Legendary English Muffin Recipe

Legendary English Muffin Recipe

Jun 05, 2025andris lagsdin0 comments

How to Make Legendary English Muffins at Home

I’ve been on a mission to reinvent the English muffin. I’ve always loved the texture of Thomas’ — those nooks and crannies are perfect  but the flavor? Honestly, it’s just not there. So I took the same approach we use for our legendary pizza dough: a slow, overnight fermentation. The result? Muffins with way more flavor, better texture, and a tang that makes store-bought taste flat. Even my kids can’t get enough  these disappear straight off the griddle.

Here’s the secret: a slow overnight fermentation. Letting the dough rest for 12–24 hours not only builds incredible flavor but also makes these muffins easier to digest. That long ferment breaks down gluten naturally, so every bite is light, airy, and ridiculously soft inside.

I perfected this recipe on the Baking Steel Griddle, which gives you that signature golden crust you simply can’t get from store-bought muffins. Once you make them at home, there’s no going back.

Pro Tip: Fry, don’t dry. We cook these directly on the griddle in clarified butter or avocado oil for maximum flavor and texture. The result? A rich, golden crust and tender, airy crumb. Trust me once you try it, you’ll never toast a supermarket muffin again. Thomas's who? 

“There’s really nothing that the Baking Steel Griddle can’t do.”
— Bon Appétit

Legendary English Muffins on the Baking Steel Griddle

🌿 Why Overnight Fermentation Makes Better English Muffins

Here’s why we swear by a slow, cold ferment:

  • Better Flavor: A 12–24 hour rest builds complex, tangy, bakery-style flavor you can’t get from a quick rise.
  • Lighter & Airier Texture: The slow fermentation develops that open crumb and craggy holes English muffins are famous for.
  • Improved Digestibility: The long rest naturally breaks down gluten and starches, making these easier on your gut.
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Legendary English Muffins

Ingredients (Baker’s Percentages)

  • 550 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour – 100%
  • 20 g (3 tsp) fine sea salt – 3.6%
  • 20 g (2 tsp) sugar – 3.6%
  • 2 g (¼ tsp) active dry yeast – 0.36%
  • 20 g (¾ oz) melted butter or avocado oil – 3.6%
  • 350 g (1 ½ cups) warm water (105°F) – 63.6%
  • ½ cup semolina flour (for dusting)
  • Clarified butter or avocado oil (for cooking)

Directions

  1. Whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter and warm water. Slowly pour into dry mix, stirring until a sticky dough forms.
  3. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 4–5 minutes until smooth. Rest 20 minutes. For maximum flavor, refrigerate overnight; 24 hours is ideal.
  4. Lightly coat a baking sheet with semolina. Divide dough into 12 balls (~85 g each) or 10 balls (~100 g each). Shape, coat with semolina, and place on tray.
  5. Cover and proof at ~72°F for about 3 hours until nearly doubled in size.
  6. Preheat Baking Steel Griddle over medium heat for 10–15 minutes (target 275–325°F surface temp).
  7. Brush griddle with clarified butter or oil. Place dough balls on griddle, cook 5–6 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.
  8. Flip, press lightly with a spatula, and cook another 5–6 minutes until golden.
  9. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temp before serving. Split with a fork for those nooks and crannies.

🥯 English Muffin Dough Calculator

Enter how many muffins you want, and we’ll scale the recipe (includes butter/oil).

 

❓ English Muffin FAQ

Can I ferment English muffins overnight?
Yes — that’s the move. A 12–24 hour cold ferment builds flavor, improves digestibility, and creates a lighter, airier crumb.

Why are my English muffins dense?
Usually: too much flour or too little fermentation. Keep the dough slightly sticky and give it the full overnight rest.

Can I freeze the dough or cooked muffins?
Absolutely. Freeze shaped dough balls on a tray, then bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge and proof before cooking. Cooked muffins freeze great — reheat in the toaster.

Do I need a Baking Steel?
Technically no, but for even browning and that golden, crispy bottom, the Baking Steel Griddle is a game changer.

Warm, buttery, and gone in minutes.

Make a batch, freeze half, and you’ve got legendary breakfasts on standby. When you’re ready to level up: fry on steel.

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