BA's Best English Muffins

Print Recipe

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Proofing time1

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 16

Equipment

Stand Mixer with dough hook

Ingredients

3½ cups bread flour divided, plus more
2¼ tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup warm water
1 cup buttermilk warmed
¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 tbsp vegetable oil
nonstick spray
cornmeal for dusting and crust

Instructions

Whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
Whisk together water, buttermilk, butter, oil in bowl of a stand mixer. Add flour mixture and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Scrape down bowl and make sure all flour is incorporating. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl, but is still very wet and sticky, about 5 minutes. If dough isn't climbing hook or pulling away from sides of bowl after 5 minutes, you can add a tablespoon of additional flour, but no more than 2-4 tbsp. It should still be very wet and sticky.
Spray a medium bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. The dough will rise a lot, so make sure plastic wrap is secure. Chill in fridge overnight.
Dust 2 parchment lined baking sheets generously with cornmeal (cover all the parchment or the dough will stick and deform as you transfer to griddle). Spray a clean worksurface with nonstick spray, turn out dough and then spray dough.
Using in a bench scraper, divide dough in half. Divide each half into 4, then each portion in half for a total of 16 portions. Working with one piece at a time, fold edges of dough into the middle of the piece, forming a rough round. Use bench scraper to turn over so folds are underneath, and transfer to cornmeal coated pan. Widely space balls on sheet pans, 8 per pan.
Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick spray and cover each sheet of muffins loosely, sprayed side down. Allow to rise 60-80 minutes, until doubled in size.
Heat a large skillet or griddle (cast iron, preferably), over low heat. Place another rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 350°. Working in batches, and keeping other muffins covered, transfer muffins to pan/griddle using 2 thin metal spatulas and scooping under cornmeal to avoid deforming or deflating muffins.
Cook muffins until underside is dark golden brown, 5-7 minutes; turn muffin over and cook until other side is also dark golden brown, an additional 5-7 minutes. Transfer muffins to preheated baking sheet in oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cooked through and sides are dry but spring back when pressed. Let muffins cool at least 30 minutes before splitting with fork and eating.
Muffins can be made one day ahead, split and lightly toast before serving. Store in a ziplock at room temperature.

Notes

This dough is extremely wet and sticky before chilling overnight. It becomes a bit easier to work with the next day, but it will still be very wet. You don't want to add any extra flour when working with the muffins before baking - just the non-stick spray.