How to Make English Muffins (It's Easier Than You Think!)
Perfectly golden English Muffins with airy nooks and crannies just waiting to soak up some butter and jam.
If you’ve never made English muffins before, a warning: you’re about to get hooked! Not only are they incredibly easy to make at home, but their flavor and texture are unbeatable compared to store-bought brands. These beauties are soft and chewy with a golden crust and lots of irresistible nooks and crannies.
There are a few recipes I make on the regular that folks always have an “ooo, you so fancy” reaction to.
Popovers are one example. Many people think of popovers as something you’ll only find at a posh inn or restaurant. But the truth is, your blender does most of the work. The key is simply having a solid recipe and the right pan. Oh, and not peeking while the popovers are baking!
English muffins are another prime example. I remember the last time I mentioned to someone that I was planning to make English muffins over the weekend. She literally took a step back and raised her eyebrows before declaring that she didn’t even know that was possible.
Here’s the thing: not only is it possible to make English muffins in your own kitchen, but it’s EASY to do. You don’t even need any special equipment. The only reason it seems impressive is because most people have forgotten how to do it.
Let’s change that shall we? It’s time to make some English muffins together.
Why Bother Making English Muffins From Scratch?
It's true that you can buy English muffins at the store, and I have nothing against Thomas’ brand muffins—I buy them myself on occasion. But I have yet to find store-bought muffins that come anywhere close to the texture and flavor of their homemade counterparts.
There’s just no competition. The primary goal of mass-produced baked goods is to last long enough to make it to grocery store shelves and then last another week or two once you take them home. The secondary goal is to taste good.
But when you make English muffins from scratch? The primary and only goal is for them to have great flavor and texture.
Since it’s not hard to do, you might as well give it a whirl and whip up a batch of homemade muffins when you feel like it.
Watch How To Make Them
If the idea of making English muffins from scratch has you feeling both excited and a little uncertain, check out my video.
In fact, even if you’re confident, I recommend you watch it. It’s crucial to pay attention to the texture of the dough, as this is where most people go wrong when they try to make English muffins.
Ways to Enjoy Your English Muffins
My favorite way to use English muffins is to make a batch of breakfast sandwiches. I cook the eggs all at once in a 9x13 pan, then cut the baked eggs into squares and tuck them into English muffins along with a bit of cheese. The whole process takes less than an hour and gives me a week’s worth of breakfasts that can be stored in the freezer. Here’s the recipe:
There are many more ways to enjoy your muffins, of course. My son has always loved them toasted with butter, and he became obsessed with this after we watched “The Importance of Being Earnest” together:
Even more ideas….
Serve them with butter and jam. Or with almond butter, jam and sliced strawberries on top.
Turn them into eggs Benedict with ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
Make them into English muffin pizzas. This is my husband’s favorite thing to do with them.
Tuna melts! A diner classic. Mix canned tuna with some mayo and seasonings, then add it to toasted muffins and top with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melty and dig in. I also love doing this with canned salmon.
Where Most People Go Wrong
Over the years I’ve shown several friends how to make English muffins and the funny thing is that people who have never made bread before have the easiest time of it. Why? Because they don’t have any expectations of what dough should look like or how to should be handled.
If you are an experienced baker then I’m glad you’re here cause it’s always wonderful to connect with fellow bread-making enthusiasts. But don’t think about English muffins as traditional bread. This is where many people go wrong. They keep working the dough and adding flour thinking it should look like regular bread dough.
Here are some tips that will help you avoid common mistakes and ensure that your English muffins come out perfectly: