Description
This Easy Homemade English Muffin recipe walks you through creating soft, lightly toasted English muffins with a perfect chewy texture and slightly crisp crust. Using simple ingredients like warm water, sugar, yeast, flour, salt, and oil, these muffins are cooked on a stovetop griddle or skillet, making them a quick and rewarding breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Mixture
- 1 ¼ cups warm water (feels warm on your wrist)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (12.5 g)
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast (2.83 g), e.g., Rapid-rise yeast
Dough
- 2 tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable, or neutral olive oil; melted butter works too)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (plus up to ¼ cup extra as needed)
- 1 teaspoon salt (add extra pinch if using kosher salt)
For Cooking
- About 2–3 tablespoons cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- Make Yeast Mixture: In a medium-large bowl, add warm water, sprinkle sugar evenly over the surface, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy and cloudy, indicating the yeast is activated.
- Make Dough: To the bowl with the yeast mixture, add oil, salt, and flour. Mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, adding flour a little at a time until the dough is no longer sticky and soft but manageable, usually around 3-4 tablespoons extra flour.
- Let Dough Rise: Lightly oil a medium-large bowl and place your dough inside. Cover loosely and allow it to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size. To speed this up, place the bowl near a warm oven area with the door slightly ajar. It might double in 30-50 minutes in this warm environment.
- Form Dough into Muffins: Once risen, transfer dough back onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into balls by pinching off with your thumb and finger, then roll lightly between hands. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornmeal on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Place dough balls on top and gently flatten to about ¾ inch thickness. Lightly spray tops and sprinkle cornmeal on them. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let puff up for 20 minutes.
- Dry Fry Muffins: Heat a large frying pan, griddle, or cast iron skillet to medium-low heat (about 4 out of 10 on stove). Lightly spray with oil. Arrange as many muffins as possible leaving at least ½ inch (1.3 cm) between them. Cover and cook for 9 minutes until the undersides are light golden and toasted. Flip them, cover, and cook another 5 minutes until golden and toasted on the other side. Adjust heat if muffins are browning too fast or too slowly. Alternatively, finish cooking in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 5-10 minutes if needed. Internal temperature should reach about 200°F (93°C). Repeat with remaining muffins if cooking in batches. Cool on wire rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use warm water (lukewarm, not hot) to properly activate the yeast.
- You can substitute rapid-rise yeast with instant dry yeast for similar results.
- If muffins brown too quickly while cooking, lower the heat or finish them in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes.
- Adding more flour gradually during kneading is key to avoid overly sticky dough.
- Letting the dough rise in a warm spot drastically reduces rising time.
- Sprinkling cornmeal on the baking sheet and on top of muffins adds texture and prevents sticking.
- Be patient cooling muffins before slicing to keep their shape and texture intact.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: English muffins, homemade English muffins, breakfast bread, skillet muffins, easy bread recipe
