Sourdough Discard English Muffins Recipe

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.