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).
My first time making English muffins was with this recipe. I didn’t have high hopes, as other recipes call for milk, egg, honey and this recipe is so simple. I just wanted to see how they would come out being ‘fried’ and not baked like bread. Well, they may be simple but they’re so good! I don’t need to look further, because why? I make them 1-2 times a week. After many batches, I’ve gotten it to where it works best for me. I use about 3 c of flour and only 1 c of water. I use the jar bread machine yeast and don’t proof it at all. Water (30 seconds in microwave) olive oil, and sugar in stand mixer bowl, add flour, salt, yeast, and mix with dough hook, medium for 5 minutes. Works every time for me. I get 8 muffins because we like them hearty! An English muffin splitter was a worthwhile purchase.
Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you like them! And thanks for sharing all your great tweaks and tips Jo – very much appreciated. You have clearly perfected the English muffins to your taste.
I made the “mistake” of making these English muffins for neighbors and friends. You can imagine what happened next. Everyone loves them and wants more! I can’t thank you enough for this recipe, but thank you!
Thank you so much! So glad your neighbors and friends liked them! Now you’re the talk of the town 🙂
Do you think it would be possible to decrease the salt? I’m looking for a lower sodium option but I know salt is necessary to control the rise? Any thoughts or suggestions?
Hi Jessica. You are right that, without salt, the dough will rise faster. This may cause a change in texture and of course be much blander. Could you try perhaps half the salt instead? Or test the recipe without salt altogether and maybe add some other flavor like a tablespoon of honey or a pinch of cinnamon (added to the warm water). We would love to know how they turn out. Good luck!
Great Recipe. Easy to execute.
My dough was way to sticky, i had to add about 1 cup and a half more, should i be using less water ? ): was pretty difficult with the measurements given for it to not be sticky
Sorry to hear your dough was so sticky. You shouldn’t have to add that much extra flour. I wonder if you put in too much water at the start. Or perhaps didn’t measure the flour in the best way – either weigh it in grams or use the scoop and level method (scoop the flour into a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife). Did the English muffins turn out ok or were they too dense from adding too much flour?
I found my dough VERRY sticky as well. I had to add a good amount of flour. I read somewhere, and I’m not sure how true this is, but depending on your region, If it’s more humid where you live the stickier your dough could be. I am from Florida where it’s very humid!
You are absolutely right that humidity and climate can affect the stickiness of the dough. I suggest adding a bit of flour at a time until it’s not so sticky. (But a little stickiness is ok as you rise the dough. Then add a little flour to your cutting board as you prepare the muffins). I hope that works for you. Thanks for leaving a comment.
I had to scroll pretty far to find reviews regarding how sticky the dough was. I probably also added another cup, it’s rising now and hopeful that will come out ok. A friend recommended this recipe so clearly she doesn’t have issues with it. I’ll be sure to leave a formal review of the end result. Fingers crossed.
I’m crossing my fingers too – let us know how they turned out Liz!
Can whole wheat flour be used instead of all purpose?
Hi Kris. You can use whole wheat flour but the muffins will be coarser, denser and less airy. If you have the option, I recommend using only 1/4 of the the flour as whole wheat flour (or maximum 1/2 the amount). I hope that helps.
Can these be made with no sugar?
Hi Teresa, Yes, you can omit the sugar if you need to. It is used to help activate the yeast and add a bit of sweetness, but you should be fine without it as the recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon. If you have a chance, let us know how your English muffins turn out.
are you cooking a total of 9 minutes with a flip at 5 minutes along? Or 9 minutes then flip for another 5?
So far we loved this recipe last time I made them so this is our new steady bff for English muffins. And I’ve tried 4-5 other English muffin recipes! I forgot this time to divide the dough and shape and cut them, so they should still turn out but I was less smoothed when I followed all your directions the first go around lol.
We are pleased to be at the head of the pack in the English muffin contest! 🙂 The timing is at total of 14 minutes – 9 minutes on the first side, 5 minutes on the second side. Enjoy!
Do I have to use cornmeal?
The cornmeal adds a touch of crunch and is traditional on English muffins, also keeping them from sticking to the pan, but you can skip it and dust the muffins lightly in flour instead. I know many don’t have cornmeal lying around in their cupboards. Let us know how they turn out!
How would you incorporate buttermilk in this recipe?
Hi Betty, I haven’t tried the English muffins with buttermilk, but you should be able to replace the water with buttermilk (and perhaps add an extra tablespoon or two of flour). If you prefer, you can use this English muffin recipe that uses buttermilk. It looks good, but I can’t vouch for it as I haven’t tested it.
Hello TwoKooks,
Wondering if gluten free flour would work?
Thanks!
Hi Lenore. I haven’t tried it, but here is an excellent baking source describing how to swap gluten free flour for regular flour. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2023/06/13/how-to-substitute-gluten-free-bread-flour-for-regular-flour#:~:text=Gluten%2DFree%20Bread%20Flour%20can,by%20both%20weight%20and%20volume. You do need to make a few tweaks, but it is possible. Hope that helps.