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If you love our sourdough English muffins but want to skip the overnight ferment, these sourdough discard English muffins are for you! Perfectly golden on the inside with classic nooks and crannies, this sourdough discard English muffins recipe makes the perfect muffins for slathering with butter or using for breakfast sandwiches.
New to sourdough? Check out our How to Make Sourdough Starter guide!
Table of Contents
We’ve been on an English muffin kick, y’all.
Not me, specifically, because I’m on week four of no dairy, wheat, egg whites, soy, and peanuts, along with my son, who is the king of food allergies.
My husband and daughter, though, are on the sourdough English muffins train. Last week, it was the classic sourdough English muffins with a long overnight ferment. This week, though, it’s sourdough discard English muffins, because sometimes you just can’t wait overnight for bread.
Sourdough discard English muffins are everything that’s good about baked goods: they’re soft and warm with nooks and crannies just begging to be filled with butter. But that’s not all! English muffins also make adorable little sandwiches.
I know that’s not typically on the restaurant menu, but trust me. If you’ve ever made a breakfast sandwich on a sourdough bagel or sourdough discard bagel, you must try an English muffin sandwich.
It doesn’t have to be an egg sandwich (although that’s really good). You can make it with turkey and cheese or ham, smoked salmon. Literally anything you want! The best part is that it fits perfectly in the hands of little ones. That might sound unconventional, but if you have a child who likes to eat on the run, sourdough discard English muffins make great sandwiches.
Let me walk you through the process.
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Discard English Muffins Recipe
- Uses sourdough discard, making it a great way to use up excess starter.
- Produces classic English muffins with a golden crust and soft, airy interior
- Creates those signature nooks and crannies perfect for toasting and filling with butter
- Doesn’t require an active sourdough starter
- Added yeast ensures a consistent and reliable rise every time
- Made with simple pantry ingredients you probably keep on hand
- Perfect for homemade breakfast sandwiches or quick toast
- Freezes well and perfect for meal prep
- Beginner-friendly sourdough recipe with simple steps and minimal equipment
Ingredients for Sourdough Discard English Muffins Recipe
- Sourdough discard – adds flavor and slight tang to the sourdough discard English muffins
- All-purpose flour – Creates the base of the dough and gives structure to the muffins.
- Water – hydrates the dough and brings everything together
- Active dry yeast – ensures a reliable rise without relying on active sourdough starter
- Sugar – feeds the yeast and adds a subtle sweetness to the sourdough English muffins
- Salt – enhances the flavor of the dough
- Coconut oil – for greasing the skillet
How to Make Sourdough Discard English Muffins
Step 1: Bloom the yeast. In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
Step 2: Mix the dough. Add the sourdough discard, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 3: Knead the dough.
If kneading by hand: turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth.
If using a stand mixer: knead with a dough hook on medium speed for 5–7 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic.
Step 4: First rise. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover. Let it rise for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Step 5: Divide the dough. Gently punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces using a bench scraper or large knife. Don’t worry about making them perfectly even.
Step 6: Shape the muffins. Shape each piece of dough into a small round and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one so they don’t stick. Don’t worry about making them super-uniform; they will bake up just fine.
Step 7: Second rise. Cover the muffins loosely and let them rise for 60–90 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
Step 8: Preheat the skillet. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add a spoonful of coconut oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Step 9: Cook the muffins. Place several muffins in the skillet, leaving space between them, and cook in batches if needed. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
Step 10: Flip and finish cooking. Flip the muffins and increase the heat to medium-low. Cook for another 12–15 minutes, until the second side is golden.
Step 11: Finish in the oven if needed. If the muffins are deeply browned but still soft in the center, transfer them to a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to finish baking. The internal temperature should reach about 200°F.
Step 12: Cool before slicing. Transfer the English muffins to a cooling rack and allow them to cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Tips for the Best Sourdough Discard English Muffins
- Make sure you bloom the yeast before adding the rest of the ingredients. You can skip this step if using instant yeast.
- Keep the heat of the skillet low to prevent burning
- Use a thermometer to check for doneness. If they aren’t quite 200°F, pop them in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Don’t skip the second rise; it helps make the nooks and crannies!
- Slightly sticky dough yields softer muffins, so try not to overflour.
How to Store this Sourdough Discard English Muffin Recipe
Store sourdough English muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, toast directly from frozen or allow them to thaw first.
How to Serve Sourdough Discard English Muffins
- With a generous slather of butter and jam
- Stuffed with turkey, ham, cheese, and avocado oil mayo.
- Topped with avocado and eggs for a breakfast sandwich
- Used for eggs Benedict
- Served with honey or peanut butter
FAQs about Sourdough English Muffins
Can I make Sourdough discard English Muffins without yeast?
No, sourdough discard alone won’t provide enough rise for this recipe. To use active sourdough starter, check out our sourdough English muffins recipe!
Can I use whole wheat flour?
Yes! You can replace up to one-third of the flour with whole wheat flour, just expect a denser texture.
Why are my English muffins not fluffy?
They may be under-proofed or over-floured. Make sure you let the dough rise until it’s nice and puffy, and try not to over-flour your work surface.
Why are my sourdough English muffins raw in the middle?
It’s probably an issue with your cooking method. English muffins cook slowly in a skillet, so if the heat is too high, the outside can brown before the inside is finished cooking. If the muffins are deeply golden but still soft in the center, place them in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches about 200°F.
Sourdough Discard English Muffins
Equipment
- 1 cast-iron skillet or griddle
Ingredients
- 240 grams warm water (1 cup)
- 8 grams active yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
- 240 grams sourdough discard (1 cup)
- 330 grams all-purpose flour (2 3/4 cups)
- 12 grams sugar (1 tbs)
- 9 grams salt (1 1/2 tsp)
- coconut oil, for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy.
- Add the sourdough discard. Stir in the sourdough discard until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Mix the dough. Add the flour, sugar, and salt.If using a stand mixer: Mix with a dough hook on medium speed for 5–7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.If kneading by hand: Stir until a rough dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
- Divide the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper or large knife, divide it into 12 pieces. The pieces do not need to be perfectly even.
- Shape the muffins. Shape each piece into a small round and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Don't worry about making them perfectly uniform.
- Second rise. Cover loosely and let the muffins rise for 30–60 minutes, until slightly puffy.
- Preheat the skillet. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add a small amount of coconut oil and swirl to coat the pan.
- Cook the muffins. Place several muffins in the skillet, leaving space between them, and cook in batches if needed. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 8–10 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Flip and finish cooking. Flip the muffins and increase the heat to medium-low. Cook for another 10–12 minutes, until the second side is golden and the muffins feel set.
- Finish in the oven if needed. If the muffins are well browned but still soft in the center, transfer them to a 300°F oven for about 5–10 minutes to finish cooking. The internal temperature should reach about 200°F.
- Cool before slicing. Transfer the English muffins to a wire rack and allow them to cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
English Muffins Didn’t Turn out Quite Right? Check out:
- Why is My Sourdough Not Rising?
- Why is My Sourdough Bread Gummy? (And how to Fix it)
- Why is My Sourdough Starter Not Rising?
- Why is My Sourdough So Sticky? (And How to Fix it!)
You’re Going to Love these English Muffins!
Once you get the hang of making these sourdough discard English muffins, you’ll be making them on repeat! Whether you plan to use them for sandwiches or to slather on an inappropriate amount of butter, they’re the perfect addition to your weekly baking rhythm. Come back and let me know how you use them in the comments! Happy baking, friends.
