Learn how to make healthy and delicious sourdough English muffins with this simple tutorial.
I have already confessed my sincere love for my bubbly 9 year old sourdough starter that I talked about in this post.
I use it in my kitchen often. Pancakes, english muffins, waffles,… I have even attempted Sourdough Doughnuts.
I love the way sourdough adds a depth of flavor to baked goods that just isn’t there in store-bought bread products.
Plus, I have a satisfaction cooking with a starter that I made and maintained with my own two hands. I hope to pass it down as a family heirloom.
To me, it is valuable to learn how to make something in your own home that you just can’t buy in the store. Artisan style.
I get really excited by things like this.
Why Sourdough?
Grains have gotten an undeserved bad rep in the health food community.
Have you ever heard of phytic acid? Basically, it’s an antinutrient found in grains, beans, and nuts that interferes with the absorption of certain nutrients. They are present on grains to keep them from spoiling.
There is a reason they are there, but there is also good evidence that our bodies weren’t meant to handle them. Proper preparation of grains eliminates most, if not all, of the phytic acid in offending foods.
But, did you know that traditional cultures thrived on grains? The key difference between the way they consumed grains then, and the way we do in our modern society now, can be summed up in two words: proper preparation.
It was necessary for folks to ferment grains for them to rise into delicious bread. Before yeast was isolated and sold in little packets, sourdough starter was a valuable commodity in homes and families, passed down for generations.
These days we’ve lost that art. And, what have we found? People can’t handle grains anymore.
Read more about sourdough starter, how to make it, and why I love it HERE.
But for now, let’s talk about the topic at hand.
How to Make Sourdough English Muffins
I love Sourdough English Muffins because they taste like bread and work like bread, but take about 1/10th of the work that making regular sourdough bread takes.
And for this busy momma, that’s a recipe for a great… well.. recipe.
I can whip them up in no time. And my family can enjoy a healthy bread that is so much cheaper than sprouted whole grain bread from the store.
Sourdough English muffins work great for sandwiches with meat and cheese, or smothered in butter and honey for breakfast.
Sourdough English Muffins Recipe
The night before you want sourdough English muffins, stir the following in a glass bowl:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup fed sourdough starter
Cover it with a towel and let it sit at room temperature for 12- 24 hours. You can get away with a longer rise time in the cooler months, and the fermentation process can take less time in the summer if your house is hot.
This is what mine looked like after 24 hours in a 68-70 degree house.
Look at those delicious bubbles!
NOTE: This recipe was updated in October 2021 to add a bit more flour, after several readers commented that the English muffins were turning out more like pancakes. As with any recipe, the type of flour you use, as well as humidity and quality of the starter will cause each situation to need slightly different amounts of flour. As you get familiar with this recipe you will know exactly how much flour is needed by feel. If your English muffins are turning out like pancakes, you definitely need more flour. They should not be flat. Also, cooking technique does have a lot to do with it as well. The dough needs to hit a hot cast iron skillet, so that it doesn’t stick, but it needs to be quickly reduced so they have a chance to rise and cook through!
After it has fermented, add to the mixture:
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat your cast iron skillet on low and add a little coconut oil.
Mix the ingredients together until they are fully incorporated. You will probably have to use your hands for this, as the dough will be pretty thick. If the dough feels runny, add a bit more flour. It should be workable, yet not stiff. If the English muffins turn out flat like pancakes, it is a good indication they needed more flour.
Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and drop it in a hot cast iron skillet.
Reduce the heat to low for about 10 minutes so the dough has a chance to rise.
Let them cook until doubled in size. Turn the skillet up to about 3 or 4 (not quite medium) and continue to cook until they are browned slightly on the bottom.
Don’t try to flip them until they come up easily from the pan. The goal is to only flip them one time.
Cook them on the other side until browned.
These English muffins have a tendency to cook on the outside before the inside is fully done. So, be sure to not turn the skillet up too high. If they are browned on the outside, but still not done on the inside, throw them in a 250 to 300 degree oven for 10 minutes or so.
After they are cooked all the way through, slice them open and enjoy!
A word on flour
Over the years I have fed my starter with all of the following at some point: freshly ground whole grain white flour that I ground in my own mill, all purpose flour, ancient einkorn, unbleached all purpose, store bought whole wheat flour,… and probably some others I can’t remember.
The point is, my sourdough starter still bubbles away despite the flour choice. Use whatever flour you have, and enjoy your Sourdough English muffins!
Print the Recipe: Sourdough English Muffins
Sourdough English Muffins
Learn how to make healthy and delicious sourdough English muffins with this simple tutorial.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup fed sourdough starter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- coconut oil
Instructions
- The night before you want sourdough English muffins stir in a glass bowl 2 cups flour, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup fed sourdough starter.
- Cover it with a towel and let it sit at room temperature for 12- 24 hours. You can get away with a longer in the cooler months and the fermentation process can take less time in the summer if your house is hot.
- After it has fermented, add to the mixture 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Preheat your cast iron skillet on low and add a little coconut oil.
- Mix the ingredients together until they are fully incorporated. You will probably have to use your hands for this. The dough will be pretty thick. NOTE: If the dough feels runny, add a bit more flour. It should be workable, yet not stiff. If the English muffins turn out flat like pancakes, it is a good indication they needed more flour.
- Divide the dough in 12 equal parts and drop each portion of dough into a hot cast iron skillet.
- Reduce the heat to low for about 10 minutes so the dough has a chance to rise.
- Let them cook until doubled in size. Turn the skillet up to medium/low and continue to cook until they are browned slightly on the bottom. Don’t try to flip them until they come up easily from the pan. The goal is to only flip them one time.
- Cook them on the other side until browned. These English muffins have a tendency to cook on the outside before the inside is full done. So, be sure to not turn the skillet up too high. If they are browned on the outside, but still not done on the inside, throw them in a 250 to 300 degree oven for 10 minutes or so. Alternatively, you can put a lid on and allow them to cook on low.
- After they are cooked all the way through, slice them open and enjoy!
Notes
This recipe was updated in October 2021 to add a bit more flour, after several readers commented that the English muffins were turning out more like pancakes. As with any recipe, the type of flour you use, as well as humidity and quality of the starter will cause each situation to need slightly different amounts of flour. As you get familiar with this recipe you will know exactly how much flour is needed by feel. If your English muffins are turning out like pancakes, you definitely need more flour. They should not be flat. Also, cooking technique does have a lot to do with it as well. The dough needs to hit a hot cast iron skillet, so that it doesn't stick, but it needs to be quickly reduced so they have a chance to rise and cook through!
Check out my other sourdough recipes and posts
How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
Our Favorite Sourdough Pancake Recipe
Healthy One Pot Meal- Sourdough Skillet
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Carolyn says
Hi Lisa,
I have recently discovered your site and am so happy that I did!!
I am making sour dough starter now. I started it Sunday night. I am concerned, though, because our house isn’t always real warm. Is there something that I can do to insure that the starter stays warm enough to do what it is supposed to do?
Thank you so much,
Carolyn in not so warm Florida.
Lisa says
Not warm in Florida?! That’s a bummer. Do you have a stove you could set it on, or maybe the oven with a pilot light on? Or possibly on a heating pad with a towel over it. If your house is close to 70 it should be totally fine. You definitely don’t want it too warm.
Flora says
Hi. I love this recipe, it was amazing!!!! I shared it with everyone i know who has a sourdough starter!!!!
But I have a question: i onky have my starter for about 5 months, its still pretty liquid, I noticed yours is much thicker. Now my English muffins were pretty flat and I had a hard time getting a good rise. Do you have any suggestions? What are your approximate measurements when you feed your starter? Mine has a consistency of a really thick pancake batter. And my engkish muffin dough turned out about the same… Very very stretchy and sticky but not like a real dough… Seems less firm than yours even though I used the exact measurements.
Thank you
Sarah Elizabeth Dapkiewicz says
Same Flora, mine is drippy. I want to add more flour but feel like that defeats the purpose of letting it sit so long to sour.
Caroline Baril-Mantha says
Hello everyone! Same here, it is still pretty liquid. The recipe is so delicious, but my english muffins are flat.
Miranda says
I am having a hard time getting my english muffins to rise. I’m doing everything correct for the recipe and my start looks like it is supposed to. They just don’t rise and turn out as flat as a pancake almost. Do you have any ideas?
Lisa says
Try putting them in the cast iron skillet on a super low temp and allow them to rise for a bit there. As long as the cook slowly they should rise.
ANNA GRAY says
I have noticed that if the starter is really broken down then the dough is more liguid-y… I speculate that the starter needs to be refreshed and/or less proofing time. There needs to be gluten proteins/sugars left for the bacteria/yeasts to eat to get the rise.
Kelly says
Lisa, I did everything the way you described but my dough was sooooo sticky. It’s like I didn’t have enough flour or something. Any thoughts on what I did wrong? :/
Lisa says
Try adding a little more flour next time. It definitely depends on hydrated your starter is.
Megan says
Hi Lisa,
I really want to try this but if I don’t have a cast iron pan can I use a stainless steel pan?
Lisa says
Hey Megan! I am afraid they would stick to stainless steel.
Dorothea says
Hi Megan, I’ve just tried them with a stainless steel pan and it worked great. It’s a better quality one, though, it would definitely not work on my other, cheaper one.
Kelsey says
Hi! I have a sourdough starter question. This was my first time using it and I put my starter out on the counter yesterday and feed it. It was super happy and looked great,though I wanted to leave it fro 24 hours. I didn’t take in to acoxu t the temperature of the house which is closer to 78 or so. This morning, it was not even really bubbling and looked so sad. Did I kill it? On your video you talked about having all the good bacteria eaten up… But can I save it? I went ahead and took the 1/2 cup from it and made the proof for the muffins anyway. Will it work? Do I disguard the new mixture and retry something with my starter? Right now I just put the starter in the fridge. So, I’m confused and don’t really know what to do, so any help would be appreciated!! Thanks!
Lisa says
It should be totally fine! It won’t die that quickly.
Sarah Chiem says
Can i freeze left overs?
Lisa says
Yes, you sure can!
sandy says
Can I use almond flour to make these?
Christy says
Thank you for your wonderful blog. I’m exploring and very much enjoying trying your recipes! Any way these muffins could be baked instead of cooked on the stove top? I’d love to be able to walk away from the stove with a timer to listen for!
Karen says
I have made your sourdough starter for the first time and it worked perfectly. However, I followed the English muffin recipe to a T and it was a very loose or slightly runny dough. Not just sticky but to soft to even pick up and put in my hand. I ended up adding nearly 2/3 C. of flour to make it work. Any idea what I did wrong? Thanks!
Diana says
Hey Lisa!!
Thanks so much for sharing! It’s so encouraging to find like minded people. And I’m just loving your recipes! I started my started and I can’t stop baking!!! It’s all so delicious!
I was just curious how you store your baked goods; English muffins, tortillas….and for how long?
Thanks again for sharing!
-Diana
Lisa says
I usually just store them in ziplocks on the counter, because we never can keep them very long. My kids love baked kids! Haha. I should probably find a better solution than plastic, but thats what it is for now.
Lisa says
Hi Lisa,
I’m a little confused about the “fed” starter. Are you taking the starter straight from the fridge to add to the english muffin recipe: Or do you take the starter out the day before, feed it, then add to the english muffin mix to sit overnight? Thanks!
Lisa says
Let it sit about 8 hours. That’s what I would consider a fed starter. Not one that was just recently fed, but out for a while first to get the good bacteria all throughout. Hopefully that makes sense!
Stephania Messina says
Okay, I am making these right now and I am way over excited because they are just so amazing! My kids are begging for more and I almost can’t believe how great they actually turned out! I was skeptical as my Dad has made me a lifelong Thomas’ lover, but these are honestly even better. So chewy and buttery. My husband says I always go ok muffin baking kicks when I’m pregnant so these fit in perfectly ?Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Lisa says
Yes!! So glad you are loving them! Smothered with butter and honey, and fresh off the griddle, they really are simply amazing. 🙂
Deb Buchanan says
Call me crazy… but I am patiently waiting for you cookbook! I collect cookbooks and I feel yours would be a great addition to my library—-please?!! ( I cannot keep reading from my phone while I try to cook! Lol)
Alyssa says
Hello Lisa, I love this easy bread idea and can’t wait to try it! I’m wondering though, would this recipe still work if you baked them in the oven instead of on the stovetop? If so, what oven temperature and time would you suggest? It would be nice to just walk away and do other things while they bake!
Kelly says
You are so right on with this recipe! Way easier than bread and sooo delicious!
Anna says
Hi!
What other oil would you recommend that’s not coconut oil?
Thanks!
Anna
Kelly says
I added more flour because you said the dough would be thick and mine is very runny even the next morning.
Denise says
I made this recipe this morning but my dough turned into a starter consistency overnight. I did use einkorn flour so I’m thinking I may have to adjust the water to flour ratio. Do you have any thoughts on using einkorn?
bob says
I am just starting to work with sourdough starter and bread. I found Einkorn flour requires about 1/2 the water other flours require for the same consistency. I am going by the photos of the dough for a guide. Farmhouseboone.com has good visuals.
Eva says
My sourdough pancakes and English muffins came out delicious! Thank you!
Rachel says
A friend introduced me to your YouTube channel and I immediately became interested in sourdough after watching your videos about it. I just made these English muffins for the first time this morning and they were so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. My whole family loved them and I loved being able to serve them something I knew was good for them that I had made with my own two hands. I want my kids to look back on their childhood and have fond memories of mom’s sourdough. Thank you for helping me get it started!
Allison says
This recipe is amazing! My daughter who struggles with texture and is picky LOVES the English muffins. The dozen from yesterday is gone already. Do they freeze well? Going to have to make a triple batch! Last night for dinner I made the sloppy joes with ground beef on the muffins. Thought I had turkey, but I didn’t :-/ Put on your pickles too. So yummy 🙂
Margaret says
I made these for the first time today and they turned out perfectly! I love how easy this recipe is!! Do these freeze well?
Lisa says
Yes, they sure do!
Deanna says
Hi Lisa,
I made both your Sourdough English Muffins and Pancakes and they are so delicious! However, the next day after making the English muffins I noticed they were a little grey in color. Is there something I did wrong? I used all-purpose unbleached organic flour for both my fed starter and this recipe. I’m wondering if I need to just throw them out or if they are still edible. Thank you!
Lisa says
That is totally normal and fine!
Roxanne Kopeczy says
Hello! If I made a g/f sourdough starter would i still be able to use this recipe but just with gluten free four? How would that work?
Simona says
Hi Lisa,
I just wanted to let you know about a discrepancy in your sourdough starter recipe. In your video you say to use 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water and in the written description you say 1 cup flour and 1 cup water.
Just FYI.
God bless you and your family,
Simona
Lisa says
Thank you Simona! I actually changed the text because I had a lot of people who said the instructions were too dry, and I found myself telling people just to add a little more water. I haven’t reshot the video yet though, so it’s harder to change.
Rachel says
Hi Laura
I’m from New Zealand too and I am finding it hard to get a rise from the muffins. Did you adjust the recipe at all please? I know that with the avocado mayo I need to use 2 eggs instead of just one. Thanks!
Fran says
Hey how long do you bake the eggs and sausage mixture? I missed the time in the video above.
Thanks
Fran
Becky Pottinger says
I love this recipe! I’ve made it as described 3-4 times, but then I turned it into a English Muffin Bread recipe. And I’ve made it with some variations: Cinnamon raising English Muffin Bread where I add 1 T cinnamon and 1/2 cup raisins; Chocolate English Muffin Bread where I add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and 1/8 – 1/4 cup water; Chocolate Chip English Muffin Bread where I add 1/4 cup chocolate chips; Blueberry English Muffin Bread where I add 1/4 cup blueberries; and I’m about to try Pumpkin Spice English Muffin bread where I’ll just add 1 T of pumpkin spice.
Melanie says
What temp did you bake the bread at and for how long?
Laura says
Wow! Made these on the bbq hot plate as it cooked all twelve. We’re currently family 5 at a beach house with only sea access. Such a useful recipe, thank you so much and happy Christmas from sunny New Zealand!
Betsy says
Can I just cook these in the oven? If son for how long and at what temperature? Will high altitude effect this and other sourdough recipes? Thanks!
Marian says
I made the sourdough English muffins. My dough was not as thick as yours. Followed the recipe let sit for 24 hours. More like pancake mix. What do I need to do differently?
Holly says
These are so great! I just had 2 questions:
1) is it normal to have a hard “crust” on the top after a 12 hour fermentation? I do, but just mix it in and go about making the muffins.
2) Is it normal, during ferment, for the dough to rise then sink or am I doing something wrong?
either way, these still turned out amazing! I just wanted to fine tune a bit 🙂
Shoshana says
Hi, thanks so much for teaching me about sauerkraut and sourdough!!
I tried this today, in the oven (I don’t havecastiron skillet).
I had to add a cup of flour, maybe more. Just kept adding till it was stiff enough to roll into balls.
Put in the oven for 10 minutes at 100celcius, then turned up to 230c for 15 minutes. I didn’t flip them.
they came out perfectly!
Dorothea says
This was so tasty!! I don’t have a cast iron skillet (yet) but used my stainless steel pan (well preheated).
The English muffins were wonderfully airy and moist, with that irresistible fried, crunchy crust. So delicious. Thank you for this great recipe!
Dorothea says
Loved these muffins! I don’t have a cast iron pan but they worked fine in my (well preheated) stainless steel pan. I kind of figured out over time how to make the pan work without sticking, preheating for a long time was key. So yummy, airy and tender, with an irresistible crunchy crust. Perfect with butter and honey this morning and some coffee. My favorite sourdough recipe so far! 🙂
Shari says
Just made these and I am pretty happy. I read the comments before cooking these, so I had a couple of changes/ideas ready. First, I didn’t want free form because I wanted them a little thicker, so I bought food rings. Also, someone had stated that their batter was thin. Mine did thin up during the “fermentation “ process. Not runny but definitely soft. So, I added more flour right before cooking. Still soft but I spooned it out into metal food rings I thoroughly sprayed. These I was using to help guarantee thicker muffins. I tested 2 z of dough/batter. Then went to 1 1/2 z for the next 4 and then made some free form. In the end, I am happy with the flavor of these, my starter is still young (only a couple of weeks). They rose pretty well. Just a couple of cooking tweaks next time! Have fun with these 😊
Michelle says
These things are sooo GOOD!!!! My husband is so happy to have a good bread alternative!! Would anyone happen to know or point me in the direction to find the nutritional information for these? Thanks😊
Kathleen Stewart says
Hi Lisa- I’m having a hard time mixing in the honey the next morning. I stirred vigorously for a few minutes, but no luck. Could I put it in the night before? Thank you!
Christine says
I made these last night, they were so good and easy! I’m so excited to have an easier alternative to making sourdough bread! Love all your recipes!
Helen says
I am new to sourdough cooking, but am enjoying the journey. I have made these English muffins a few times now, and mine never seem to get very thick. They kind of look like a thick pancake. My mixture looks a bit thinner than yours. I am wondering if I need to add a bit more flour or less water making the dough that sits over night? I have the temp on the lowest setting on my stove. The ones I have made have gotten cooked through and through, but they are difficult to slice because of their thin size. Any tips?
Tara Edwards says
is the honey required for the “chemistry” oris it just for flavor? Can I leave it out?
Annie says
Any recipes for English muffins for someone who doesn’t have a sour dough starter going yet??
Demi says
Hey there! I’ve tried several of your recipes, this one included, and they have quickly become family favorites! I noticed some people were saying this recipe gave them a runny or sticky dough. Just a thought (I am by no means an expert), but since I have started my sourdough journey I have noticed that when baking any recipe with einkorn flour, the dough tends to come out stickier or wetter than usual. I did some research and learned that einkorn usually requires about 1/3 cup less liquid when used in any “normal” flour recipe (and not more flour as that will change the texture, according to my sources). When I use normal organic bread flour, these babies turn out great– with the einkorn, it tends to need less liquid. Have you had this same experience? I’m just curious because I’ve had to learn how to work einkorn and I’d love any tips! Also, hope this is helpful to any readers out there! 🙂
Samantha says
I also used my einkorn starter and got more of a pancake 😂 will use less water to start next time and hope it works! Maybe edit the recipe for those in the future? Love your stuff as always Lisa!
Nicole says
I just love watching your “what we eat in a week” videos, and it was so helpful to watch you make these by just scooping the wet dough in to the pan! Because of this I didn’t even read the instructions past the ingredients list or watch the video with the recipe, but I see alot of people saying their dough was super wet and I wonder if maybe knowing to just scoop the dough directly into the pan would be helpful?
These turned out great for me and I really appreciate your approach to sourdough baking! It is so easy to get lost with all of the information out there, but you have a way of making things so relaxed, simple and enjoyable! Having lots of fun in the kitchen again after being inspired by your videos, thank you for all that you put out there!
Chris Lara minardi says
When dropping them on the skillet, is this ungreased? Thank you!
Stacey Smith says
Love this website! Making your sourdough crackers and fortchia bread today. Doing the full 24 hours on the bread since its a cold spell this week in Mississippi.
Jessica Henman says
Hi Lisa! Just made these and wowza they are amazing. Definitely going to be a family favorite. As easy as pancakes to make but love the crisp outside and no need for syrup.
Amy Winters says
Oh my goodness! Your blog is my go-to for sourdough recipes and this one is wonderful! This is going to be repeated at our house!
Loni says
Trying these right now. I’m using whole wheat einkorn flour. I tried to get a thicker dough by adding a little more flour and a little less water but as soon as I dropped them in the pan they spread out really wide. They look like huge thick pancakes. I’m sure they’ll taste good though. We’ll see….
Ellyse says
Mine do this too. Not sure how to get them to rise better. I did keep the heat turned up to 3 for the first minute or two I put them on and then turned down to low for the remainder of the time. That seemed to help some but they’re still pretty flat 🥴
Sarah McColm says
In your recipe you mention that the dough will be pretty thick. Mine has never been thick, it’s always quite sticky and runny. What could be happening with mine?
Neysa says
Hi Lisa,
I’m new to the sourdough world, but I love it. I tried the pancakes and they’re awesome. Now today I tried doing the English muffins and they are not so good, for some reason my dough was very soft not as firm like you show on the video. I did exactly the same measurements and I had it out for almost 24 hours. They started to spread like a pancakes when they were put into the skillet. I don’t know what I did wrong.
Noelle says
These are heavenly! So easy to make too! I’ve been using Ezekiel sprouted English muffins for my husband’s frozen breakfast sandwiches. I will be switching to these now!
Jenn Dawson says
These are so good!
Casey says
I have made these dozens of times now because we love them. I have to tell you though the added cup of flour is a no go. I had this recipe memorized and then I was like oh I guess I’ve been doing it wrong when I looked here again and added more flour for a couple of batches, then I saw your note about editing it. My starter is healthy and it makes them way too thick with the extra flour, like 2-3 inches thick. They were perfect before. I think the extra cup should be listed as an option instead of a rule. I’m not trying to be critical, rather encourage you that your original recipe was correct! Thanks in any case for this delicious recipe. I double the recipe and keep them as a constant staple in our house for breakfast. My husband and I love them.
Lorna says
Great recipe, For a twist I added raisins and cinnamon, Wow! I accidentally dumped what I thought was too may raisins but turned out perfect.
Ruth Moore says
Hi Lisa
I have made these numerous times and they are delicious. I have never made a recipe of yours that I have not liked. I have used different store bought flours to make the various sourdough recipes.
I have recently purchased a grain mill and would like your opinion on what berries you would recommend buying. I pretty much make everything with sourdough. I also have a gluten free sour dough because I have several friends and family members that are gluten intolerant. Do you have any recommendations on the grains to make the various sourdough recipes with fresh stone ground flours.
Thanks so much and Happy Thanks Giving to you and your Family
Allyson Jarvis says
I made these yesterday. They turned out to be as easy and delicious as you claimed. I cooked the on my electric griddle and finished them in a slow oven. They rose and browned beautifully. The dough was easy to handle with wet fingers. Thanks for another wonderful use for my sourdough starter.