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}
P Warner says
I am trying to find the perfect English Muffin Bread recipe. I am trying yours today. the one thing I noticed is that it has no Baking soda in it. all the other recipes I’ve seen have it. is there a reason you did not put it in? We’ll see how this turns out. hopefully I’ve found my forever recipe.
Mary Younkin says
This is not a quick bread recipe. This is a yeast bread, so that will provide all the necessary leavening. I hope you love the bread!
John Bullock says
The baking soda is to help with the browning, nothing to do with leavening, which is why they add just a small amount.
Pwarner says
If it taste as good as it smells we will love it
Mary Younkin says
The smell of baking breads is such a comfort thing. Enjoy your English muffins.
Carrie Marko says
Love this bread! Can blueberries be added to this?
Mary Younkin says
Carrie – You could try it and see – I am not sure what the moisture content of the blueberries will do in baking though.
maria c young says
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. The bread photos make my mouth water! Just wondering if yeast needs to be “prepared” in the warm water before adding other ingredients?
Mary Younkin says
Maria – It does not need anything done to it. Just follow the directions.
Lizzie says
This bread is great! My only issue was transferring the dough to the bread pans, it being so sticky. Is there an easy way? Anyway, we love it. I will definitely be making this above buying. We started buying English Muffin Toasting Bread from City Market many years ago and it was great. In the past few years it has lost it’s flavor and charm. I’ll be baking this instead. Thank you for such a great tasting bread and easy recipe.
Mary Younkin says
I’ve found that if I have damp hands it helps a bit when transferring the dough, but yes, it’s a sticky dough. I’m thrilled that you are enjoying the bread!
Maura says
Fabulous! My oven was on the fritz after my 2nd rise so Thank God my neighbors let me bake it off in their oven. Of course, I had to share 1/2 of my 2 loaves. I will be definitely making this again!
Mary Younkin says
What wonderful neighbors. If I was your neighbor I would probably charge you a bread tax as well if you made my house smell that heavenly. Glad you both got to enjoy this recipe, Maura.
Becky P says
I have made this bread several times, but I have a hard time knowing when the dough has doubled after the first rise. Would you add a picture of what the dough looks like after each rise?
Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe. I have some in my freezer at all times.
Mary Younkin says
Becky – I will have to see if I have any. . .
Donna says
Are you using two 8×4 or 9×5 loaf pans?
Mary Younkin says
Either one will work, just watch the baking time accordingly. (Mine are 8×4)
Susan says
I have made this bread several times and it always comes out wonderful.
My question is, have you ever tried freezing it and if so how was it afterwards.
Mary Younkin says
While I never seem to have any extra to freeze. I don’t see why you couldn’t.
Linda says
It freezes wonderfully. Slice it and place in a gallon freezer bag. Now you can take out as many slices as you need. I put it frozen in my toaster on lowest setting then retoast it like normal to brown it.
Susan Saxton says
I’ve made this bread several times nd it always comes out perfect! It’s always a hit.
I am out of cornmeal, would flour work for coating the pan?
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the bread, Susan. You can certainly make it without the cornmeal, however it won’t have quite the same “English muffin” crust or flavor on the edges.
Dudley Christian says
Luv the recipe and background info
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Dudley.
Laurie Owens says
Hello ! I have made several loaves of this bread ! Absolutely love it ! Can this recipe be used for making a gluten free version ?
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you love this bread, Laurie! Unfortunately, this isn’t a recipe that I’ve adapted for gluten free baking.
JRojo says
This recipe does not use milk, correct? Why, I wonder since all recipes for English muffin use it. I like to verify before I try it.
Thanks.
Mary Younkin says
No milk. Everything you need is listed.
Millie says
I make this every week slice and keep in the freezer
This is my go to breakfast. Love this bread and it’s so easy to make.
Mary Younkin says
I love how prepared you are, Millie.
Bill Armstrong says
My family and neighbors love it. I add one third cup of olive oil (experimenting) and they like the texture change. Use a steel spoon to transfer to baking dishes. Much less messy. Nothing better than bread smell in the house.
Mary Younkin says
That is awesome, Bill. I will have to try that.
kate Austin says
Ok, this is by far the best recipe if you like traditional English Toaster Bread! It is so much crunchier with more air bubbles than those made with milk. And…it is a perfect fit for 8″ bread pans.
I cover the bowl with an ealsticized plastic cap for the first rise in a warm place. For the second rise in the bread pans, I just cover with a large plastic dishpan; the oiled plastic wrap stuck to the surface of the wet dough.
Yum!! Thank you for sharing!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you so much, Kate. I am happy it worked so well for you.
Tulsi Rose says
How do you transfer this to a bread machine?
Mary Younkin says
Tulsi, Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of experience with a bread machine to give you solid tips on this question. I suggest checking the manual with your machine for where to start.
Cathy says
Just made this for th second time, love it I have a bread machine but this is so quick and simple the machine would b a waste of time, freezes well, thanks again for this wonderful recipe.
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Cathy. I am delighted you enjoyed it.
Jill says
We love this bread. Any thoughts on cook time for mini loaf pans?
Mary Younkin says
Mini loaf pans vary in size enough that it’s hard to say for certain. Typically it’s 15 or so minutes less, but I’d say watch for doneness and test accordingly.
Excellent bread!! says
One of my favourite bread recipes! I’ve done in all white ( 1/2 AP & 1/2 bread flour ) and in whole wheat using 1/2 organic wheat flour & 1/2 bread flour. Both versions are awesome!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you love the bread!