Quick Sourdough English Muffins - Taste of Artisan (2024)

May 7, 2020 by Victor @ Taste of Artisan 60 Comments

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This is another great discard sourdough starter recipe. I am not a big fan of English muffins in general, but if you put a basket full of these sourdough English muffins in front of me, I will finish them all. They are addictive! The flavor is rich. I like the slight sweetness and a tiny bit of tang from the sourdough starter. I also love the browning and the toasty flavor they get from cooking in butter on a frying pan or a griddle. These English muffins are a must-try!

To make these muffins thick and puffy, I let them proof a little longer, about an hour or even a bit longer. This makes them extra airy and soft. Just make sure to handle them carefully to not deflate them.

This recipe is truly the best of both worlds. It uses both sourdough starter and commercial yeast. The sourdough starter adds the flavor, while the yeast makes the muffins puff up quickly and become light and airy. You don't need to wait a day or night for the sourdough starter to do the leavening. If you want your English muffins quick and you want them to have a rich sourdough flavor, this recipe is for you.

The only tricky part here is getting the pan temperature right. You want it hot enough that the muffins get toasty and brown right by the time the inside is cooked through. I shoot for about six minutes per side, which is ideal. I get that when the pan is about 300F.

This recipe makes a firmer dough than some other English muffin recipes. It's still soft, with slight stickiness but firmer than some other recipes that you will find. It's actually a good thing - it makes the dough much easier to work with.

Enjoy!

Sourdough English Muffins

4.91 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American, British

Keyword: Sourdough English Muffins

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Resting time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 muffins

Calories: 175kcal

Author: Victor

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
1 cup sourdough starter mature
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of cooking oil for cooking
Cornmeal for dusting

Instructions

Heat milk to 115F. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the butter and stir until melted. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the sourdough starter. Sprinkle instant yeast and stir.
Add one cup of flour and the salt, and mix thoroughly.
Add another cup of flour and mix by hand. The dough should be slightly sticky.
Turn the dough in a lightly floured work surface. Roll out 1/2" thick and cut into 3" circles. Collect the cut-offs, re-roll and cut.
Transfer to a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Turn each miffing in cornmeal.
Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until the muffins double in size.
Preheat a skillet or a griddle to medium-low heat with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook for about about 8 minutes per side or until the muffins are cooked through. I find they cook better if you cover the pan with a lid after you flip them.
Remove, split and toast. Leftover muffins can be frozen for later. Just thaw them and toast before consuming.

Nutrition

Make sure to try my new sourdough discard Belgian waffle recipe. It's exceptionally good.

Sourdough Discard Belgian Waffles
Pan Bread with Sourdough Discard
Sourdough Biscuits
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Quick Sourdough Rye Bread
Rustic Sourdough Bread

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Lora
April 16, 2024 at 12:44 pm

Made these and they turned out 100% perfect. They looked so pretty and tasted great!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  April 16, 2024 at 8:14 pm
  
  Glad to hear it, Lora. Enjoy!
  Reply
Susie
January 08, 2024 at 1:20 pm

Thanks so much! Just made these and love them!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  January 08, 2024 at 2:52 pm
  
  You are very welcome. Enjoy!
  See Also
  Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes Gluten Free Naan (Vegan Flatbread) - Elavegan Korean Tuna Pancakes (Chamchijeon) | Cookerru Red Lentils with Poached Eggs
  Reply
Plantlady
October 14, 2023 at 7:40 am

Can I use regular yeast instead of instant? Would I just need to let it sit a little longer after adding it to the mix to let it activate? Does using discard sourdough instead of active starter just make for a more dense muffin with fewer nooks and crannies?
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  October 16, 2023 at 5:04 pm
  
  Yes, you can use regular but will need to activate it first. For me, instant yeast has been so much more reliable and easier to use that I don't even use active dry any more. Depending on how viable your regular yeast is, you may have to wait longer than an hour for the dough to double.
  Using sourdough discard won't make a denser muffin. It's a way to not waste your flour, and it also adds a lot of flavor to the muffins. The starter discard is not use for leavening in this recipe, only for flavor, so the dough will be properly leavened by the yeast and will be just as airy as without using the discard.
  Reply
Jennifer VanArsdale
September 02, 2023 at 9:12 pm

Hello..I was wondering if I can't use my sourdough discard for this recipe?
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  September 03, 2023 at 4:09 am
  
  Yes, you can.
  Reply
  - Mary Gipprich
    January 08, 2024 at 12:30 am
    
    My pan only fits 5 or 6 at a time, should I add Butter and oil to the pan between each batch?
  - Victor @ Taste of Artisan
    January 08, 2024 at 1:07 am
    
    Yes, I would add some butter between batches.
K-Dub
May 11, 2023 at 6:16 pm

I made these today with some discard and they are delicious. Super soft and yummy. My only concern is the lack of bubbles inside like commercial English muffins. Not that I’m complaining.
Reply
Rachel
March 22, 2023 at 5:54 pm

My muffins aren’t rising after 2 hours. Help! What did I do wrong? Should I wait longer?
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  March 22, 2023 at 7:20 pm
  
  Hard to say without knowing exactly what was done and what was used. It could be the yeast. If you are certain that the yeast is fine, it could be the ambient temperature, you could move the dough to a warm place, like the oven with the light on, it will be about 80-802F warm.
  Reply
  - Rachel
    March 22, 2023 at 8:38 pm
    
    Ok thanks
Katherine Cornette
March 22, 2023 at 4:39 pm

I just wanted to share with you that I am making my 4th batch of these today because they are so enjoyed by my family! Thank you for sharing this!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  March 22, 2023 at 7:21 pm
  
  You are very welcome. Enjoy! I love these, and we make them quite often. No storebought English muffin comes even close to these.
  Reply
Betty vite
March 19, 2023 at 6:15 pm

Just made these they turned out perfect will be remaking these often.thanks for the recipe
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  March 20, 2023 at 9:46 am
  
  You are very welcome, Betty, Enjoy!
  Reply
Pam
March 05, 2023 at 9:02 pm

love this recipe, i make it every week
Reply
- Pam
  March 05, 2023 at 9:19 pm
  
  I also use my large electric fry pan, I can cook the whole batch at one time.
  Reply
  - Shelley West
    August 08, 2023 at 1:08 pm
    
    Great idea!
  - Mila
    December 05, 2023 at 10:55 pm
    
    How would you store these for use without freezing?
Catole
February 18, 2023 at 10:11 pm

Soooooo good. Great recipe and easy to follow directions. My new favorite way to use discard.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  February 18, 2023 at 10:47 pm
  See Also
  Sourdough Waffles (or Pancakes)
  
  Happy to hear it. Enjoy!
  Reply
Elisa H
December 20, 2022 at 7:36 am

Two questions please..would you have gram weights for the measurements and can the milk be substituted for a plant based milk?Thank you in advance for your reply.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  December 21, 2022 at 4:36 pm
  
  Hi Elisa, I think plant-based milk should work fine, but I've never tried it. Give me a couple of days, I will measure out the ingredients and post them in grams too. Happy baking!
  Reply
Leslie
December 19, 2022 at 11:56 pm

I got these all started and realized I've gotten rid of my instant yeast.......I'm hoping to solve this by letting it rise longer. fingers crossed.....should this work?
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  December 20, 2022 at 6:01 am
  
  If the starter is strong, it should leaven the dough just fine, but it will take longer and will give the dough a tangy taste. Good luck!
  Reply
Michelle K
November 07, 2022 at 8:41 pm

This is an amazing recipe! I have had a hard time getting my English muffins right and this is the first recipe that I has turned out an English muffin I am happy with. The only problem is now my family is not going to want to eat store bought muffins!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  November 09, 2022 at 5:48 pm
  
  LOL We never liked English muffins until we started making our own one day and fell in love with them. Such a treat if made right.
  Reply
Rachel
October 25, 2022 at 9:52 pm

How would you use active yeast instead of instant in this recipe?
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  October 31, 2022 at 4:01 pm
  
  Activate in warm water with a pinch of sugar and make sure you get a nice foam hat going before mixing in. Good luck!
  Reply
Mariah
October 16, 2022 at 5:05 pm

I have tried different types of english muffins and didnt really like the taste or texture was off, until I found you. This is my second time making it. I dont have a yeast but I used baking soda instead. Functions the same. But i do need to add little bit more flour when adding baking soda in the mix. Since it is more wet texture. My dough does not rise when leaving out to rest for an hour but it does rise when cooking on the pan. It’s pretty epic to see and it is so delicious! I am forever going to keep your recipe but with baking soda instead of yeast=a WIN!
Thank you for this yummy recipe!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  October 31, 2022 at 5:24 pm
  
  Happy to hear about your success, Mariah. Happy baking! Enjoy!
  Reply
Joyce
August 10, 2022 at 4:04 am

Made them tonight and loved how easy and delicious they are. Mine turned out so good and I’m a new baker. Just started experiencing the art of sourdough baking because I can’t digest most breads
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  August 10, 2022 at 12:32 pm
  
  Good to hear it, Joyce. You should look into baking with spelt flour (an ancient heirloom type of wheat), it's more easily digestible for people who have trouble digesting regular wheat. Enjoy!
  Reply
  - Stacey
    April 21, 2024 at 3:46 pm
    
    Can you bake these?
  - Victor @ Taste of Artisan
    April 21, 2024 at 5:38 pm
    
    I've never tried, but I don't see why you couldn't. I imagine they will taste a bit differently if baked.
Trish Allin
May 13, 2022 at 4:36 pm

Thank you for this recipe that I made today. It turned our just the way I hoped it would. I used homemade oat milk.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  May 16, 2022 at 3:43 pm
  
  You are very welcome. Glad they turned out well. Enjoy!
  Reply
Elisa
May 13, 2022 at 12:33 am

Can these be made with oatmilk and vegan butter, please? MY hubby is sensitive to dairy and I’d rather not tempt him.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  May 13, 2022 at 12:58 pm
  
  Elisa, I am not 100% sure as I've never tried a substitution like this but I tend to thing that this should work just fine. Let time know how it goes. Good luck.
  Reply
- Trish Allin
  May 13, 2022 at 4:42 pm
  
  I used oat milk and olive oil. They turned out perfect Because we don't eat corn or corn products, I did not use the cornmeal. We like them this way and they are very versatile.
  Reply
Julie
May 02, 2022 at 1:16 am

These were easy and turned out good.
Reply
sylvia
April 25, 2022 at 12:42 pm

So this recipe is for the Sourdough DISCARD, right .... not the sourdough that I feed. I got confused because you recipe says Discard and then Sourdough.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  April 25, 2022 at 1:49 pm
  
  Discard sourdough is still the same sourdough that you feed daily, only it would be the (mature) sourdough that you'd purposely throw away just before feeding a small amount of it it with more water and flour.
  Reply
Kimberly Ness
February 12, 2022 at 4:23 am

Oh my goodness! These are absolutely amazing. I made them for dinner tonight to use some of my extra sourdough starter even though I really don't care much for english muffins. They are so much better than store bought. They are nice and crispy on the outside, but soft and tender on the inside! Delicious with a little butter, honey an cinnamon sugar. I will definitely be making these again!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  February 12, 2022 at 3:22 pm
  
  Kimberly, that's how I felt about them too. I don't care for storebought English muffins as I find them pale, unappetizing, and very plain tasting. These ones changed everything and we make them quite often to utilize sourdough discard. Enjoy! Be sure to try my other recipes that use sourdough discard like the cinnamon rolls and sourdough biscuits.
  Reply
Elaine
June 13, 2021 at 1:05 pm

Has anyone tried baking these instead of pan frying? I prefer an English Muffin that is baked...I know it gets a "crown" and that is okay with me. I haven't found a really good sourdough recipe that allows me to bake them. I'd like to put them in the metal rings to rise and bake in them. Let me know if I can follow directions in this recipe and be successful or tweak along the way. I love using the sourdough starter in my bread recipes.
Reply
Jody
April 11, 2021 at 3:08 pm

Oh my goodness does my kitchen smell wonderful!. I think covering them after the first flip was the answer to the softness and baking all the way through. I started on my Sourdough journey last June at the peak of the craziness of Covid-19. Having baked many yeast breads before, but never Sourdough thought why not. Naming my starter Roberta after my beloved mom I have achieved some success and quite a few failures. Your English Muffins are just divine!! I followed the recipe to the T. Your Cinnamon Rolls are next.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  June 27, 2021 at 12:15 am
  
  Happy to hear that, Jody. It took me a while to respond, my apologies for that. If you've made the cinnamon rolls, let me know how they turned out. Share some pics if you have any.
  Reply
Tom
February 10, 2021 at 2:57 am

Wow. I covered with lid after first turn. The results yielded a Rolls Royce version of bacon cheese egg Mcmuffins at our breakfast table!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  March 06, 2021 at 3:04 am
  
  Hi Tom, happy to hear it. Enjoy! And try my other recipes.
  Reply
Camille
December 27, 2020 at 8:13 pm

Great recipe! These are very easy to make and a good use for discarded starter. My husband said they are the only English muffins he will eat. They come out light and fluffy with a perfect crispy on the outside.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  December 27, 2020 at 9:57 pm
  
  Wow, what a compliment. Thank you. If your husband has a sweet tooth, you must make him these sourdough cinnamon rolls. They are quite delicious. If he likes savory quick breads, I'd try these sourdough biscuits. It's a variation of my favorite biscuit recipe.
  Reply
Keith
May 18, 2020 at 6:11 pm

This is an excellent recipe. I have never used sourdough to make English muffins before, and am so pleased with the result. The muffins taste delicious - very buttery, and a wonderful slightly chewy texture. I only made one tweak to the list of ingredients: I substituted oat milk as my wife is lactose intolerant. I did not substitute the butter though! I also worked in grams as opposed to cups - sourdough 210g, flour 300g. Highly recommended!
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  May 18, 2020 at 7:16 pm
  
  Hi Keith,
  I am glad you liked my recipe. It's been a huge hit in our home, my girls keep asking me to make more. If they had it their way, they'd bee eating these every morning. And thanks for the detailed feedback and the kind words.
  Reply
- Carol
  September 08, 2022 at 11:40 pm
  
  Thank you for the grams information!!
  Reply
Lisa
May 08, 2020 at 10:41 am

I just made my first sourdough English muffins and they were a success! Like you I am not a fan of English muffins but these taste really good and my husband and I finished them all. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Reply
- Victor @ Taste of Artisan
  May 08, 2020 at 12:44 pm
  
  You are very welcome, Lisa. Thanks for your feedback.
  Reply