There's no better toasting bread than a loaf of homemade English Muffin Bread! Spread a few slices with butter and strawberry jam for a simple and delicious breakfast or an easy side dish with dinner. You'll love the nooks and crannies! Best of all, the easy no-knead English Muffin Bread comes together quickly with just one short rise. Store a loaf in the freezer for later and enjoy the other right now. Your grilled cheese sandwiches and your morning toast have never tasted so good!
No Knead English Muffin Bread
Our family has been buying loaves of English Muffin Toasting Bread from our neighbors at the farmer's market for years, so I'm incredibly excited to finally be able to make it at home (and to share the recipe with you, too)! This unique bread is so much better than traditional English muffins, and I was shocked when I realized how simple it is to prepare. Unlike other homemade bread recipes, this dough only requires one short rise and no kneading! That means that you can have two loaves of fresh, homemade bread cooling on your counter in less than 90 minutes.
What makes English muffins different from bread?
If you've ever tasted store-bought English muffins, then you probably know that the little, round, flat, yeast-leavened rolls are typically sliced in half horizontally, toasted, and buttered. This English Muffin Loaf Bread recipe yields two standard-size loaves of yeast-leavened bread that have a very similar taste and texture to traditional English muffins -- including those great nooks and crannies! The bread slices are larger than a regular English muffin and can be cut into thick, hearty slices that are so much more satisfying and flavorful than the flimsy, flat, store-bought rounds.
How do you eat English Muffin Bread?
Just like regular English muffins, this English Muffin Toasting Bread is definitely best when toasted! It has a yeasty flavor and a coarse texture that's absolutely perfect for soaking up soft butter, a dollop of jam, or shmear of peanut butter!
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for this English Muffin loaf bread recipe. As always, the exact measurements and complete cooking instructions are included at the bottom of the post.
- All-purpose flour: you can substitute with bread flour (which has a higher protein content), but I prefer the texture that you get with all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Dry active yeast: helps the dough rise.
- Sugar: feeds the yeast.
- Salt: for flavor.
- Baking soda: another leavening agent that helps the dough rise, creates carbon dioxide, and really gives the bread those hallmark nooks and crannies that we love!
- Milk and water: the warm liquids help to activate the yeast; the milk adds richness and improves the texture of the dough.
- Cornmeal: for dusting the pan to prevent the dough from sticking.
How to Make English Muffin Bread
This delicious homemade bread comes together quickly with no kneading and just one quick rise. It's a wet, sticky dough that has a very different texture than other homemade bread dough recipes, so don't be alarmed if the method seems slightly unusual. Trust me -- the end result is a unique English Muffin Bread with outstanding flavor and texture!
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Warm the milk and water to a temperature of about 120°F - 130°F. Do not let it boil.
- Add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture.
- Beat on high speed for 1 minute, until a stiff, wet, sticky batter comes together. Do not knead.
- Divide the batter between two greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ -inch loaf pans that have been dusted with cornmeal. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal as well.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 minutes.
- Bake the loaves in a 400°F oven for 22-27 minutes, or until golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when tapped and should reach an internal temperature of 190°F.
- Cool completely before slicing.
How to Use English Muffin Bread
This easy English Muffin Bread is best when toasted. Serve it with butter or peanut butter and homemade strawberry freezer jam for breakfast, or alongside scrambled eggs or a crustless quiche for brunch. We also like to use toasting bread as a side dish with bowls of warm soup, stew or chili, since it's great for soaking up that extra broth. Finally, don't forget about sandwiches! The sturdy bread is perfect for grilled cheese, bacon and egg breakfast sandwiches, BLTs, tuna melts, patty melts, panini, and Reuben sandwiches.
How to Store
You can store the bread in a plastic bag or a bread box at room temperature. The loaf will last for 1-2 days. To help it keep longer, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic or in a Ziploc freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for the Best English Muffin Bread Recipe
- Use a thermometer, if possible, to make sure that your milk mixture reaches a temperature somewhere between 120°F - 130°F. This is important in order to properly activate the yeast and help the dough rise. If it's too cold, the yeast will not activate. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. I just clip a deep-fry thermometer onto the side of my saucepan as I warm the milk mixture over low heat. When it reaches the desired temperature, turn off the heat and pour the liquid directly into the dry ingredients.
- Properly measure the flour. Packing too much flour into the measuring cup will result in a dry, dense loaf. Instead, I like to measure my flour by weight using a kitchen scale. You can also use a spoon to lightly scoop the flour and place it in the measuring cup, flattening off the top with a knife. This is another way to prevent the flour from compacting in the cup.
- Since this dough is wetter and stickier than many other bread doughs, I find that it's easiest to scoop the dough with a greased measuring cup when transferring it to the loaf pans. This also helps to make sure that you put equal amounts of dough in each pan.
- Thanks to both the yeast and the baking soda, this dough rises much faster than other breads when resting in an appropriately warm environment. Keep an eye on it, because your loaves might be doubled in size within as little as 35 minutes. If your room is cooler, it could take slightly longer (about an hour).
- Do not slice the bread until it has had a chance to completely cool to room temperature.
More Easy Delicious Homemade Bread Recipes to Try
- Classic Farmhouse Oatmeal Bread
- Easy White Bread
- Crusty No-Knead Bread
- Baguette Recipe for Beginners
- Honey Wheat Bread
- Soft Dinner Rolls
- Crescent Rolls
English Muffin Bread
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour (about 21.25 ounces or 600 grams)
- 2 packets (0.25 ounces each) dry active yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups whole or 2% milk
- ½ cup water
- Cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda.
- In the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop, heat the milk and water until very warm, but not boiling (about 120°F - 130°F).
- Add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture. Using the paddle attachment on the stand mixer (or an electric mixer), beat at high speed for 1 minute, until completely combined and a stiff, fairly wet and sticky batter comes together. Do not knead.
- Grease two 8 ½ x 4 ½ -inch loaf pans and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal. Spoon the batter into the loaf pans (since it’s sticky, I like to spray a large measuring cup with cooking spray and use the cup to scoop the batter into the pans). Sprinkle the tops with additional cornmeal.
- Cover and set in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- Remove cover and bake in a 400°F oven for 22-27 minutes, or until golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when tapped and should reach an internal temperature of 190°F.
- Remove the bread from the oven, let rest in the pans for 5 minutes, and then turn it out on wire racks to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use a thermometer, if possible, to make sure that your milk mixture reaches a temperature somewhere between 120°F - 130°F. This is important in order to properly activate the yeast and help the dough rise. If it's too cold, the yeast will not activate. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. I just clip a deep-fry thermometer onto the side of my saucepan as I warm the milk mixture over low heat. When it reaches the desired temperature, turn off the heat and pour the liquid directly into the dry ingredients.
- Properly measure the flour. Packing too much flour into the measuring cup will result in a dry, dense loaf. Instead, I like to measure my flour by weight using a kitchen scale. You can also use a spoon to lightly scoop the flour and place it in the measuring cup, flattening off the top with a knife. This is another way to prevent the flour from compacting in the cup.
- Since this dough is wetter and stickier than many other bread doughs, I find that it's easiest to scoop the dough with a greased measuring cup when transferring it to the loaf pans. This also helps to make sure that you put equal amounts of dough in each pan.
- Thanks to both the yeast and the baking soda, this dough rises much faster than other breads when resting in an appropriately warm environment. Keep an eye on it, because your loaves might be doubled in size within as little as 35 minutes. If your room is cooler, it could take slightly longer (about an hour).
- Do not slice the bread until it has had a chance to completely cool to room temperature.
Hi, how many teaspoons of instant yeast would I use in place of the two packets? Thanks you. Can’t wait to make this!
Hi, Holly! Each packet is 2.25 teaspoons, so you would need 4.5 teaspoons to equal two packets. I hope you love the bread! 🙂