Description
This classic English Muffins recipe yields soft, lightly tangy bread rounds perfect for toasting and topped with butter or jam. Made with simple pantry ingredients and cooked on a skillet, these muffins have a tender crumb and characteristic nooks and crannies for holding melted butter.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2¼ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk, warm
- ½ cup Warm Water
- 2 tablespoons Butter, melted
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
Other
- Cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
- Warm the Skillet: Begin by warming your skillet or griddle over low heat while your dough is proofing. This ensures the cooking surface is evenly heated but not too hot.
- Activate the Yeast: In a bowl, combine the warm water, warm milk, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let this mixture sit until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Mix Dough: Add the melted butter, egg, and white vinegar to the yeast mixture. Stir in the flour and salt until a sticky dough forms.
- Prepare Cooking Surface: Lightly oil your warmed skillet or griddle and sprinkle it generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking and add texture.
- Proof the Dough: Let the dough rise in a warm area for 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size. After proofing, divide the dough into 8 to 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a disc and coat each with cornmeal.
- Cook the Muffins: Place the dough discs onto the prepared skillet over low heat. Cover the skillet and cook the muffins for 7–8 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Split: Transfer the cooked muffins to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, split each muffin with a fork rather than cutting to preserve the classic nooks and crannies texture.
- Serve: Toast the English muffins and enjoy with your favorite spreads or use them for sandwiches.
Notes
- Low heat cooking is essential to achieve a golden brown exterior without burning while allowing the muffins to cook thoroughly inside.
- Fork-splitting rather than cutting helps maintain the traditional texture and pocket formation of English muffins.
- Make sure liquids are warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- Allow enough time for dough to double in size during proofing to ensure light, airy muffins.
- Sprinkle cornmeal on the cooking surface and on dough discs to prevent sticking and add a slight crunch.