Sourdough Discard English Muffins

Homemade English muffins made with sourdough discard on a plate.

Sourdough Discard English Muffins

Sourdough discard English muffins are such a delicious homemade treat and make for a very easy way to use your extra sourdough discard. They are soft, tender, flavorful and nicely golden brown. Plus, they are easy and made in one day!

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Rising time2

Total Time2 50

Course: bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: English muffins, sourdough bread, sourdough discard recipes

Servings: large English muffins

Calories: 227kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Small kitchen scale (or measuring cups)
Measuring spoons
Stirring spoon and/or dough whisk
3 or 4 inch wide biscuit cutter or wide jar
Large skillet or pan or lidded electric skillet

Ingredients

100 g sourdough discard (100g = about ½ cup)
250 g water or milk I used oat milk, (250g = about 1 cup)
25 g maple syrup 25 g = about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoon dry active yeast Instant yeast works too, see notes
370 g all-purpose flour (370 g = about 2½ cups)
5 g salt (5 g = about 1 teaspoon)
¼ cup cornmeal for sprinkling

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl or container, add the room temperature milk, sourdough discard and sweetener. Whisk well to combine. Then, sprinkle the dry active yeast over and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. Then stir to combine.
Add the flour and salt and keep stirring until the dough comes together. Cover and let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes. Then, transfer over a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until very smooth. Place it back into the container or bowl, cover and let it rise for about 2 hours (the dough should almost double in size).
Transfer the dough back over a lightly floured surface and roughly preshape it into a ball of dough. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes (covered) and then roll the dough using a rolling pin until about ¼-⅓ inch thick. Use a 3-4-inch wide cookie cutter or a large jar to cut the dough into large circles.
Transfer over a baking sheet covered with cornmeal and keep going with the rest of the dough. You can combine the scraps of dough and roll them again to make more (you should be able to make a total of 8-9 English muffins). Cover the shaped dough with more cornmeal and cover with a towel. Let them rest for 10-20 minutes.
Warm up a large pan or skillet then add a little oil. When the oil is warm, add a few of the English muffin dough (I like to work in batches and cook 4 at a time) and COVER the pan. Cook on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side (watch carefully so they don't burn!). Let them cool down before enjoying.

Video

Notes

I used dry active yeast, although Instant yeast will work too. If using dry active yeast (as seen in this recipe), then you need to activate it first (resting in liquid before adding flour). If using Instant yeast, then you can simply incorporate it into the dough during activation.
Use room temperature ingredients for a quicker rise and a consistent result! Try to take your sourdough discard out of your fridge a few hours before using and briefly warm up the milk using the microwave if necessary (not hot, just warmish is best).
When rolling the dough, if it keeps bouncing back as you try to flatten and widen it, then give it a 10-minute rest (covered with a towel) and try again. This can help when you work with a stubborn dough!
Keep the heat on low-medium and watch them carefully while they cook. You want to give the English muffins enough time to be cooked all the way through, but avoid getting burned or too dark.
Keep the cover on at all times while cooking the English muffins. We want to trap the moisture to help the muffins rise and keep the interior texture tender.
Do not add too much extra flour when kneading/rolling the dough. Just a light dusting is enough to prevent the dough from sticking too much to the counter.
Storage: Cool down the English muffins completely, then transfer to an airtight container and keep at room temperature for 4-5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months! Let them thaw at room temperature overnight or simply use a toaster oven.
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition