All you need is a few simple ingredients to make these delicious and soft sourdough discard English muffins. Delightfully chewy, this recipe makes the perfect breakfast, brunch, or even use them in place of bread in sandwiches.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
The original version of my sourdough English muffins were one of my very first sourdough recipes on the blog. They are a staple in our house. They are super simple to make, they come together quickly, and you can use them in just about a thousand ways.
Most of the ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and if you are new to sourdough baking, this is for you.
Sourdough bread can be intimidating. You worry about the timing, and about feeding your starter so it is active when you are ready to start the dough. It’s one reason many people don’t even try. They are overwhelmed with all the new things they may have to learn.
If that is you, I want to encourage you to keep going. Start with sourdough discard recipes, like double chocolate sourdough bread, and once you get your feel for it, move on to some active starter fermentations.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Great way to use discard: No, you don’t need an active sourdough starter for this recipe (although that will work). Discard will work just fine because the dough is risen by baking soda rather than the wild yeast in the active starter.
Versatile: English muffins can be used in a variety of ways– no need to stick to just breakfast. I use them for sandwiches or even as a side instead of biscuits. Slather on some homemade strawberry jam or cream cheese and everyone will be happy.
Super simple: They can be made quickly or long-fermented for the added health benefits.
Ingredients
Sourdough discard: The star of the show. This is an unfed sourdough starter. Active starter will also work, but it’s not a requirement. Discard also adds a lovely tanginess to the dough. Learn how to make a sourdough starter.
Honey: You could also use maple syrup or even sugar. You may need to add a little water if using sugar.
Baking soda: This gives the dough its rise.
Tools You May Need
Cast iron skillet
English muffin rings, biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or even just a mason jar ring
How to Make Sourdough Discard English Muffins
The Quick Version
Step 1: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to a large bowl. Whisk together well.
Step 2: Add in water and sourdough starter discard. Mix until it comes together. You could use a stand mixer if you prefer.
Step 3: Knead the dough for a few minutes to help develop the gluten strands.
Step 4: Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface about 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin. Use an English muffin cutter and cut out the dough. Continue rolling out and cutting dough until all the dough is used up.
Step 5: Add a little oil to the cast iron skillet. Place English muffins in the pan. Allow to cook for about 5-6 minutes on one side.
Step 6: Flip and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool, then serve. If they have not cooked all the way through, place them in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.
The Long-Fermented Version
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients minus the baking soda. Knead together for a few minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
Step 2: The next day, add baking soda to the fermented dough and knead well, making sure it’s all incorporated. Roll the dough and cut out. Preheat the skillet on medium-low heat.
Step 3: Add the English muffins to the cast iron skillet. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool, then serve.
Tips
- If your dough is too dry, you may need to add a little more water. The hydration of your starter will play a big part in this.
- If you find that the homemade English muffins are not cooking all the way through, you may need to pop them into a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven and allow them to finish cooking.
- Make sure to use fresh baking soda for best results. Old baking soda may not give these muffins the desired rise.
- If making the long-fermented version, the dough may not rise at all during the fermentation period and that is totally fine. Nothing to worry about!
Recipe FAQ
Yes. They are made with a few basic ingredients and can be a healthy part of your diet. Long-ferment them for even more health benefits.
Yes. It is an active living food with fermented grains and healthy yeasts and bacteria.
Using sourdough discard can be a great way to reduce food waste rather than just tossing it out. It can also ferment grains just like an active starter, it just may not rise the dough.
Once your sourdough starter is established and you are using it frequently, you don’t need to discard every time. But if you find that you have too much starter, I would recommend discarding it to keep it a healthy and manageable size.
Storage
Store in an air-tight container for up to five days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Pair this recipe with:
- Zucchini Frittata
- Over-hard Eggs
- Peach Preserves
- Homemade Ricotta or Kefir Cheese
- Ham and Cheese Frittata
- Or turn them into Sourdough Breakfast Sandwiches
- Sourdough Beignets
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone with your delicious creation.
Sourdough Discard English Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour, 350 g
- 1 cup water, 236 g
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard, 125 g
- 1 tablespoon honey, 21 g
- 1 teaspoon salt, 5 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add flour, salt, and baking soda to a large bowl. Whisk together well.
- Add in water, sourdough starter discard, and honey. Mix until it comes together. You could use a stand mixer if you prefer.
- Knead the dough for a few minutes to help develop the gluten strands.
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface about 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin.
- Use an English muffin cutter and cut out the dough. Continue rolling out and cutting dough until all the dough is used up.
- Add a little oil to the cast iron skillet. Place English muffins in the pan. Allow to cook for about 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool, then serve.
Notes
- If your dough is too dry, you may need to add a little more water. The hydration of your starter will play a big part in this.
- If the English muffins are not cooking all the way through, you may need to pop them into a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven and allow them to finish cooking.
- Make sure to use fresh baking soda for best results. Old baking soda may not give these muffins the desired rise.
- If making the long-fermented version, the dough may not rise at all during the fermentation period and that is totally fine. Nothing to worry about!
- See post for long fermentation directions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
They cooked up rather easy in the cast iron and ‘looked’ like english muffins on the outside and turned out a little heavy / dense, more like a biscuit / english muffin cross. Family still ate them up.
Wow this was so easy! I had to leave the dough in the fridge overnight, but after letting it warm up and kneading it, worked just perfectly!
Easy recipe to follow and prepare. Loved all the extra information too, really builds up one’s confidence.
Made mine with ½ each of all-purpose & whole wheat flours – that might have been mistake #1. Suggest always weighing each ingredient separately for accuracy – oops, mistake #2. Remembering your cooktop’s idiosyncracies is very important, especially as it relates to heat conduction – alas, we have mistake #3. 🙂
All in all these came together in 15 minutes, took less then 10 to cook (pan too hot), tried toasting to finish but ended up with them in the heated oven for 8 minutes, then remained in there while the oven cooled with the door open. They impressed my husband, a man of simple needs who has some amazement at my sudden “prowess” with sourdough starters & discard. 😉
Strongly suggest this recipe, with all my caveats; I will continue to use it to perfect these tasty, and so easy to make, English muffins. Enjoy!
Very dense. The cook time in the pan seems long to me as some of them burnt even though I had them on the lowest heat element. I was thinking they would be fluffy like the airy pancakes I made. I always like to try different sour dough discard recipes. But I will not be making this one again.
Had to add more flour, but they turned out great!
I didn’t double check that the grams converted when I hit the (2X) FYI – only the cups and teaspoon measurements changed. Just so people know if you think you are doubling the recipe.
These were great.
A lot of people are talking about nooks and crannies, but the muffins I grew up with in Scotland didn’t have any nooks and crannies…they were just wonderfully pillowy soft
Mine weren’t quite as soft as those, but the texture and taste were good. The dough was really wet and sticky though, so I had to add quite a lot more flour, probably around a cup and I still gave up kneading it and left it for the long ferment.
but the result was a good muffin
They’re very dense. I didn’t have any issues with the dough being sticky possibly bc I used fresh bread flour not store all purpose and my starter is thicker but like others said they don’t have the nooks and crannies of a traditional English muffin. They still taste good though, with the flour I used mine have a nutty whole wheat flavor but I’ll be looking for another recipe to get the right texture
These were delicious! Not traditional English muffins as we know them but we thoroughly enjoyed them!
Very minimal nooks and crannies, should have read the reviews they are definitely more biscuit-like. Still yummy and edible but not exactly what I was wanting.