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.
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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.
These came out really dense and didn’t rise much. I did make sure to use fresh baking soda per the recipe instructions. They did not taste like an English muffin at all. They ended up in the trash. Very disappointed.
Overly wet, popped in oven as inside was very wet looking didn’t have any change, following directions, ended in the trash.
I tried it: terrible outcome. I first fried them and finished them in the oven. They came out way too dense and gummy.
These came out so amazing! I used fresh milled kamut flour and cooked these on a ceramic pan with a lid instead. I think using the ceramic pan and lid may have helped mine not burn. Cooked 5 min on both sides at medium low and they came out golden brown and perfect! Thanks for the great recipe.
Not sure if it’s me, my starter, or the recipe…but… I’m new to the sourdough world, so probably me, but these didn’t rise any. I tried my first batch frying in iron skillet, and must have had it too hot because they burned on the bottom after only a couple of minutes instead of the 5-6 recommended on each side, and were the same size as the dough. They tasted good, even so. So, my second batch I tried to fry in my Revere ware pan on medium heat with small amount of oil, and same problem of browning much too quickly. So…transferred them to a pan in the oven and even tried putting one in my air fryer, sprayed lightly with olive oil, at 350 degress for 5 minutes per side, and that one did rise some. The oven ones I had transferred from the skillet I also sprayed lightly with olive oil did not rise. The one I put straight into the oven without frying first I sprayed lightly with olive oil on both sides and it rose only slightly. All were nicely browned. All in all, it seems the air fryer one did the best, tho it was pretty dry/crusty. How do you keep them from browning too quickly in the skillet?
Was your sourdough starter active? You can test if its active or not by doing the float test. If it floats, it is active.
New to the whole sourdough world, I used my first discard to make these muffuns. The flavor was thete, but I burned them in the skillet. Can they be baked in oven or air fryer instead of stovetop?
I’ve not personally tried that, but I think you could use an air fryer! Let me know how it goes.
I did the long ferment, because, why not? It made a very wet dough, I found myself using a bowl scraper and bench knife to handle the dough from start to finish. I would be curious as to what the proper consistency would be to still achieve the nooks and crannies, but be easier to handle. The finished product does sort of taste like pretzels, as another commenter mentioned, but they are quite tasty all the same! I tapped each raw cut out in cornmeal for the traditional English muffin way and to reduce the stick. Sure glad I did, they did come out great.
Wish I would have read the comments ahead of time. Made 1st batch just as the recipe said to however the dough was so sticky and too wet to even try to roll (as others mentioned) so I added flour just till I was able to handle the dough. Upon cooking they weren’t cooking through so I put them in the oven and even after 30 minutes they weren’t cooking through still doughy inside but bricks on the outside. So I tried a 2nd batch, made just like the recipe, I didn’t add the extra flour this time. I stired the dough a lot to build the gluten then poured the dough out on a heavily floured surface sprinkled flour on top and patted the dough till it was level and about 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles and carefully placed in skillet. These didn’t turn out as dense but still didn’t cook through, popped in oven pulled out after 10 minutes and left to cool. Still just dough inside. I don’t know how this recipe Would ever work out properly.
Excited to try this recipe. I do not have a cast iron skillet. What ist he alternative?
Any skillet will work.
When I made these with all purpose white flour and added baking soda after long fermenting, they were not in the slightest bit dense and very moist and tangy. Using fresh ground whole wheat, they are certainly denser (because obviously whole grains are denser), but still moist and fluffy as I could hope for with whole wheat. Definitely getting nooks and crannies every time! Definitely loving the flavor and the recipe!
First time using “discard”from my first starter batch. The English muffins turned out great following this recipe and directions. I used bread flour. Cooked in iron skillet per directions. Density and flavor was perfect. Can these be frozen for later?
Yes, they can!