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!
- Butter two bread pans.
- Dust with cornmeal.
- Add the sugar (or honey) to the 110F water.
- Stir in the yeast.
- Set aside until foamy - about 10 minutes.
- Blend the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the yeast to a bowl.
- Add the milk to the yeast.
- Add ENOUGH FLOUR TO GIVE YOU A SOFT GOOPY DOUGH and beat.
- 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.
- Cool loaves covered in a tea towel to keep the crust soft.
- 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!
Not really. It does help give the English muffin bread that traditional flavor and texture, though.
There are a couple of ways. Using an insta-read thermometer is easiest. Just poke it down in the center of the loaf and it's done when it's 190F -200F. You can tap it and it will sound hollow. Once you get some experience you'll just know!
It sounds like it rose too long.
Yes, that should be fine!
2 packets will work just fine.
🔍 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!!
- Put the ingredients in your bread machine.
- Program the machine for basic white bread. If you have a crust setting go for the lightest crust.
- 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.
- 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
English Muffin Bread Recipe
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 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
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
- The pans I use are 9x5-inch.
- ANY kind of loaf pan is fine - I prefer glass.
- 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
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.Originally published August 2011. Last updated June 16, 2020 for readability, step by step images, and better images.
Bonnie B
Didn't rise as much as expected but wonderful anyways!! The recipe says baking powder but I saw in one of the comments you said it should be baking soda. Will correct next time. Its definitely a keeper!
Danielle
Just wanted to double check is it baking soda or baking powder to use in the recipe?And is it okay to half the recipe?
Marye
Baking soda... and I've never tried to half it but I'm sure it's fine.
Mary Anne
Your recipe says baking powder but in your video you say baking soda . My bread is on the counter not rising. I used baking powder
Marye
honestly it doesn't matter and if your bread isn't rising that's not the problem. I hired the video out and have only recently realized that it says baking powder instead of baking soda.
Jenni
Is it absolutely necessary to have glass pans?
Marye
Nope - any kind are fine
Dawn
If I use a metal bread pan will it make a difference. I don't have a glass pan, just high quality metal.
Marye
Metal is fine.
Rachel
I have 8x4 bread pans - is that the correct size?
Marye
Those are a little small - you'll probably have batter left.
Dixie
Okay… I made this for the first time this morning, and I have to say: Life will never be the same! I’ve never been big on bread, but THIS is CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST, baby!! This stuff blows the barn doors off of any English muffin out there! I’m a beginner bread baker and, for me, this was extremely easy to make. I made no changes, except that I only had one glass loaf pan, so I cut the recipe in half. Baked it 18 minutes at 425ºF in convection oven. Marye suggested to let it to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan, at which point I turned it over and it fell out of the loaf dish, in all it’s glory. I allowed it to cool the rest of the way with a towel on it, just like Marye recommends. Then sliced it; and hot out of the toaster with some salted Kerrygold butter… OMG - YUMMMMM!!! It really doesn’t get any better than this! Now I will go out and buy another glass loaf dish. With this bread, and her Quick French Bread baguette recipe, I’m a Marye fan forever! THANKYOUSOMUCH for this!
Dixie
Hello, baking this bread right NOW - was wondering if I should remove the bread from the loaf pan while still warm or after cooling completely. I saw that I should cover it with a towel till it cools, but didn't know if that meant cover it while cooling in the baking dish, or cover it to cool after it's taken out. Obviously I'm a beginner.
Rakisha
I've made this recipe twice now and it's a winner. I've used both dairy and non-dairy milk (cashew, unsweetened vanilla) with excellent results. I've also used instant yeast and active dry yeast, turned out fine just adjusted as necessary. I do agree that the flavor is better when the dough has a chance to rise overnight. It tastes excellent with honey butter and jam. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Jackie
Wanting to know if you should warm milk to 110 degrees as I did not see it mentioned
Marye
Yes - I'm sorry - I need to fix that. 🙂