Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins (Same Day or Overnight)
I have made a sourdough english muffin before, and now I made these fresh milled sourdough English muffins with 100% fresh-milled hard wheat flour. They are cooked right on the stovetop instead of baked in the oven, and I split them with a fork to get all those classic nooks and crannies. You can make them the same day or prepare them overnight, which makes this recipe extra flexible.
It turns out soft and chewy, with an active sourdough starter that adds a gentle tang and helps develop flavor as the dough ferments. We enjoyed it for breakfast with butter and jam, eggs and cheese, or simply toasted with a little honey.
If you love using fresh milled flour like I do, try this fresh-milled sourdough pancakes and fresh milled sourdough tortillas.
Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bulk Fermentation: 4-8 hours
- Final Proof: 1-3 hours
- Cook Time: 12-16 minutes
- Total Time: 7-12 hours
- Servings: 10-12 English muffins
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Baking Method: Stovetop skillet or griddle
- Best For: Breakfast, brunch, and make-ahead meals
Jump to:
- Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
- Quick Look
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins
- Same Day Baking Schedule
- Overnight Baking Schedule
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins
- Other Delicious Fresh Milled Sourdough Recipes
- Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins (Same Day or Overnight)
- Need Help Tweaking This Recipe?
- Other Fresh Milled Bread Recipes You'll Love
- Fresh Milled Apple Cinnamon Crumble Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Fresh-Milled Sourdough Hot Dog Buns
- Fresh Milled Sourdough Burger Buns
Important Ingredients
- fresh-milled hard white wheat flour gives the English muffins good structure while keeping the whole-wheat flavor mild.
- whole milk adds moisture and helps create a soft, chewy texture.
- active sourdough starter provides natural fermentation, a gentle tang, and helps the dough rise.
- unsalted butter adds richness and keeps the muffins tender.
- granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness and helps with browning as the muffins cook.
- salt balances the flavors and enhances the wheat and sourdough notes.
- cornmeal, semolina, or rice flour used for dusting to help prevent the dough from sticking and adds a classic texture to the outside.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Hard white wheat is my first choice for these English muffins. It gives good structure with a milder whole-wheat flavor.
- Use hard red wheat for a deeper, more noticeable whole-wheat flavor. Start with 385 g milk.
- You can use another type of milk, but the dough consistency may change.
- Unsalted butter can be replaced with a neutral-flavored oil if needed.
- You can use honey instead of sugar if you want.
- Cornmeal, semolina, or rice flour: Use any of these for dusting the pan and muffins to help prevent sticking.
- Overnight version: Reduce the starter to about 60 g for a longer fermentation of roughly 8-20 hours.
- Cold-proofed version: Shape the muffins in the evening, cover them, and refrigerate overnight. Cook them the next morning for fresh English muffins at breakfast.
How to Make Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins
Step 1: Mix and rest. Add the fresh-milled flour, 350 g milk, sourdough starter, sugar, melted butter, and salt to a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains (Image 1). Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to give the fresh flour time to hydrate. After resting, check the consistency and add more milk a little at a time if needed. The dough should be very soft and tacky.
Step 2: Develop the dough. Do 2 sets of stretch and folds about 20-30 minutes apart (Image 2). You don't need to develop a windowpane, but the dough should become smoother, stronger, and better able to hold its shape after you've done with handling it.
Step 3: Bulk ferment. Cover the bowl and leave the dough at room temperature for about 6 hours (it can take anywhere from 4-8, depending on your kitchen's temperature!), or until it looks puffy and has increased in volume by roughly 50% (Image 3). Don't wait for it to fully double. I recommend using a glass bowl to proof the dough in, so you'll be able to see when it's full of bubbles.
Step 4: Cut and proof. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently pat or roll it to about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. Cut out rounds with a 3-3½-inch (7-9 cm) biscuit cutter (I'm using a 8 cm one) (Image 4). I usually cut out 6, roll the dough again, than do 4, roll again, and cut out the last 2.
Step 5: Place the pieces into a parchment paper lined baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina, sprinkle some on top (Image 5), and cover with a plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let them proof for about 2 hours (this is a flexible time, I make sure to do at least 1 and no more than 3) hey I wish I, until they look puffy.
Step 6: Cook. Preheat a skillet or griddle over low to medium-low heat. Place the muffins on the hot surface, leaving room between them (Image 6), and cook for about 6-8 minutes per side. Keep the heat relatively low so the centers have time to cook before the outsides get too dark. The centers should reach about 200°F (93°C).
Step 7: Cool and split. Transfer the English muffins to a wire rack and let them cool completely. To get those classic rough edges and nooks and crannies, split them with a fork instead of slicing them with a knife. (Image 7)
Hint: The dough should feel very soft and tacky after the 30-minute rest, not firm like a typical bread dough. Fresh-milled flour can absorb quite a bit of liquid as it hydrates, so check the dough after resting before deciding if it needs more milk.
Same Day Baking Schedule
- 8:00 AM - mix the dough
- 8:30 AM - rest the dough
- 9:00 AM - stretch and folds
- 9:30 AM - second round of stretch and folds
- 9:45 AM - bulk fermentation
- 3:45 PM - shape and cut the english muffins
- 4:00 PM - final proof
- 6:00 PM - preheat the skillet or griddle
- 6:05 PM - cook the english muffins
- 6:20 PM - cool and split with a fork
- 6:40 PM - serve
Overnight Baking Schedule
- 8:00 PM - mix the dough
- 8:30 PM - rest the dough
- 9:00 PM - stretch and folds
- 9:30 PM - second round of stretch and folds
- 9:45 PM - cover and begin overnight fermentation
- 7:00 AM - shape and cut the english muffins
- 7:15 AM - final proof
- 9:15 AM - preheat the skillet or griddle
- 9:20 AM - cook the english muffins
- 9:35 AM - cool and split with a fork
- 10:00 AM - serve for breakfast
💭Crucial Success Tips
Give the flour time to hydrate. Don't rush past the initial 30-minute rest. This is especially helpful when working with fresh-milled flour.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Hard red wheat works well and gives the muffins a stronger whole-wheat flavor. Start with 385 g milk, then add a little more after the dough rests if it feels too firm.
Fresh-milled flour can absorb liquid differently depending on the grain and how finely it was milled. This dough is supposed to be very soft and tacky, so don't add a lot of extra flour just because it feels stickier than a regular bread dough.
After the final proof, the rounds should look noticeably puffy and lighter. The timing can vary, so use their appearance as your guide. A final proof of around 1-3 hours is a helpful range.
How To Store Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins
Let the English muffins cool completely before storing them. Place them in an airtight container or reusable storage bag and keep them at room temperature for about 2-3 days.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled English muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. I recommend splitting them before freezing so they're ready to go straight into the toaster.
Other Delicious Fresh Milled Sourdough Recipes
- Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins (Same Day or Overnight)
- Fresh Milled Sticky Pecan Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Fresh Milled Apple Cinnamon Crumble Pull-Apart Sourdough Focaccia
- Fresh Milled Apple Pie Pull-Apart Sourdough Skillet
If you tried these fresh milled sourdough english muffins or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins (Same Day or Overnight)
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh-milled hard white wheat flour
- 375 g whole milk plus 10-30 g more as needed
- 120 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 30 g unsalted butter melted
- 10 g salt
- Cornmeal semolina, or rice flour for dusting
Instructions
- Mix and rest. Add the fresh-milled flour, 350 g milk, sourdough starter, sugar, melted butter, and salt to a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to give the fresh flour time to hydrate. After resting, check the consistency and add more milk a little at a time if needed. The dough should be very soft and tacky.
- Develop the dough. Do 2 sets of stretch and folds about 20-30 minutes apart. You don't need to develop a windowpane, but the dough should become smoother, stronger, and better able to hold its shape after you've done with handling it.
- Bulk ferment. Cover the bowl and leave the dough at room temperature for about 6 hours (it can take anywhere from 4-8, depending on your kitchen's temperature!), or until it looks puffy and has increased in volume by roughly 50%. Don't wait for it to fully double. I recommend using a glass bowl to proof the dough in, so you'll be able to see when it's full of bubbles.
- Cut and proof. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently pat or roll it to about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. Cut out rounds with a 3-3½-inch (7-9 cm) biscuit cutter (I'm using a 8 cm one). I usualy cut out 6, roll the dough again, than do 4, roll again, and cut out the last 2.
- Place the pieces into a parchment paper lined baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina, sprinkle some on top, and cover with a plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let them proof for about 2 hours (this is a flexible time, I make sure to do at least 1 and no more than 3) hey I wish I, until they look puffy.
- Cook. Preheat a skillet or griddle over low to medium-low heat. Place the muffins on the hot surface, leaving room between them, and cook for about 6-8 minutes per side. Keep the heat relatively low so the centers have time to cook before the outsides get too dark. The centers should reach about 200°F (93°C).
- Cool and split. Transfer the English muffins to a wire rack and let them cool completely. To get those classic rough edges and nooks and crannies, split them with a fork instead of slicing them with a knife.
