your english muffins a crunchier texture.

How to make them (the night before)

It’s not difficult at all to make overnight sourdough english muffins: you just need to mix all the ingredients the night before to make them in the next morning.

• Make sure your sourdough starter is active. We need an active starter for this recipe. Feed yours about 6 to 8 hours prior to making the dough.

• Make the dough. You can use your hands or a stand mixer to knead the dough until homogeneous. You don’t have to knead the dough: just mix until it incorporates all the ingredients and you can’t see any dry spot.

• Bulk fermentation. I leave mine resting overnight outside the fridge on cold winter days, and when I wake up, the dough is ready to be shaped. If your place is warm, or it’s summer/spring, I recommend storing inside the fridge for an overnight cold fermentation. Make the dough, leave it outside the fridge for 2-3 hours (it will rise about 50% of its size), then cover with plastic or beeswax wrap and place inside the fridge.

If you’re asking if it’s safe to leave a dough with milk on it outside your fridge for the bulk fermentation: don’t worry, it is. Just make sure your milk is pasteurized.

How to make them (the next day)

• Check for windowpane and rising. Is it good? Yay, time to shape your english muffins!

• Open the dough. Use a rolling pin, wine bottle, or your hands. Don’t forget to flour lightly the surface you’re using and press the dough open with your fingers. You can flour with cornmeal to get a crispier exterior.

• For cutting, use a round cutter or a round glass. If you don’t mind not having a round shape, cut them into squares with a sharp knife after opening the dough.

• Second rise/proofing. Place each shaped english muffin on a floured (use cornmeal or all-purpose flour) lined baking sheet for proofing. Second rise takes 1 hour and a half to 2 hours. They will be bigger by the end of 2 hours, but won’t exactly double, so don’t worry too much about it. When picking them up, the muffins will feel lighter than before.

• Preheat skillet before starting. That’s really important! Don’t start cooking them in a cold skillet. Also, cook them over medium-low or low heat. They need 8 minutes on each side for the interior to be well cooked.

Now comes the hard part: wait for them to cool before slicing and toasting!

Tips for getting this recipe right

• Avoid using cold ingredients. Use milk and butter at room temperature. Cold ingredients can make your starter dormant, and so the dough will take significantly longer to ferment/rise;

• Use a 100% hydration starter. That’s a starter made/feed with equal parts of water and flour;

• Always make sure your starter is active before making these english muffins;

• You need to cook your sourdough english muffins over low heat or their exterior will burn;

• Preheat your cast iron skillet or frying pan.

One last thing: if you’re afraid 8 minutes each side is too little, or unsure if you’re using the right temperature, before starting, preheat your oven over 350°F. After cooking 8 minutes each side, place your english muffins into a lined baking sheet and bake for 5 additional minutes.

How to store and freeze

Sourdough English Muffins will keep for 4 to 5 days, stored inside an airtight container on room temperature.

Avoid storing English muffins inside the fridge. If you’re not eating them right away, prefer freezing to refrigerating any kind of bread. Refrigerating English muffins compromises their flavor and freshness, and will make them dry out quickly.

For freezing, let the english muffins cool completely, then place them inside an airtight container or a freezer bag and store in your freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just microwave for 40 seconds, split and toast.

Questions you’ve asked me

Can I make this recipe using whole wheat flour?

Yes, you can! Substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for 1 cup of whole wheat flour. I don’t recommend substituting all the all-purpose for whole wheat. Doing so might make a denser, tougher english muffin.

Can I use a knife to cut/shape them?

If you don’t mind your english muffin in another shape than round, go for it! Open the dough and using a very sharp knife, cut them into squares.

How to get large nooks and crannies when making my English muffins?

For the best nooks and crannies, wait for them to cool and use a fork to split the muffin. Just use the fork to poke in a circle all the way around its side and it’s done!

Can I make this recipe using sourdough discard?

I don’t recommend using sourdough discard for this recipe. First time I tried with discard I didn’t get the result I was aiming for. Texture, taste and rise were much better when using an active sourdough starter.

Why my sourdough english muffins didn’t rise?

If the dough didn’t rise after 12 hours, your starter probably wasn’t active enough to be used in a recipe. Remember: you need an active starter for this one. Also, check if you used cold ingredients: they can slow down and even inactivate fermentation.

One more thing: these sourdough english muffins need a second rise after shaped to be extra soft inside and to have a good rise while cooking. Don’t skip it or you might end up with a denser English muffin.

Can I make it vegan?

This recipe can be adapted to a vegan version. Just substitute butter for vegan butter, vegetable oil or coconut oil, and cow milk for any plant-based milk.

My English muffins are burning at the bottom, what am I doing wrong?

First, check the temperature. Is it low? The lowest it can get in your stove? Try to switch for a smaller burner.

Now, about your pan: are you using a normal frying pan? Is it too thin? It might influence the final result if you have a very strong/hot stove. Try to use a more heavy-bottom pan to cook them.

What to eat with them

Sourdough english muffins are the perfect bread for your mornings! Split in two with a fork for even more nooks and crannies, put on your toaster and spread some butter for a simple delicious breakfast.

These are also the best choice for Eggs Benedict! Toast them, and don’t forget to spread some butter while they’re hot.

Try spreading cream cheese and homemade berry jam: breakfast perfection.

More Bread Recipes for Breakfast

Whole Wheat Breakfast Rolls
Basic Sourdough Bread
Gluten-Free Cheese Bread
Easy French Baguette
Pumpkin Brioche
Lazy Bread