Store-bought English muffins pale in comparison to homemade. When you bake these sourdough discard English muffins on a hot cast iron griddle with a dusting of golden cornmeal, you get a crisp, toasted exterior and an interior packed with dramatic, gaping nooks and crannies ready to catch pools of melted butter and fruit jam.
The sourdough discard adds authentic English crumpet flavor while keeping the dough soft, moist, and wonderfully tangy.
The Secret to True “Nooks and Crannies”
- Fork-Split Only (Never Use a Knife!): Slicing an English muffin with a bread knife crushes the delicate air tunnels. Always pierce around the perimeter with the tines of a fork and gently pull the halves apart to reveal the porous texture.
- Wet, Hydrated Dough: A slightly wet dough produces steam during griddling, blowing open large honeycomb holes throughout the crumb.
- Cornmeal Griddling: Cooking them on a low-medium cast iron griddle coated in coarse cornmeal provides that iconic crunch and authentic bakery look.
Ingredients (Grams & Cups)
- Sourdough Discard (240g / 1 cup): 100% hydration, cold or room temp.
- Whole Milk (180g / 3/4 cup, warm): Around 95°F.
- Honey or Sugar (15g / 1 tbsp): Adds gentle sweetness.
- Instant Yeast (4g / 1 tsp): Speeds up same-day rise.
- All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour (300g / 2 1/2 cups): Bread flour gives a chewier bite.
- Unsalted Butter (30g / 2 tbsp, melted).
- Fine Sea Salt (6g / 1 tsp).
- Coarse Yellow Cornmeal (approx. 1/3 cup): For dusting the baking sheets and griddle.
Step-by-Step Griddling Method
- Mix & Rest: In a bowl, whisk milk, honey, yeast, and sourdough discard. Add flour, melted butter, and salt. Mix into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead gently for 3–4 minutes. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.
- Cut English Muffins: Dust your counter generously with flour. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter or drinking glass (dipped in flour), cut into 8 to 10 rounds. Press straight down—do not twist!
- Cornmeal Proof: Sprinkle a baking sheet with coarse cornmeal. Place muffins on the cornmeal, dust the tops with more cornmeal, and let proof for 30 minutes until puffy.
- Cast Iron Griddle: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Cook muffins in batches for 5 to 6 minutes per side, flipping once when the bottoms are golden-brown and the sides have puffed up. (Internal temp should reach 200°F / 93°C).
- Cool & Fork-Split: Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Fork-split and toast!
🥖 Free Sourdough Troubleshooting Guide
Struggling with a sluggish starter, flat loaf, or gummy crumb? Get our step-by-step baker’s diagnostic cheat sheet sent directly to your inbox.
Sourdough Discard English Muffins
Stovetop griddled English muffins made with sourdough discard and yellow cornmeal, fork-split for maximum nooks & crannies.
Ingredients:
- 240g sourdough discard (1 cup)
- 180g warm whole milk (3/4 cup)
- 15g honey (1 tbsp)
- 4g instant yeast (1 tsp)
- 300g bread flour or AP flour (2 1/2 cups)
- 30g melted butter (2 tbsp)
- 6g fine salt (1 tsp)
- Coarse yellow cornmeal for dusting
Instructions:
- Mix dough ingredients; knead into soft dough and let rise 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Roll to 1/2-inch thickness and cut with 3-inch biscuit cutter.
- Transfer to cornmeal-dusted sheet; proof 30 minutes until puffy.
- Cook in dry cast iron skillet over medium-low for 5–6 minutes per side.
- Cool completely, fork-split, and toast with butter.
More Breakfast Sourdough Recipes
Pair these English muffins with our crispy sourdough waffles and our moist sourdough banana bread.