Sourdough English Muffins (Stovetop, Nooks and Crannies Guaranteed)

If there's one breakfast recipe I keep coming back to, it's these. Sourdough English muffins have become such a staple in our house, and once you get the hang of them, they're truly one of those recipes that just becomes part of your rhythm.

I'll be honest, there's a little bit of finesse involved. The first time or two, you might find yourself troubleshooting. But that's the beauty of sourdough baking, right? You start learning how your dough behaves, how your kitchen temperature plays a role, and pretty soon it becomes second nature. I definitely did some trial and error along the way. You may have some burnt bottoms at first, but once you get the hang of your stovetop, these will become a breakfast staple.

What I love most about these is that they're cooked right on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet. No oven required for most of them! That low, slow cook with a lid on top is what creates all that internal steam. Internal steam is what gives you those gorgeous nooks and crannies we're all chasing. The honey gives just the tiniest hint of sweetness, the whole milk makes them tender, and that long cold ferment overnight? That's where all the flavor lives.

Let's do this!

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What You Need

For the Dough:

• ½ cup active sourdough starter (120g)
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk (150g)
• ¼ cup lukewarm filtered water (60g)
• 2 tablespoons honey (42g)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (28g)
• 1 teaspoon salt (5g)
• 2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (330g)

For Cooking & Finishing:

• Fine cornmeal, for dusting
• Butter, for greasing the skillet

Equipment:

• Danish whisk or wooden spoon
• Cast iron skillet with a lid
• Biscuit cutter, jar lid, or cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter)
• Plastic wrap or beeswax wrap
• Damp dish towel
• Fork, for splitting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1: Mixing the Dough (The Night Before or Morning of Day 1)

Step 1: Make sure your starter is ready

The morning before you plan to mix, you want your sourdough starter to be nice and active (bubbly, risen, and at its peak). Don't rush this step. An active starter is everything here.

Step 2: Mix your wet ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the whole milk, lukewarm water, honey, melted butter, salt, and active starter. Give it a good stir (I use my Danish whisk here) until everything is well combined.

Step 3: Add the flour

Add your flour to the bowl and mix until it all comes together. Start with the Danish whisk and then switch to wet hands to really get everything incorporated. You're not kneading here, just making sure there are no dry pockets of flour hiding at the bottom of the bowl.

Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Part 2: Quick Stretch and Folds

Step 4: Rapid-fire stretch and folds

After that 30-minute rest, you're going to do what I call rapid-fire stretch and folds. Here's how it goes:

• Stretch and fold #1 → rest 15 minutes
• Stretch and fold #2 → rest 15 minutes
• Stretch and fold #3 → done!

So within about 30 minutes, you've done all three sets. These are quick and simple — grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.

Re-cover with your damp towel between each set.

Step 5: Bulk fermentation

Once your stretch and folds are done, let the dough rise at room temperature for about 4 to 6 hours. This timing really depends on your kitchen environment and temperature. What you're looking for is roughly a 50% rise, so about double. Keep an eye on it rather than just watching the clock. Sourdough is temperature dependent, so trust your eyes over the timer.

Step 6: Cold ferment overnight

Once your dough has risen beautifully, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and transfer it to the fridge. You're going to let it do a long, slow cold ferment, which is about 12 hours, give or take. This doesn't have to be an exact science. The cold ferment is where all that deep, tangy sourdough flavor develops. Now with that being said this is an optional step.

No cold ferment? No problem. The overnight fridge rest is totally optional; it just adds extra flavor. If you'd rather skip it, simply mix your dough the night before and let it do a longer room temperature rise for 6 to 8 hours, or until roughly doubled. Then head straight to shaping in the morning. It's a great option if you want fresh muffins without the full two-day process!

Part 3: Shaping the Muffins (Bake Day Morning)

Step 7: Turn out the dough

The morning you're ready to bake, pull your dough out of the fridge and turn it out onto a very lightly floured surface.

Important: Do not knead, punch down, or overwork this dough. Those bubbles you've built up over the ferment are gold, protect them!

Step 8: Pat and cut

Using your fingers, gently press the dough down to about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Work slowly and carefully. You're not rolling, just a gentle, even press.

Using your biscuit cutter, jar lid, or cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter), cut out your muffins. Do not twist the cutter. Press straight down and lift straight up. Twisting seals the edges and kills your rise. We want all those layers open and ready to puff!

Step 9: Coat in cornmeal

Sprinkle a little fine cornmeal on your surface or on a plate, and lightly pat each side of each muffin into it. This gives you that classic English muffin texture on the outside and prevents sticking.

Step 10: Final rise

Arrange your cut muffins on a lightly cornmeal sprinkled surface or a lined sheet pan. Cover them with a clean dish towel and let them rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. Again, your environment matters, you want them to look slightly puffy and relaxed before they hit the pan.

Part 4: Cooking

Step 11: Preheat your cast iron

Preheat your cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, if you're going by a number on your dial, think around a 3 out of 10. Let it preheat for a solid 5 to 7 minutes. You want it evenly heated, not scorching hot.

Lightly grease the pan with a little butter right before you're ready to cook.

Step 12: Cook low and slow

Carefully place your muffins in the skillet (don't overcrowd) and put the lid on. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes per side on low heat with the lid on. I definitely like to do this in smaller batches, about 5 muffins at a time.

That lid is key. It traps steam inside, which cooks the dough from the inside out and creates those beautiful holes we're after. You want the dough to hit the hot pan and steam its way to perfection.

About 2 to 3 minutes before you think a side is done, peek at the bottom to check the color. Adjust your heat up or down depending on how fast they're browning. Every stovetop is a little different!

Pro tip: We're going for lower heat and a longer cook. Think patience, not speed.

Step 13: Optional oven finish

If your muffins are browned beautifully on the outside but still feel a little doughy in the center (especially if they're on the thicker side) you can finish them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes. Totally optional, but a great safety net.

Step 14: Cool completely and split

Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely. I know it's hard, but it matters! The inside is still finishing up as they cool. Opening too early can give you gummy insides.

When you're ready to serve, use a fork to split them, never a knife. Forking them open preserves all those gorgeous nooks and crannies that a knife would just slice right through.

Storage Tips

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They toast up beautifully!

Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Toast before serving for the best texture.

Freezer: These freeze wonderfully. Let them cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe bag with a little parchment between each one. They'll keep for up to 2 months. Pop them in the toaster straight from frozen (no thawing needed).

Troubleshooting Tips

They feel dense. This usually means they were under-proofed. Give them more time on the final rise, and make sure your starter was truly active and bubbly.

The center is gummy. The heat was too high. Gummy centers mean the outside cooked faster than the inside could set. Lower your heat and extend the cook time. The lid and low heat combo is everything. Also make sure they are fully cooled before opening since they need that time to finish up baking. Opening too early can give you a gummy center as well.

They came out flat. They were over-proofed. Keep a closer eye on the final rise. Slightly puffy is the goal, not fully ballooned.

The texture is tough. A little too much flour crept in somewhere. Go easy when turning out the dough and make sure you're patting, not rolling.

A few things to always keep in mind:

• After bulk fermentation, do not knead or punch the dough, this will protect those bubbles!
• Press straight down with your cutter, never twist. Twisting seals the edges and kills the rise.
• Do not press down on the muffins while they're cooking. That's how the holes die.
• Low and slow is the way. Internal steam creates the big holes.

Final Thoughts

Sourdough English muffins are such a worthy breakfast staple. There's a little bit of finesse to getting them just right but once you figure out your kitchen, your starter, and your stovetop, you'll be making these on repeat. I definitely did some trial and error along the way and have included those tips so that it will be easier for you!

The slow cold ferment overnight does all the heavy lifting on flavor, and that cast iron skillet with the lid on? It's the secret to those nooks and crannies that make a great English muffin what it is.

My family absolutely loves these, and I have a feeling yours will too. If you make them, please tag me because I seriously love seeing your kitchen wins!