Soft Sourdough English Muffins (Skillet + Freezer-Friendly)
These Soft Sourdough English Muffins the thing to go for if you like to have something fresh for breakfast but don't want a whole lot of work in the evening to prepare for that. They're tall, fluffy, freezer-friendly, and made in a skillet with a simple overnight rest. Also, if they're one of those things where I honestly think the sourdough version is easier than yeasted one!
English muffins are loved year-round, but there's something extra satisfying about making them when the kitchen is cool (so your dough rests overnight without over fermenting).
If you like freezer friendly sourdough items you can make in bulk, give my foldable sourdough tortillas a try!
Quick Look
- Prep time: 20-30 minutes hands-on
- Fermentation time: 8-12 hours overnight + optional 60 minutes second rise
- Cook time: 10-12 minutes per batch (+ optional 10 minutes oven finish)
- Servings: about 10 muffins
- Main ingredients: sourdough starter, flour, water (or milk), sugar, salt, baking soda
- Cooking method: skillet, covered + optional oven finish
- Difficulty: easy-moderate (you need active starter, some patience for proofing)
- Serving ideas: split and toast with butter, jam, or egg; freeze for easy breakfasts
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Sourdough English Muffins
- Baking Schedule
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Sourdough English Muffins
- Other Delicious Recipes
- Soft Sourdough English Muffins (Skillet + Freezer-Friendly)
- Other Sourdough Recipes You'll Love
- Lazy Sourdough Tangzhong Sandwich Bread
- Sourdough Guinness Bread
- Sourdough Ciabatta Bread
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough starter is the base that gives the muffins their rise and flavor, so it should be active and bubbly.
- Flour keeps the muffins light and soft while still holding their shape.
- Water makes the dough simple and classic, while milk adds richness and softness.
- Sugar adds balance to the flavor and helps the muffins develop a golden color.
- Salt is essential for flavor and should never be skipped.
- Baking soda is optional but can give the muffins extra height and structure.
- Cornmeal or semolina is used for dusting to prevent sticking and create the classic English muffin texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Dairy-free: Use water instead of milk to keep these muffins dairy-free.
- Sweeter option: Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup for a different flavor.
- Whole wheat: Replace up to half the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose blend, but keep in mind the texture will change.
- Kid-friendly: Add a little cinnamon and raisins to make them sweeter and snack-worthy.
How to Make Sourdough English Muffins
Step 1: Whisk together the starter, water (or milk), sugar, and salt until the starter is fully mixed in (Image 1).
Step 2: Add the flour and stir until no dry bits remain (Image 2). The dough should look sticky and shaggy.
Step 3: Scrape it into a rough ball, cover with a shower cap or plastic bag (Image 3), and let it rest at cool room temperature for 8-12 hours.
Step 4: By morning, the dough should look puffy with bubbles and be about 50-75% bigger (Image 4). It should feel soft, tacky, and scoopable, not runny. If it feels too loose, sprinkle in 5-10 g flour and fold it in.
Step 5: Lightly dust a parchment-lined baking sheet with cornmeal. Oil your hands, divide the dough into 10 pieces (about 75 g each), tuck them into round shapes, and pat them down to about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Dust the tops lightly with cornmeal (Image 5).
Step 6: Preheat a skillet on medium for 3-5 minutes, then lower the heat to low and lightly oil the pan. Place 3-4 muffins in the skillet, cover, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Flip them, cover again, and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed for an even golden color. The centers should reach about 95°C / 203°F (Image 6). Transfer cooked muffins to a rack and repeat with the remaining dough.
Step 7: If the outsides brown before the centers are fully cooked (Image 7), place the muffins on a parchment-lined tray and bake for 10 minutes at 130-150°C (265-300°F).
Step 8: Serve warm, split with a fork, and enjoy your homemade sourdough English muffins (Image 8)!
Hint: Keep your skillet heat low and covered during cooking. This ensures the centers cook through without burning the outsides.
Baking Schedule
- Option A (with baking soda): Mix in the dissolved baking soda in the morning, rest 10 minutes, then shape and cook.
- Option B (no baking soda): Gently fold the dough in the morning, shape, and let rise for about 60 minutes before cooking.
💭Crucial Success Tips
- Use a well-fed sourdough starter for the best rise.
- Keep the dough about 2 cm thick for soft, tall muffins.
- Don't rush the cooking; low and slow heat gives even centers.
- If the muffins brown too fast, finish them in the oven to set the middle.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, split them with a fork, freeze, and toast straight from frozen.
No. Baking soda gives taller muffins, but the no-soda version works fine with a second rise.
This usually happens if your starter wasn't active enough or the dough didn't ferment long enough.
They're best in a skillet for the golden crust, but you can bake them at a low temperature to finish if needed.
How To Store Sourdough English Muffins
Split them with a fork, freeze in a bag, and toast straight from frozen. At room temperature, muffins keep for 2-3 days (refresh by toasting).
Other Delicious Recipes
- Lazy Sourdough Tangzhong Sandwich Bread
- Sourdough Guinness Bread
- Sourdough Ciabatta Bread
- Soft Sourdough Italian Milk Rolls
If you tried this Soft 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!
Soft Sourdough English Muffins (Skillet + Freezer-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 100 g sourdough starter active 100% hydration
- 240 g water milk swap below
- 20 g sugar or honey/maple - I prefer sugar here!
- 370 g all-purpose flour
- 8 g sea salt fine
- 5 g baking soda about 1 teaspoon for Option A
- 15 g water to dissolve baking soda
- For cooking: neutral oil or butter + cornmeal/semolina for dusting
Instructions
- Whisk together the starter, water (or milk), sugar, and salt until the starter is fully mixed in.
- Add the flour and stir until no dry bits remain. The dough should look sticky and shaggy.
- Scrape it into a rough ball, cover with a shower cap or plastic bag, and let it rest at cool room temperature for 8-12 hours.
- By morning, the dough should look puffy with bubbles and be about 50-75% bigger. It should feel soft, tacky, and scoopable, not runny. If it feels too loose, sprinkle in 5-10 g flour and fold it in.
- Lightly dust a parchment-lined baking sheet with cornmeal. Oil your hands, divide the dough into 10 pieces (about 75 g each), tuck them into round shapes, and pat them down to about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Dust the tops lightly with cornmeal.
- Preheat a skillet on medium for 3-5 minutes, then lower the heat to low and lightly oil the pan. Place 3-4 muffins in the skillet, cover, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Flip them, cover again, and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed for an even golden color. The centers should reach about 95°C / 203°F. Transfer cooked muffins to a rack and repeat with the remaining dough.
- If the outsides brown before the centers are fully cooked, place the muffins on a parchment-lined tray and bake for 10 minutes at 130-150°C (265-300°F).
- Serve warm, split with a fork, and enjoy your homemade sourdough English muffins!
Notes
- If the dough looks too loose, add 5-10 g flour (up to +20 g total). If too stiff, add a teaspoon of water or milk.
- Keep the muffins about 2 cm thick for a soft, tall result.
- To prevent sticking: preheat the pan, keep the heat low, use a thin layer of oil, and dust the bottoms with cornmeal.
- For even cooking: low heat and a lid work best. Use the oven finish if needed.
- To store: split with a fork, freeze in a bag, and toast straight from frozen. At room temperature, muffins keep for 2-3 days (refresh by toasting).
I made these English muffins for breakfast and they were amazing. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Hi Judith, thank you so much for your feedback! I'm always a bit nervous about the first comment to any recipe...and this one made my day! Thanks!