Sourdough English Muffins
Who doesn't love English muffins? Homemade sourdough muffins seem
even more scrumptious, and some of the taste-testers here had to admit
that these crusty, chewy, tangy gems were some of the best they'd ever
eaten.
PREP BAKE T O TA L YIELD
25 mins 20 to 34 2 hrs 45 2 dozen large
mins mins muffins
Ingredients Instructions
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated 1 Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then
sugar sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the dough ingredients,
2 cups (454g) water, warm except the cornmeal/semolina, in a large bowl.
(110°F-115°F) 2 Mix and knead — by hand, electric mixer, or bread machine — to
1 tablespoon active dry yeast or form a smooth dough. The dough should be soft and elastic, but not
instant yeast particularly sticky; add additional flour if necessary.
1 cup (227g) sourdough starter, 3 Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and set it aside to
ripe (fed) or discard; ripe will give rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until it's noticeably puffy. For most
you a more vigorous rise pronounced sour flavor, cover the bowl, and immediately place it in
7 cups (840g) King Arthur the refrigerator (without rising first). Let the dough chill for 24
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour hours; this will develop its flavor.
1/2 cup (56g) King Arthur Baker's 4 Gently deflate the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured work
Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk surface, cover it, and let it sit for a few minutes, to relax the gluten.
4 tablespoons (57g) butter, at Divide the dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll 1/2"
room temperature thick, and cut in 3" rounds. Re-roll and cut any remaining scraps.
1 tablespoon (18g) salt Repeat with the remaining half of dough.
1/4 teaspoon citric acid (sour 5 Alternatively, divide the dough into 24 pieces (total). Shape each
salt), optional; for enhanced sour piece into a round ball, then flatten each ball into a 3" round. For a
flavor somewhat more even rise as the muffins cook, flatten each ball
King Arthur Semolina Flour or slightly larger than 3", and trim edges with a 3" cutter (or trim all
yellow cornmeal, for coating around the edge with a pair of scissors). Muffins with cut (rather
than flattened) sides will rise more evenly.
6 Place the rounds, evenly spaced, onto cornmeal- or semolina-
sprinkled baking sheets (12 per sheet). Sprinkle them with additional
cornmeal or semolina, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rise until
light and puffy, about 45 to 60 minutes. If the dough has been
refrigerated overnight, the rise time will be about 2 hours.
7 Carefully transfer the rounds (as many as a time that will fit without
crowding) right-side up to a large electric griddle preheated to
350°F, or to an ungreased frying pan that has been preheated over
medium-low heat.
8 Cook the muffins for about 5 minutes on their first side; then lay a
cake pan, cookie sheet, or similar flat (though not overly heavy)
object atop them to help keep them flat. Continue cooking for about
7 minutes or so; then remove the pan, turn the muffins over, and
finish cooking without the pan on top for a total of about 10 to 12
minutes or when the center of a muffin registers 190°F on a digital
thermometer. If you're having trouble getting muffins to cook all the
way through on the stovetop, cook until golden brown on both sides,
then transfer to a preheated 350°F oven and bake until the muffins'
interior shows no sign of wet dough, about 10 minutes or so.
9 Remove the muffins from the griddle, and cool on a rack. Store
tightly wrapped at room temperature for 4 or 5 days; freeze for
longer storage.
Tips from our Bakers
Don’t have any starter? Here’s a recipe for homemade sourdough
starter. If you're making it from scratch, you'll need to feed it for 5 to
7 days before it’s ready for baking. Want a head start? Purchase our
classic fresh sourdough starter — it’ll be ready for baking soon after it
arrives at your door. Looking for tips, techniques, and all kinds of
great information about sourdough baking? Find what you need in our
sourdough baking guide.
To shorten cooking time, use a lidded electric fry pan heated to
325°F. Cook the muffins for about 10 minutes without the lid (or
until they're nicely browned), turn them over, and add the lid. Don't
set the lid on tight; leave a small opening for any steam to escape.
Cook the muffins for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, until their bottom
sides are browned.
This recipe is easily halved, if you don't want to make 2 dozen muffins.
Halve all of the ingredients; for a slightly faster rise, use 2 teaspoons
yeast, rather than 1 1/2 teaspoons.
We're here to help. King Arthur Baker's Hotline: (855) 371 2253
