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English muffins hold a very special place in my heart. How could you possibly not love the craggy, full-of-holes, moist bread and the crunchy, toasty bits of cornmeal stuck to the outside that transfer to your fingers when you grip it? I love them every which way, from the English muffin pizzas my mom used to make as after-school treats, to dripping with butter and slathered with berry jam or marmalade, to topped with a fried egg and a good squeeze of rooster sauce.
I can’t imagine my life without English muffins.
Yet, as much as I love English muffins, that is how much I love this English Muffin Bread. I know, it feels kind of disloyal to say it, but it’s true. This bread is everything that an English muffin is, but more convenient. And way-hay-hay-hay less expensive.*
*Unless, of course, you’re making your own, in which case it’s no less expensive but a heckuva lot more convenient and far less time consuming. Carry on.
What I mean to say is that this bread has the crags, the holes, (*cough the nooks and crannies cough*) the moistness, the crunchy, toasty bits of cornmeal that transfer to your fingers and the incomparable ability to carry sinful amounts of butter and jam, or sauce and cheese, or egg and hot sauce just like its namesake muffins.
Let me tell you something. This bread is so easy, so DEAD easy, that there is no reason a complete beginning baker can’t successfully make it. It doesn’t require any exotic ingredients or specialty equipment. The hardest part of the whole process is waiting for it to cool. Because cool completely it must. If you cut into this gorgeous, tempting, incredible bread before it is one-hundred-percent cooled, you will cry many bitter, salty tears of regret.
There is a very good scientific reason to this. The bread continues to cook and set up as it cools. Unlike some other breads where it’s a-okay to wrench large fistfuls of warm bread and stuff them into your mouth, this will simply assume a gummy texture and stay there when sliced warm. That’s where your crocodile tears would flow. Sigh. But if you wait, your wildest dreams will come true. Kind of like if you vote for Pedro. In short, LET IT COOL!
And then when it has finally cooled and you slice it and toast it…
There have to be little blackened parts around the edges. You can’t half-heartedly toast an English muffin, right? Well, you can’t be meek about toasting English Muffin bread, either. You have to go all-in, full-throttle; you have to commit to toasting it.
For heaven’s sake, don’t let a toaster anywhere near this bread. Toast this bread in a good puddle of melted, salted butter in a cast-iron (or other heavy-bottomed) frying pan or on a griddle over medium high heat. Does this really make a difference? Let me answer it this way. Does breathing make a difference in your quality of life?
When it’s browned in the middle and black around the edges, flip it over with a fork. Oh, yes. It is far more hands-on than a toaster, but the results will speak for themselves. Salted, crispy, buttery on the outside and moist and soft on the inside. We’re talking about toasty, crunchy, bready nirvana.
Oh me. Oh man. Oh mama…
If this doesn’t make you happy, I just don’t know how to help you.
I never, ever make this in quantities less than four loaves, but I am feeding a regiment here with my five boys and their buddies and, let’s be honest, my husband and I can eat impressive quantities, too… If you have a wee bird appetite, or are feeding fewer people than we are, I’ve included a halved recipe in the printable. Nothing in the method changes, so choose your level of consumption and let’s get baking!
English Muffin Bread
Ingredients
For a Standard Recipe (3-4 loaves):
- 5 1/2 cups warm-to-the-touch water not hot
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast or 3 packages
- 11 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour 3 pounds 1 1/2 ounces by weight, I often do a half and half combination of the two.
For a Half-Size Recipe (1-2 loaves):
- 2 3/4 cups warm water not hot
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast or about 1 1/2 packages
- 5 3/4 cups all-purpose or bread flour 1 pound 9 ounces, by weight
Also Needed:
- Non-stick cooking spray
- cornmeal
- plastic wrap
- melted butter for brushing the bread mid-way through and after baking
Instructions
To Prepare the Dough:
- Stir all of the ingredients together by hand in a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle) just until combined. The dough will be shaggy and very sticky.
[img src="https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/english_muffin_bread_2.jpg"] - Spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and lay it loosely over the mixing bowl. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour or until it looks bubbly and puffy.
- Spray 3 standard loaf pans (8.5" x 9.5") with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle in a fistful of cornmeal. Tilt the pans, tapping gently, until the interiors are coated with a thin layer of cornmeal. Tap out any excess cornmeal.
[img src="https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/english_muffin_bread_3.jpg"] - Spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray and use them to divide the dough evenly between the pans. The pans should be no more than halfway full. If you need to, spray and cornmeal an additional loaf pan for any excess.
- Spray more pieces of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and lay them loosely over each loaf pan. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough looks bubbly and puffy again, and has risen with the top of the dough dome just peeking above the edge of the pan.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
It is possible to let this dough rise too long, so be sure the oven is waiting for you rather than you waiting for the oven.
- Evenly space the loaf pans in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take out one bread pan at a time and brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter. When you place the bread pans back in the oven, rotate their positions from front to back. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until they are just lightly golden brown.
[img src="https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/english_muffin_bread_1.jpg"] - Immediately turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack and brush again with melted butter. Cool completely before slicing.
- The bread can be stored, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to a week. If you do not think you can eat it in that time, wrap the cooled, unsliced loaves with two layers of plastic wrap and cover that with one layer of foil before storing in the freezer for up to 3 months. They can be thawed or simply sliced from their frozen state before toasting.
[email protected] Cutting Edge of Ordinary says
This bread looks amazing! A-MAZ-ING! I love English Muffins and this bread looks even better than the muffins!
Rebecca says
Thanks, Lisa! I can attest to its yummy factor by virtue of the unreasonably huge quantities I’ve eaten of it.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I’m kind of obsessed with english muffins… especially since when you butter them you get these awesome little puddles of deliciousness. I imagine this bread is SO much better!
Rebecca says
I hate to admit it, but I *do* like it better. (Waiting for lightning to strike…) I think because I can eat so much of it. 🙂
Cathy R says
Do you do a whole wheat version?
Rebecca says
I’d say you could sub in half whole wheat without sacrificing texture!
Tina Wirth says
I have made this recipe several times now using all whole wheat flour that I grind at home. It is delicious. If you buy your flour from the store you could try white whole wheat. I just realized that this comment is 5 years old!
Alexa Taylor says
Hum!…Tha English muffin breast look absolutely scrumptious.
Cindy says
Every time I read a new entry I think, “Oh, I’m SO glad I found this blog!” You should probably know that. Your recipes and humor are great!
Rebecca says
Cindy. You just made my day. Thank you!
Valerie in Colorado says
This is a WINNER! As often as I can, I treat myself to a good cup of good coffee and read your recipes! This way, in one sitting, I accomplish my all time two favorite things in life, learning and laughing. You are such a gifted writer! Thanks for making my day more times than you will ever know! PS…I am really digging the Make Ahead Mondays.
Melanie says
I made something like this years ago, and it was amazing. The last time though the dog ate the whole loaf off the counter while I was faithfully letting it cool, so I’m thinking my sense of disappointment associated with English Muffin bread wasn’t the bread itself, but the loss off it. My this-weekend baking project, the kids will be happy.
Eileen says
I’ve been wondering what the next bread I was going to make was going to be. You have just answered that question for me. You’re bread looks so delicious. Nothing beats homemade bread in the house that’s for sure!
Virtually Homemade - Liz says
Oh my goodness – i read this post while having breakfast! Must have toast and there’s nothing like the smell of bread baking in your home!
The Cozy Apron says
Your creativity never ceases to amaze me, Rebecca. You have a great knack for creating your own version of the tasty items that we all know and love, then passing them along allowing us to feel like mini-Martha Stewarts for actually being able to make them ourselves in our kitchens. I’m sure the smell in the house is amazing when these babies are baking- am I right? Gorgeous and unpretentious.
Katharina25 says
Thanks for this healthy recipe! This is best for breakfast and snack time. Awesome!
P to the D says
I love your handwriting on the marmalade jar.
Rebecca says
Thank you, but that is my sister Jessamine’s handwriting which *is* lovely!
pamela says
This may be my favourite post on your blog.
It cracks me up every.single.time.
Rebecca says
Why THANK YOU… 😀
Andrea (questfordelish) says
this bread looks so lovely. I love english muffins and would love it in a bread. I am always affraid to make bread though.
Lauren says
You have amazing photos!
Leah says
Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this! Nothing makes me happier on a weekend morning than warm english muffins with jam 🙂
Sara says
Can I use something else instead of the cornmeal? In the part of the world where I live, you only get cornflour which is too fine. Will semolina work?
Rebecca says
Semolina will work just fine! In fact, it would be tasty!
Wendy says
I can see that muffins is life. 🙂 But true, muffins really taste heavenly and Iv’e been wanting to bake to this one. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Valerie says
I made your English Muffin Bread yesterday and it is fantastic. I figured the cost too and you’re right, it is very inexpensive. But mostly it’s just very delicious.
YnnaRada says
Hi Rebecca! Thanks for sharing this healthy homemade bread. I will definitely try this someday. Thanks for the post and for sharing your recipe.
Mrs.halvorsen says
Thanks for bringing with us this delicious recipe “English Muffin Bread”, I will try it out because it is really interesting and in order that I can include a new taste in my stuff…
Kathleen S says
I made this today, and I had to keep chasing my husband out of the kitchen until the loaves were completely cooled. So…at 4:00 in the afternoon we scarfed down a half a loaf of this delicious bread. So easy and oh so yummy! Thank you, Rebecca, for yet another winner! Now I have to go work out.
kimberly says
Made this two days ago – and I am definitely hooked. This recipe is a keeper – thanks so much for sharing!
JerryMe says
I just found your website via Tasty Kitchen and I have to say, although I shun most yeast breads, I think I’m capable of this one! Thank you, Rebecca!
Ruth Ann says
This bread is incredible. And you are sooooo right. The bread MUST be toasted in a frying pan. I had company so I used a griddle.
Julie says
I made this bread tonight. I had to barricade the opening to the kitchen – I had two kids, one husband and two dogs trying to steal a whole loaf. I have only made bread once before. This was soooo easy and soooo fantastic. I only had two loaf pans so I scooped the dough into a 7″ cake pan. It was great, a beautiful round loaf (which means more of a wonderful doughy middle). My family was so impressed. Thank you for making me look so good. I’m putting this into the must do again file
Amy says
This bread looks so lovely and dangerous at the same time, can’t wait to try it!!
kim says
I have seen several versions of this floating around, it looks so good. I want to know if you can tell me how to substitute regular yeast when a recipe calls for instant? I have the Costco size of regular yeast and so many recipes use instant yeast and I’m just not sure what adjustments to make. Thank you!!!
Rebecca says
You can absolutely substitute regular yeast. I recommend that instead of whisking the yeast into the dry goods, you simply let it “proof” (or soften and get bubbly) in the lukewarm water with a pinch of the sugar before stirring it into the flour/salt/greater portion of the sugar. Other than that, you really don’t need to adjust anything!
Chris says
I just have to say thank you for sharing this. It is fantastic. I have been making lots of different breads lately, and have been searching for an easy english muffin. This is fantastic. Best homemade english muffins I have ever had. Thanks again.
Also tried the honey sesame chicken slow cooker recipe. Holy cow! I had the family raving and wanting more. May need to ‘quadruple’ the recipe next time! 🙂
Thanks again.
Chris
Angie says
My family loves this recipe, and it is so easy on the pocketbook! Now we are going gluten free- WAAAH! Has anyone tried making this with gluten-free flour?
Angie
Karen says
Found my way to your blog – by way of Pinterest. I worked back to the source of the recipe from another post – to find more detail/pan info. I am SO GLAD that I did. The bread is wonderful and as you said – the hardest part is waiting for it to cool! I’ve only looked at a few post – but I plan to spend more time. I like that you share details about how the recipe is special – or an event that sets the recipe apart. Thanks for sharing!
Elleagee says
Would you please clarify the pan size, thanks (8.5 or 9.5)
Rebecca says
I actually use 2 of the 9.5 and 1 8.5, but really, you can use whatever you have on hand if you don’t overfill it!
Meredith says
Just saw this on Tasty Kitchen. It looks fantastic Rebecca!
Julie says
That’s where I found this recipe too!
Rebecca says
Thanks, Meredith and Julie!
Julie says
I posted my comment a couple of days ago, but it doesn’t seem to be here….
Saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, added it to my virtual recipe box there. I made the half recipe, last week. I knew my Kitchenaid would not handle all the flour from the full recipe. Super easy recipe, I like that! When it came time to split the dough between two loaf pans, I could only locate one! Tore the kitchen apart, only 1 loaf pan. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I were to look next to my husband’s tool box, I may find it, full of nails, screw, nuts and bolts. :/ No bread for him!! Just kidding. 🙂 I grabbed my round souffle baking dish, it looks like a large ramekin, and put about 2/3 the dough in that, and 1/3 in the loaf pan I did locate.
The smell of the bread baking brought the teenager out of his cave. Boy was he disappointed when I pointed to your directions and told him that the bread had to cool. He kept going to the kitchen and touching the bread, reporting to me the exact moment in time when it was “cool”. Then he ate half the loaf.
This bread is super delicous, and the round loaf was a sight to behold. We didn’t behold it for long though, I sliced that baby up and made grilled cheese and basil sandwiches. There are three of us in the house, I made half the recipe, the bread was gone in less than three days. Therefore this bread is both incredibly delicious and very evil!
Thanks for this recipe, it’s a winner!!
Ileen Cuccaro says
Mine is rising in the bowl right now, can to wait to try it
Kim A says
Found a similar recipe in a Cooks Country Magazine earlier this year. Made it right away. It was well worth it. I was sceptical that it would taste like English Muffins, but it did and was to me even better. Been looking for that magazine ever since. Happy to see this recipe.
Julia says
I used only whole wheat flour, and it turned out lovely. I don’t keep all-purpose in the house. I’ve learned to just add vital gluten to the dough and whole wheat rises just as wonderfully as regular flour does. Thanks for the recipe, it was just what I was looking for!
kate C. says
I’ve made this twice now, and it is so fantastic. I had made an english muffin bread before, but I like this recipe much, much better. I think I could easily subsist an entire day eating nothing but this bread with butter. (I use the toaster, but put it though 2x in a row and then smear with salter butter… lovely!)
Thanks again for this recipe!!
Ruebellevue says
We’re a growing family of 6 here, and English muffins are among our family’s favorite bread treats! I’ve been busy baking, so my supplies were low. Using what I had on hand – freshly ground whole wheat flour and cake flour (!). Not thrilled about the combo but curious about results- will share after we let this first batch cool. Thank you for this site- it’s just what this busy mama needs!!
Stacy says
I found the link to this through the Tasty Kitchen website. I am only a sometimes baker, and I found this to be so easy! My boyfriend was lingering in the kitchen the entire time this baked. I LOVED it. We froze one loaf…for about two days haha. Then we had to eat that one, too. Fantastic recipe, and I can’t wait to try it again.
P.S. your website is lovely. Whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed at work I take a 5 minute FWF break 😉
Stacy Myers says
This. Is. So. Good. Seriously – bread doesn’t have to have forty thousand ingredients. Just the simple ones usually turn out the best. This is a definite keeper recipe for me. I used freshly ground white wheat berries and the result was fantastic. Can’t wait to eat it all – but I might share if the family is lucky. 🙂
Yasmin says
I’ve wanted to make this bread since you first posted about it. I FINALLY made it today. Oh. My. Goodness. I love this bread. I thought 3 loaves might be much but they’ll be gone in no time! There’s a reason why your blog is my favorite!!
Rebecca says
Yay, Yasmin!!! I’m awfully glad you got to try it and liked it! Thank you so much!
Dianne Luna says
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it! Yum!
Melissa says
Love this bread. I have been baking it for years. I give it as gifts in small loave pans with homemade butters yumm
Tara Ahmed says
This was my first time making bread and it was a really fun experience. My family loved it. I didn’t toast the bread and it was still delicious. Thank you from California
Shanda says
Mrs. Rebecca delicious…?… made this bread today.. my friend is a big English muffin fan.. he wanted to taste it first without any jelly… his reply was this is really good.. bomb… thank you
Rebecca says
You’re so welcome, Shanda!! I’m glad you and your friend liked it! I love to fry a slice or two in butter on a pan and make fried egg sandwiches with them. Mmmmmmm.
Shanda says
Yummy ?
Bryn says
Can this be made in muffin tins? If I prepared the tins with the cornmeal as I would in the loaf pan, would that work? I make the loafs frequently…but we are having a family gathering and was wondering if it would work to make individual “muffin/loaves”
Rebecca says
Hi Bryn- I don’t see a reason that it wouldn’t work, but please know I haven’t tried it that way. I’d love to hear the results if you give it a try, though!
Carrie says
Could I successfully substitute active dry yeast for the instant yeast? If so, with what adjustments? I can only find instant yeast in 1 lb packages and, since I bake only once or twice yearly, more goes to waste than is used. I will buy some, though, if necessary, because I can’t pass on trying this bread. As always, Rebecca, thank you for the inspiration!
Rebecca says
Hi Carrie- I haven’t tried it with active dry yeast, honestly. I only use SAF instant yeast, generally speaking. Many grocery stores have little pots of instant (also known as bread machine) yeast in the baking section or the refrigerated section of stores. If you use active dry yeast, you may need to proof it in the liquid first.
Reni says
Making English Muffin Bread right now! OOOOOh I love your site!
Rebecca says
And I love YOU for telling me which recipes you love!
Reni says
Miracle! It’s like little square English Muffins – So good. I thought the Muesli Bread was my toast but, Rebecca, you are playing games with us – now it is the English Muffin bread that is my toast! OMG these are so good – and I like my toast cold and crispy so I put them in the toaster and let them get cold…ok, ok, tomorrow morning I will toast them with butter in my cast iron:-)
Reni says
I did toast them in my cast iron skillet with gobs of butter. They were really good – just not crispy dry all the way through. If you put the butter on while they are warm they are kinda soft, as with all toast. Soooo I will be toasting mine in the toaster:-) I’m tell’n ya these are the real deal – little square English Muffins and when you put them up to your nose and take a good looong sniff – pure heaven! Much better than those piffy little rounds filled with who knows what?
Karen says
5 years later and this is still our go to recipe for Englishmuffin bread in our house. Tonight we added a little whole wheat and made 2 batches. One batch was divided into two 9 by 13 pans and a large castiron skillet. The skillet was turned into BBQ chicken and cheddar pizza for dinner with a salad. The two 9by13 pans are the crust for two batches of frozen breakfast sandwiches. The other batch is in loaf pans; one cinnamon and pecan, one plain and one everything bagel. I should have some happy boys this week!
Robin S says
I’ve made your recipe 3 times now, each time subbing some sprouted spelt flour in different ratios. All were spectacular! Been sharing loaves with friends and they are hooked! Now i am going to make it without yeast and use sourdough starter instead. It may take a little longer for the rise, which is ok with me. Keeping my fingers crossed for success!
WildWildRose says
WOW! I made a 1/2 recipe (2 loaves) Saturday morning using 3 cups Bread Flour and 2 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour. Mixed with a wooden spoon in my largest Pyrex glass bowl. Easy Peasy, no mixer necessary!
Checked warm water temp and it was 112*.
After mixing, set the bowl of dough in oven with the light on. (OVEN OFF!!!)
40 minutes later, it was to the top of the bowl and springy and elastic.
(The only thing I found was that I hadn’t sprayed the glass pans well enough as I had to use a knife around the edges to get them to release from the pans after they were baked, lesson learned.)
When it was time to pan the dough, I donned rubber gloves and rubbed them with Coconut Oil, then just scooped out half the dough and placed half in one pan and the other half in the other pan. No mess! 🙂
Preheated oven and before I knew it, the dough had filled the pans 🙂 so into the oven they went.
After they came out of the oven, I took a few shelves out of my dehydrator and let them cool on one of the shelves there. That kept the itty bitty kitties from being tempted to jump up on the freezer to see what I had cooling and also didn’t tie up my work space as I was making Pickled Carrots at the same time.
Sunday, I could hardly wait for brunch after church to dive into this lovely looking bread! I sliced off the heel and another slice, plopped in my cast iron pan with butter and toasted well. Filled this breakfast sandwich with Scrambled Eggs, Crispy Bacon, sliced Tomato and a slice of Muenster Cheese. So tasty!
Reminded myself to hop back over here to post a review (which I didn’t get done yesterday).
Tonight, I toasted two thin slices in the oven on a pan while my supper was warming up (Yukon Gold Potatoes, Hamburger and Gravy). One slice I slathered with Strawberry Spread, the other I buttered and used to sop up the Gravy. 0oooooh My! YUM! I can’t believe you don’t have a kabillion reviews on this recipe! It gets better everyday! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
MarieEve says
Hello Rebecca! I am so grateful to have stumbled upon your blog, I have done your bread recipe 5 times in the past two weeks and it is as good every time! Such a charm and so easy. Also, your blog is hilarious ! It’s a pleasure to read you and cook your recipes and I am now a fan of yours! Keep up the amazing work
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, MarieEve! That is so kind of you to say.
Mary Anne says
sounds wonderful —- but I have sodium issues.
Wonder what it would be like with only 1/2 or 1/4 the amount of salt.
Rebecca says
Hi Mary Anne- I have not tested it with less salt. Let me know if you do!