Homemade English muffins with legendary nooks and crannies are a simple recipe with easy-to-follow instructions and minimal proofing time. Whip up a batch for brunch!

If you love to make bread recipes, also try these favorites including homemade bagels and homemade hamburger buns!

English muffins on a plate.

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The Best English Muffins

The best English muffins are not baked, but cooked on a griddle until golden and perfectly fluffy with air pockets. Whether for classic eggs benedict, or toasted with strawberry jam or cinnamon butter, everyone needs an easy recipe like this one!

Soft, chewy English muffins are a breakfast classic but also can be used for everything from mini pizzas to breakfast sandwiches and toast.

Recipe Ingredients

Milk, yeast, sugar, flour, salt, butter, whisked egg and cornmeal ingredients for English muffins.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Milk: Warm milk is what helps activate the yeast. It should be warmed to 105°F. Any less, it won’t foam, and any higher, it’ll kill the yeast.
  • Instant yeast: Instant yeast doesn’t technically need any initial proofing, but I still like to!
  • Butter: We’re adding salt as a separate ingredient, so unsalted butter, melted, works just fine.
  • You’ll also need sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, a large egg, and cornmeal for dusting.

How to Make Homemade English Muffins

Collage showing how to make english muffins.
  • Activate the yeast until foamy. In a separate large bowl, use a stand mixer or whisk to mix the flour and salt, then add the milk and yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg.
  • Knead the dough. Use the dough hook or whisk to knead the dough for a couple of minutes. It will be soft and sticky, but it will start to pull away from the sides once ready. Cover bowl and allow to rise for about half an hour to an hour in a warm, draft-free area.
  • Cut out circles. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Press the dough out into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut disks out of the dough.
  • Sprinkle with cornmeal and rise. Place the dough circle onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornmeal. Once you’ve arranged your disks on the tray, sprinkle with more cornmeal on top. Cover again with a towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.

How to Cook (No Oven Needed)

Cooking english muffins on a griddle.

Place the raw English muffin dough onto a preheated griddle over low heat and cook for 7–10 minutes per side. Once the bottoms are golden and the center is cooked to about 200°F, they’re good to go!

English muffins on a cooling rack.

Tips and Variations

  • Using a stand mixer is your best bet as the dough is quite sticky. It’s easier to knead when it’s mostly hands off.
  • Swap the cornmeal with semolina. Either can be used.
  • No pancake griddle? Use a cast iron skillet on the stove instead. Use the lowest setting as low and slow is key!
  • You’ll need to cook your English muffins in batches, so be sure to get rid of any residual cornmeal in between batches so it doesn’t burn.
  • If you notice the center isn’t quite baked enough, place them in the oven at 300°F for 3-5 minutes.
English muffin split open with butter.

More homemade bread recipes to try out include this homemade bread recipe, beignets recipe and overnight cinnamon rolls.

More Yeast Bread Recipes To Try

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English muffins on a plate.

English Muffins Recipe

5 from 12 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rise time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 15
Homemade English muffins with legendary nooks and crannies are a simple recipe with easy-to-follow instructions and minimal proofing time. Whip up a batch for brunch!
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Video

Equipment

  • griddle

Ingredients 

  • 1 ¼ cup milk , warmed to 105°F
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour , more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons butter , melted
  • 1 large egg , whisked
  • cornmeal , for dusting

Instructions

  • Activate yeast: Combine 1 1/4 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast and 2 Tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 2 minutes or until foamy.
  • Mix dough: Combine 3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl (I used my kitchen aid). Then add in the milk, butter and egg. Use a dough hook or whisk to mix together and knead for 2 minutes. The dough will be soft and sticky, but you'll know it's ready when it starts pulling away from the sides. If it's still too sticky, add 1-2 Tablespoons more flour.
  • Rise: Cover the bowl and allow to rise about 30-60 minutes in a warm spot.
  • Shape and second rise: Lightly flour the counter and then press the dough out into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter (or glass) to cut your dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal on the pan. Then transfer dough circles to pan and sprinkle cornmeal over top. Cover with a towel and let rise 30-45 minutes.
  • Cook: Preheat a griddle to low heat (I did 2.5 on my pancake griddle). Place dough circles on griddle and cook 7-10 minutes per side, or until the bottoms are golden and the center is cooked through to about 200°F. Low and slow is the key here.
  • Serving: Place muffins on a cooling rack to cool. We love to slice the muffins and place in the toaster then top with butter and jam.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Make overnight: At step 3, you can cover the dough and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning place on the counter and allow to rise for 1 hour and then continue on to step 4. 
Underbaked: If the center of your muffin is underbaked, place in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 300°F. 
Griddle: I prefer to use a pancake griddle to cook these, but if you don’t have one you can cook them on the stove in a skillet, just make sure to cook on the lowest setting. 
Storage: Store in a covered container for 3-5 days or freeze for 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 186mg, Potassium: 79mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 119IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

How to store homemade English muffins?

These will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Do they freeze well?

They sure do! Keep them stored in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge before warming them up, or toast them straight from frozen.

Can I make in advance?

You can certainly get ahead with the dough. Combine the dough and cover it to prepare for the first rise. Instead of keeping it at room temperature, you’ll refrigerate it overnight. The next day, take it out for an hour before you continue on with cutting out the dough circles.

Why is the dough so sticky?

This dough should be sticky. However, it shouldn’t be so sticky that it feels wet. If you find it’s leaning toward being too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra flour to the dough.