Perfect English Muffin Bread in an Hour

Looking for more of a sandwich bread? Here's a basic white batter bread that's perfect for sandwiches.

Reader Review: (5 stars) Made this tonight, and I was a little nervous as I’ve never attempted bread before. Easy recipe to follow and turned out absolutely delicious!!! Was going to share my second loaf with a neighbor but I changed my mind after the first bite! ~Rachel

📋 Ingredients

You'll just need basic ingredients for this recipe - most are probably in your pantry.

🔪 Instructions

This is an easy, no-knead toasting bread. You don't need a mixer or a breadmaker - just a big wooden spoon!

1. Butter two bread pans.
2. Dust with cornmeal.
3. Add the sugar (or honey) to the 110F water.
4. Stir in the yeast.
5. Set aside until foamy - about 10 minutes.
6. Blend the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
7. Add the yeast to a bowl.
8. Add the milk to the yeast.
9. Add ENOUGH FLOUR TO GIVE YOU A SOFT GOOPY DOUGH and beat.
10. Spoon the dough into loaf pans. Set aside in a warm place until the batter has doubled and is at the top of the pans, or a little above. Dust the tops of the loaves with cornmeal and bake.
11. Cool loaves covered in a tea towel to keep the crust soft.
12. Slice.

🎥  Video

Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: You can let the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator if you want to save time in the morning or if you prefer to develop the flavor more. Spray plastic wrap with no stick spray and cover the batter so it won't dry out.

• You can make two large loaves of English muffin bread with this recipe or you can double it and make four. I'd double it if I were you — it tends to disappear quickly and you can freeze it if you need to.
• Use coarsely ground cornmeal to dust the pans. It will give you that flavor and slight texture that the conventional English muffins have. If you don't have any cornmeal you can just dust the pan with flour instead. Not a big deal but not as good either.
• Just use all-purpose flour in this recipe. No need for bread flour.
• The batter should be very loose and gloopy. If you add too much flour you won't have those lovely nooks and crannies. See the video or step by step images for a visual of gloopy.
• Don't cave to the temptation to slice it and eat it hot. Cool and then be sure to slice and toast it. It will be better that way.

I've seen a lot of images for similar recipes (sometimes called toasting bread) on Pinterest.

It bothers me that so many of the slices look almost exactly like a slice of regular bread. As far as I am concerned it's not right unless it has that coarse, bumpy texture (to hold the butter and honey, of course) and distinct flavor. It shouldn't taste like bread at all! It's got to taste like a...

(say it with me...)... ENLISH MUFFIN!!!

Accept no substitutes!

👩🏻‍🍳 FAQs

Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don't find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me - I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

🔍 What Is Gloopy?

I've had so many people ask what a gloopy dough is so I grabbed one of the images from the video. This is the perfect texture!

Bread Machine

At least one person said that using this in her bread machine ruined it. I can't confirm nor deny that - I don't use a bread machine and I don't recommend it!

This bread recipe is so easy I really think most people will have a great amount of success making it as directed

If you MUST make it in a bread machine here's how. Be sure to halve the recipe!!

1. Put the ingredients in your bread machine.
2. Program the machine for basic white bread. If you have a crust setting go for the lightest crust.
3. Check the dough halfway through the second kneading cycle. It should be soft and a little sticky. If it isn't then add a little water or flour -- but only if you absolutely have to.
4. Just before the final rise remove the dough and roll it in cornmeal then place it back in the machine to rise and bake.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

4.59 from 245 votes

English Muffin Bread

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This easy  English muffin bread recipe has all of those nooks and crannies and craters of a perfect English muffin but in a quick, no-knead toasting bread. There's only one rise so it's completely done in just a little over an hour!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Rising time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings:16

Calories:155

Author:Marye Audet-White

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

• Glass Bread Pans
• insta-read thermometer

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 4 1/2 cups flour, you may need less or a little more
• 2 tablespoons yeast, or 2 packets
• 1 tablespoon honey, or sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water, 110F
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/4 cups milk, 110F
• Butter and cornmeal for greasing and dusting the pans

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Mix the yeast, honey, and water. Set aside.
• Stir the salt, baking powder, and flour together.
• Add the milk and one cup of the flour to the yeast mixture.
• Blend well.
• Add the remaining flour, OR ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU A SOFT GOOPY DOUGH and beat.
• You should have a very soft, goopy dough. Yes. I said goopy. See the video for a visual.
• Spoon the dough into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and dusted with the cornmeal.
• Set aside in a warm place until the batter has doubled and is at the top of the pans, or a little above. This may take 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425F
• Dust the tops of the loaves with cornmeal and bake for 15 minutes or so. Loaf will sound hollow when tapped.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes if you want a crisper, more golden crust.
• Cool and slice.

Notes

 

• You can make two large loaves of with this recipe or you can double it and make four. I'd double it if I were you — it tends to disappear quickly and you can freeze it if you need to.
• Use coarsely ground cornmeal to dust the pans. It will give you that flavor and slight texture that the conventional English muffins have. If you don't have any cornmeal you can just dust the pan with flour instead. Not a big deal but not as good either.
• Just use all-purpose flour in this recipe. No need for bread flour.
• The batter should be very loose and gloopy. If you add too much flour you won't have those lovely nooks and crannies.
• Don't cave to the temptation to slice it and eat it hot. Cool at least part way and then be sure to slice and toast it. It will be better that way.
• You can make this with whole wheat flour, half whole wheat and half white.
• Feel free to add raisins, dried cranberries, dates, etc. About 1/2 cup is right.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

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Originally published August 2011. Last updated June 16, 2020 for readability, step by step images, and better images.