An Onion Exposed: Homemade English Muffins

Who doesn't love English muffins?? I have yet to meet someone who dislikes them. Now, I'm going to tell you something that makes them even better...you can make them at home! {You can get mega bragging rights by making a batch of these and serving them with a homemade jam or apple butter!} This recipe came from Beth at budgetbytes.com. She says one batch makes 9 English muffins (I got 10!) and the whole batch only costs $0.68!

Now, it may be a little time consuming, but it's very simple. I was able to whip up the dough, and continue my housework. When the timer would go off, I'd just go punch it down and do what I had to do, then get right back to my other chores. They are worth every second!

They are very versatile and can be used for any meal. Toast them and serve with jam or peanut butter (or even plain butter), make a quick breakfast sandwich, or jazz it up with some homemade hollandaise sauce and make Eggs Benedict! (Click here for our hollandaise recipe!) If you have time to make a big batch, throw the extras in the freezer for later!

Ingredients

1 tsp. active dry yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. warm water

1/2 c. milk

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

about 3 c. flour, divided

3/4 tsp. salt

& cornmeal

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and ½ cup of warm water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and yeast. Let sit about 5 minutes or until foamy on top.

While the yeast/sugar mixture is resting, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl.

Stir well to evenly distribute the salt.

In a second small bowl, combine the milk and butter. Microwave it, stirring every 30 seconds, until butter is melted.

Pour the yeast mixture and the milk mixture into the flour. Stir until it has combined into a pasty mix.

Adding only ¼ cup at a time, stir in more flour until the dough forms a soft, slightly sticky ball that pulls away from the bowl.

Sprinkle a little bit of flour onto a clean countertop and coat your hands in flour. Dump the soft ball of dough out of the bowl and knead it for about 5 minutes. {Add as little flour as possible to the countertop while kneading. Adding too much flour will yield tough muffins.}

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl that has been coated in non-stick spray or olive oil. Lightly spray the top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 min – 1 hr).

Once doubled, punch the dough down, shape it into another ball, cover the bowl/dough and let rise a second time (45 min – 1 hr or until double).

Once doubled again, punch down the dough again and turn it out onto a well floured countertop.

Using a rolling pin, lightly roll the dough until it is about ¾ inch thick.

Using a cookie cutter or large round glass, cut the dough into circles.

When you can’t cut out any more circles, gently ball the remaining dough, roll again and cut more. {It gets more difficult to ball and roll out each time so fit as many circles in the dough as possible before balling it up again.}

Place the cut dough circles onto a sheet pan that has been liberally covered in cornmeal.

Sprinkle more cornmeal on top of the muffins.

Cover loosely with a damp towel and let rise, once more, until double in size (another 45 minutes).

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Spray the pan with non-stick spray.

Carefully transfer the fluffy, risen muffins to the hot skillet with a spatula.

Cook the muffins on the skillet until they are golden brown and crispy on each side.

{Make sure to keep the heat low so that the outside browns slowly, allowing time for the inside to “bake.” I cooked mine for about 7 minutes on each side but this will vary from stove top to stove top.}

Let the muffins cool on a wire rack.

(Directions with Photos)

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and ½ cup of warm water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and yeast. Let sit about 5 minutes or until foamy on top.

While the yeast/sugar mixture is resting, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl.

Stir well to evenly distribute the salt.

In a second small bowl, combine the milk and butter.

Microwave it, stirring every 30 seconds, until butter is melted.

{After about 5 minutes, your yeast/sugar mixture should look something like this.}

Pour the yeast mixture and the milk mixture into the flour.

Stir until it has combined into a pasty mix.

Adding only ¼ cup at a time, stir in more flour until the dough forms a soft, slightly sticky ball that pulls away from the bowl.

Sprinkle a little bit of flour onto a clean countertop. Dump the soft ball of dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface.

Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. {Add as little flour as possible to the countertop while kneading. Adding too much flour will yield tough muffins.}

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl that has been coated in non-stick spray or olive oil.

Lightly spray the top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 min – 1 hr).

{It works really well to turn the oven on for a couple minutes. Turn it off, then place bowl in warm oven to let it rise. (If using a plastic bowl, be sure to place a potholder or something on the rack so it doesn't melt it.)}