This sourdough discard English muffin recipe creates pillowy, golden English muffins that have light and airy centers and crisp edges. Toast them up and slather nooks and crannies with butter or give them a generous swipe of jam. Bakery-worthy!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It produces amazing homemade, soft and doughy English muffins with a subtle sourdough flavor.
• A tasty way to use up your sourdough discard.
• They freeze well so you have breakfast at hand on any given day.
• They are so much better than store-bought English muffins.

Sourdough discard English muffins are being made on repeat in my house lately. My son and I can’t stop eating them. I love to toast them up, slather some butter and apricot jam over those nooks and crannies and enjoy!

Before I made my own English muffins, I had no idea you don’t bake them in the oven. You actually cook them in a skillet on the stove. Once they are cut and have risen, they basically cook up like pancakes. They are so charming and rustic.

Read on for the recipe and instructions!

Ingredients

• sourdough discard
• milk, room temperature or slightly warmed
• sugar
• all-purpose flour
• butter, softened
• baking soda
• salt
• cornmeal

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Add sourdough discard, milk, sugar, all-purpose flour and butter to a large mixing bowl. (DO NOT add baking soda and salt at this point. Those ingredients are added after bulk rise.)

Step 2: Mix ingredients together to form a sticky dough.

Step 3: Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let rise at room temperature for 6-12 hours (or refrigerate overnight).

Step 4: After bulk rise/or next day, sprinkle salt and baking soda onto dough and gently knead or mix until combined.

Step 5: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal over the entire cookie sheet. Set aside.

Step 6: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Step 7: Sprinkle the top of your dough with a little more flour. It tends to be sticky. Flour a rolling pin and roll out dough to 1/2 – 3/4-inch thick (depending how thick you like your muffins).

Step 8: Dip biscuit cutter (or you can use a glass) into all-purpose flour and cut muffins. (You may not need to dip the cutter into flour if they’re not sticking.)

Step 9: Place each muffin on the parchment-lined cookie sheet about an inch apart. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with more cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Step 10: Cover muffins loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest for 30-45 minutes.

Step 11: Spray a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat on medium-low heat. (I use an electric skillet.)

Step 12: Remove plastic wrap from muffins. (They should look a little puffy.)

Step 13: Cook muffins for 5-7 minutes per side until golden and the centers are cooked through. If they are browning too fast, you may need to lower the heat.

After 5-7 minutes, when you see them starting to puff up, go ahead and check the underside and see if they are ready to flip.

Step 14: Transfer English muffins to a cooling grid until cool enough to handle.

Step 15: To get those signature nooks and crannies you often see with English muffins, use a fork to split the muffin all the way around and pull open. Serve with butter and jam.

Enjoy!

Hint: Try not to overcook the muffins because they could turn out dry. What I sometimes do is use a digital thermometer to ensure they are done. An ideal temperature is between 200°F and 205°F.

Variations

• Whole Wheat – Replace part of your flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin with a deeper flavor. You’re also adding more fiber to your diet!
• Honey or Maple – Swap the sugar in the recipe for honey or maple syrup for gentle sweetness.
• Cinnamon Sugar – Add cinnamon to the dough and sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar.
• Blueberry – Gently fold in fresh or frozen blueberries (toss them in flour first).
• Raisin and Spice – Add raisins with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Equipment

• large mixing bowl
• large spoon
• fork
• glass measuring cup
• measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
• large cookie sheet
• cast iron pan, nonstick pan or electric griddle
• cooling grid
• rolling pin
• 3 – 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter or glass
• plastic wrap
• parchment paper
• tea towel or dish towel

Storage

• Room temperature – Store cooled muffins in an airtight container or storage bag for up to 3 days.
• Freezer – Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Top Tips

• Keep your heat low and steady while cooking. Too much heat is going to brown the outside before the inside centers are cooked through.
• Use discard, not active starter. This recipe works best with unfed sourdough discard. Active starter can make the dough rise too quickly and change the texture.
• Resist the urge to press them down. Let the muffins rise naturally as they cook. Pressing them flattens the interior and reduces air pockets.

Related

For another amazing sourdough discard recipe, see my sourdough discard cinnamon roll recipe. SO good!

There’s nothing like a fresh, warm, homemade English muffin. I also love a recipe where I can use up my sourdough discard. Win! Win!

You can serve these muffins for breakfast, a brunch or with afternoon tea or coffee. They freeze beautifully so I always have some on hand. Let me know if you make them and love them by leaving me a comment and a 5-star review!

Sweet regards,

Michele