English Muffin Bread? Oh, yes. Everything you love about English muffins is waiting for you in this loaf of perfectly toastable English muffin bread.
Those nooks and crannies? Those little crevices that hold melting pools of butter? It’s all here. Toasted and slathered with Honey Butter, Everything Butter, Whipped Strawberry Butter, or Homemade Peach Jam, this is the breakfast of my dreams.
English Muffin Bread
This bread is so easy to make, you’re not going to believe it. There’s no kneading, no lengthy steps, truly nothing complicated is required – you don’t even need a mixer.
You can stir the ingredients for this bread together with a wooden spoon, let the dough rise, scoop it into loaf pans, let it rise once more, and then bake it. That is IT. No joke, this is crazy easy to make.
This bread is so easy in fact, I have three variations of this bread already in the works. Happy bread baking, my friends!
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE – do not slice this bread while it’s warm. Some homemade breads are more forgiving than others when you just can’t resist a warm slice, but English Muffin Bread will not work if you slice it too soon.
The spectacular texture of classic English muffins will develop while it finishes baking on the counter during the cooling process.
Easy Homemade Bread
This recipe for English Muffin Bread is an absolute win from Rebecca Lindamood’s new cookbook – Ready, Set, Dough! Beginner Breads for All Occasions.
You already know Rebecca as the author of Not Your Mama’s Canning Book and the creator of Foodie with Family. What you might not know is that she’s one heck of a bread baker – and she makes all of that bread baking look easy with her newest cookbook.
Despite the fact that I’ve done my share of bread baking, it’s been a long time since I ripped open a packet of yeast. Who could resist a beautifully toastable loaf of English muffin bread? I bookmarked this recipe within minutes of receiving a copy of this cookbook.
Guess what? When Rebecca tells you that homemade bread can be easy, trust her. This is HANDS DOWN the easiest yeast bread I have ever made.
Want a few more homemade bread recipes? This Beautiful Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread is about as dreamy as a loaf of sandwich bread can be.
Classic Honey Whole Wheat Bread is my favorite homemade bread that tastes like what I remember from childhood. I can never resist slicing the end off a loaf of this bread when it’s still warm from the oven.
English Muffin Bread Recipe
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, water, salt, sugar, and yeast with a sturdy spoon or dough whisk until it is moist with no dry pockets. The dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place until the dough looks puffy and bubbly and has risen to about double its size, about 1 hour.
- While the dough rises, spray two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle ¼ cup of cornmeal in each pan. Tilt the pans, tapping gently, until the cornmeal coats the sides and bottom of the pan, tapping out the excess cornmeal.
- Use nonstick cooking spray to generously grease your hands, and divide the dough between the two prepared pans. The pans should be no more than halfway full. If needed, prepare one more loaf pan to hold any excess dough.
- Cover the pans loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough is once again bubbly and puffy looking and just peeking above the edges of the pans, about 30 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the pans on the center oven rack in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, brush the surface of the bread generously with about half the melted butter. Return the pans to the oven and bake 10 more minutes.
- Immediately turn the loaves onto a cooling rack and brush all surfaces generously with the remaining melted butter. Cool COMPLETELY before slicing or that spectacular English muffin texture will be compromised.
What Is Shaggy Dough?
Shaggy dough is lumpy, yet mixed well-enough that there are no dry spots of flour. It should be a cohesive but loose ball, not smooth at all.
Unlike traditional homemade bread recipes, this is a very simple, stir it together and then ignore it, kind of recipe.
Need a great gluten-free bread recipe? Tender High Rising Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread and this Honey and Oat Gluten Free Bread have been hugely popular as well. Along with this Cool Rise Whole Wheat Bread.
I made each of those recipes on repeat every week for several years, while we were dealing with gluten sensitivities. For the whole index of terrific gluten-free baking, you can see them all HERE.
Every single gluten-free recipe on this website has been tested side by side with their traditional all-purpose flour counterparts. “Good enough for gluten-free” will never be part of my baking.
English Muffin Bread
Ingredients
- 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
- nonstick spray, butter, or oil
- cornmeal, for flouring pans
- 1/3 cup melted butter, divided
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, water, salt, sugar, and yeast with a sturdy spoon or dough whisk until it is moist with no dry pockets. The dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place until the dough looks puffy and bubbly and has risen to about double its size, about 1 hour.
- While the dough rises, spray two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle ¼ cup of cornmeal in each pan. Tilt the pans, tapping gently, until the cornmeal coats the sides and bottom of the pan, tapping out the excess cornmeal.
- Use nonstick cooking spray to generously grease your hands, and divide the dough between the two prepared pans. The pans should be no more than halfway full. If needed, prepare one more loaf pan to hold any excess dough.
- Cover the pans loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough is once again bubbly and puffy looking and just peeking above the edges of the pans, about 30 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the pans on the center oven rack in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, brush the surface of the bread generously with about half the melted butter. Return the pans to the oven and bake 10 more minutes.
- Immediately turn the loaves onto a cooling rack and brush all surfaces generously with the remaining melted butter. Cool COMPLETELY before slicing or that spectacular English muffin texture will be compromised.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 12/31/19 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/11/22}
Kevin says
Love this bread! Is there anything special you need to do to make this gluten free?
Mary Younkin says
I have never tried this as a gluten free recipe. There are several excellent gluten free breads here on the website, but unfortunately, I can’t speak to converting this particular one, Kevin.
David Butterworth says
Thanks.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like the bread, David!
Janet says
Hi Mary, When you divide the dough to split between the pans, do you press out the air of the first rise, the usual bread method, or do you handle it gently to retain the bubbles of the first rise? Thanks for your help 😊
Mary Younkin says
I don’t intentionally press the bubbles out, but I’m not especially delicate with it either, Janet. It’s a fairly shaggy dough throughout both rises.
Lisa says
I was wondering if there is a certain size loaf pan that I should use? This recipe looks easy enough and definitely yummy…I can’t wait to make it.
Mary Younkin says
My bread pans are roughly 4×8, but any size pan will work nicely. The loaf will simply vary in height depending on the pan size.
Diane says
Thjj in a recipe calls for 2 1/4 water and the ready set dough recipe calls for 2 3/4. Which is correct?
Than in s
Mary Younkin says
I’ve adapted the scale of this recipe a bit for size, Diane. 2 and 1/4 should work for the recipe on my site, and 2 and 3/4 for Rebecca’s recipe.
Jean Todd says
I made this bread the other day. I really like it. Have used other recipes before and was disappointed.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the bread, Jean!
Cheryl says
I haven’t made it yet but our bakery went our of business and their English muffin bread was the best ever. I’m wondering about baking soda or baking powder as other recipes have this. What’s the difference?
Mary Younkin says
Hi Cheryl, this is a yeast bread recipe and you will not need any additional leaveners.
Sue saulnier says
Just made this, so easy and it’s delicious. I have one question, does this freeze well?
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you love the bread and YES it freezes beautifully!
jenny says
This bread is delicious. I have made it twice now and both times I have had to add a full additional cup of warm water to make my dough look shaggy like the picture your provided (thanks for the pic its very helpful). So my question is, is it really 2.25 cups of warm water? If I only use that amount there is a lot of flour I can’t get incorporated and it certainly is not moist or shaggy at all. What are your thoughts?
Mary Younkin says
Absolutely adjust until the texture looks right, Jenny. Sounds like you’ve figured it out. The humidity in the area, the time of year, any number of things can affect bread baking. Sometimes it’s 2.25 cups exactly, and other times, like you, I have to add a good bit more a little at a time.
Andy says
I love english muffin bread. I started to bake loaves of this for my kids and found that it is much closer to english muffin flavor by substituting sugar with malt powder and substituting water for buttermilk. Otherwise my recipe is very similar. Enjoy!!! it really is a cherished treat in our home.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like it, Andy!
Becca B says
This was SOOOOOOO good!!! It came out of the oven 20 minutes ago and half a loaf is already gone! My grandfather used to take us to a restaurant that served this bread and we were all sad when it went out of business (long ago). Once in a while I’ll try to make it again and most of the time, it doesn’t taste quite right. This time it did!!!! Thanks so much!!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you love the bread, Becca!
Terry says
Perfect! Just as described and pictured. Mine took about 2hrs to rise, likely due to a draft in the kitchen. Delicious and easy, thank you!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the bread, Terry.
Dave says
Maybe I messed up. Dough was up to top of pan when I put it in the oven. 30 minutes later I took it out to brush the top with butter, loaf was okay. Took it out 10 minutes later and loaves had shrunk by at least 1/3. Is this normal? Doesn’t look normal. Why did they shrink?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never had the loaves shrink like that, Dave. Were they cooked all the way through? Or were they sinking?
Debbie W. says
I’ve made this bread several times now and it is absolutely delicious. Not only is it delicious, it’s so simple and easy to make. Thank you for a great recipe.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying it, Debbie!
Karen says
If you use rapid rise yeast, does it only take 30 minutes to rise? Thanks
Mary Younkin says
I haven’t tried that, Karen.
Erica Dorsett says
Great, easy bread recipe. Really enjoyed it.
Question, is there any part of the recipe you have tried the day before so it’s ready to bake-off in the morning?
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the bread, Erica. I have not played with prepping any of it the day before baking.
Pam says
This bread is delish! So easy and so good. Had pinned for a while decided to make today. Served with my homemade Christmas jam. Yummy!
This bread and jam will be wonderful Christmas gifts.
BTW, how to you store the bread and how long does it last without freezing?
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like it, Pam! I store it sliced in a gallon size ziploc freezer bag. I typically freeze it immediately and just toast slices as I’m ready to eat them. However, it should stay nice on the counter for 2-3 days at least.
Jerry says
Anyway to make this a pizza dough
Mary Younkin says
Not to my knowledge. I have no idea how that might work, Jerry.
Brenda Abbott says
Haven’t tried this yet but hoping to have time today for it. Sounds so yummy!
Mary Younkin says
I hope that you enjoy the bread as much as we do, Brenda.
Michael R Reid says
Can you make this in a bread machine? And if so, to i need to alter the recipe?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that, Michael.