Soft Sourdough English Muffins (Skillet + Freezer-Friendly)
Soft, tall sourdough English muffins made in a skillet with an overnight rise. Light, airy, and flavorful, they’re perfect for splitting, toasting, and freezing for easy breakfasts.
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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).
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Nutrition
Serving: 12g | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 2mg
