One bite of these easy homemade English Muffins and you’ll be hooked! They look just like the classic ones you get from the store with all the nooks and crannies but the taste and texture are so much better. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to enjoy these around your breakfast table.

English Muffin recipe dusted with cornmeal in a bowl

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The Best English Muffins Recipe

Also known as “toasted crumpets,” English muffins were invented here in America by a British immigrant named Samuel Bath Thomas—whose name is still on the grocery store packages. That original recipe is still a secret—but that doesn’t bother us, because this is the best English muffin recipe made right at home. Thanks for the inspiration, Mr. Thomas!

Unlike dry and tough storebought muffins, these Homemade English Muffins don’t even need to be toasted because they have the perfect soft and fluffy center. And of course, all those air pockets are perfect for a slathering of Honey Butter, Peach Preserves, or Hollandaise Sauce, like in our Eggs Benedict.

English Muffins Recipe Video

Before you get started, watch the video tutorial to learn how to make the most delicious English breakfast muffins with all the nooks and crannies. It’s important to visualize the steps in the process, especially how wet the dough really is.

Things to know before you begin:

  • Easy and forgiving – this English muffin recipe requires 2 rises and uses active dry yeast, but it’s beginner-friendly with easy, step-by-step instructions.
  • Make Ahead – With the rise time, it takes a total time of about 3 hours and you can make the dough a day ahead and cook the muffins fresh in the morning.
  • Tools Make It Easy – a stand mixer is highly recommended versus mixing by hand. Also grab a 3” biscuit cutter, instant-read thermometer, and heavy-bottom skillet.
  • Unbelievable texture and taste – the dough is stickier than other bread recipes because the hydration creates those tell-tale crevices. The addition of whole wheat flour creates that classic English Muffin taste.
fresh english muffin recipe stacked on a cooling rack with butter

Ingredients for English Muffins

This bread recipe is beginner-friendly, so with just these simple ingredients you can make truly outstanding English muffins. 

  • Whole milk – the milk fat creates a softer texture, but you can use 2% if needed 
  • Butter – unsalted so you can control the salt content
  • Honey – feeds the yeast and gives the English muffin a little sweetness and color
  • Active dry yeast – room temperature and fresh to create airy dough pockets. Instant yeast would work (see tips below)
  • Bread flour – the soft flour’s high protein content creates a great texture for the English muffin recipe. See our notes on using All-Purpose below.
  • Whole wheat flour – gives great flavor to the dough, but you can substitute more bread flour instead
  • Fine sea salt – don’t skip this ingredient, the salt helps to balance the sweetness and enhance flavors, and it also helps the fermentation of the yeast
  • Semolina flour or finely ground cornmeal – for dusting the bottom of the dough to avoid sticking, but also to add that delightful crunchy crust
ingredients for making breakfast bread including milk, butter, honey, yeast, salt, cornmeal, bread flour and whole wheat flour

Substitutions

I suggest you follow the recipe exactly the first time before making alterations. After that, here are a few substitutions you can use:

  • Instant Yeast – Active Dry Yeast gives better flavor, but instant yeast will work. You don’t need to activate it, so just add it to the dry ingredients in step two with the warm milk/butter.
  • All-purpose flour – you can swap the flour, but bread flour has a higher protein content that develops more gluten resulting in a chewier texture. Also, whole wheat flour adds more flavor.

How to Make English Muffins

This homemade English muffin recipe is easy when you follow these step-by-step instructions, and the taste is worth every minute of the resting time. It’s so much better than storebought.

  • Activate the yeast by warming the milk to 120 ̊F in the microwave or stove, then stir in the butter and honey. When it cools to 115 ̊F, stir in yeast and rest for 7-10 minutes until the mixture foams (this lets you know the yeast is activated and working).
  • Mix dry ingredients (bread flour, wheat flour, and salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix in the yeast mixture on speed 2 for 8-10 minutes. The dough will be very wet.
  • Rest the dough in a well-oiled mixing bowl covered with a kitchen towel until it has doubled in size. For me, it takes about 2 hours in a warm spot at about 100 ̊F.

Pro Tip:

Keep an eye on your dough in the first rise to be sure it only doubles in size. Overproofing or allowing the yeast to work too long in the first rise can exhaust your yeast and keep your dough from rising in the second resting time.

Step by step instructions on how to make dough using active dry yeast

How to Cook English Muffins

  • Prep a baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper. Then brush the parchment with oil, and dust the paper with cornmeal or semolina.
  • Turn the risen dough out onto a floured countertop and spread the sticky dough out with your fingers until it is 1/2” thick.
  • Cut uniform rounds with a floured 3” round cutter (a drinking glass or tuna can work, too) and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Dust muffins with cornmeal or semolina and cover with a dish towel to rest for 20 minutes or until lightly puffed. MAKE AHEAD: To cook the muffins the next morning, instead of a towel, cover the rounds with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap and then put them in the fridge overnight.
  • Heat a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron skillet or a griddle over low heat, and cook in batches. Place each one into the dry pan and cover with a lid for about 6 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. When the surface is matte, puffed, and no longer sticky to the touch, flip the muffins with a spatula. Cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes.
  • Cool to room temperature or barely warm before cutting or else they will be gummy. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 days.
instructions on how to cut and cook english muffins

Pro Tip:

Once you’ve cut the dough into rounds, collect the scraps and use them to make two more rounds. You can even put the dough into the cutter to shape.

biscuit cutter to shape breakfast bread dough into a circle

How to Serve English Muffins

These English Muffins are so delicious you can eat them by themselves, but they are also so versatile. These are some of our favorite serving suggestions:

how to cut an english muffin using a fork

Did You Know?

There is a proper way to open an English Muffin to keep those nooks and crannies: Skip the knife and use instead the tines of a fork to poke into the center of the muffin all the way around, then pull it apart with your fingers to expose the amazing texture inside.

Common Questions

What is an English Muffin?

English Muffins we know today were created in New York in the late 1800s by a British expat as his version of a British crumpet. The yeast-leavened bread is cut into a biscuit shape and then cooked on a skillet. When split, the resulting bread has a signature texture of nooks and crannies. Despite the name, these muffins originated in America. In fact, British stores didn’t even begin selling American English Muffins until they were exported in the 90s.

How do I know when English Muffins are done?

The muffins should smell delicious, look browned on both sides and register 200 ̊F on an instant-read thermometer.

Do English Muffins need eggs?

Traditionally, English muffins don’t include eggs, giving the muffins distinct nooks and crannies. Adding eggs would make the muffin more bread or cake-like.

Butter spread on homemade english muffin with bowl of toasted muffins

Make-Ahead

This English muffin recipe stays soft and fresh for 2 to 3 days at room temperature, but you can store them longer:

  • To Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, but be sure to toast them for the best texture.
  • Freezing: Cool and freeze wrapped in foil in a freezer bag immediately for a freshly baked taste when thawed, or make our Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
  • To Reheat: Thaw the wrapped English muffin on the counter, then split and toast
How to store fresh breakfast bread in the fridge or freezer

Our easy homemade English Muffin Recipe tastes better than store-bought with a crisp crust and soft, delicious pockets for holding butter and jellies perfectly. You will love how easy and impressive it is to make this recipe!

More Yeast Bread Recipes

Once you try these English Muffins, you’ll be hooked on making yeast bread. Try these delicious homemade bread recipes:

English Muffins Recipe

5 from 39 votes
homemade english muffins in a basket with blue striped napkin
These classic English muffins are crispy on the outside with the classic nooks and crannies you expect from the packaged muffin, but these taste so much better. You don't even have to toast them when they're fresh because they are so soft. The dough can also be refrigerated overnight to cook fresh English muffins for breakfast in the morning.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients 

Servings: 14 muffins
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk minus 1 Tbsp
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast, at room temperature
  • 2 3/4 cups bread flour, (*see note 1)
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, optional, or use more Bread Flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup semolina flour or finely ground cornmeal, for dusting

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • Warm the milk in the microwave or a saucepan to 120 ̊F. Stir in butter and honey until melted and cooled to 110 ̊F. Stir yeast into the warm milk mixture until dissolved and set aside for 7-10 minutes to proof and form bubbles on top indicating your yeast is active.
  • Add dry ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer and stir together. Add warm yeast and milk mixture. Beat together on speed 2 with a paddle attachment for 8-10 minutes, scraping down the bowl a few times. It will be a very wet sticky dough.
  • Generously oil a large mixing bowl. Transfer dough into the bowl. It should not be sticking to the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm spot (100 ̊F) until it doubles in size, about 2 hours (*see note 2).

Cut the English Muffins

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, brush with oil, and generously dust with semolina. Dust a clean work surface generously with flour and invert the risen dough over the flour and use your fingers to spread to 1/2” thick.
  • Dip your 3” round cutter in flour between cuts to cut out your muffins. Push straight down then twist at the base. Remove them as you cut them out and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Dust the muffins with semolina, cover with a towel, and rest for 20 minutes to lightly puff. If making ahead, instead of the second proof/rising, cover with an oiled sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Cook the English Muffins

  • Set English muffins onto a dry cast iron pan or griddle over low heat, cover with a lid, and slowly cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 6 minutes (rotate halfway for even browning and reduce heat if browning too fast). Flip when the surface looks matte and they have puffed. Sauté uncovered for another 4-5 minutes on the second side. The center of the muffin should reach 200 ̊F on a thermometer.
  • Transfer to a rack to cool to cool then enjoy or store (*see note 3). To open, poke all around with the tines of a fork the pull the sides apart.

Notes

1. Flour Notes: You can substitute with all-purpose flour, but bread flour has a higher protein content which produces more gluten. Adding whole wheat flour adds more flavor to the dough, avoid too much whole wheat flour, or the muffins will become too firm. Make sure your flour is not expired which can give your muffins a slight bitterness. 
2. Proofing Dough – your house is cool, you can let your dough rise in the oven with the oven light on. The light gives off just enough heat to help the dough along (keep it under 100˚F). Don’t Overproof – if you let your dough rise too much, you will exhaust your yeast and it won’t rise nicely in the final rise.
3. StoringStore in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, refrigerate for up to a week, or cool and wrap in freezer-safe wrap and freeze.

Nutrition Per Serving

147kcal Calories25g Carbs5g Protein3g Fat2g Saturated Fat0.3g Polyunsaturated Fat1g Monounsaturated Fat0.1g Trans Fat7mg Cholesterol260mg Sodium81mg Potassium1g Fiber4g Sugar93IU Vitamin A0.02mg Vitamin C38mg Calcium0.4mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
English Muffins Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
147
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
7
mg
2
%
Sodium
 
260
mg
11
%
Potassium
 
81
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
25
g
8
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
93
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
0.02
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
38
mg
4
%
Iron
 
0.4
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: english muffin, english muffin recipe, english muffins
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 147
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
5 from 39 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Del Skinner
    January 27, 2025

    Thank you so much for your clear and precise instructions. I also watched your video while I was making the English muffins. The best part was my family loved them! While I was researching English muffins, I found that there are so many different recipes, techniques and they all so confusing. But you made it look do-able. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 27, 2025

      You’re so welcome, Del! I’m so glad the video was helpful!

      Reply

  • Sherri
    January 17, 2025

    Oh my gosh…These turned out SO good!!!! I even used homemade almond milk and dairy-free butter and they’re still excellent!! Definitely making again…thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply

  • SR
    January 1, 2025

    How many minutes do you microwave the milk or cook on stove top to obtain the right temperature for the recipe?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 1, 2025

      Hi SR. That really depends on the microwave and stove. It’s not the same for everyone. I didn’t measure this in mins, I used a Food thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to check the temperature and warmed it on the stove top to 120 ̊F.

      Reply

  • Natalie
    November 23, 2024

    LOVE this recipe. Made it twice today. I’m wondering tho why I don’t have the typical nooks and crannies you’d get from the store bought ones They still taste amazing and hold butter and jelly well – just wanted to see good nooks.

    Reply

  • Michelle
    November 11, 2024

    Hi, Love your videos and cant wait to try this. Question, some recipes i have read add an egg, does adding an egg change the flavor or texture? Your thoughts

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 11, 2024

      Traditionally, English muffins don’t include eggs, giving the muffins distinct nooks and crannies. Adding eggs would make the muffin more bread or cake-like.

      Reply

  • Linda
    September 12, 2024

    These muffins were so yummy and easy to make. All of your recipes are fantastic. I have never had one that wasn’t delicious. Thank you for all the new ideas you pass on to all. Love all the videos and your personality. You make cooking and baking so much fun. Look forward to rainy days so I can bake a new recipe

    Reply

  • Ellen
    July 25, 2024

    Today I made these muffins for the fourth time. Such a wonderful, simple recipe!! Thank you for the easy to follow directions! Everyone agrees these are way better than store bought ❤️

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 25, 2024

      That’s wonderful, Ellen!

      Reply

  • MarySue
    July 1, 2024

    Love this recipe…It was easy and will definitely be making this again instead of buying from store…WONDERFUL!!!!!

    Reply

  • shylah
    June 25, 2024

    Thank you so much for posting your recipes!! They are always so yummy!!! I do have one question, In this recipe can I use all whole wheat flour??

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 25, 2024

      Hi Shylah, I would avoid too much whole wheat flour, or the muffins will become too firm.

      Reply

  • Lena
    June 24, 2024

    These tasted 100 times better than the store-bought ones. Tender, so flavorful, not too dense, but still have the taste and texture of a traditional English muffin. Even my toddler couldn’t get enough!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 24, 2024

      That’s so great to hear, Lena!

      Reply

  • Pam E.
    June 1, 2024

    I just love your videos, you’re so funny 😁
    Anyway, I’ve been searching the web for English muffin recipes and of course I came across this one. I don’t know why I didn’t just go directly to your site from the beginning because I always end up using your recipes anyway! 😅
    Can’t wait to get started on these!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 1, 2024

      I hope you love these! Thank you for that wonderful compliment!

      Reply

      • Pam E.
        June 1, 2024

        Hi again, this comment has nothing to do with the recipe, but I didn’t know where else to ask my question 😅
        I ordered your book tonight, but I didn’t see an option for an autograph version. Is there a way to get an autographed book?
        I mean, it’s too late now because my book has shipped, but for future reference.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          June 2, 2024

          Hi Pam, the autographed copies are currently sold out. I’ll see if we can get more with our supplier.

          Reply

  • Lou
    May 27, 2024

    How do you prepare the dough for over night proofing??
    Thank you for the great recipe

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 27, 2024

      Hi Lou, I have that make ahead (over night) tip listed under step 3 in the recipe post. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Mary
    April 30, 2024

    Natasha,
    Can English Muffins be made with discard sour dough?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 30, 2024

      Hi Mary! I have tested these as sourdough English muffins and it worked great. Here’s what I did: Add 1/2 cup active starter (100 grams) and use 1 1/4 cups milk and everything else stayed the same.

      Reply

  • Stanley
    April 5, 2024

    Already made this a handful of times and they are great! Can you make the dough the night before and cook them the next day?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 5, 2024

      Hi Stanley, you sure can, please see the “Things to know before you begin: Make Ahead” section of the recipe. I hope this helps.

      Reply

  • Cindi S.
    March 12, 2024

    I had fun making these. My husband and I are enjoying them. He likes mine better than the store kind because mine are a lot bigger. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 12, 2024

      That’s great to hear, Cindi!

      Reply

  • Natalie Grandt
    February 23, 2024

    These are delicious!! Question for you, do u think I can add blueberries into the dough to make blueberry muffins? Should I cut blueberries into small pieces?

    Thank you

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 23, 2024

      I’m glad you love the recipe, Natalie! I haven’t personally tested anything like that to advise. Please let us know if you experiment.

      Reply

  • Jamie
    February 19, 2024

    Hi Natasha! Thank you for the recipe. Do I have to use a cast iron skillet or can I use a regular frying pan?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 19, 2024

      Hi Jamie! You can use a cast-iron skillet, heavy-bottomed pan, or an even a griddle. A regular pan will work, but a heavy bottomed pan will help prevent hot spots and burning.

      Reply

  • Victoria
    February 9, 2024

    Can I replace the whole wheat flour with all purpose flour? And would it be the same amount?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 9, 2024

      Hi Victoria! Whole wheat flour gives great flavor to the dough and that classic English muffin taste. But you can substitute more bread flour or all-purpose flour instead. See the sections above under “substitutions” for my note regarding all-purpose flour.

      Reply

  • Amanda T
    February 5, 2024

    Excellent! I made this recipe, and I was skeptical. But honestly, they turned out so good! Even my toughest critics in the house (my kids) loved them! After we had them for breakfast, I then turned the leftovers into grilled ham and cheese sandwiches! Yum!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 5, 2024

      That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great, Amanda! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

      Reply

  • Michelle Skill
    January 28, 2024

    Another delicious recipe from Natasha. These were quite easy to make and definitely were better than store made. Will make this recipe again.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 28, 2024

      Glad you think so! Thank you for your gooc comments and review, Michelle.

      Reply

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