Let’s face it. We have all had mornings where getting out of the door on time can be a challenge. On those sorts of mornings, a homemade breakfast seems out of the question. Instead, we settle on something from the freezer or perhaps the drive-through. Sure… that stuff may be served hot, but how good does it actually taste?
English muffins are a classic breakfast food. They can be toasted and slathered with butter and jam or even cream cheese. These muffins pair well with just about anything. But if you have time to linger over the table, serve them as the foundation for Eggs Benedict… a personal weekend favorite.
Instead of reaching for a bag of muffins, try making them at home. Fresh English muffins are easier to make than you think. Their flavor is certainly unlike anything you ever took out of a grocery package.
The recipe listed is modified from the one printed in my 1938 edition of the Modern Home Cook Book by Grace E. Denison. (Cooking instructions were not detailed enough in the original recipe.)
English Breakfast Muffins
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 C. milk
- 1/2 C. lukewarm water
- 1 pkg. of yeast
- 3 C. flour
- 1 tsp. salt
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a small container, bloom the yeast in warm water. Add the butter to the yeast/water mixture. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast/water/butter mixture into the flour. Also pour in the milk. Stir to combine. The resulting dough will be quick sticky. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
Heat a griddle on the stove (or you can use an electric skillet). If using cast iron, go with a low stove top setting to prevent burning. Grease the griddle with a little butter. Next, use muffin rings or tuna cans with both the top and bottom removed. Grease the inside of the rings (or cans) with butter then place on the griddle. Fill approximately halfway up the sides of the rings. (An ice cream scoop works well.) Place a domed lid over the top of the rings (this will help steam the top of the muffin). Cook the muffins for approximately 5 minutes (can lift one up with a spatula to check for a golden brown color). Turn the rings over using the spatula or a pair of tongs. NOTE: the batter should have risen to the top of the rings while cooking. Cook for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the muffins from the griddle and repeat the process until the batter is gone. This recipe makes approximately 9 English muffins when using 3 7/8″ rings (just happens to be the size I have on hand so these are large English muffins).
For the classic experience, use a fork to split open the muffin. If you prefer a cleaner look, simply use a knife instead.
These muffins toast up nicely. The flavor and the texture will remind you why homemade is better and just may convert you into making your own English muffins. They really are easier to make than you think!
Yummy looking and tasting–thanks for the sample. They taste wonderful toasted with an egg!
You are welcome! And thank you for the rings. They are well-used.
I love English muffins and am sure that these homemade ones must taste incredible. I don’t have rings though. Did you make the rings from cans or purchase them?
The rings in the photos are ones that a friend gave to me. Prior to that, I used tuna cans where I took off the top and bottom. The cans work (but not quite as well as commercially made rings)… just in my experience. I have seen the rings at kitchen stores and online.
I have been thinking to look up a recipe for English muffins for my kids. We deal with multiple food allergies, so pre-packaged foods are risky for us. I think I’ll treat my kids to these today! I might try a gluten free version for myself. Thanks for posting.
You are welcome! We have been reducing the amount of processed foods in our diet and one of my last items to give up was store-bought English muffins. Even the ‘good’ ones were chock full of preservatives. Now, we regularly make them.
These look great–I will be making them very soon. Just wondering, have you made any cinnamon raisin ones? I used to buy them all the time. I have been substituting a recipe called English Muffin Bread–(which is really good) but I liked to have pretty ones like you made.
I haven’t tried making cinnamon raisin, but I think that would be an easy alteration. Given the amount of flour, I would guess that you could add about 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and a half cup of raisins to the mix. The muffin rings definitely make it easy to create English muffins.
That is great we can make our own English muffins, thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays, please come back tonight at 7 central and share again. By the way love your blog name and the header design.
English Muffins really are easy to make and so much more flavorful than store-bought. It has been years since we have bought a package. I hope you enjoy. And thank you… we are very happy with our blog name and header design.
Tuna cans! Dang it! This whole time I could have been making these. (Hello from Real Food Fridays.)
Welcome! Thrift stores are a great option for finding muffin rings. Good luck trying tuna cans and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
That’s a good tip, too. I keep looking for ramekins at thrift stores but it’s always a set of four little ones for too much money. I have a family of six so that doesn’t help.
Keep looking. I have had great success finding kitchen tools/pans/containers. And when the weather cooperates… garage sales are a great source and are often cheaper than thrift stores.
I’m dying for spring to bring on the yard sales!
Me too!
Yippe! Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for linking up to Real food Fridays. You are my feature!
We haven’t purchased English Muffins since we started making them ourselves. I hope you enjoy the recipe. And thank you for making me a feature for Real Food Fridays!
Looks easy and delicious! I love English muffins.
Stopping by from the Real Food Friday link up. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by. They really are easy to make and have a great taste! I hope you enjoy making them.
What a great idea to make your own English muffins. This doesn’t sound hard at all. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays Blog Hop. Hope you continue to share your recipes with us.
They are inexpensive and easy to make. Plus… they taste great! And yes… I will be back. I hope you continue to visit our blog here at Urban Overalls.
These look amazing, and WAY easier than my recipe from Bob’s Red Mill! Can you sub whole wheat flour for some/all of the regular flour?
Yes…I have tried using 1/3 whole wheat flour and the rest as regular flour. We really like the flavor. Enjoy making them!