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).
Why is there no weight measurement for flour?
Hi Lynn, For almost all our recipes, you will find weights for ingredients like flour if you click the ‘metrics’ button. You will see two measures buttons above the ingredients – US Measures (the default) and Metric. I hope that helps.
These turned out perfect. I didn’t change a thing. They are so tasty, especially with butter and raspberry jam. I will be making these many times. Thank you for the recipe
You’re very welcome Sheila. Butter and raspberry jam on the muffins is my favorite too 🙂
What an amazing recipe! They were light and fluffy and a nice crunch after toasting. I will definitely be making these again!
Sounds like you nailed it Marie!
So easy to make and very tasty. They would be a great treat for any guests staying with us. Mine turned out perfectly with a nice consistency and taste. Will definitely put these in my “make again” file.
Happy to hear that! Thanks Karen 🙂
Very easy to make and simply DELICIOUS!
I forgot to put the oil in at the step it said to so I added it and kneaded a little more. So far they are turning out great. I rolled them out and used a biscuit cutter I actually got 12 english muffins out of it. Waiting on my husband to try them. I cant believe I forgot the oil.
Sounds like you saved them! Phew – hope your husband liked them 🙂
hi, making these soon! once the dough is made, can i let it rise overnight and then continue in the morning? should it be refrigerated or left out?
Hi Johanna. Great question. Yes, you can definitely do an overnight with these muffins – but you must refrigerate them. Shape the muffins the same day, set them on a cornmeal-dusted sheet, spray the muffins lightly with oil then cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, bring them to room temp and let them finish proofing 30–60 min until puffy, then cook. To check if they are ready to cook, gently press your finger in the dough – if it slowly springs back, it’s ready. Hope you like them!
I just made these delicious English muffins. They were amazing! Thank you for you recipe and clear instructions The best recipe for English muffins ever! 10 stars
Wow – thank you so much Sandra!
Love this recipe!! They are better and cheaper than the grocery store
So glad you found them worth the effort!
LOVE this recipe! Thank you!!
I want to make a blueberry option. Do you have any recommendations on how much blueberry I would use? I’d like to use fresh mashed blueberries, with a bit of sugar added. I was thinking half water, half blueberry…thoughts?
Hi Gentri. Interesting idea! Without testing it personally, I can’t really give you advice. I did ask ChapGPT for you though- it might be worth a try, but I can’t vouch for it of course. I’d be a bit worried about the muffins being too wet and dense. If you do try it, we’d love to know how it worked out. Here’s what ChatGPT said:
“I wouldn’t swap half the water for mashed blueberries as it would make the dough too wet and gummy. A better way is to fold in about ¾ cup fresh blueberries after the first rise, when you’re shaping the muffins. Pat them dry, toss them in a little flour, and they’ll hold up nicely without turning everything purple.
Another option is to swirl in about ½ cup of a thick, cooled blueberry compote — cook the berries with a touch of sugar until jammy, then let it cool before folding it in. Both methods give you great blueberry flavor without upsetting the dough.
One last tip: blueberries add extra sugar, so the muffins may brown a bit faster. Just cook them on medium-low, and if they’re browning before they’re cooked through, finish in the oven at 350°F for 5–7 minutes.”
Do you have to kneed by hand or can you just let the mixer kneed it?
Hi Bobbi, Instead of kneading by hand, you can use a stand mixer with the dough hook. Mix on medium-low speed for about 3-4 minutes, adding extra flour a tablespoon at a time as needed. Hope you enjoy them!