Sourdough English Muffins
Perfectly chewy, soft, fluffy…
These Sourdough muffins are so good, whenever I make them, I end up doing a huge batch so I can share with extended family and friends. The texture is perfectly reminiscent of any storebought muffin, with all the little nooks and crannies that love to hold pockets of butter. This recipe uses lively starter so be sure to feed your starter 4-8 hours before making these. I like to ferment this dough anywhere from 8-14 hours before rolling out and shaping, so I usually make this dough early in an evening so I can perform about 4 stretch and folds, then let it ferment overnight before rolling and cutting out muffins in the morning. Then I let the shaped muffins proof for another 2 hours just until they are looking nice and fluffy. I then transfer to a hot skillet and cook for about 8 minutes on each side before popping them in the oven at 350F for 15 minutes. Then you have hot and delicious muffins! These make great homemade breakfast sandwiches or are good with a healthy slathering of butter and drizzle of honey. Enjoy however you like!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Before you begin, make sure to feed your starter 4-8 hours prior so that it is nice and bubbly. If your starter is active, your next step will be warming your milk and water up until they are just 100 degrees. If they get warmer than 110, let them cool back down, otherwise they will kill your starter. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine your 1/2 cup starter with half of your flour (1 1/4 cup), your warm water and milk. Stir to combine by hand or use the paddle on your stand mixer and mix until combined. Let this mixture sit for 30 minutes. This will help that gluten develop.
- After 30 minutes, add in your butter, sugar, and salt, and mix to combine. Once this is done, you can switch to the dough hook on your mixer or carry on by hand and add in your remaining flour a little at a time- you may need more or less flour depending on the hydration of your starter or the humidity in your zone. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Once dough has been kneaded, set aside and cover for 30 minutes before performing a stretch and fold. To stretch and fold you are just going to pull the dough up and tuck it into itself. Do this until you have rotated the bowl once all the way around. Then cover and repeat this process once every hour. I like to stretch and fold my dough 3-5 times through the fermenting process; this really helps develop those little air pockets that result in such a perfect crumb.
- After 8-10 hours or an overnight ferment, your muffins are ready to roll and cut. Roll your dough to 1/2-inch thickness and use a biscuit cutter or widemouthed mason jar lid to cut out your muffins. Set aside on a piece of parchment or heavily floured surface, dust with cornmeal and let proof till they are almost doubled in size (about 2-4 hours).
- Once your muffins have risen, preheat your oven to 350F, additionally heat a skillet over medium heat with a little oil or butter. Gently transfer your muffins to the hot skillet. Skillet cooking can be intimidating but I promise it just takes some practice. You will learn what just the right temp is, but just know that you want to cook each muffin about 8-10 minutes a side, resulting in that classic browned look.
- Once you have griddle cooked your muffins outsides, transfer to a baking sheet and bake in your 350F oven for an additional 15 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into them. They will continue to cook a little after you pull them out of the oven so cutting into them immediately could ruin the texture. Once they have cooled, serve toasted with butter and honey or however you prefer them! These make great tea or breakfast sandwiches and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months if not intended for immediate consumption. Enjoy!
Notes
- Help! My Muffins Were Doughy in the Center! Why is this? If your muffins are still doughy in the center this could be due to skipping the 15-minute oven cook or not cooking hot enough with the skillet. Skillet cooking can be intimidating at first, but you will get the hang of it. It just takes practice! Just know that you want to cook each muffin about 8-10 minutes a side and you should be getting a nice browned outside in that time.
- My Muffins Are Super Dense, How Could This Have Happened? A dense muffin could be one of two problems. 1: Your muffins over-proofed. OR, 2: You substituted with a heavier flour. Substituting with a different flour is not a bad thing at all, but just note that this recipe works best with all-purpose flour or bread flour, so if you are using something like wholewheat flour, the results will be a little different. When it comes to flours, I love King Arthur brand!
