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English Muffin Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 148 reviews

This English Muffin Bread recipe yields a soft, goopy dough that bakes into delicious, lightly textured bread perfect for sandwiches or toasting. The crumb has the characteristic nooks and crannies of traditional English muffins, achieved by a unique preparation and baking technique. It’s easy to make, requires only basic ingredients, and produces two loaves with a slightly crisp crust and tender interior.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (adjust as needed)
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (or 2 packets)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
  • 2 1/4 cups warm milk (110°F)

For Greasing and Dusting

  • Butter (for greasing loaf pans)
  • Cornmeal (for dusting loaf pans and tops of the dough)

Instructions

  1. Activate yeast: In a small bowl, mix the yeast, honey, and warm water (110°F). Set this mixture aside for a few minutes to allow the yeast to activate and become foamy.
  2. Blend dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the kosher salt, baking soda, and 1 cup of the flour until evenly combined.
  3. Combine yeast and milk: Add the warm milk (110°F) to the activated yeast mixture and stir well to blend.
  4. Mix wet and dry: Pour the milk-yeast mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.
  5. Add remaining flour: Gradually add the remaining flour to the dough mixture, beating continuously until you achieve a very soft and goopy dough consistency. The dough should be sticky and loose, not firm.
  6. Prepare loaf pans: Grease two 8-inch or one 9-inch loaf pans with butter, then dust the pans generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
  7. Transfer dough: Spoon the soft dough evenly into the prepared loaf pans, smoothing the tops as best as possible.
  8. Let dough rise: Place the pans in a warm spot and allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size and reaches near or just above the top edge of the pans. This should take approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
  9. Preheat oven: While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  10. Dust tops: Once risen, dust the tops of the loaves lightly with cornmeal to create the signature texture.
  11. Bake: Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes initially until the loaves sound hollow when tapped and an instant-read thermometer registers 190°F to 200°F in the center.
  12. For crisper crust: If a crisper, more golden crust is desired, continue baking for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, monitoring carefully to avoid over-browning.
  13. Cool and slice: Remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pans before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • The dough will be much softer and goopier than traditional bread dough; this is intentional to develop the English muffin texture.
  • Using cornmeal for dusting creates the characteristic nooks and crannies on the crust and prevents sticking.
  • Make sure all liquids are warm but not hot to keep the yeast active.
  • Adjust flour quantity slightly as needed to achieve a soft but manageable dough.
  • The baking temperature and times are flexible depending on desired crust texture — shorter baking for softer crust, longer for a crisper crust.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the bread is fully baked inside.

Keywords: English Muffin Bread, homemade bread, soft bread, easy bread recipe, nooks and crannies bread

Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/english-muffin-bread-recipe/