We’ve made bagels together before (a couple times, actually). But we’ve never enjoyed an english muffin together. Did you know that english muffins are even easier to make than bagels, or at least I think so.
My favorite thing about english muffins: egg + cheese sandwiches! It’s like an Egg McMuffin but homemade. You can also just lightly toast them and top them with butter, jam or cream cheese + lox. Oh the possibilities! But first we have to make them.
English Muffins, *makes six. Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon shortening (or butter at room temperature)
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup milk
Combine the yeast with the warm water. I like to add just a pinch of sugar to the water before pouring in the yeast, just really get things going.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the shortening, this will be a little clumpy and that’s ok. Now pour in the yeast water and milk. Stir until a dough ball forms. If you are using a stand mixer and dough hook to knead the dough, this will take about 6 minutes until the dough becomes elastic like. If you knead by hand it will probably take 8-10 minutes (and a lot more muscles). Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes).
Plop the dough out on a floured work surface. Yes, you must plop. Divide the dough into six equal parts. *The orginal recipes encourages this, although I think this could easily make eight muffins as it yeilds pretty big english muffins if you stick with six.
Anyway, roll each muffin into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a little bit of cornmeal (or flour). Cover, and allow to rise for an additional hour.
Heat a cast iron skillet (or other oven safe pan) over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil. You don’t want too much as our goal isn’t to fry the dough, but we don’t want it to stick to the pan either. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side. You want each side to get very brown, but not burnt.
Once you’ve cooked each side pop the skillet in the oven at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until the english muffins are cooked through.
If you do not have an oven safe pan, or you don’t have one large enough for all the muffins, you can remove the muffins after cooking on each side to the baking sheet (still lined with parchment paper and cornmeal) and bake on there. Either way.
These are wonderful just out of the oven the day they are made. If you have leftovers, just place the cooled muffins in a Ziplock bag and seal it up. These will easily last a few days on the counter, or up to a week in the refrigerator. Make an Egg McMuffin for me! xo. Emma
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Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups bread flour
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon shortening (or butter at room temperature)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- Combine the yeast with the warm water. I like to add just a pinch of sugar to the water before pouring in the yeast, just really get things going.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the shortening, this will be a little clumpy and that’s ok. Now pour in the yeast water and milk. Stir until a dough ball forms. If you are using a stand mixer and dough hook to knead the dough, this will take about 6 minutes until the dough becomes elastic like. If you knead by hand it will probably take 8-10 minutes (and a lot more muscles). Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes).
- Plop the dough out on a floured work surface. Yes, you must plop. Divide the dough into six equal parts. *The orginal recipes encourages this, although I think this could easily make eight muffins as it yeilds pretty big english muffins if you stick with six.
- Anyway, roll each muffin into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a little bit of cornmeal (or flour). Cover, and allow to rise for an additional hour.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (or other oven safe pan) over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil. You don’t want too much as our goal isn’t to fry the dough, but we don’t want it to stick to the pan either. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side. You want each side to get very brown, but not burnt.
- Once you’ve cooked each side pop the skillet in the oven at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until the english muffins are cooked through.
- If you do not have an oven safe pan, or you don’t have one large enough for all the muffins, you can remove the muffins after cooking on each side to the baking sheet (still lined with parchment paper and cornmeal) and bake on there. Either way.
The ultimate English muffin recipe! I have tried so many, and these are by far the tastiest. Friends and family beg me to make these! Thank you!
Just made these today! Delicious and super easy ?
English muffins make me think of eggs benedict and english muffin pizzas. I am going to make these.
Awesome recipe, somewhat better than others I’ve seen. Note to the cautious, you CAN use an ordinary frying pan if you don’t have a skillet, but be sure to check it’s oven safe first and transfer the buns to a hot baking tray if not. You could alternatively heat two baking trays then sandwich the dough between them and just oven bake the buns if you really want, but I prefer the skillet method.
I found a tiny little skillet a while back in my local T.K. Max (it’s soo cute) and I’ve made-up a double batch of dough, divided into buns and popped them in the freezer. I’ve been taking one out and popping it in a warm spot overnight and then using my mini-skillet to cook through in the morning so I can have a fresh one every day!
Excellent for this kind of weather.
P.s. Don’t forget, if you only cook one at a time you’ll need to drop the cooking time to about 8 minutes in the oven or you may burn the bun!
This recipe is amazing! I tried these substituting some of the white for wholemeal flour and made a great valentine’s breakfast eggs benedict! Thanks for the great recipe!
Made these and they are amazing! They don’t have the pockets inside that the store-bought fork-split ones do, they are a little more cake like. They have a slightly sweet taste but a tinge of sourdough as well. Very easy to make if a little time consuming, but I will be making them regularly!
Do you think I could substitute the milk for rice milk? My son is allergic to cow’s milk… Let me know!
I’ve always wanted to make these but never had the courage. Thank you for such a straightforward and delicious recipe! Made them this morning (subbed about 1/3 of the flour with whole wheat) and they were perfection! Even made fried egg sandwiches and used a cookie cutter to make the egg and ham into perfect circles!
Check out the pictures on my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52935209@N05/12414371715/
Made these last week. Hubby and I had 2 as they were, fresh and warm. Then basically had the remaining 4 over the next 2 days. I am now making my second batch. They are soooo good, thanks for posting.
Instead of using plain water, use the water you cooked potatoes in. It adds a genuine English Muffin flavor.
I just got up the courage to try making these, and they are so much easier than I imagined! A perfect snow day project. English muffin pizza, here I come.
I love the way you ladies post projects and recipes that at first seem intimidating, yet you make them user-friendly. I haven’t tackled any of the projects requiring a saw, but I’ll get there. Thanks Emma+Elsie!
This cookies’ like bakpia pathok in Indonesia. You guys should googling it too 🙂
Yum! I never thought to make homemade english muffins!
I’m puzzled: These are “scones” no “muffins” … ???
Hello Elsie & Emma! I discovered this recipe trough bloglovin’. 🙂 I absolutely love english muffins! I know these kinds of muffins from California. Now, living in Italy I miss it!! Thanks to you guys I will bake them now! Aww! How excited I am! Thank you!! 🙂 Warm greetings from Milan, Italy! Lale
And this is my blog: http://www.thetuliproad.com It’s mostly about traveling in Italy & the italian-american cuisine!
I love English muffins! (especially with jam) How did you make yours so thick and perfectly fluffy? They look awesome.
Pinning!
EGGS BENEDICT….or even better….EGGS FLORENTINE …OR PACIFIC NORTHWEST SMOKED SALMON “BENEDICT”…
I have officially “FOUND” my base for these utterly brunch-worthy luxury/necessities…
Living in France I find only the most HORRENDOUS English Muffin facsimiles in the supermarkets…but THESE look like “the ticket”…Not as difficult as I would have imagined…and love the idea from Michelle about doing a cinnamon & raisin “riff” for brekkie…..I remember Thompson’s English Muffins from my carefree youthful days at grad school in NYC…a must….Thanks for making the memory even better by IMPROVING upon it with homemade…Recent discoverer of your site…thank you for matter-of-fact, easy to assimilate recipes…and the humor involved…Much appreciated and much impressed am I.
I’ve always wanted to try making these! Pinned
These look amazing. My three year old and I will be trying this recipe out this week, can’t wait!
EMMA! EMMA! EMMA!
Please go to Pinterest and look up “Cadbury Creme Egg Donuts” and please please please make these for Easter season!!!!
I saw them and instantly thought of you!!!!!!!!!!!!