English Muffin Recipe (Homemade & Easy)
Oh my stars! What a fun food to make! Thank you for such wonderful instructions. I’m making the English Muffins for a second time. Everyone loved them! Cynthia
A toasted English muffin slathered in butter and jam is one of life’s little pleasures. This homemade English muffin recipe is easy, truly step-by-step, and beginner-friendly – no special equipment needed. In about 2 hours, you’ll be splitting warm muffins with those classic nooks and crannies.
Here’s the thing. The first time you make them, you’ll be poring over the recipe, following the steps. The second time, you’ll be ‘hey, I’ve got this’. After that – pro.
There are really no big tricks. And no need to be intimidated by yeast. I’ll walk you through the recipe step by step, and even your first batch will come out soft, fluffy, and beautifully textured. You’ll be amazed at how good they turn out on your first try.
What to expect
This easy English muffin recipe:
- Requires short rise times
- Can be made completely by hand – no mixer, dough hooks, or muffin rings
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Delivers consistent and great results
I tested multiple batches to create clear, step-by-step instructions with photos and practical tips so your first batch is a success.
The muffins are soft, light, and fluffy with classic nooks and crannies. They toast beautifully. Prefer a slightly denser texture? I’ll show you how to adjust the dough.
Total time is just over 2 hours (many recipes take 6–24 hours or more). And as a bonus, they’re naturally vegan.
This recipe was adapted from a version by Truffles and Trends, with additional testing, step-by-step photos, and adjustments based on my experience.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Yeast: Use instant dry yeast, also called quick-rise yeast.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the fluffiest texture.
- Cornmeal: is used to dust both the work surface and the tops of the dough before rising. It helps prevent sticking and gives that classic texture.
Substitutions
- Yeast: If using active dry yeast, use an extra ¼ teaspoon and dissolve it in warm liquid before mixing with the flour.
- Whole wheat flour: You can replace up to ½ cup (62 grams) of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Using more may result in denser muffins.
- Cornmeal for dusting: If you don’t have cornmeal, you can use semolina flour or fine polenta. All-purpose flour also works in a pinch, but will give a slightly different texture.
Variations
- Cinnamon Raisin: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ cup/85 grams raisins to your dough before the first rise.
- Orange Cranberry: Mix in ½ cup/60 grams dried cranberries and 1-2 teaspoons orange zest.
- Spiced: Add 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for a fall treat.
- For a touch of sweetness: Add 1-2 tablespoons honey to yeast mixture (if adding 2 tablespoons, reduce the sugar slightly).
Step-by-step instructions
Tips for Success
Check your yeast. Make sure it hasn’t expired. Store unused yeast in the fridge or freezer in a sealed container.
Measure flour properly: Weigh it in grams if possible (shown in the Metric measurement button in the Recipe card below). If using cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife – don’t scoop directly from the bag.
The dough will start sticky. Add flour gradually while kneading, just until it’s manageable. Too much flour – or punching down the dough after it rises – can make the muffins tough.
For deeper flavor. Let the dough rise a little longer, or even overnight in the fridge.
Cooking tips. You can cook the muffins covered or uncovered – covered will cook them faster. Lightly spray the tops of the dough rounds before adding cornmeal so it sticks better.
For classic nooks and crannies. Don’t slice the muffins with a knife. Use a fork around the edges to split them. This creates the perfect texture for butter to melt into.
Shortcuts
- Shorten the rise time. Place the dough in a warm spot to help it rise faster. I turn my oven to warm, open the oven door a few inches, and place the bowl at the edge of the stove top to get warmth from the oven. Don’t let the oven get hot.
- Split muffins before freezing. Store the halves in a freezer bag, then pop them straight into the toaster from frozen. No need to thaw.
Creative ways to use English Muffins
It’s hard to beat English muffins toasted and smothered in butter with or without jam. But they are surprisingly versatile.
Here are four easy ways to use them, pictured below:
- Eggs Benedict – a perfect base for poached eggs and hollandaise
- French Toast – crisp outside, custardy inside
- Inside-Out Grilled Cheese – cripsy and golden
- Mini Pizzas – quick, weeknight-friendly
They also work beautifully for appetizers like avocado crostini with balsamic drizzle, breakfast sandwiches (think homemade Egg McMuffins), a base for classic egg salad, croutons, breakfast pizzas, garlic bread, a base for foolproof scrambled eggs on toast and hamburger buns.
Homemade jams that pair perfectly
English muffins are made for good jam. If you’re making a batch, try one of these easy, no-pectin favorites:
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This recipe does not require muffin rings. The dough is cut into rounds and cooks up beautifully without special equipment.
Dense muffins are usually caused by adding too much flour or not allowing the dough to rise fully. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky before kneading. Let it rise until noticeably puffy.
Split the finished muffins with a fork instead of slicing them with a knife. The fork pulls apart the inside and creates the classic texture that holds butter and jam.
Yes. After kneading, let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. This can also deepen the flavor.
Absolutely. My trick is to split them first, then freeze the halves in a sealed bag. Toast the halves straight from frozen – no need to defrost.
Cornmeal helps prevent sticking and gives a traditional texture. If you don’t have any, semolina or fine polenta works well. Flour can be used in a pinch.
More delicious breakfast recipes
- Montreal bagel recipe
- Sous vide poached eggs (with easy hollandaise sauce)
- Lemon blueberry pancakes
- Moist banana bread (no mixer needed)
- Instant Pot oatmeal recipe (with steel or rolled oats)
Or browse our full collection of brunch recipes. for more ideas.
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thank you so much!
Easy Homemade English Muffins
Equipment
- Large frying pan, skillet, electric griddle or cast iron pan. (My 12" pan fits half the muffins at a time so I do 2 batches – or use two pans at the same time).
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm water it will feel warm on your wrist
- 1 tablespoon sugar (12.5 g)
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast (2.83 g), Note 1 e.g. Rapid-rise yeast
- 2 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable or neutral olive oil) melted butter is fine too
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour or bread flour plus up to 1/4 cup extra
- 1 teaspoon salt (add extra pinch if using kosher salt)
- cornmeal for dusting (about 2-3 tbsp)
Video
Instructions
- MAKE YEAST MIXTURE: In medium-large bowl, add warm water. Sprinkle sugar over surface. Then sprinkle yeast over surface. Set aside for 10 minutes. It will foam and cloud up.
- MAKE DOUGH: Add oil, salt and flour to the same bowl with the yeast mixture. Mix with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Transfer to a floured surface (I use piece of parchment dusted with flour for easy clean up). Dough will be soft and sticky. Knead dough for 5 minutes, adding just enough flour, a bit at a time, until you no longer have sticky dough. I typically end up adding about 3-4 tbsp.
- LET DOUGH RISE: Spray inside of a medium-large bowl with oil. Transfer dough into bowl. Cover loosely and let it rise for about 1 hour until it doubles in size. Tip: To speed up the rise, I turn my oven to warm, open the oven door a few inches and place the bowl at the edge of the stove top to get warmth from oven. Dough will double in 30-50 minutes.
- FORM DOUGH INTO MUFFINS: Once risen, transfer dough to a floured surface. Knead a couple of times. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. I 'strangle' the dough between my thumb and first finger to 'cut' it. Roll pieces lightly between your hands to make balls. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornmeal onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place dough balls on top of cornmeal and flatten into discs with the ball of one hand to 3/4 inch thick. Lightly spray top of discs and sprinkle on cornmeal to top of discs. Loosely cover with a kitchen towel to let puff up for 20 minutes.
- DRY FRY MUFFINS: Heat large frying pan, griddle or cast iron skillet to Medium-Low heat (4 out of 10 on my stove) and spray it with oil. Transfer as many muffins that will fit in pan leaving 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) between them. You may have to do two batches or use a second pan. Cover pan and cook muffins for 9 minutes until light golden brown and toasted. Note 2. Flip to second side, then cover and cook for another 5 minutes until golden and toasted. Check for doneness: If muffins are not browning enough, increase the heat to medium the last couple of minutes. If browning too quickly, lower heat or finish cooking in 350F/177C oven for 5-10 minutes. An instant thermometer slid into the side of a muffin will read 200F/93C.Repeat with remaining muffins if you are cooking them in two batches. Cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack before eating. Good luck waiting to taste them!
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t have instant yeast: you can use 1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast instead.
- For less puffy muffins: The muffins will puff up when cooked and deflate only slightly on cooling. For flatter, denser muffins, gently press them down with a spatula while cooking. I also found that if you leave them uncovered while cooking, they will take about 5 extra minutes to cook.
- Tips for Success
- Yeast
- Check to make sure your yeast has not expired.
- If you don’t have instant/rapid rise yeast, use active dry yeast, but add 25% more. In this recipe you would add a total of 1 1/4 tsp. Keep unused yeast in the fridge or freezer in a sealed bag or container.
- Measure flour by weighing it in grams. Or, by scooping flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off with the side of a knife.
- Dough: The initial dough will be sticky. Add just enough flour, bit by bit, as you knead it until it’s no longer sticky. Adding too much flour or punching down the dough after it rises will toughen the muffins.
- Flavor: Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey (and a bit less sugar and/or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice to the wet yeast mixture if you like. If you like a deeper more yeasty flavor, let the dough rise for a longer time (including overnight in the fridge).
- Cooking: The muffins can be dry fried in a pan covered or uncovered. They will cook quicker with a cover. Spray the tops of the dough discs with oil before sprinkling on cornmeal. The cornmeal will adhere better.
- For best eating texture, don’t cut your English muffin in half with a knife. Instead, use a fork (or your fingers) around the edges to separate the halves. This will create lots of nooks and crannies to capture that butter melting into your toasted muffin.
- Yeast
- Make Ahead:
- Store fully cooled muffins at room temperature for several days in a sealed bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Tip: Once cooled, split the muffins into halves with a fork before freezing them. Then pop them into the toaster straight from the freezer (no need to defrost).
I made these several weeks ago and they were so easy to make and turned out perfectly. I’m on my third batch today as my husband and I are putting together a breakfast themed gift basket for family for Christmas this year. These are going to be delicious with our homemade apple butter and grape jam! Thank you so much!
Did anyone try these with 1:1 GF flour? What brand was used and how did they turn out? Could the recipe be followed or were any adjustments made?
What a lovely idea to make a gift basket with homemade English muffins and jam – so thoughtful. Thanks for sharing. I haven’t tried them with gluten free flour, but please let us know how if works if you try it. I’m sure some of our readers would appreciate the information.
Turned out perfectly. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Yay – so glad! Thanks for leaving a comment – we always appreciate them.
The first 5 just came out of the pan and it’s so difficult to wait to try them! These were so easy to make (as everyone has indicated). I’m going to try making them with gluten free 1:1 flour. Has anyone tried this and if so how did they come out?
Truth be told, I dug into one early too. Let us know how they work with gluten free flour if you try it.
Great recipe! I’ve made them twice now and they turned out well. Just enjoyed some eggs Benny!
I love them with eggs Benedict too! Thanks for leaving a comment Brenda.
Oh my stars! What a fun food to make! Thank you for such wonderful instructions. I’m making the English Muffins for a second time. Everyone loved them !
Yay!! Happy you all loved them! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Can you make the dough ahead of time and leave in the fridge and bake the next day?
Hi Carmi. Yes you can. Keep the dough in the bowl in the fridge loosely covered and let it rise in the fridge. The next day (maximum two), let it warm up/relax and come to room temperature before cooking the muffins.
Please add the yeast mixture for step 2. Some new cooks or new to bread making might not know what to do with the yeast mixture from step 1.
Hi Jen, I am not sure if this is what you are asking, but I just added some clarification in step 2 of the recipe “Add oil, salt and flour to the same bowl with the yeast mixture“. I hope that helps.
omg omg omg, cant wait to try these, I live in Spain and they don’t sell them here!! Thank you
A new business haha? Hope you enjoy them. Let us know how they turn out.
Made these today, family loved them. Made a double batch and giving half to my son-in-law for Father’s Day.
Clever gift! Glad you liked them ?
I love this recipe, I made it a few weeks ago and I’m making it again today. I didn’t have cornmeal either time and it still came out perfectly. Only complaint my partner had is all of them were gone too fast!!
Funny! My suggestion is to double the recipe and freeze! Glad you liked them and thanks for leaving a comment Kelsey.