Sourdough Discard English Muffins

I love anything that saves me time — especially in the morning! Lately, I’ve been out walking by 7 AM, which means Tim and the boys are left to fend for themselves for breakfast. This is why I make batches of breakfast meals that are easy and fast for anyone to heat up.

These English muffins take breakfast sandwiches to the next level (and I kill two birds with one stone by using sourdough discard!). It pains me to see discard just being thrown away, especially when sourdough English muffins taste waaaayyy better than store-bought muffins (I feel like they just don’t have the flavor and crispy exterior I crave!). These muffins are fluffy, slightly chewy, and each nook and cranny touts the lovely sourdough tang.

How To Make Discard English Muffins

You don’t have to turn the oven on at all for this sourdough English muffin recipe — nor do you need to bust out the stand mixer and dough hook! All you need is a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a little patience.

• Combine the wet ingredients: Whisk the milk, water, and butter together in a bowl, followed by the sourdough discard and sugar.
• Add in the dry ingredients: Add in the flour and salt and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Let the dough ferment: Shape the mixture into a ball of dough, then cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rise for at least eight hours at room temperature. Then, move it to the fridge overnight.
• Stretch the dough: Let the chilled dough rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then stretch it out on a well-floured surface into a rectangular shape about one inch in thickness.
• Cut out the muffins: Cut out 3-inch dough rounds with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a large glass. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal or semolina flour, then allow them to rest for an hour.
• Cook the muffins: Preheat a nonstick pan or cast iron skillet on medium-low heat. Cook the muffin rounds for about 8-10 minutes on each side. Allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Homemade Sourdough English Muffins

If it’s your very first time making homemade sourdough English muffins, these pointers will help you nail the process.

• Use the leftover sourdough discard: A great perk of this recipe is that you can use either active starter or discard (I often use discard because I don’t like wasting it!).
• Begin prepping the muffins in the morning: The best time to begin making these is in the morning. This gives you time to let them rise at room temperature during the day, then chill in the fridge overnight. You’ll enjoy them the next day!
• Cook the muffins low and slow: Cook the muffins on low heat so they don’t burn. If you cook them too hot, the outside will burn but the inside will still be raw. There’s no need to rush the process – you want them perfectly golden brown!
• Cover the pan with a lid: If you’re worried about cooking the muffins all the way through, put a lid on the pan. The heat will remain inside the pan and help ensure the inside of the English muffin cooks through. Allow at least a few minutes without the lid so the exterior crisps up and gets the golden-brown crust.
• Substitute the cornmeal/semolina flour (optional): In case you don’t have cornmeal or semolina flour, simply make sure to thoroughly coat the outsides of the muffins well with flour. You want the texture this gives!

English Muffin Sandwich Ideas

While sourdough English muffins are wonderful with simple butter, jam, or honey, you can use them to make some seriously tasty breakfast sandwiches with sausage patties. Here are a few of our favorite flavor combinations.

• Bacon, egg, & cheese: Butter the muffin and layer on air fryer bacon or baked bacon, a fried egg, and a thick slice of cheddar cheese.
• Smoked salmon: Spread softened cream cheese on both sides of the muffin and add a thin layer of cold-smoked salmon. Pile on a sliced tomato, pickled onions, capers, and fresh dill.
• Vegetarian-style: Make garlic avocado spread and spread it on one side of the muffin. Top with sliced soft-boiled eggs (one of my favorite ways to make eggs!), salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Storing Sourdough Discard English Muffins

I’ll be honest — if and when I can, I make double portions of everything so that I have leftovers to store for the week (or longer in the freezer). If you’re the same, follow these guidelines to store your muffins as long as you need!

• Room temperature: To keep your muffins fresh for up to four days, store them in an airtight container on the counter. This prevents them from drying out and turning stale.
• Refrigerator: If you want the muffins to last even longer (about a week), pop them in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep in mind — they may get a little hard, but reheating does the trick to restore them!
• Freezer: If you make a large batch, freeze the extras for up to three months. Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Thaw as many as you need at a time on the counter, or pop them straight in the toaster.

More Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Try

• Overnight Sourdough Bagels – Easy, boiled sourdough bagels
• (Almost) Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread – Mixed white & wheat flour bread
• Sourdough Pizza Crust – Perfectly chewy and tangy pizza crust
• Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls – So fluffy and made with a classic cream cheese icing

Recipe

Sourdough Discard English Muffins

Print Pin

Servings

12 units

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Resting Time 18 hours hrs

Total Time 18 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

Need a tasty way to use up sourdough discard/starter? Sourdough discard English muffins are the answer! They're simple and make a great to-go breakfast for everybody.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk lukewarm
• 1/2 cup water lukewarm
• 4 tbsp butter melted
• 1/3 cup sourdough starter or discard
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• cornmeal/semolina flour to sprinkle on top

US Units – Metric

Instructions

• Whisk together the milk, water, and melted butter in a bowl. Then, add the sourdough starter/discard and sugar and whisk again.
  
• Add in the flour and salt and mix until well combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
  
• Shape the dough into a ball by stretching the dough from the outside and pulling it into the center. Cover the dough again and let it rest for at least 8 hours at room temperature. Once the dough has risen well, move it to the fridge to chill overnight.
  
• Remove the dough from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Flour your work surface and hands, then stretch the dough into a rectangular shape about 1 inch in thickness. Cut out 3-inch rounds. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal and place them on a tray to rest for an hour.
  
• Preheat a nonstick pan on medium-low heat. Cook the rounds for about 8-10 minutes on each side.
  
• Let the rounds cool on a wire rack. Slice through and enjoy!
  

Nutrition Facts

Sourdough Discard English Muffins

Amount Per Serving

Calories 211 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 3g15%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 12mg4%

Sodium 233mg10%

Potassium 76mg2%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 150IU3%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.