Let’s be honest, that jar of sourdough discard in your fridge is starting to give you a guilty look every time you open the door.
This recipe turns that tangy paste into something spectacular, no fancy mixer or complicated steps required.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Gathering your ingredients is the first easy step toward a warm, toasty breakfast.
Each one plays a specific role in creating those perfect nooks and crannies.
- Sourdough Discard: This is the star, providing wonderful moisture and a subtle tang that makes these muffins special.
- Warm Milk: It wakes up the yeast and creates a tender, soft crumb in the finished muffin.
- Granulated Sugar: A little bit feeds the yeast and balances the sourdough’s natural acidity perfectly.
- Instant Yeast: This is our reliable helper for a quick and predictable rise, making the recipe so simple.
- Unsalted Butter, melted: Butter adds richness and flavor, and it keeps the muffins wonderfully soft.
- Salt: Never forget the salt, it makes all the other flavors pop and taste more like themselves.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our dough, it gives the muffins their structure and body.
- Cornmeal or Semolina: This isn’t mixed in, but it’s absolutely crucial for that classic dusty coating and to prevent sticking.
The Joy of a Simple Dough
There’s something deeply satisfying about mixing a dough by hand.
You feel the texture change, and you connect with the process in a way a machine just can’t match.
How to make Easy Sourdough Discard English Muffins (No Mixer)?
Just follow these simple stages, and you’ll have a baking sheet full of golden rounds before you know it.
Trust the process, it’s remarkably straightforward.
Step 1 – Wake Up the Team
In a large bowl, combine your sourdough discard, warm milk, sugar, and instant yeast.
Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for just a minute, you might see a few bubbles—that’s your team saying hello.
Step 2 – Bring It All Together
Pour in the melted butter and salt, then add all the flour.
Stir with a sturdy spoon until you have a shaggy, sticky mass of dough, scraping the sides clean.
Step 3 – The First Rise
Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and tuck it into a warm spot in your kitchen.
Let it rest and grow until it’s about doubled in size, which usually takes around an hour.
Step 4 – Shape with Confidence
Sprinkle a parchment-lined baking sheet generously with cornmeal. Scoop portions of dough (about a heaping 1/4 cup each) right onto the cornmeal.
Flip each blob to coat both sides, then gently cup and rotate your hands to form a rough ball—it doesn’t need to be perfect.
Step 5 – The Final Puff
Arrange all your dough balls on the sheet, cover them again, and walk away for another hour.
They’ll puff up nicely, getting ready for their trip to the pan.
Step 6 – Skillet Sizzle
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. No butter or oil is needed, thanks to the cornmeal.
Cook the muffins for about 3 minutes per side, just until they have a lovely golden-brown crust.
Step 7 – Oven Finish
Transfer the skillet-cooked muffins back to the baking sheet and pop them into a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes.
This final bake ensures the very center is perfectly cooked and light.
Serving Ideas That Shine
The classic split, toast, and slather with butter is a life choice I fully support.
But these muffins are also fantastic foundations for mini pizzas or egg sandwiches that feel gourmet.
Tips
- Don’t fear the sticky dough. It’s meant to be wet, and the cornmeal is your best friend for handling it.
- For deeper sour flavor, use discard that’s been in your fridge for a week or more. For a milder taste, use it fresher.
- Let the muffins cool completely before you split them open with a fork, not a knife, to preserve all those wonderful holes.
- If your schedule is hectic, you can let the shaped dough have its final rise in the fridge overnight. Bake them straight from the cold in the morning.
Storing Your Homemade Treasure
Once completely cool, store your English muffins in an airtight bag at room temperature for a couple of days.
For longer keeping, freeze them in a single layer before bagging, they’ll toast up perfectly straight from the freezer.
Sourdough Discard English Muffins Recipe
Description
Looking for a quick and easy bake that will add something extra special to your breakfast table? These Easy Sourdough Discard English Muffins don’t even require a mixer! Tender and soft with a golden brown exterior, they’re perfect for slathering with butter and homemade jam or building your favorite breakfast sandwich—bacon, egg, and cheese, anyone?
ingredients
Instructions
-
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together sourdough discard, warm milk, granulated sugar, and instant yeast. Let the yeast activate for 1 minute until you notice a yeasty smell and the mixture becomes frothy.
-
Add melted butter, salt, and all-purpose flour. Stir together until a sticky, wet dough forms. No kneading or mixer required!
-
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
-
While dough is rising, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously sprinkle with cornmeal or semolina.
-
Use a ¼-cup measuring cup or large cookie scoop to portion about 85–90 grams of dough onto the cornmeal. Flip to coat both sides, then gently shape into smooth rounds by cupping and rotating in your hands.
-
Place shaped muffins in a 3x4 grid on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise for another hour at room temperature—or refrigerate overnight for a slow cold rise.
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Heat a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat.
-
Gently place English muffins into the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. They will still be slightly doughy inside.
-
Transfer skillet-cooked muffins back to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5–7 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches about 200°F (93°C).
-
Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing with a fork to preserve the classic nooks and crannies.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 180kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 5gg8%
- Saturated Fat 3gg15%
- Trans Fat 0gg
- Cholesterol 15mgmg5%
- Sodium 250mgmg11%
- Potassium 80mgmg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 28gg10%
- Dietary Fiber 1gg4%
- Sugars 3gg
- Protein 5gg10%
- Calcium 60 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- No Mixer Needed: This is a no-knead, sticky dough—just stir and rise!
- Use Sourdough Discard: Works best with 100% hydration discard. Older discard = more tang.
- Storage: Once cooled, store in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and toast before serving.
- For 100% Sourdough Version: Omit yeast and allow for a longer bulk fermentation (4–8 hours) followed by overnight cold proof.
