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    Home » Sweet & Savory Sourdough

    Published Aug 9, 2019 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Sourdough Discard English Muffins

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Three Sourdough English Muffins stacked with more in wooden bowl behind Pinterest banner..

    With their crunchy exterior and soft interior, these tangy, easy to make homemade English muffins made with sourdough starter discard will bring a smile to your face and your breakfast table!

    Sourdough English Muffins stacked this …

    [February, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]

    Why this recipe works

    • An easy to make dough that uses sourdough starter discard for extra flavor
    • Cooks on the stove, so you don't need to turn the oven on
    • Has a crunchy exterior, a soft interior, and toasts beautifully

    What happens when you’re maintaining a sourdough starter each week, but don’t want to bake anything with the sourdough discard because it’s too hot and you don’t want to turn on the oven?

    How about making Sourdough Discard English Muffins, those gloriously versatile breakfast treats? They can go from a vehicle to transport melted butter and jam to your mouth with crunchy, tangy ease to a wonderful base for Eggs Benedict (complete with Hollandaise Sauce, of course) or English Muffin Pizza.

    And the best part is that they cook on the stove so no oven needed! A hearty breakfast can be had, any time of year. Bliss.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • What you need
    • How to make sourdough English muffins
    • Questions asked and answered
    • Pro Tip: Check the griddle temperature
    • Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What you need

    A recipe for sourdough English muffins contains all the usual sourdough discard bread suspects: flour, unfed sourdough starter, yeast, and salt, with a few tweaks.

    Milk is used instead of water to soften the dough, and butter keeps the bread dough from being too fluffy (like when making pizza dough). Cornmeal (or semolina) is sprinkled on the dough to keep it from sticking to the griddle.

    a small scone
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    Sourdough English Muffin ingredients portioned in glass bowls from overhead.
    The main ingredients for sourdough English muffins (minus the cornmeal)

    How to make sourdough English muffins

    Step 1: Make the dough

    A Sourdough English Muffin recipe starts like other sourdough-based bread.

    Mix the dough ingredients, then knead with a stand mixer, a bread machine, or by hand (photo 1). The dough should be soft and elastic, but not sticky. If necessary, add more flour in 1 tablespoon increments until you get the desired consistency (this is especially necessary if you’re baking on a humid day).

    Sourdough discard English muffin ingredients in a bowl from overhead.
    Mixing all the dough ingredients

    Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise for about 1½ hours, or until it's noticeably puffy (photo 2). You can also retard the dough by placing the covered bowl in the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours (or up to 2 days). This allows the sourdough to ferment slowly and develop a more pronounced sour flavor.

    Gently deflate the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, cover it, and let it sit for a few minutes to relax the gluten. If you’ve retarded the dough in the refrigerator, allow the dough to rest for about an hour on the counter to warm to room temperature.

    Collage of English muffin dough before & after rising.
    The dough before and after rising

    Step 2: Portion the dough

    You can divide up the dough one of two ways:

    Option 1: Roll out half the dough to about ½-inch thick, then use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out rounds, re-rolling and cutting up the scraps (photo 3). Repeat with the other half of the dough.

    Collage of English muffin dough rolled out and cut into rounds.
    Roll out the dough and cut into 3-inch rounds

    Option 2: Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces (I weigh the dough using a kitchen scale and divided by 24, then cut pieces to that weight). Shape each piece into a round ball, then flatten each ball into a 3-inch round. Flatten each ball slightly larger than 3 inches, and trim edges with a 3-inch round cookie cutter or trim all around the edge with a pair of scissors (photo 4).

    Collage of English muffing dough portioned into balls and being cut.
    Portion the dough into 24 balls, then flatten and cut out the rounds

    Step 3: Let the muffins rise again

    Place the rounds, evenly spaced, onto a half sheet baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina, 12 per sheet (photo 5). Sprinkle them with additional cornmeal or semolina, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rise on the counter until light and puffy, about 45 to 60 minutes. If the dough has been refrigerated overnight and you didn’t let it come to room temperature first, the rise time will be about 2 hours.

    English muffin dough rounds on a baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal.
    Give the muffins a second rise on a cornmeal-sprinkled baking pan

    Step 4: Cook the muffins

    Carefully transfer the rounds, as many that will fit without crowding, to a large electric griddle preheated to 350°F or an ungreased griddle or frying pan that has been preheated over medium-low heat.

    Spray the bottom of a quarter sheet baking pan (or similarly flat but not overly heavy object) with baking spray, then set aside, sprayed side up. The baking pan helps keep muffins flat across the top (rather than domed) while they're cooking.

    Cook the muffins for about 5 minutes on one side. The dough will puff up as it cooks (photo 6).

    Collage of English muffins being cooked on first time before weighting.
    Cooking the English muffins on the first side

    Lay the quarter sheet baking pan on the puffed up muffins, sprayed side down (photo 7). Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, then remove the baking pan.

    Collage of english muffins before and after being weighted with a sheet pan.
    This is how you get flat, even Sourdough English Muffins

    Turn the muffins over and cook them, without the baking pan on top, for 10 to 12 minutes (photo 8).

    Collage of English muffins before & after cooking on second side.
    Flip the muffins over and cook on the second side

    The English muffins will be done when they're golden brown and the centers read 190°F on a digital thermometer (photo 9). The edges may feel a bit soft, but that's fine.

    If you're having trouble getting the muffins to cook all the way through on the stove top, cook until golden brown on both sides, then transfer to a preheated 350°F oven and bake until the muffins' interior show no sign of wet dough, about 10 minutes or so.

    Checking the interior temperature of a finish English muffin.
    The muffins are done!

    Questions asked and answered

    Here are some questions you might have...

    Are English muffins and crumpets the same thing?

    English Muffins are related to the English crumpet. Crumpets are made by pouring a thick batter into ring molds on a hot griddle. The batter puffs up with holes on top (not unlike a pancake) and cooked until the top appears dry. The crumpets are then flipped over, the rings are removed., and the crumpets cook until the bottoms turn golden brown.

    English Muffins are a yeasted dough that’s cooked on a griddle, turned over, and cooked on the other side so the holes form on the inside. No special rings are needed since the dough is strong enough to hold together without them.

    Why are English muffins fork split?

    An English ex-pat named Samuel Bath Thomas invented what he called “English toaster crumpets” in his New York City bakery after emigrating in 1874.

    According to The History of English Muffins from Just a Pinch, Thomas’ English Muffins “were thinner than a traditional English crumpet and fork-split" giving “…the inside a rougher surface” (aka the “nooks & crannies” we know and love today).

    Thanks, Mr. Thomas!

    Pro Tip: Check the griddle temperature

    My first batch of sourdough discard English muffins burned on one side because I had heated the griddle too hot (you don't want it hotter than 350˚F).

    I quickly reduced the heat and the rest turned out fine. I salvaged that batch by cutting off the burnt edges. They still toasted up nicely, so crisis averted.

    Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside

    Homemade sourdough discard English muffins have that crunchy exterior and soft interior that's so important to this breakfast staple, with a tang from the sourdough starter discard.

    You can store English muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 or 5 days, and they freeze well so you can have them always at hand.

    Two toasted & buttered Sourdough English Muffin halves stacked on a white plate.
    I know what I'm having for breakfast...and as a snack...and...

    Toasted, these sourdough delights are ready to serve with butter and jam, or serve as a base for your Eggs Benedict brunches and English muffin pizzas.

    Crunchy, buttery, fork-split glory awaits!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Recipes

    When you maintain a sourdough starter, you have a dilemma. What do you do with your unfed sourdough starter discard? I've got lots of suggestions for sweet and savory ways to use your fed sourdough starter and the sourdough starter discard.

    And if you sign up to receive my weekly featured recipe email, I'll send you the recipe for Extra-Tangy Sourdough Bread. Just click the subscribe button below. Enjoy!

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    Recipe

    Three Sourdough English Muffins stacked with more in wooden bowl behind.

    Sourdough Discard English Muffins

    Tammy Spencer
    With a crunchy exterior and soft interior, these tangy, easy to make homemade English muffins made with sourdough starter discard will bring a smile to your face and your breakfast table!
    Adapted from King Arthur Baking
    5 from 23 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 24 minutes mins
    Resting Time 9 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 hours hrs 39 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast & Brunch
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 24 muffins
    Calories 177 kcal

    Equipment

    • 3-inch round cookie cutter
    • kitchen scale
    • griddle
    • half sheet baking pan
    • quarter sheet baking pan
    • baking spray
    • digital thermometer
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the dough

    • 7 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup sourdough starter discard, unfed, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
    • 2 cups milk, warmed between 100°F to 110°F
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon instant yeast, or rapid rise, see Recipe Notes
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

    For sprinkling

    • cornmeal or semolina, for sprinkling

    Instructions
     

    • Make the dough: Combine all the dough ingredients (except for the cornmeal or semolina) in a stand mixer bowl. Using the dough hook, knead to form a smooth dough. You can also knead the dough in a bread machine or by hand. The dough should be soft and elastic, but not sticky. If necessary, add more flour in 1 tablespoon increments until you get the desired consistency (this is especially necessary if you’re baking on a humid day).
    • Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise for about 1½ hours, or until it's noticeably puffy. You can also retard the dough by placing the covered bowl in the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours (or up to 2 days). This allows the sourdough to ferment slowly and develop a more pronounced sour flavor.
    • Gently deflate the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, cover it, and let it sit for a few minutes to relax the gluten. If you’ve retarded the dough in the refrigerator, allow the dough to rest for about an hour on the counter to warm to room temperature.
    • Shaping Option 1: Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough out to ½-inch thick, and cut in rounds using a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Re-roll and cut any remaining scraps. Repeat with the remaining half of dough.
    • Shaping Option 2: Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces (I weigh the dough using a kitchen scale and divided by 24, then cut pieces to that weight). Shape each piece into a round ball, then flatten each ball into a 3-inch round. For a somewhat more even rise as the muffins cook, flatten each ball slightly larger than 3 inches, and trim edges with a 3-inch round cookie cutter (or trim all around the edge with a pair of scissors). Muffins with cut (rather than flattened) sides will rise more evenly, and you can use the trimmings to get extra portions. Win!
    • Continuing: Place the rounds, evenly spaced, onto half sheet baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina, 12 per sheet. Sprinkle them with additional cornmeal or semolina, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rise on the counter until light and puffy, about 45 to 60 minutes. If the dough has been refrigerated overnight and you didn’t let it come to room temperature first, the rise time will be about 2 hours.
    • Cook the muffins: Carefully transfer the rounds, as many that will fit without crowding, to a large electric griddle preheated to 350 °F or an ungreased griddle or frying pan that has been preheated over medium-low heat.
    • Spray the bottom of a quarter sheet baking pan (or similarly flat but not overly heavy object) with baking spray, then set aside, sprayed side up. The baking pan helps keep muffins flat across the top (rather than domed) while they're cooking.
    • Cook the muffins for about 5 minutes on one side, then lay the quarter sheet baking pan on the puffed up muffins, sprayed side down. Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, then remove the baking pan. Turn the muffins over and cook them, without the baking pan on top, for 10 to 12 minutes or until they're golden brown and the centers read 190 °F on a digital thermometer. The edges may feel a bit soft, but that's fine.
    • Remove the muffins from the griddle, and cool on a wire rack. English muffins can be cut in half with a bread knife or fork-split (to get a rougher surface), then toasted. Serve with butter and/or jam and enjoy!
    • Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 or 5 days, and freeze for longer storage.

    Notes

    Using fed sourdough starter can give you a better rise (depending on how vigorous your starter is), but using unfed sourdough starter discard works just fine. If you do use fed starter (and it's active and bubbly), you can omit the yeast, but the rising times can be longer.
    If you use Active Dry yeast, then you might want to sprinkle yeast on to the warmed water with a teaspoon of sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe. Letting it foam "proves" the yeast is active and ready to go to work.
    If you're having trouble getting the muffins to cook all the way through on the stove top, cook until golden brown on both sides, then transfer to a preheated 350°F oven and bake until the muffins' interior show no sign of wet dough, about 10 minutes or so.
    This recipe is easily halved using 2 teaspoons yeast and ½ cup unfed sourdough starter.

    Your Notes

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    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 muffinCalories: 177 kcalCarbohydrates: 32 gProtein: 5 gFat: 3 gSaturated Fat: 2 gCholesterol: 7 mgSodium: 301 mgPotassium: 71 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 2 gVitamin A: 92 IUCalcium: 29 mgIron: 2 mg
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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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