English Muffins from Scratch

There’s something special about splitting open a freshly toasted English muffin and seeing all those little nooks and crannies ready to soak up melted butter, jam, or honey. While they’re often something we grab from the supermarket, homemade English muffins are surprisingly simple to make and have a flavour and texture that’s hard to beat.

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how quickly it comes together. There’s no kneading and no waiting for the dough to rise. Once the dough is mixed, it’s ready to shape, cook, and bake, making homemade English muffins much easier than you might expect.

These English muffins were created during a fun kitchen experiment using my Homemade Pizza Dough recipe. While filming a YouTube video, I challenged myself to see how many different breads I could make from one batch of dough. Along with bagels and flatbreads, these English muffins proved just how versatile one simple dough can be.

They’re perfect for breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict, toasted with butter and your favourite jam, or tucked away in the freezer for busy mornings when you need something quick and homemade. If you’d rather make pizza, you can find my original Homemade Pizza Dough recipe here.

Watch the Video

In the video, you’ll see how I make the dough, shape the muffins, coat them in semolina, and cook them using a combination of stovetop and oven cooking. It’s a simple process and a great introduction to working with homemade yeast dough.

One Dough, Three Breads: Bagels, English Muffins & Flatbreads

Links to Other Recipes

This versatile dough can also be used to make:

• Easy Bagels from Scratch
• Easy Skillet Flatbreads

Other Recipes You May Like

• Homemade Butter
• How to Boil Eggs Perfectly Every Time
• Freezer-Friendly Bacon and Egg Breakfast Muffins
• Homemade Cream Cheese

Recipe Card

Ingredients

• 2½ cups warm water (610g)
• 2 Tbsp sugar (30g)
• 3 tsp dried yeast (10g)
• 6 cups plain flour (900g)
• 4 Tbsp olive oil (50g)
• 1.5 tsp salt
• Semolina, for coating

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Leave for 5–10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy and activated.
2. Add the flour, olive oil, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. Mix by hand, in a stand mixer, or using a bread maker dough cycle. Start with the 6 cups of flour but you may end up needing the full 7 cups. The dough should be slightly sticky. Let it rest to hydrate for roughly 10 minutes
3. Line baking trays with baking paper and preheat the oven to 200°C bake.
4. Divide the dough into 16–18 equal portions, approximately 90–100g each.
5. Shape each portion into a smooth ball, then gently flatten into discs about 1.5–2cm thick. Lightly coat both sides with semolina.
6. Heat a dry frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Cook the English muffins for 2–3 minutes per side, or until lightly golden.
8. Transfer the muffins to the prepared baking trays and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cooked through around 93-98 Celsius
9. Allow to cool before splitting with a fork to create the traditional nooks and crannies.

What to Serve with This Recipe

• Butter and jam
• Honey
• Poached eggs
• Bacon and eggs
• Eggs Benedict
• Cream cheese
• Breakfast sandwiches

Stacey’s Kitchen Tips

• Split English muffins with a fork rather than a knife to create more nooks and crannies.
• Semolina helps give English muffins their classic texture and appearance.
• Cook over medium-high heat so they brown without burning.
• These freeze beautifully for quick breakfasts.

Variations & Substitutions

• Make mini-English muffins for lunchboxes.

Storage, Freezer & Make-Ahead Notes

• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Toast pre-split muffins straight from frozen.
• Perfect for meal prep and batch baking.

Final Thoughts

These English muffins were probably the biggest surprise for me during this little bread-making experiment. I’d always assumed they would be complicated to make, but they turned out to be one of the easiest and most useful breads from the entire batch of dough.

I love having a stash in the freezer because they make quick breakfasts and lunches so easy. Whether they’re topped with butter and jam, used for eggs Benedict, or turned into breakfast sandwiches, they’re one of those recipes that quickly earns a permanent place in your kitchen.

And perhaps the best part is knowing they started from the very same dough that also became bagels and flatbreads. It’s amazing what a few simple changes can do.

Stacey