Classic Sourdough English Muffins

Those little nooks and crannies you’re used to prying apart with a fork are still here, just built on sourdough instead of a packet of yeast. This dough is stiffer and drier than my other doughs, it cooks entirely on the stovetop in a skillet rather than the oven, and it rewards a little patience at every rest. Split one open with a fork while it’s still warm, and you’ll see exactly why they’re worth the wait.

Why You’ll Love It

• Real nooks and crannies, split open with a fork, not a knife
• Cooked entirely in a skillet, no oven needed
• Flexible timing – cook the same day or hold the dough overnight
• Easy to make plain, or work in herbs or cheese
• Freezes well for busy mornings

Ingredients & Equipment

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Volume measurements are included for convenience, but they’re approximate – a kitchen scale will always get you a more consistent dough, especially for the flour.

• Active sourdough starter (120 g): needs to be bubbly and active before mixing
• High-protein bread flour, 12-14% protein (300 g): Caputo Chef 00 is a good go-to, though any high-protein bread flour works – a whole wheat swap is fine too, just watch your hydration, since whole wheat absorbs water differently and may need a bit more
• Fine sea salt (1 tsp): mixed in with the flour
• Granulated sugar (1 Tbsp): mixed in with the starter and water
• Water (59 g / ¼ cup): combined with the starter and sugar first
• Unsalted butter, melted (14 g / 1 Tbsp): let it cool so it’s no longer hot before mixing it in
• Dried herbs (1 tsp) or shredded cheddar (about 30 g), optional: stir either into the dough while mixing, not after – this dough is too stiff for add-ins to spread evenly once it’s come together

Equipment

• Stand mixer (optional): 5 to 7 minutes in a mixer, or 10 to 15 minutes of hand kneading gets you the same result
• Large mixing bowl: for combining and for the bulk rise
• Kitchen scale: for consistent measurements
• Bench scraper or a sharp knife: for dividing the dough into 6 to 8 pieces
• Nonstick skillet, griddle, or cast iron pan: whatever flat cooking surface you have works – Desi uses cast iron
• Something light and food-safe (optional): for gently pressing the tops flat after flipping, not a heavy pan
• Cooling rack: for the finished muffins
• Fork: for splitting the cooled muffins – this is what creates the classic texture

Sample Schedule

Shape & Cook (both paths): divide into 6-8 equal pieces, shape into smooth balls, rest 20-30 minutes, press the tops flat into muffin pucks, proof again until puffy (about 2-3 hours), then cook 4-5 minutes per side in a preheated skillet until golden brown. Cool on a rack, then split with a fork.

Classic Sourdough English Muffins

Skillet-cooked sourdough English muffins with real nooks and crannies, ready to split with a fork – a stiffer, lower-hydration dough than a typical loaf, cooked entirely on the stovetop.

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Rest / Ferment Time 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 English muffins (or 8 smaller)

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 243

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 120 g active sourdough starter, bubbly and active
• 300 g high-protein bread flour, 12-14% protein
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 59 g (¼ cup) water
• 14 g (1 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp dried, or about 30 g shredded herbs or cheddar, optional

Heads up: Some of the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Equipment

• Stand mixer (optional)
• Large mixing bowl
• Kitchen scale
• Bench scraper or a sharp knife
• Nonstick skillet, griddle, or cast iron pan
• Something light and food-safe (optional)
• Cooling rack
• Fork

Method

 

1. Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the active starter (120 g), water (59 g / ¼ cup), and sugar (1 Tbsp).
2. Add the flour and salt. Add the flour (300 g) and salt (1 tsp), along with the herbs or cheese if you’re using either. Mix until you have a shaggy dough.
3. Knead. Mix the dough in a stand mixer for 5 to 7 minutes, or knead it by hand for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. First rise. Shape the dough into a smooth round and let it rise until it’s about 50% bigger. This takes roughly 2.5 hours in a warm kitchen, longer in a cooler one, up to 4 or 6 hours.
5. Choose your timing. Cook the same day, or refrigerate the dough overnight. If you refrigerate it, take it out the next day and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to relax before continuing.
6. Divide. Divide the dough into 6 to 8 equal pieces, depending on the size you’d like. Six gives you a proper diner-sized muffin, eight runs a bit smaller.
7. Shape into balls and rest. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by bringing the outer edges into the center, then flipping it over so the smooth side faces up. Cup it with your hand and pull it toward you to build tension on the surface. Let the shaped balls rest on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Shape into muffin pucks. Press down gently on each ball to flatten the top into a muffin shape.
9. Second proof. Let the shaped muffins proof again until they’re puffy, usually 2 to 3 hours, though a hot kitchen can cut that down to about an hour.
10. Cook. Preheat a nonstick skillet, griddle, or cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook each muffin for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. When you flip them, the bottom will already be flat from the pan, but the top will have puffed up. Setting something light and food-safe on top after the flip, not a heavy pan, just enough to flatten it without squashing the muffin, will even out both sides.
11. Cool and split. Move the cooked muffins to a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled, split them open with a fork rather than a knife – that’s what gives you the classic nooks and crannies texture.

Notes

I’ve made these in batches of 8 and batches of 6. Eight came out a little small for my taste, six gives you a proper diner-sized muffin.

This dough is much stiffer than my other doughs, low hydration by design, so if you want to add herbs or cheese, mix them in at the start. Try to fold them in after mixing and they won’t distribute evenly.

When you flip these in the skillet, the bottom is already flat from the pan, but the top will have puffed up from the heat and steam inside. A light, food-safe object set on top after the flip, not a heavy pan, just something light, helps that second side flatten out too without squashing the muffin.

How to Make It

Tips & Troubleshooting

• Adding herbs or cheese: mix them in at Step 2 – this dough is too stiff to fold in add-ins evenly once it’s come together.
• Switching to whole wheat: it absorbs water differently than white flour, so you may need to add a bit more water than the recipe calls for.
• Uneven tops after flipping: a light, food-safe press on top (not a heavy pan) helps flatten the puffed side without squashing the muffin.
• Sizing: 6 pieces makes a larger, diner-style muffin, 8 makes a smaller one – both work.

How to Store

To store: keep what you’ll eat that day at room temperature.

To freeze: freeze extras and thaw them whenever you’re ready for one.

Nutrition

Per muffin, plain, based on a 6-muffin batch (optional herbs or cheese not included, and figures will shift if you divide into 8 instead). Estimated from the ingredients used – provided for convenience and not a substitute for a precise calculation.