Making this English Muffin recipe isn’t difficult, but it is precise. It’s worth the effort, I promise. Take care when you make them to follow the instructions about temperatures and resting times and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular, Homemade English Muffins!
When we lived in Seattle, we started the day with a Dahlia Bakery breakfast sandwich whenever we happened to be on that end of town before 10am. Sometimes we’d arrive at 10:15 and just shuffle past the window looking forlorn.
Not really. When that happened, we’d stop in for a salad, sandwich or cookie instead.
Anyway, we fell in love with the English muffins they made for those breakfast sandwiches and, for years now, I’ve wanted to try making them at home.
There are many English muffin recipes out there, but what I love about Dahlia Bakery’s version is how light and fluffy they are – impossibly so! Yet they maintain the crunch and chew that makes an English muffin, well, an English muffin.
How to Make English Muffins:
First the dough – it’s likely stickier and more pliable than most yeasted doughs you’ve worked with before.
Step 1: Once you’ve cooked, mashed and cooled your potato, you’ll mix and rest the English muffin dough and then mix again.
Step 2: Transfer dough to a large, oiled bowl and let rise at room temperature. You’ll rest and turn the dough a total of 4 times.
Step 3: Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a floured work surface – the dough will be soft and sticky. Then sprinkle the dough with flour.
Step 4: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour and cornmeal. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces with a bench scraper. With the palm of your hand, roll each dough portion into a ball and transfer to prepared baking sheet, giving each ball plenty of room to rise.
Step 5: Cover the dough balls with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size. Bake for 8 minutes in a 425°F oven, turn and bake 8-10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes or more before slicing and toasting. Slather with butter and jam or, better yet, make English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches!
Special Equipment notes: a stand mixer, a kitchen scale and an instant read thermometer help tremendously with this English Muffin recipe.
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato 140-160 grams
- 1 1/3 cups water ~68°F, cool tap water
- 3 cups bread flour 418 grams
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 28 grams
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup water ~68°F, cool tap water
- olive oil for your hands and the bowl
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more for dusting work surface
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
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Scrub and then cut potato it into 1-inch chunks. Put potato into a small saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potato and transfer to a small bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the potato. Scoop mashed potato into a 1/2 cup dry measure and place in refrigerator to cool. When potato is completely cool, begin dough.
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Pour the first portion (1 1/3 cups) of ~68°F water (use a thermometer to check) into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add both flours, cooled potato, honey, salt and yeast. Mix on low speed for 10 minutes. At this point you should have a soft, sticky dough wraps around the paddle. Scrape down sides of the bowl, and allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
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Once the dough has rested, turn mixer to medium speed and mix dough for another 2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the second portion (1/3 cup) of ~68°F water about 2 tablespoons at a time. Be sure to wait until each addition of water is absorbed before adding more. When all of the water has been added, let the dough mix for another 2 minutes. Your dough should be smooth and shiny. Take the temperature of the dough with a kitchen thermometer; the dough must be between 75°F and 80°F.
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If the dough is cooler that 75°F, place it, covered, in a warm place for a little while and check the temperature again.
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Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl. and roll and flip it over into a ball, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a room temperature (68-70°F) place and let rest for 30 minutes. After the 30-minute rest, it's time to “turn” the dough. Rub oil on your hands (the dough is sticky!) and reach to far side of the bowl, grasp the dough with your hands and pull straight up as far as the dough will stretch without breaking and fold the dough over itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process for a total of 4 times. Turn dough over, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for another 30 minutes. Again, “turn” dough with oiled hands as described above, working your way around the circumference of the dough for a total of 4 times. Cover the bowl, return it to the room temperature place, and let it rest for an hour (which adds up to 2 hours total resting time). The dough should be sticky, bubbly, and active.
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At this point you can either finish making the English muffins in a single day or cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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When you're ready to shape and bake the English muffins, whisk together the 2 tablespoons flour, and 2 tablespoons cornmeal in a small bowl. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and dust them with the flour-cornmeal mixture.
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Now place the dough on a generously floured work surface. With a floured metal bench scraper or floured knife, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. To shape each muffin, roll each portion of dough firmly between the palms of both hands (you may need to flour your hands).
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Place 6 English muffins on each prepared baking sheet, leaving some room around each one and spacing them out evenly. Cover rolls of dough with clean kitchen towels (flour sack towels work wonderfully) and put them in a room temperature place until they have doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour and 45 minutes if the dough has not been refrigerated and 2 to 2 1/2 hours if it has.
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When the dough balls have doubled in size, they will feel a little less sticky to the touch. And when you press gently on the dough, it will feel light and airy, not dense and you may see some bubbles. Preheat oven to 425°F.
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Bake muffins for 8 minutes then remove pans from oven and flip each muffin over. Firmly pat each muffin with your hand to flatten it slightly–but do it quickly and be careful of the hot steam. Rotate pans and return to oven, switching them between the racks. Bake muffins until they are golden brown and baked through with a few browned patches, 8-10 minutes more (16-18 minutes total baking time).
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Remove pans from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (torture!), then slice each English muffin in half crosswise and toast. Serve with butter and jam or better yet as a breakfast sandwich!
Please note that total time does not include dough rising time.
Oh man, I’m a sucker for a good English muffin! It’s surprising how easy these are to make at home, too. I’ve made batches before, but man it’s been years. (I think the last English muffin batch was before Robbie was born!) Now I have to admit that I’ve never made English muffins with potato, but I can see how it would work well. I’ll have to give this recipe a shot soon…looks delicious!!
I MUST try these! Our grocery store puts the English muffins out on the shelf and I caught them one day – THEY ARE FROZEN and thaw during the day and then I was taking them home and putting them back in the freezer. I usually make buttermilk biscuits for our breakfast sandwiches, not I’ve gotta try these.
I’m curious if I could make them the night before, divide and place on the sheet, then into the fridge. I’d pull them out to rise in the morning and not have to do anything but bake them. What do you think?
Hi Shelly! I haven’t tried that, but I want to! If you try it, will you let me know how it goes?
I made them this morning from scratch and we just had the most delicious bacon, egg, tomato, avocado and cheese sandwiches! Will definitely make these again! Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
That’s fantastic, Shelly! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!
You’re right Marissa – these muffins have a spectacular texture; so light, fluffy, and airy. I’ve never made English muffins, and I didn’t know the recipes (or perhaps some of them) call for potatoes. Now I’m craving this muffin with some maple bacon and egg (definitely with a runny yolk) 😉
aww, thank you Ben! I’m craving one of those too!
Wow! These look amazing Marissa! All those nooks and crannies…fabulous job!
Thank you, my friend!
I so love English muffins, but have never made them before, so this is fantastic! thanks for all great tips on making these beauties
Thank you so much, Albert!
I’ve never added potatoes to English muffins. OK, you state the water temperature is very important but you do not
say what the appropriate temperature is. And I assume that total water is 1 2/3 cups.
Thanks
Thank you for catching that, Carole! Yes, to the 1 2/3 cups – I’ve added it as two lines to the recipe according to when it’s added. The water temperature should be ~68°F, cool tap water.
I’m absolutely making these Marissa! There are many recipes, but few achieve the holes inside like yours. I have the Dahlia Bakery cookbook, need to start using it more!
Do it, Paula! I bet yours will turn out even better than mine because you are QUITE the baker, my friend!
Dang girl, these English Muffins are mouthwatering. I get on kicks where all I want are English Muffins all of the time. I love that I can now make them at home.
You’ll love them! I promise, the texture is so much better than what you can buy at the grocery store. 🙂
Marissa, these look amazing! I used to hate english muffins as a kid, but I’ve started really liking them lately. Surprisingly though, I don’t see them much in bakeries here in London. I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try! Pinned!
If you give them a try, I’d love to hear what you think! Thanks, Tina.
Wow, Marissa, I was not expecting to see potato in your list of ingredients! I’d love to try making these for myself, so will put this on my ‘to make’ list.
Obviously we just call these ‘muffins’ and not English muffins over here in the UK, so you just have to guess which kind when someone asks if you’d like a muffin!
haha! I never considered that, Helen! 🙂
Marissa, I love these english muffins!!! when I lived in Seattle, I was only able to visit the Dahlia Bakery for lunch or a sweet treat or after I had eaten at the Dahlia Lounge. . I’ve got to try these!!! they look perfect and so good!!
Thanks, Alice! You’ll love them…
Yummmo! Every time I’m at the store, I side-eye the english muffins in hopes of recreating a sausage/egg muffin sandwich, but I always resist because I tell myself I can make my own. Can’t wait to try these!
Melissa
More Dahlia Bakery love!! I love how we both just can’t get enough. I haven’t tried the English muffins yet, but they’re on my bucket list!
Joanne – you’ve got to try them, so good. Let’s meet for lunch there some day! 😉
Wow Marissa, I love these English muffins! Never thought to make them myself! Need to get that book, sounds like I’m gonna like it! Pinned of course!
Thanks, Mira! I know, I was intimidated to try them, but it was totally worth the effort!
I love making English muffins too but will have to give their version a go as they look really good! Thanks for sharing ti Marissa! 😀
I’d love to have a look at your recipe for them too, Lorraine!
Marissa, I *adore* fluffy, light English Muffins and have pretty much stopped buying them, because I can never find the perfect fit at the store. It never occurred to me to make them, but these are convincing me. Totally pinning, because I need these in my life!
I know what you mean – so often English muffins are dense and heavy. The texture of these is what I love the most!
Homemade English muffins have been on my bucket list forever. Thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome! 😉 I hope you try them, Erin. I’d love to hear what you think…
English muffins are something I’ve never tried to make from scratch — but now I’m thinking I should! These look spectacular and crispy and crunchy. Also: potato? I would never have guessed!
The potato surprised me too, Eileen. I like having the little flecks of potato peel in the muffins.
These look scrumptious! I’d toast them well, add some Dijon, bacon and sharp cheddar and call it a day.
You read my mind, Kevin! Plus a fried egg of course… 😉
Marissa! It’s like you read my mind – I’ve been meaning to make these FOREVER!! I’m definitely trying your version…
They must be some dang special breakfast sandwiches at this place!! 🙂
They really are, Nagi. If you’re visiting Seattle, you’ve got to try one!
Marissa, you are totally my hero right now! I absolutely love English muffins – but I’m sad to say I’ve never had them homemade! This is something I definitely need to try – they look simply wonderful! And I never knew they had potato in them – learn something new everyday 😉
Thanks, Kathleen! If you try them, I’d love to hear what you think!
Marissa – these turned out so well! Wow – just like the one’s you had at Dahlia’s, these look incredibly light and fluffy too!
Thanks, Shashi! I was a little intimidated about trying them and was pretty relieved that they turned out well. 🙂