Hangry in Maine

I love a crusty sourdough loaf as much as the next carb addict. But here’s the thing: making one in my apartment is basically a hostage negotiation with my fire alarm. Preheating a Dutch oven to 450°F? Forget it…the second that oven door opens up, my fire alarm decides to audition for the role of Screaming Goat #3 in a horror movie.

So while I do love baking fancy sourdough loaves, they’re not exactly practical for apartment living, or at least the set up that I have…my landlord literally installed a smoke detector right above my oven/stove…I set it off just by boiling water sometimes. Anyways, that’s where sourdough English muffins come in.

No Dutch oven needed. No oven at all, actually. Just a skillet or an electric griddle, a little patience, and a sourdough starter that’s bubbly & ready to party. They’re quieter, less dramatic, and freeze beautifully. Which means you can have homemade English muffins ready to go whenever you want, instead of having to buy the boring, bagged ones at the grocery store filled with preservatives and sadness.

Why I’m Obsessed with These

• They’re low drama. No screaming alarms. No stretch and folds. No smoking oven. Just you, your griddle, and maybe some butter
• They’re freezer friendly. Make a double or triple batch and smugly enjoy them for weeks. I like to make multiple batches and meal prep breakfast sandwiches with them that I toss in the freezer; a healthy & easy grab and go breakfast on a busy morning!
• They make amazing gifts. Forget the bottle of wine you panic bought at the gas station; show up with a basket of homemade English muffins, a jar or two of jam or local honey, and a cute tea towel. Boom! You’re everyone’s favorite guest!
• They’re customizable. You can make them as thick or thin as you would like, as well as any size you would like (I usually go for the standard 3-inch muffin). You can also play with the flavors and make them sweet, savory, spicy or any other flavor combination–the muffin is your canvas!

Flavor Fun

Plain is classic, but if you know me, you know that I love experimenting with flavors. And English Muffins are no exception to that philosophy! Some of my favorite flavor combinations include:

• Jalapeno Cheddar (a classic)
• Roasted Garlic & Rosemary (my personal favorite, be careful if you go this route, as the roasted garlic can add extra moisture to your dough, so you may need to add more flour)
• Blueberry & Lemon Zest (perfect for summer time brunch!)
• Cranberry & Orange Zest (with a little rosemary? perfect for the holidays!)
• Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Raisin (my step-dad’s request, and today’s special project)

Honestly, once you make the base dough, you can pretty much go wild with the inclusions. Swap out a few TBSP of flour for cocoa powder or peanut butter powder, and make some chocolate cherry or peanut butter chocolate chip English muffins.

*** Just watch your dough texture–you may need to adjust your flour or milk, depending on how the dough hydration is affected by the inclusion. Dehydrated fruits, like raisins or dried cranberries can suck up moisture, so adding a little extra milk to your dough is ok. Just like adding fresh berries or roasted garlic can add moisture, so adding a little more flour to your dough is suggested.

Recipes

Because I’m a nice person, and I love you, I am including both the classic sourdough English muffin recipe and my brown sugar & cinnamon raisin version. That way you can make a plain batch for breakfast sandos and a sweet batch for snacking, brunching, or bribing family members (why I made these for my step-dad, haha)!

These are my favorite things, so far, to make with my sourdough starter. They’re soft, tangy, chewy, little pockets of heaven that toast up beautifully. I make them almost weekly; a plain batch and a fun batch, with whatever random inclusions I feel like using. I usually tweak the recipe a little bit when I add inclusions, as you’ll see below. I stock my freezer, share them with my office, and my friends & family.

What You’ll Need

Essential Tools

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Your Hands and Brute Strength or A Stand Mixer & Dough Hook
• A 3 inch Biscuit Cutter (or whatever size you want, size doesn’t matter here)
• A large baking tray
• Parchment Paper
• An Electric Griddle or Large Skillet

Classic Sourdough English Muffin Ingredients

• 100g (about 1/2 cup) active sourdough starter
• 20g (1 TBSP) honey (substitute maple syrup or sugar if you prefer)
• 240g (1 cup) whole milk
• 360g (3 cups) AP Flour
• 5g (1 tsp) of fine salt
• 60g (1/3 cup) cornmeal, for sprinkling on your muffins

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough English Muffin Ingredients

• 100g (about 1/2 cup) active sourdough starter
• 30g (1 1/2 TBSP) maple syrup (you can substitute honey if you would like)
• 240g (1 cup) whole milk
• 360g (3 cups) AP Flour
• 5g (1 tsp) of vanilla salt (or use regular salt and a small splash of vanilla extract)
• 160g (1 cup) raisins
• 1 very packed TBSP brown sugar
• 1-2 TBSP cinnamon (to taste–I prefer 1 TBSP, but if you LOVE cinnamon, add 2)
• 60g (1/3 cup) cornmeal, for sprinkling on your cute lil muffins

Directions

Please note, you make these the same way, so although there are 2 ingredient lists, there will only be one set of instructions for making the English Muffins.

I usually get 8 to 9 standard English muffins from this recipe, and then a couple that are a little more “rustic” looking from the leftover dough scraps, but they’re equally delicious

1. Make the dough
   In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the cornmeal. Mix by hand until everything is well combined. Cover and let the dough rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Knead the dough
   Turn the dough out of the bowl and onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. (You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low, but I like doing this by hand, as it let’s you get a feel for the dough.)
3. Ferment the dough
   Shape your kneaded dough into a ball, place back into the bowl, and cover. Let it ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
4. Shape the English muffins
   After fermentations, turn your dough back out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it out, using your hands, to about 1/2 inch thick. (Remember, they’ll puff as they cook, so if you go thicker, which you totally can, just cook them longer to avoid raw centers.)
   Use your biscuit cutter (I like a 3 inch for standard muffins or a 4 inch for jumbo Queen sized ones) and cut your dough into rounds. Place your muffin rounds on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper and dusted with cornmeal. Once you’ve used all of your dough, sprinkle the tops off all of your muffins with more cornmeal. Cover with a towel, and let rise for 1 hour.
5. Cook the muffins
   Preheat a non-stick skillet or an electric griddle to low heat. Place the muffins down, about an inch apart, cover with a lid or dome, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until they start puffing up and get golden and toasty on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes. They should be puffed up, golden, and slightly firm to the touch.
6. Serve, store, and love your muffins
   Cool slightly before slicing and admiring the nooks and crannies inside! Toast and serve with butter, jam, or honey. Or use them for the breakfast sandwich of your dreams. Refrigerate any extras (no preservative = short counter life), or freeze in a ziplock bag for future breakfasts.

Pro Tips:

• I use Fairlife brand whole milk when I make these. It adds a little extra protein and is lactose free, so it’s a win-win for me, as someone with lactose issues that is also trying to eat healthier and increase their daily protein intake.
• Don’t crank the heat. Low and slow is key here, otherwise you end up with burnt outsides and raw, doughy insides.
• Cornmeal is your BFF here; sprinkle it generously! It keeps the muffins from sticking and it gives them their signature texture.
• Make sure you cover them with a lid or dome as they cook; this traps the steam, and helps them puff instead of being flat like a hockey puck.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, sourdough English muffins. Fancy artisan sourdough loaves will always have my heart, but sourdough English muffins have my sanity. They’re easy, freezer-friendly, endlessly customizable, and possibly the best “casual flex” you can pull off in the kitchen. Make them plain, make them fancy, make them for yourself, or show up with a basket as the most overachieving guest at brunch.

Either way, you’ll never look at store bought English muffins the same again. Now go make a breakfast sando that slaps harder than my smoke alarm ever could.

Stay Hangry ❤