A fluffy English muffin made from a homemade sourdough starter and 100% freshly ground whole wheat flour! One delicious breakfast bread! These Sourdough English Muffins are free of white flour and not dense at all! Start your morning healthy with this English Muffin Recipe! It’s extremely nutritious but divine!
Try some of our family-favorite bread recipes that we rotate from time to time like our Moist Whole Wheat Bread or Super fluffy French Bread!
Sourdough English Muffins with Whole Wheat Flour
My sourdough journey started when someone gifted me a homemade sourdough starter. It’s something that can be forgotten about in the fridge and revived with a simple flour and water feeding. Little did I know it is really healthy and far more, better for you than yeast. That being said these English Muffins are made with a homemade starter. But in case you’re not working with whole grains you can use already ground whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour. Even our children enjoyed these Sourdough English Muffins toasted and slathered with homemade strawberry jam! And what better way to give your family nutrition than slowly incorporating grains or sourdough into recipes?
Don’t have a sourdough starter? Don’t have a sourdough starter? Here is Where To Buy My Sourdough Starter. I’ve also included full care and feeding instructions on the listing. Want to make a sourdough starter from scratch? Read the instructions in the Q&A section.
The Best Healthy English Muffins
This recipe is not like the Thomas English Muffins you’d pick up at the store, but way better for you! When I was stuck with whole white wheat berries (whole wheat grain) and a homemade sourdough starter I had to get creative on using it more than just baking homemade bread. Yes, we milled our own grain to make these English muffins but it doesn’t get any wholesome and nutritious than that! Here is the exact Kitchen Aid Metal Grain Mill Attachment we own and love!
We all loved these Sourdough English Muffins and they are so easy to make from scratch! You’d think whole wheat muffins would be dense but NOT these! It’s shaped into balls, dredged in a little fine cornmeal, and cooked on the stovetop with NO oil! Talk about “whole” some bread! Speaking of freshly ground wheat berries, it could be challenging to make light bread since the wheat kernel is not stripped from any of its nutrients but this recipe is a total winner!
Since this recipe makes a hefty batch, we’ve served them toasted with butter and jam for one breakfast and the next day for breakfast sandwiches with eggs and cucumbers! Both were scrumptious and the toppings can only get better! And if you’re into whole grains try a combination of different freshly milled grains to make Ezekiel English Muffins!
FAQ:
Can I use Yeast instead of Sourdough?
When making these English muffins without a sourdough starter simply use 1 packet of dry active yeast (equivalent to 1 tablespoon) for the sourdough starter. My sourdough is on the runny side so I wouldn’t add all the flour in at once to see how the dough comes together. You want a slightly sticky batter.
Also, you do not want to activate the yeast overnight by using a warm liquid that can make the batter grow, so, use cold milk. This recipe works best with white whole wheat flour. If using an all-purpose flour you may need to reduce the leavening (baking soda) amount as this combination works best with a denser grain.
How Do you shape English Muffins?
When I first started making English muffins I would scoop the batter and just shape them into cylinder-looking hockey pucks. Little did I know that it creates a wider cooked surface contrary to the store Thomas English Muffins which just has a small round cooked top and beautiful thick sides.
To make those perfectly round cooked tops you see on most English muffins you need to scoop and shape the dough into balls. Then you lightly dredge the muffin balls into cornmeal and cook on the stovetop with NO oil or additional rising time.
What Whole Grain Flour?
If you are like me who wants to incorporate a big bag of whole grains into delicious recipes then this recipe is for you! We purchased a 50lb bag of hard white wheat berries that we milled ourselves using this Kitchen Aid Metal Grain Mill Attachment.
When purchasing whole grains go for a less nutty and rustic flavored wheat kernel and purchase Hard White Wheat berries. Hard red wheat is more rustic and could be slightly more bitter in taste. Whereas hard white wheat is more versatile in recipes. I personally mill hard white wheat berries and so do many other moms I know.
Can you Freeze English Muffins?
Yes! English muffins could be frozen! Make homemade English muffins as instructed in the recipe and cool completely before placing them into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
To Reheat frozen English Muffins: thaw overnight before cutting in half and toasting.
To Reheat leftover English Muffins: remove them from the fridge and slice English muffins in half. Toast or broil in the oven tops up (if feeding a crowd.) Spread with jam or butter.
How to Make a Homemade Sourdough Starter?
To Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch:
Day 1: mix 100 grams of water and 100 grams of flour in a large container. Leave at room temperature.
Day 2: feed your starter every day with equal amounts of water and flour (100 grams each) for up to 7 days or until it passes the float test.
**The float test is when you drop a piece of starter into a glass of water and if the homemade starter is active it will float to the top.
Note: it may take up to 20 days for the homemade starter to be active if it is fed every day at room temperature.
Do you cook muffins in oil?
There is no oil needed for making English muffins. The cornmeal helps with a non-stick surface.
How many English Muffins does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 23 grocery-style english muffins the size of Thomas’ Muffins (if using a 1/3 cup scoop.)
How long do you cook on the stovetop?
To cook English Muffins on the stovetop, I highly recommend a non-stick skillet with a lid. The lid will steam the English muffins over low heat to fully cook through the muffins without losing its heat.
The cooking time can take anywhere from 3-5 minutes per side. Always cook over a moderately low/med temperature.
Can I use different Grains?
To make an Ezekiel English Muffin mix and match different milled grains like, spelt, barley, oats, sprouted wheat, lentils, beans, and millet.
Can I make English Muffins right away?
This Sourdough English Muffin recipe is designed to work overnight. When using freshly ground whole wheat and homemade sourdough starter it is better for the process to work slowly overnight as this also helps the grains to absorb better. However, if you are using store ground wheat and yeast then english muffins can be made promptly.
Dairy Alternatives?
If you are following a Paleo diet use almond milk or cashew milk for regular whole milk.
Tips and Techniques:
- Use a 1/3 cup scoop to shape your dough balls instead of rolling out and cutting your dough.
- On a Paleo Diet? Use almond or cashew milk for Paleo English Muffins!
- Dredge in finely ground cornmeal.
- Make a batch for toast and butter and use leftovers for egg sandwiches!
- Make whole grain English muffins by mix and matching different milled grains!
More Bread Recipes:
How To Make Sourdough English Muffins:
Sourdough English Muffins
Equipment
- 12-inch non-stick skillet
Ingredients
Ingredients for Sourdough English Muffins:
- 1 1/2 cups sourdough starter (active)
- 3 cups milk
- 4 Tbsp honey
- 6 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 4 tsp baking soda
Instructions
How to make Sourdough English Muffins:
- In a large bowl mix the starter, milk, honey, and flour together. Cover and leave overnight at room temperature. (It's best to do this at night or rest for a minimum of 10 hours.)
- In the morning, knead in the salt and baking soda until smooth.
- Pre-heat a skillet over med-low heat (300°F.)
To make English muffins: scoop 1/3 cup of dough and form into a ball. Lightly dredge the top and bottom with fine cornmeal and transfer into a tray dusted with cornmeal. Repeat until all muffins are done.- Fry English Muffins covered, (no oil needed) for 3-5 minutes on each side or until done and no longer doughy in the inside.
- Split open and serve toasted with butter and jam!
Notes
- Flours: we used freshly ground hard white wheat berries to make our own whole wheat flour. Feel free to mix and match milled grains like sprouted grains or even grocery-store flours like all-purpose flour.
- To Make Homemade Sourdough Starter: please go to my FAQ box (above) for a complete guide in making your own sourdough starter.
Nutrition per serving
