Perfect Homemade English Muffins

1In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour and salt.

2Whisk together the water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and foamy. If it does not bubble, the yeast is dead (toss the mixture and try again with new yeast).

3Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, beaten egg, and sour cream to the flour in the stand mixer. Mix at medium-low speed until the dough begins to pull together, about 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. The dough will be very wet, slumpy, and sticky.

4Proof the dough: Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

1The next day, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with all-purpose flour.

2Lightly flour your work surface. Then, without punching down the proofed dough, gently turn it onto the floured surface, flatten into a large circle, and then cut into 12 equal triangles.

3Form each piece into a ball (see how I do this in our video). Place onto the prepared baking sheet, then flatten it into a disk (around 3 inches in diameter). Make sure there is some space between each muffin.

4Proof again: Cover the baking sheet with a dish towel and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or for 1 hour with your oven’s proof setting).

1Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare a second baking sheet with parchment paper.

2Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Dust with semolina flour and cook the muffins in batches until golden brown on both sides (about 3 to 5 minutes per side). I can fit 3 in my skillet at a time. Be careful when moving the muffins to the skillet. They will be a bit soft, but do it in a swift confident motion, and you should be okay (they might look misformed at first, but they puff back up).

3Transfer partially cooked muffins to the prepared baking sheet. Then, once you have 6 muffins on the baking sheet, bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sides feel firm. Baking 6 at a time helps prevent the partially cooked muffins from falling back on themselves as they wait for the rest to cook in the skillet. The idea is to get them into the oven as quickly as possible to firm up.

4Repeat the cooking process with the remaining dough and reuse the baking sheet you proofed the muffins on for baking the remaining 6.

5Cool cooked English muffins on a wire rack. Use a pastry brush to brush away excess flour from the outside of the muffins, and then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days (or freeze for 1 month).