Homemade English Muffins Recipe

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Making your own homemade English muffins is a rewarding process that yields soft, chewy muffins with a perfectly golden crust. These English muffins are rich in flavor and make the best breakfast or snack, especially when toasted and paired with butter, jam, or any topping of your choice. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you’ll be rewarded with muffins that are better than any store-bought version.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These homemade English muffins are:

• Perfectly chewy with a golden, crisp exterior.
• Great for breakfast sandwiches or simply enjoyed with butter and jam.
• Made with wholesome ingredients including whole wheat flour.
• Simple to make and freeze wonderfully for meal prep.

The key to these delicious English muffins is the unique cooking method: part stovetop and part oven-baked. This ensures they are fully cooked through while maintaining that perfect English muffin texture, full of nooks and crannies to soak up your favorite toppings.

Ingredients for Homemade English Muffins

The ingredients for these homemade English muffins are simple, yet they come together to create a beautifully textured and flavorful result. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need to make these delightful muffins.

• Milk – 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml), warmed to about 100°F (38°C). Warm milk helps activate the yeast and creates a soft dough.
• Instant or Active Dry Yeast – 2 teaspoons (6g), to help the dough rise and create those characteristic airy pockets inside the muffins.
• Honey – 3 Tablespoons (64g), adds a subtle sweetness to the dough that pairs wonderfully with the other flavors.
• Unsalted Butter – 2 Tablespoons (28g), melted and slightly cooled, gives the muffins richness and a tender crumb.
• Egg – 1 large egg, at room temperature, for binding and enriching the dough.
• Salt – 1 and 1/2 teaspoons, enhances the overall flavor.
• Whole Wheat Flour – 1 cup (130g), adds a bit of wholesome texture and nuttiness to the muffins.
• Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour – 2 cups + 3 Tablespoons (280g), to create the structure of the muffins, making them chewy and soft.
• Cornmeal or Semolina Flour – At least 1/2 cup (60g), used for handling the dough and preventing sticking during cooking, while adding a slight crunch to the muffins’ surface.

How to Make Homemade English Muffins

Making English muffins at home is easier than you might think, but it’s important to follow the steps carefully to achieve the best results. Here’s how you can create your own fluffy and flavorful muffins from scratch:

1. Prepare the Dough:
   Start by warming the milk and mixing it with yeast and honey in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy. If you don’t have a stand mixer, a wooden spoon or spatula will do the job. Next, add the melted butter, egg, salt, and flours. Mix the dough at a low speed for a few minutes. The dough will be sticky, so don’t worry about adding extra flour.
2. First Rise:
   Cover the dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size. For the best flavor, you can refrigerate the dough for 6-24 hours for a slower, more flavorful rise.
3. Shape the Muffins:
   Once your dough has risen, sprinkle your work surface and hands with cornmeal or semolina. Take small handfuls of dough (about 1/3 cup each), and gently form them into discs, about 3.5 inches in diameter. Arrange them on a lined baking sheet and let them rest for 20 minutes.
4. Cook on the Stovetop:
   Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. If your pan is nonstick, there’s no need to grease it, but if not, add a little butter. Cook the muffins for 7-8 minutes on each side until golden brown, then transfer them to a baking sheet.
5. Bake to Finish:
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C), and bake the muffins for 8-11 minutes until an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C) is reached. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

By following these steps, you’ll achieve perfectly golden and soft homemade English muffins with that signature chewy texture!

How Long to Cook Homemade English Muffins

When making homemade English muffins, it’s essential to get the cooking time just right to achieve that classic chewy texture with a golden-brown crust. The process involves both stovetop cooking and a quick bake in the oven to ensure the muffins are cooked all the way through while maintaining their soft, airy interior.

Stovetop Cooking

• Cook Time on Griddle/Skillet:
  Cook the shaped muffin discs on a heated griddle or skillet for 7-8 minutes per side. The muffins will puff up as they cook, and you’re looking for a golden-brown color on each side.
  • Use medium heat, about 325°F (163°C), and be careful not to flatten the muffins too much when flipping them to avoid deflating the dough.
  • If the muffins brown too quickly, lower the heat slightly to ensure they cook through without burning.

Baking in the Oven

• Oven Bake Time:
  Once the muffins are browned on both sides, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 8-11 minutes.
  • An instant-read thermometer should show an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C) in the center of the muffins. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut one open to check if the inside is fully cooked—if it’s still doughy, return the muffins to the oven for a couple more minutes.

How to Store Homemade English Muffins

One of the great things about homemade English muffins is that they store well, making them ideal for meal prep or batch cooking. Here’s how to store them properly to keep them fresh and delicious:

• At Room Temperature:
  Store the cooked muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• In the Refrigerator:
  After the initial 2 days at room temperature, transfer the muffins to the refrigerator, where they’ll stay fresh for up to 3 more days.
• Freezing English Muffins:
  For longer storage, wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  • To reheat, simply thaw the muffins at room temperature or pop them directly into the toaster or oven to warm them through.

Cooking Tips for Perfect English Muffins

• Don’t Overwork the Dough:
  When shaping the muffins, handle the dough gently. You want to avoid deflating it so that the muffins maintain their airy, craggy texture.
• Monitor the Heat:
  Pay attention to the heat when cooking the muffins on the stovetop. Medium heat is ideal to ensure they brown evenly without cooking too fast, as this can cause the outside to burn while the inside remains undercooked.
• Use an Instant-Read Thermometer:
  If possible, invest in an instant-read thermometer. This ensures that the center of your muffins is fully cooked, especially if you’re unsure about their doneness after the baking time.

With these tips and storage methods, your homemade English muffins will stay soft and fresh, ready to be enjoyed whenever you need them!

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