This easy English muffin bread recipe has all of those nooks and crannies and craters of an English muffin but in a quick, no-knead toasting bread loaf. It’s a fragrant batter bread with that distinct yeasty flavor that we all love. Instructions for bread machine and stand mixer included. You can let it rise overnight in the refrigerator if you want to save time in the morning or if you prefer to develop the flavor more. Updated from the original post published in 2011.
For this recipe you’ll need: all purpose flour, active dry yeast, honey, kosher salt, baking powder, milk, butter, cornmeal, 2 bread pans
Table of Contents
Who Doesn’t Love English Muffins?
I think that the best thing about English muffins is the way that butter and honey melts and pools in the craters.In fact I have been known (I’m sure you won’t be surprised) to put so much butter and honey on my English muffin that it overflows and oozes down the sides in a warm, buttery, sweet-sticky river. That’s the best.
I have never been fussy about what variety or flavor the English muffins were — I love them all from sourdough to whole wheat.
Even though I have tried and tried to get them exactly right at home I just can’t do it but that’s OK. With this recipe for an English muffin bread loaf I can have that perfect texture and flavor anytime and it doesn’t take forever, either. It’s a batter bread which makes this a super easy recipe. No kneading, no mess, and you can have it hot and steaming out of the oven in less than 90 minutes. 90 short minutes to English muffin nirvana. Don’t cave to the temptation to slice it and eat it hot, though. Cool the toasting bread at least part way and then be sure to toast it. It will be better that way.
English Muffin Bread Cook’s Notes
Now, I’ve seen a lot of images for English muffin bread (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 English muffin bread unless it has that coarse, bumpy texture (to hold the butter and honey, of course) and distinct English Muffin 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!
I promise you this toasting bread will come out perfectly and the flavor will be amazing.
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.
Mmmmm…. look at that crust. So, seriously… what do you like best on your English muffins? My favorite is butter and honey, hands down. LOTS of butter and honey.
Don’t cave to the temptation to slice it and eat it hot, though. Cool the toasting bread at least part way and then be sure to toast it. It will be better that way.
How to Make English Muffin Bread in a Bread Machine
This toasting bread is so easy I really think most people will have a great amount of success making it as directed but if you MUST make it in a bread machine here’s how.
- Put all of 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.
How to Make English Muffin Toasting Bread in a Kitchen Aid or Other Stand Mixer
This batter bread is so easy to make you really don’t knead (knead = need – see what I did there?) a mixer. Some people just prefer to use one though so I thought I’d add instructions for doing so. Here’s the deal… If you choose to use a mixer to make this the nooks and crannies that give it the wonderful English Muffin bread texture will not develop as well. It will likely come out similar in texture to a heavy sandwich bread.
- Warm the bowl with hot water then dump the water out.
- Add the yeast to the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the honey and warm water.
- Let proof for 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients except the cornmeal and mix with the paddle attachment.
- Let the batter bread rise and bake according to instructions in recipe.
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No Knead English Muffin Bread Recipe
Here’s that English Muffin Bread Recipe!! By the way, if you like making easy batter bread like this one try the whole wheat beer bread recipe! I think you’ll love it. If you enjoy this recipe please consider giving it a 5 star rating!
English Muffin Bread
Watch This!
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups flour, you may need less or a little more
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/4 cups warm milk
- 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.
- 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 add raisins, dried cranberries, dates, etc.
Nutrition
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do you use regular all purpose flour or bread flour? thanks
usually all purpose for these but either is fine.
Hi there, I am making your bread now for the 5th time…YUM. I have a really stupid question for you. Step 4 says “blend well”, Step 5 says “beat” are you talking about using a electric mixer? My bread rises nice, but after baking it seems to fall…so I was thinking that my just stirring it was what I was doing wrong? Even though mine has never come out as pretty as yours, OMG it is yummy, no more store bought English muffins in my house…ever. I also added 1 T each of dried minced onion, and fried garlic(oriental store) to the batter. I just re-hydrated it in @1T water. My house smells heavenly. Thank you!
Laura
I beat it with a wooden spoon but it does sound like yours isn’t getting enough beating to develop the gluten.
Does this work in the bread machine
I’m not sure. Sorry.
Looks delicious but I was wondering if there was a way to cut the recipe to only 1 loaf. Should I just halve everything or would it be better to make two and freeze the second loaf for later. I live alone and there is no way I could go through both loaves before they went bad.
You can hover your mouse over the underlined serving size and adjust it to 8 and that should do it for you. 🙂
So glad I found this again! I’ve made your recipe at least 4 times, only to find it deleted!!!! I’m glad you got it sorted out. It’s the best bread!!!!!
So glad you did! 🙂 The recipe wasn’t deleted… just the pin.
Why did Pinterest make me take your pin off of my board?
Someone reported that as copied content…s aying I copied THEIR pin… but it’s not true. I am working with Pinterest now. You can repin it again from this post. I had nothing to do with it – sorry!. 🙁
I found this on Pinterest several months ago. This morning I got an email that they removed the pin. Just want you to know because I see that you have a link to Pinterest and therefore it seems odd that they would remove it.
SOmeone reported this as being stolen content even though I took the picture and created the pin myself. Im in the midst of dealing with it. Thanks!
I’m usually pretty clueless when it comes to baking different breads. Fortunately, this one turned out to be a moist Excellent recipe! It was straight forward to prepare and served up quite nicely with a rich slathering of honey marmalade.
I’m glad you like it!
My dough is not “goopy” at all. I just read through the comments and I think I figured out my problem… I was sifting AFTER I measure so I do believe I have too much flour? Right, sift first, then measure?!?
(I should note that it is still awesome tasting bread, just really stiff and doesn’t rise well.)
I’ve fixed the instructions. Anytime you make bread you may need more or less flour than called for in the recipe. You may use more one day than you do another day – it’s weird like that.
very true!
Mine wasn’t “goopy” either. I thought I had added an extra cup of flour. I just added an extra 1/2C of warm milk and it turned out great!
I’ve adjusted the recipe.. you really only add flour until you get to the goopy point. 🙂
Excited to try this recipe. Do you use an electric stand mixer with dough hook?
No, I’ve always mixed this one up by hand… but you could. 🙂
New to baking so i kinda messed this one up. Didn’t know about spooning the flour into measuring cup so put way too much flour in also forgot the baking powder….lol hope i learn from this attempt. Still hoping for an edible bread when its all done.
You might want to looks at the series I did for beginning bread bakers…https://www.restlesschipotle.com/yeast-bread-baking-tips/ that’s the first one in the series and there are a couple more. they should be linked. 🙂
Of all the baking I’ve done over the years, something about working with yeast intimidates me. I love English muffins, tho, and would love to give it a go. So, amateur that I am – do I use bread flour or regular all-purpose?? And when it’s done, mine will be topped with orange marmalade – my all-time gave way to enjoy an English muffin!!
Either is fine. 🙂 Oh orange marmalade? You, me, and Paddington! I love the stuff!
I have made English Muffin Bread before but not this recipe. Just looked in the oven to see how things were looking and the bread sunk, oh no!! My other recipe only calls for 2 pkgs of yeast, I’m thinking this might be the problem although no one else seems to have an issue! Wondering how it will taste
I don’t think that would do it, Susan. I would guess that there wasn’t enough flour or it wasn’t mixed enough.
HAve you ever made his with a sourdough starter? Any idea how to adapt that?
I am working on an adaption with sour dough starter but I haven’t gotten it right yet.
Made this yesterday and it was awesome, and so easy. I only made 1 loaf though. I halved all the ingredients except the warm water to bloom the yeast. Then I halved the warm milk minus the 2 tablespoons because of the extra water. It came out great.
glad you liked it. 🙂
Just pulled this out of the oven. My house smells heavenly! I let the dough rise until it doubled, but when I took it out of the oven, it was somewhat flat on top. However, it looks and smells amazing otherwise! I am so excited to cut into it! Thanks for a super simple recipe!
That’s awesome! You’re welcome. 🙂
My husband absolutely loves the crunch of English muffin bread, so I thought I might give this a try. A couple questions though. Is there something special about kosher salt that makes it better for baking, or is regular or sea salt ok? Also, just to make sure, you measure the flour and then sift? Or the other way? Thank you!
It’s more pure. The crystals are bigger so if you use regular salt use less. I sift then measure. 🙂
I too had an issue with the dough being too dry…. I added a tbsp of warm water to help but didn’t want to add to much incase it affected the texture of the bread once cooked… I had to use my hands to scoop the dough out, there was no using a spoon here… the dough almost had the texture of a “not worked enough” pizza dough… hopefully it comes out alright ?
It is a very thick dough… and it sounds like the texture was about right. How did it work?
It sounds like you had too much flour. When baking, never measure your flour by scooping your measuring cup into the flour. It packs it too much. Instead, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off with the back of a butter knife. I learned this from Mrs. Boyer in my high school home ec class over 50 years ago.
I’m making this right now- my dough was also drier than I think it should have been- I added warm water and mixed it more- can you over mix this recipe?! I’m still excited- but curious what I should do if I try this again! Thank you! It appears to be rising!!!!
Mixing in a little extra warm water or milk shouldn’t be a problem. I think it would be very hard to over mix it. 🙂
So I’m trying this recipe for the first time and my batter didn’t come out very “goopy”. Should I add more milk or water next time I make this? I measured everything out exact but the batter came out a little sticky. It’s rising right now so I’ll let you know how it turns out in the end!
Just saw this. How did it work?
This yielded kind of a tough, stretchy dough, after following the recipe to a T. It didn’t rise, either. It seems like a lot of dry ingredients and not enough wet to produce a dough that’s “goopy” and can be “spooned” at all.
I’ve made more difficult breads with success and wanted a quick loaf out of this, and ended up with something inedible. Any tips or tricks? Is there a missing ingredient?
The recipe is correct. I’m sorry you had trouble with it, Kelly. It does sound like there was too much flour – is there any possibility that your measurements were off?
The second time I a making this delicious recipe. The last time I sliced one loaf then froze it. I was able to take out
What I wanted ,toast it and butter and raspberry jam. It of this world. They are in the oven now, the house smells amazing. Thank you.
Thanks for this! 🙂 I am so glad you like it
Butter and honey….I thought I was the only one ❤ I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Oh no, you’re not the only one!
Hey Marye~
I have tried a couple of other recipes for this type of bread with a moderate success level, I have not tried yours yet but will be doing so in the next few days and cant wait to see the results. My biggest grip with the others I tried was the lack of a lot of good sized nooks and crannies (as you stated it looks like regular bread) your pics show exactly what I am looking for the ones I tried had much smaller nooks and crannies or as you say course bumpy texture to hold butter and other spreads so my main question is what makes those nooks and crannies is it the baking powder or something else?
Thanks in advance cant wait to try it!
Ciao
Steve
I’m not sure. I think it’s the combination of the yeast and the baking powder.
Just made this, halved the recipe. Made one awesome loaf!i will be making this again! Thank you.
Thank you, Laura!
Can this be done in a bread machine??
I’ve never used one so I am not sure. I don’t see why not?