English muffins are a timeless breakfast favorite, loved for their soft, airy interior and slightly crisp, golden-brown exterior. These round, flat breads are perfect for toasting, creating the ideal canvas for butter, jam, honey, or your favorite breakfast toppings. Their signature nooks and crannies hold melted butter and spreads beautifully, making every bite satisfyingly textured and flavorful.
Traditionally, English muffins are made with a simple dough of flour, yeast, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. The dough is mixed and left to rise, then shaped into small rounds and cooked on a griddle or skillet rather than baked in an oven. This cooking method gives them a unique texture: a crisp exterior with a soft, chewy inside that’s perfect for splitting in half. Some recipes call for a light dusting of cornmeal to prevent sticking and to add an extra hint of crunch.
English muffins are incredibly versatile. They are the base for classic eggs Benedict, sandwiches, or simply toasted with a pat of butter and a drizzle of strawberry jam. They can be sweet or savory, depending on your choice of toppings, making them suitable for any meal of the day. Their neutral flavor also pairs well with cheeses, smoked meats, or even avocado for a modern twist.
Homemade English muffins take a little patience but are worth every step. The slow rising dough develops a subtle flavor, and cooking them on a griddle gives them that authentic texture that store-bought muffins often lack. Freshly made, they are soft, pillowy, and warm, perfect straight from the skillet or toasted to perfection.
Whether enjoyed at breakfast, brunch, or as a snack, English muffins are a simple yet satisfying treat. Their unique texture, mild flavor, and endless topping possibilities make them a staple in kitchens worldwide, proving that the simplest breads often bring the most joy.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk warmed
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast about 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- as needed cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk until it is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat, and mix in the sugar and butter until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the milk mixture, yeast mixture, egg, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
- Add remaining flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough has pulled together, knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough, and roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter, or a glass. Place the rounds on a dusted sheet of waxed paper, sprinkle with cornmeal, and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
- Heat a greased griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Cook muffins on each side for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reduce the heat if they begin to brown too quickly. Allow to cool and serve toasted.
Nutrition
I forgot the egg and they still tasted fine. Just saying, you don’t really need it.
English muffins are so overrated. I just don’t get the fuss. Sorry!
These turned out amazing! I can’t believe how fluffy they are. Definitely making these again.
Yum! Can’t wait to toast these up! ☺️
Wow, I just made these for breakfast and they were a hit! My kids loved them!
I found the dough too sticky and it wouldn’t form properly. Maybe I did somethin wrong?
Didn’t rise much for me, but they were still tasty. Will add more yeast next time.
It’s just baking, how hard can it be? I dunno why some are complaining, it’s simple enough.
Easy to follow steps! Just wish the yeast would not have taken so long. But all good in the end!
I made these too, and trust me the wait is worth it!! Nothing like fresh muffins! 🍞
Yeah, yeast can be a pain sometimes! But glad it turned out okay for you. I struggled with mine too the first time!
Not bad, but I think the flour amount is a bit off. I ended up using a little less than 4 cups because the dough got stiff quickly. Still edible—just heavier.
Yum! I added some cinnamon for a little flavor kick. So good!
Absolutely loved these! They were soft and fluffy, just like I imagined. Thanks for the recipe!
The dough was super sticky at first. I added a bit more flour than the recipe said (probably like 1/2 cup). Maybe I did something wrong, but the final muffins were still tasty.
These turned out amazing! Totally my new breakfast staple. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is flawed! You need more yeast for better rising! Total waste of my time.
I think it’s fine as it is! I’ve made them before and they turned out great. Maybe check your yeast?
More yeast? Really? I followed the steps exactly and mine were fine. Not sure why you had a problem.
Yummmm! So good!!! Totally gonna make again! 😍
They were okay, but I thought it could use more salt. Just my opinion!
I made these yesterday and they turned out amazing too! So fluffy! 🥰
Never made english muffins before but seems good. Gonna try it this weekend!
That’s awesome! You’ll love them fresh out of the skillet. Just make sure to give them enough time to rise. Enjoy!
Followed the steps exactly and they tasted legit like store-bought English muffins, but better. I did add a pinch more salt just out of habit.
Just okay… the texture wasn’t what I expected.
Doughy!
Mine turned out great! Maybe you just need to cook them a little longer? 🤷♀️
Not gonna lie, mine browned too fast on medium heat. I think my skillet was hotter than average, so I had to lower it halfway through.
Muffins? More like rocks! Mine didn’t rise at all. What did I do wrong??
Sounds like you might have not let the dough rise long enough. That can really mess things up! Don’t give up on muffins, they can be tricky but worth it!
This recipe is too complicated for me…why cant muffins just be made in 1 step? 😂
I feel you! Baking can be such a hassle sometimes. But you know, the more steps, the tastier the muffins! 🍞
I used oat milk instead of regular milk. Still turned out great! Dairy-free option for the win!
These are the best muffins ever! I never knew they were this easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Tasted amazing, but my kitchen smelled like a bakery for days! Best smell ever!
I’m skeptical about cooking 10 minutes per side. Mine were pale at 10, so I went closer to 15 and they were finally right.
Why is it taking so long to rise? I feel like I wasted ingredients. Super frustrating!
Turned out great! Just a little too sweet for my taste. Next time, I’ll use less sugar.
Great recipe! I find using less sugar works too. Maybe try adding a bit of salt to balance it out? Otherwise, yummy!
I love English muffins! They’re great for breakfast. I might add some herbs next time for flavor.
This was a bit complicated for me. I don’t really understand the yeast part. Can I just skip it?
Active dry yeast packets are usually 7g here, so I scaled it and it worked. Flavor is slightly sweet and “muffin-y” in a good way. Would make again.
I skipped the yeast and just used baking powder. Still tasted alright, but not the same.
I found it hard to shape the muffins… they kinda just fell apart. 😕
Pretty straightforward, but I had to cool the milk mix way longer than the instructions say. If it’s too warm it messes with the yeast. Once I got that right, they rose nicely.
Yum! Even better than store-bought! I froze some and they still taste amazing.
I tried this recipe, but my dough didn’t rise. What did I do wrong? I followed the steps carefully!
Easy and fun! I let my kids help with shaping them. We all had a blast.
That sounds wonderful! Love that your kids got involved. Cooking together is such a great way to bond.
I dunno, they look kinda complicated. Are they really that easy? Looks like a lot of steps.
I had a hard time with the dough, it just didn’t come together properly. Maybe my flour is bad? 🤔
I made these but my glass cutter made weird thick edges and they weren’t pretty lol. Taste was fine though!
Lol thick edges are such a mess—what did you cut with exactly? Like was the “glass” edge super uneven or did you press too hard?
Good recipe, but my dough felt super sticky even after adding flour in 1/2 cup increments. Still worked after kneading longer than 5 minutes.
meh. i like storebought better lol.
Followed the steps pretty closely, but my first batch got a little dark before 10 minutes. Dropped the heat like the recipe said and the second batch was perfect. Nice texture.
The instructions say warm milk until hot but not boiling, but that’s super vague. I guessed wrong and it took forever to rise. Once it finally did, the texture was okay though.
Maybe your yeast water temp was off too? If it’s too hot it kills it, if it’s too cool it takes forever. “Creamy” after 10 min should be your clue.
Ugh I feel you—“hot but not boiling” is such a vague window. I started aiming for like 105–110°F and it cut my rise time a lot.
Not gonna lie, step 2 is weird—‘dissolve yeast in warm water’ but no water amount is given. I guessed and it came out okay, but I wish it was more exact.
Yeah, that step is definitely missing something. “Warm water” with no amount is super vague—glad yours worked though! I usually do like 1/4 cup to dissolve a packet of yeast.
I followed it but they came out dense. I think my heat was too high on the griddle and I overcooked them before the inside could set. Tasted fine though.
I tried a glass to cut the rounds and it stuck a bit—probably needed more flour/cornmeal. Still tasty, but mine look kinda lumpy, lol.
These turned out way better than I expected. The dough was super workable and the griddle browning timing was spot on. I ate mine with butter and jam—10/10.
Mine always deflates 😩 maybe my griddle is too hot. 10 minutes each side sounds long to me though. Still want to try—maybe I’ll do lower heat and longer.
Love when they actually come out like the description! I’m curious—did you use regular active dry yeast or instant? I always wonder about the timing.
These came out so fluffy! I was a little worried about the time, but the 1 hour rise did the trick. Great with jam and butter.
Mine did turn out fluffy too! I was skeptical about the “medium heat 10 min” part but it worked—jam + butter is dangerously good.
Turned out kinda dense for me. Maybe my milk wasn’t lukewarm and I killed the yeast? Also I didn’t let it rise long enough the second time.
The yeast step confused me a bit—did I miss the amount of warm water? I just used a few tablespoons and it still foamed, so okay.
Made these this morning—turns out great. The texture is spot on for English muffins and the griddle method gives that nice browning. I used a glass instead of a cutter and it still worked.
I’m not a baker person, but this was actually straightforward. My rise took longer than an hour (probably my kitchen is cold), yet they still puffed up. Good beginner recipe.
Mine didn’t get creamy after dissolving the yeast. I let it sit longer and it eventually worked, but I was worried. Maybe my water temp was too hot.