All you need is a few simple ingredients to make these delicious and soft sourdough discard English muffins. Delightfully chewy, this recipe makes the perfect breakfast, brunch, or even use them in place of bread in sandwiches.

Sourdough discard English muffins on a white and blue striped towel.

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The original version of my sourdough English muffins were one of my very first sourdough recipes on the blog. They are a staple in our house. They are super simple to makethey come together quickly, and you can use them in just about a thousand ways.

Most of the ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and if you are new to sourdough baking, this is for you.

Sourdough bread can be intimidating. You worry about the timing, and about feeding your starter so it is active when you are ready to start the dough. It’s one reason many people don’t even try. They are overwhelmed with all the new things they may have to learn. 

If that is you, I want to encourage you to keep going. Start with sourdough discard recipes, like double chocolate sourdough bread, and once you get your feel for it, move on to some active starter fermentations.

Why Youโ€™ll Love This Recipe

Overhead photo of sourdough English muffins spread out on a countertop. Some of the muffins are cut in half with jam on top.

Great way to use discard: No, you don’t need an active sourdough starter for this recipe (although that will work). Discard will work just fine because the dough is risen by baking soda rather than the wild yeast in the active starter.

Versatile: English muffins can be used in a variety of ways– no need to stick to just breakfast. I use them for sandwiches or even as a side instead of biscuits. Slather on some homemade strawberry jam or cream cheese and everyone will be happy.

Super simple: They can be made quickly or long-fermented for the added health benefits.

Ingredients

Flour, jar of water, sourdough discard, salt, baking soda, and honey laid out on a countertop.

Sourdough discard: The star of the show. This is an unfed sourdough starter. Active starter will also work, but it’s not a requirement. Discard also adds a lovely tanginess to the dough. Learn how to make a sourdough starter.

Honey: You could also use maple syrup or even sugar. You may need to add a little water if using sugar.

Baking soda: This gives the dough its rise.

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Tools You May Need

Cast iron skillet

English muffin rings, biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or even just a mason jar ring

How to Make Sourdough Discard English Muffins

Some sourdough English muffins cut in half with jam and other whole muffins spread on a marble countertop.

The Quick Version

Flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Step 1: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to a large bowl. Whisk together well.

Mixing flour, water, sourdough starter, honey, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

Step 2: Add in water and sourdough starter discard. Mix until it comes together. You could use a stand mixer if you prefer.

Kneading dough on a marble countertop.

Step 3: Knead the dough for a few minutes to help develop the gluten strands.

English muffin dough cut up on a marble countertop.

Step 4: Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface about 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin. Use an English muffin cutter and cut out the dough. Continue rolling out and cutting dough until all the dough is used up.

English muffin dough cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Step 5: Add a little oil to the cast iron skillet. Place English muffins in the pan. Allow to cook for about 5-6 minutes on one side.

Sourdough discard English muffins cooking on a cast iron skillet.

Step 6: Flip and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool, then serve. If they have not cooked all the way through, place them in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.

The Long-Fermented Version

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients minus the baking soda. Knead together for a few minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours.

Step 2: The next day, add baking soda to the fermented dough and knead well, making sure it’s all incorporated. Roll the dough and cut out. Preheat the skillet on medium-low heat.

Step 3: Add the English muffins to the cast iron skillet. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool, then serve. 

Tips

  • If your dough is too dry, you may need to add a little more water. The hydration of your starter will play a big part in this.
  • If you find that the homemade English muffins are not cooking all the way through, you may need to pop them into a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven and allow them to finish cooking.
  • Make sure to use fresh baking soda for best results. Old baking soda may not give these muffins the desired rise.
  • If making the long-fermented version, the dough may not rise at all during the fermentation period and that is totally fine. Nothing to worry about!

Recipe FAQ

Are sourdough English muffins healthy?

Yes. They are made with a few basic ingredients and can be a healthy part of your diet. Long-ferment them for even more health benefits.

Is eating sourdough discard healthy?

Yes. It is an active living food with fermented grains and healthy yeasts and bacteria.

What’s the point of using sourdough discard?

Using sourdough discard can be a great way to reduce food waste rather than just tossing it out. It can also ferment grains just like an active starter, it just may not rise the dough.

Do you discard sourdough every time you feed?

Once your sourdough starter is established and you are using it frequently, you don’t need to discard every time. But if you find that you have too much starter, I would recommend discarding it to keep it a healthy and manageable size.

Storage

Store in an air-tight container for up to five days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Pair this recipe with:

If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone with your delicious creation.

Sourdough Discard English Muffins

4.46 from 42 votes
Delightfully chewy, this discard English muffin recipe makes the perfect breakfast, brunch, or even use them in place of bread in sandwiches.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Sourdough discard English muffins on a white and blue striped towel.
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Ingredients 

  • 2 1/2 cups flour, 350 g
  • 1 cup water, 236 g
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard, 125 g
  • 1 tablespoon honey, 21 g
  • 1 teaspoon salt, 5 g
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions 

  • Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
  • Add flour, salt, and baking soda to a large bowl. Whisk together well.
  • Add in water, sourdough starter discard, and honey. Mix until it comes together. You could use a stand mixer if you prefer.
  • Knead the dough for a few minutes to help develop the gluten strands.
  • Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface about 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin.
  • Use an English muffin cutter and cut out the dough. Continue rolling out and cutting dough until all the dough is used up.
  • Add a little oil to the cast iron skillet. Place English muffins in the pan. Allow to cook for about 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool, then serve.

Notes

  • If your dough is too dry, you may need to add a little more water. The hydration of your starter will play a big part in this.
  • If the English muffins are not cooking all the way through, you may need to pop them into a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven and allow them to finish cooking.
  • Make sure to use fresh baking soda for best results. Old baking soda may not give these muffins the desired rise.
  • If making the long-fermented version, the dough may not rise at all during the fermentation period and that is totally fine. Nothing to worry about!
  • See post for long fermentation directions.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.46 from 42 votes

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Recipe Rating




86 Comments

  1. Regina says:

    3 stars
    I didn’t know how many stars to give, because the problem must be ME! I don’t know what I did wrong. I’ve made an Einkorn starter and a bread flour starter; both are super active, bubbly, smell great. The bread flour starter overflows the jar. Although the Einkorn took two weeks to really get going, it did activate. I’ve tried three recipes with Einkorn discard. The first bread never got to “dough”, it was thin and goopy even after rising. Then I made tortillas and had to roll them out so thin they were nearly transparent or they puffed up and got thick. My husband said it was a “valiant” effort but too bready for tortillas. So I tried English muffins. The dough did not resemble dough. It was thin and unworkable, and there was no way to use it without adding flour, and after adding about a cup (gradually), it was sort of the consistency of drywall filler. So I finally had to give up. I did the long ferment on all of those, so maybe that wasn’t right? I weighed the flour and water, etc., but I didn’t know if I needed to use the weight or the cup measurement. I finally did try the discard bread that used yeast and that turned out good, but I think I used the bread flour starter for that. I have never given up on any baking or cooking venture, but I think sourdough has beaten me! Any ideas as to what I might have done wrong? Everything rose and was active. I’ve spent a small fortune on flour and I’m baffled!

  2. Zoe says:

    Delicious, quick and easy! Thanks for the recipe

  3. Ashley says:

    Can these be made without sugar/honey/sweeteners?

  4. KJR says:

    5 stars
    These are wonderful and the flavor is incredible! I do prefer to let them rise for a bit before cooking as suggested. Thank you!

  5. Janet says:

    5 stars
    These are so much better than store bought! Quick and easy. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!

  6. Tina says:

    5 stars
    These are so easy to make and so delicious! My whole family loved them.

  7. Gayl says:

    My English muffins turned gray around the edges the day after cooking. Are they stilll ok to eat?

    I also found that I needed to add an extra cup of flour when mixing up in order to keep them from being too sticky to work with when rolling out, but they do taste delicious!

  8. Melissa says:

    5 stars
    Followed recipe exactly as given. These turned out beautifully and are very yummy!

  9. Charity says:

    So delicious and amazing how quick they come together!! New favorite for my family – thank you! Any good tips on storing them?

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      I like to store in a seal tight bag!

  10. Tamra Katcher says:

    1 star
    Followed recipe as written. Very sticky dough – couldn’t roll out if I wanted to. I added extra flour just to be able to handle. Ended up rolling into balls and then flattening to put into the pan. Cooking all the way in the skillet is impossible – put into the oven to finish. Not sure I would use this recipe again.