Yields 8 muffins
Would you believe you can keep your oven off for this breakfast staple? Had I known how easy these fluffy little pillows were to whip up on the stove, I would have made ’em from the beginning—anything to boost my confidence in making sourdough! Pair these fluffy muffins with clotted cream and lemon curd, or pile them high with a good fried egg and smoked bacon.
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360 grams all-purpose flour
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5 grams fine sea salt
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240 grams whole milk
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100 grams active sourdough starter
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20 grams honey or pure maple syrup
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Cornmeal, for dusting
In a large glass bowl, combine the flour, salt, milk, active starter, and honey, using your hands until all the ingredients are incorporated and a dough forms. Cover with a damp tea towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with the damp towel, and let it ferment for 8 to 12 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. (You may want to use a rubber band or chalk pen to mark on the glass bowl where the dough is at the start of the fermentation process to easily track its rise.)
When the dough has fermented, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust it lightly with the cornmeal. Set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press the dough into a rectangle that is 3/4 inch (2 centimeters) thick.
Use a 2 1/2-inch (6-centimeter) biscuit cutter to cut out the English muffins. Carefully place them on the baking sheet and dust the top of each muffin with cornmeal. Cover the baking sheet with a large, damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
About 5 minutes before the muffins are finished rising, preheat a large enamel cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven with the lid on over low heat.
Cook the muffins in batches, arranging several muffins at a time in the preheated skillet. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Ensure the muffins are lightly golden before flipping them over.
Transfer the cooked muffins to a wire rack to cool. These are best enjoyed the day they are made, but they keep beautifully at room temperature sealed in a glass container or wrapped in a linen towel.
BAKER’S NOTE:
English muffins freeze and thaw beautifully. You can wrap them or tuck them into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature, slice, and enjoy!
Reprinted with permission from “Plain Jane Sourdough” by Emily Harryman (Page Street Publishing Co., 2026).
