Homemade English Muffins with Perfect Nooks and Crannies Recipe
Learn how to make homemade English muffins with perfect nooks and crannies using simple ingredients and a griddle cooking method. These soft, chewy muffins have a slightly crisp exterior, dusted with cornmeal, making them ideal for breakfast or snacks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups Bread Flour (455g, high protein preferred)
- 2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast (7g, one standard packet)
- 1 ½ tsp Sea Salt (9g)
- ½ cup Fine Yellow Cornmeal (80g, for dusting only)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk (240ml, warmed to 110°F)
- 1 tbsp Honey (21g)
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter (28g, softened)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Combine warm milk and honey in a bowl. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix and Knead: Add softened butter, sea salt, and bread flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes until doubled in size.
- Cut Rounds: Gently punch down the risen dough and roll it out to about ¾ inch thickness. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut dough circles and place them onto a tray heavily dusted with yellow cornmeal.
- Second Rise: Dust the tops of the dough rounds with additional cornmeal. Cover and let them rise for another 30 minutes until they become puffy.
- Griddle Cook: Heat a dry griddle or skillet over low to medium heat. Cook the muffins for 7 to 9 minutes on each side until golden brown marks appear and they are cooked through, creating the iconic English muffin texture with nooks and crannies.
Notes
- Warm the milk to about 110°F to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Be sure to dust both the baking tray and the tops of the dough rounds with cornmeal to prevent sticking and add texture.
- Maintain low to medium heat while cooking on the griddle to ensure muffins cook evenly without burning.
- Let the dough rise until doubled to develop flavor and achieve a light texture.
- Use a high protein bread flour for better gluten development and more chewy texture.
Keywords: English Muffins, Homemade English Muffins, Breakfast Muffins, Yeast Bread, Griddle Bread, Soft Muffins, English Muffins Recipe
