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Old-Fashioned, No-Knead English Muffins Recipe

Old-Fashioned, No-Knead English Muffins Recipe
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★★★★★

4.7 from 17 reviews

This Old-Fashioned, No-Knead English Muffins recipe yields soft, chewy, and delightfully nubby breakfast treats with minimal effort. Featuring a simple dough that requires no kneading and two rises—including an overnight rest in the refrigerator—these English muffins develop a rich flavor and perfect texture for toasting and topping with butter, jam, or your favorite spreads. Made with a blend of bread flour and whole wheat flour, sweetened with honey, and cooked on a griddle with a hint of butter or bacon fat, they bring a rustic homemade touch to your morning routine.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 10 ounces bread flour (2 cups; 285 g)
  • 5 ounces whole wheat flour (1 cup; 140 g)
  • 2 3/4 teaspoons (11 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or equivalent weight table salt)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons (4 g) instant dry yeast (not rapid-rise)
  • 5 ounces fine cornmeal (1 cup; 145 g), for dusting

Wet Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cold milk (1 1/2 cups; 340 g), any percentage fat
  • 3 1/2 ounces honey (1/4 cup; 100 g)
  • 1 large egg white, cold
  • Roughly 1 ounce bacon fat, unsalted butter, or oil (2 tablespoons; 30 g), for griddling

Instructions

  1. Make the Dough and Let Rise: In a large bowl, combine bread flour, whole wheat flour, kosher salt, and instant dry yeast until well mixed. Add cold milk, honey, and the cold egg white. Stir vigorously with a flexible spatula until the mixture is smooth and fully combined, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot at around 70°F (21°C) to rise until the batter is spongy, light, and has more than doubled in volume, approximately 4 to 5 hours. The rising time can be adjusted to fit your schedule.
  2. Portion and Refrigerate for Second Rise: Generously dust a rimmed aluminum baking sheet with a thick, even layer of fine cornmeal. Using a large spoon, scoop out twelve approximately 2 2/3–ounce (75 g) portions of dough, dropping them onto the cornmeal. You may gently pinch the blobs to shape them tidily but it’s not necessary. Sprinkle additional cornmeal over the tops of the dough portions. Cover the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 42 hours. This second rise develops flavor and texture.
  3. Preheat and Prepare to Griddle: About 10 minutes before cooking, preheat an electric griddle to 325°F (160°C) or warm a 12-inch cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat until very hot. Add half of the butter, bacon fat, or oil to the pan and let it melt, coating the surface evenly.
  4. Cook the Muffins: Place six dough rounds on the hot griddle and cook without moving them until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the muffins carefully using a square-end spatula and cook the other side for the same amount of time. Remove cooked muffins to a wire rack to cool slightly.
  5. Split and Serve: Once cool enough to handle, use your thumbs to work around the edges of each muffin, pulling gently to split them open and reveal the signature nooks and crannies. Toast the muffins before serving to enhance texture and flavor. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or refrigerate for up to one month.

Notes

  • This recipe was developed using King Arthur’s bread flour and classic whole wheat flour. Due to variations in whole wheat flour types and milling practices, especially stone-ground versus white whole wheat, you might need to adjust milk amount slightly for the right hydration.
  • If using stone-ground whole wheat flour, consider reducing the milk to as little as 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups; 285 g) for better dough consistency.
  • Storing leftover English muffins in an airtight container keeps them fresh for up to 1 week at room temperature or 1 month refrigerated.
  • For a richer skillet flavor, bacon fat can be used in place of butter or oil for griddling.
  • Ensure the griddle temperature is medium-low to avoid burning and allow proper cooking inside the muffins.

Nutrition

Keywords: English muffins, no-knead bread, breakfast bread, homemade muffins, griddled bread, easy muffin recipe

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/old-fashioned-no-knead-english-muffins-recipe/