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English Muffins

English Muffins

These classic English muffins are soft, golden, and cooked entirely on the stovetop. Perfect for toasting, splitting, or layering with sweet or savoury toppings. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have beautifully fluffy muffins that are miles better than store-bought.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Proof Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Breakfast

Ingredients
  

  • 450 g (3 2/3 cups) White Bread Flour
  • 1 tsp Caster Sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp Fast action dried yeast
  • 280 ml Milk
  • semolina or four for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Rollling pin
  • 1 Digital scales
  • 1 7.5cm round cutter
  • 1 Baking tray
  • 1 Clean tea towel
  • 1 Heavy based frying pan
  • 1 Wire rack
  • 1 Stand mixer with dough hook optional

Method
 

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 tsp of salt. Gradually pour in the milk, using your hands to mix until a soft dough forms.
  2. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can also do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook if you prefer
  3. Roll the dough out to about 1cm thick. Use a 7.5cm round cutter to cut out circles, gathering and re-rolling any leftover dough to get about 8 muffins
  4. Place the dough rounds on a baking tray dusted with semolina (or flour). Sprinkle the tops with a little more semolina (or flour), cover loosely with a clean tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for around 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
  5. Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Cook the muffins in batches for about 5-6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. If they start browning too fast, reduce the heat to ensure the centres cook properly. If they brown too much and not quite cooked all the way through, put in oven for 4-5 mins on 180°C to finish cooking them through.
  6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. These muffins are best served warm, but once cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Recipe Notes

Make it vegan: Swap the milk for a plant-based alternative like oat or soy milk.
Don’t have semolina? Use plain flour or fine cornmeal for dusting instead. They’ll still prevent sticking and give a good texture.
Flour tips: Strong white flour (bread flour) gives the best texture, but plain (all-purpose) flour will work in a pinch, the muffins may be slightly softer.
Freezing: Once cooked and cooled, English muffins freeze well. Split and toast straight from frozen.