[Collegiate Meals] No-Knead English Muffins

I have to admit, the most experience I've had with English muffins is in a McDonald's McMuffin. As such, these probably aren't the most authentic of English muffins (especially since I don't have any cornmeal here in res), but are merely an attempt to make a stove-top bread that will toast nicely and soak up the gooey goodness of a perfectly-cooked egg. The texture is holey, but softer and less chewy than the store-bought kind. Either way, they are super yummy!

Being a collegiate meal, these are no-knead, super easy, and make a small portion that's enough for just you and your roommates. Of course, you could scale up the recipe. Total prep/cooking time is probably about an hour with some washing and waiting time in between.

Onward!

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools

Edibles:

~1 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk (I used 2% here, but you can use anything. I bet buttermilk would add an awesome tangy-ness)
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp instant yeast
1/8 tsp salt
cornmeal for dusting (optional. I didn't have any on hand)

Non-edibles:

spatula (one for working the dough, another for working the griddle)
measuring cups
rolling pin (I used a cylindrical glass)
round cookie cutter (or try the lip of a cup or as tayzzmom suggests -  a tuna can with the ends cut out)
working surface (I worked on a cutting board and some parchment because our counter is nasty)
plastic container for rising (yogurt container works for me)
griddle (frying pan works too. just need lots of cooking space)
microwaveable cup


As you can probably tell, being a student requires some craftiness. Just use whatever tools you have lying around.

Comments

[skipperarm]

Im gona make them in the weekend, they look soooo.... good ;)

[MintChocolateChick]

Do yourself a favor and invest in a large, round, sharp-edged cookie or biscuit cutter. Cutting muffins and biscuits with a dull-edged implement such as a glass or tuna can crimps the edges and hampers rising. You want a clean cut.

[Kialei]

I made these this morning having made the dough last night. The only thing I will do differently is to roll the dough thinner and cut them bigger. They were absolutely delicious!! I will also double the recipe too. My darling family nearly ate them all leaving me with only one. Then complained that there weren't any left! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was very quick, super easy and a lot of fun to make.

[Kialei]

I need to add an update to this post. I have since used this recipe many times. So much that I have 'played' with the recipe an created a few new favorites. One is during the last roll/rise, to roll the dough fairly thin, sprinkle cinnamon - sugar mix with soaked raisins and then roll into a tube. I then cut into medium thick slices before the last rise. For a savory flavor, poppy seeds, caramelized onions and roasted garlic with a little pesto or fresh herbs and the same roll & cut as the cinnamon raisin muffins. Everyone loves it and if I am not quick, I miss out.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It really is now a family favorite and one my daughter is learning to make herself. Super easy and so delicious!!

[hlfwy.thr]

They do look deceivingly thin when you cut them and then get monstrous when you cook them!

I'm glad you like them :)

[hfuller]

if you want real mcmuffin taste at home. pan-fry your ham, cook your egg however and add a cheese slice (kraft singles taste the best) and eat while the ham is still hot :)

[MercuryCrest]

I can attest to the efficacy of this recipe. I had no idea that it was this easy to make English Muffins at home! This is one of my new favorites. Now, if you'll excuse me, my dough should be just about ready to roll out....

(And yes, I AM making sausage, egg, and cheese muffins...why do you ask?) ;)

[hlfwy.thr]

Sweet! I am glad you like it.

[mousewrites]

These look great, I'll be trying them this weekend.

[Bubbler]

Not that you're using it, but if you are looking for any, cornmeal in the English/Australian world is known as polenta for some dumb reason. Corn never came from the Latin world in the first place, so why give it a Latin name? I will try making these muffins just as soon as I empoty a tuna tin from bothe ends. LOL.

[dudaott]

Hi Bubbler!

Here in Brazil, we have italian immigrants that had nothing to eat when they came to our southern states, unless they plant something. Corn and wheat were easy to grow, so they tried them. From that, they were able to make pasta and polenta, which is the cornmeal boiled in water with a bit of salt, and then they dried it and fried it, adding some muzzarella cheese at the top, and enjoied it with some bread and chiken.

I hope I had some new information to you all.

Best Regards, dudaott

[skaar]

yes, where polenta is from, it wasn't made with corn originally, it was peasant food long before corn was found in the americas. now, corn polenta is so common, that if you plopped a plate of non-corn polenta in front of someone that comes from where it started... they'd just be confused.

[dudaott]

Dear skaar!

You`re 100% right! The polenta can be made from assorted cereals, and it is always pleseant...

Best regards, dudaott

[thesagedragon]

These were so wonderful. I have been wanting to make homemade english muffins for a while. I was surfing thru instructables and found this. Thank you. I surprised the kids. My oldest couldnt believe they were home made. I quadrupled it and still have a dozen or so left, even with two hungry teen boys.

[mherrera]

this is pretty much awesome. I am not a college student, but I am always at a loss for what to take to work for bfast, and I detest sweet things in the morning (exception: jam!) so I think I'll make a batch of these and freeze for daily bfast purposes.
thanks!

[hlfwy.thr]

You're welcome. Don't forget to cut before you freeze! Else you'll end up sawing at them for 5 minutes in the morning. I speak from experience...lol.

[bossfish]

Suggest that just before cooking (we bake ours in a 350deg F or hotter oven). Slightly press the top down making a 5mm or so indentation across the tops, with your fingers. When baking or even on the griddle there is significant rise from the heat. Indenting makes the top flat like the bottom. You can see the "dome" tops in the photos. Being flat on both sides makes them easier to slice or to use whole and spread toppings on. Also makes them look exactly like the "American" English muffin or McMuffin. In the US these are often made as a salt bread using chemical leavening rather than yeast.

[crankycheryl]

Fab! I don't often do homemade english muffins because they're so time-intensive, but so so good. (Regarding the buttermilk: just be sure to also add a pinch of baking soda if you're going to substitute it for the regular milk or else the acid/alkaline balance will be off and affect the leavening, taste, etc.)

[KingCharming]

Thanks for the recipe and the chuckle ("because our counter is nasty"). Keep on cooking and for sure keep your light hearted outlook!

[barbsketch]

question: does anyone have any ideas on how I could modify this recipe to be whole wheat?

b

[pfirsch]

The "easiest" thing to do would be to weigh out the amount of all purpose flour and use that same weight of whole wheat. That way, the whole wheat version doesn't come out too dense or too dry.

[hlfwy.thr]

You read my mind! I just trekked to the local baking supply store to buy some whole wheat only to realize that today is Sunday and that it's closed....sigh.

Anyway, my plan was to just substitute half of the AP flour for whole wheat flour. I've read that you can safely replace up to half of it without compromising the structure of the bread. Too much, and there won't be enough gluten to hold all the little bubbles in the dough.

[tayzzmom]

These look yummy! I used to make them when I was younger and had more energy! 8-) A cleaned tuna can with both ends cut out makes a great cutter also. You can use the small or large can depending on your appetite!

I will definitely try these. They look really simple to make. Thanks for the recipe!

[hlfwy.thr]

Ooh. Great tip! Mind if I add it to the Instructable?

[tayzzmom]

I would be honored! 8-)

[johncar]

Despite what kooplah says below, the strangest thing about (AMERICAN) ENGLISH MUFFINS is that they do not exist in England. Similar cakes, buns, rolls etc. but no English Muffins .

[jackcday]

Yeah we do? Everywhere sells them.

[kooplah]

I think we just call them muffins, but I might be wrong. We do have McMuffins if they count. :)

[kooplah]

Just to confuse matters, here in the UK we've got all sorts of names for these. I call them barm cakes (just barms for short) but they're also called muffins, baps, cobs, bread rolls, tea cakes (as far as I know, a tea cake has currants in it), butty depending what you put on it, and countless other names. It's apparently a regional thing, but this debate took over our English Language lesson once.

I'm not sure if there actually is a difference between a muffin and a barm cake. Regardless, these look great. Can't wait to try them.

[hlfwy.thr]

Is a barm cake cooked on a griddle? From this pictures I can find, they appear to be baked.

Why must the British have so many names for everything!? Heh...

[kooplah]

No I think they're just baked in an oven. I might be wrong though, I've never made barm cakes before.

[pfirsch]

This seems easy enough. Thanks for sharing!

[Lance Mt.]

2nd that. Taste quiet delicious.

[caarntedd]

Cool. I will make these.