These delicious gluten-free sourdough English muffins are soft, flavorful, and crispy on the outside. For more recipes like that check out my gluten-free sourdough discard recipes collection!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavor. These gluten-free English muffins are so good, I couldn't stop snacking on them even without toppings!
- Texture. The muffins are not dense, yet, not too crumbly. They are soft and airy just like the original English muffins!
- Make-ahead recipe. Make and freeze these English muffins to use later!
What Is A Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a wild yeast that is used to leaven sourdough bread. I use a brown rice gluten-free sourdough starter and I love baking my own gluten-free vegan sourdough bread! All you need to make a starter is flour, water, and a little patience. Then, you can use it in bread or recipes like this one! Or you can make sourdough pancakes, pizza dough, or even chocolate chip cookies! For hamburgers, you can check out my gluten-free dinner rolls or fermented hamburger buns.
New to gluten-free sourdough? Watch my tutorial for beginners!
Ingredients
GF sourdough starter - use a mature starter, meaning it was fed, then rose to its full capacity, and is still bubbling. You can also use starter discard with an additional 7g of dry active/instant yeast or 20g of fresh yeast.
GF flour - I am using my homemade gluten-free flour mix without potato starch but other GF flour will work, too. Just keep an eye on the texture of the dough, if it is too runny, you can add a bit more of your flour since it might be more absorbent than mine. The dough is supposed to be sticky but workable with greased hands!
Milk - use any milk, plant-based or not.
Oil - I used sunflower oil and it works great but other types should work, too!
Psyllium husk - either whole husks or powder will work well in this recipe.
Baking powder - check the package to make sure it is gluten-free.
Substitutes & Variations
You can use any oil or type of milk. Most gluten-free flour blends should work with this recipe!
You can add cinnamon and raisins for a sweeter version of these English muffins or you can add some jalapenos to the dough for a spicy version!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Mix the dough
In a medium-sized bowl combine psyllium husk, milk, water, oil, and sugar. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix to incorporate.
Once psyllium gel has formed (1-2 minutes after you mixed it), add the sourdough starter, and mix to incorporate. If you are using starter discard, add 7g of instant/active dry yeast or 20g of fresh yeast at this point.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix using your hands. Leave the dough to rise and ferment for anywhere from 1 to 3.5 hours. You can also leave the dough to ferment overnight in the refrigerator! If you are using starter discard with additional yeast, let the dough rise for 1 hour only.
Step 2 - Shape the muffins
Start preheating the frying pan over medium-low heat. I strongly recommend using a cast iron pan as it does a better job of heating the muffins all the way through, unlike a non-stick pan. Once the dough has risen a bit (it doesn't have to double), transfer it to the working kitchen surface and separate the dough into 8 parts.
Grease your hands with oil (important) and shape each part into a ball.
Then, press the ball into a disc.
Dip both sides in cornmeal and repeat the process with the remaining muffins.
Step 3 - Fry the muffins
Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and place four muffins in it. Turn the heat to the lowest and fry the muffins for about 4-5 minutes on one side. Keep checking that the muffins are not burning. Once they become dark brown, flip them onto the other side and turn the heat to medium-low. Fry until the internal temperature of the muffins reaches 210F/100C or until dark brown on the other side.
If the muffins are browned before cooking through, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and bake the muffins until their internal temperature reaches 210F/100C (a few minutes). Depending on a pan and the stove, your muffins might get really brown really soon. To avoid burning them, you must continue cooking them in the oven! Let the English muffins cool for about 20 minutes before cutting into them as the crumb is still setting during the cooling time.
Serving Suggestions
Make a sandwich with your English muffins by adding a fried egg, meat, veggies, and your favorite sauce!
Or spread some butter and jam onto the muffins for a sweet breakfast.
Expert Tips
- Use a mature starter, meaning a starter that was fed a few hours ago and is rising and bubbling. It will help with fermentation and airy texture in the muffins!
- You can ferment English muffins for longer and even overnight in the refrigerator for more sourness.
- Use a cast iron pan to help the muffins cook through before the sides get too brown! Non-stick pans don't transfer heat as well as cast iron does. However, if you don't have a cast iron pan or griddle, a non-stick pan will do, too. Just you might need to partially bake the muffins in the oven.
- Grease your hands with oil before shaping English muffins as the dough will be sticky. Don't add extra flour to the surface or to your hands!
- If you find it hard to get the muffins to cook through, make them thinner the next time.
FAQ
Yes! Freeze them individually on a piece of parchment paper or in plastic wrap, then place the muffins into a freezer bag or container. To defrost, thaw English muffins in the refrigerator overnight, pop them into the microwave for 30-60 minutes, or reheat them in the oven for a few minutes at 350F/175.
Sourdough is gluten-free if it is made with gluten-free flour. Otherwise, sourdough is not gluten-free.
You can use any premade flour mix, I love using my nightshade-free flour blend!
If you liked this recipe, you might also like my fluffy sourdough dinner rolls, bagels, and soft pretzels with starter discard!
Get my Gluten-Free Sourdough E-Book today!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins
Equipment
- cast iron skillet optional, non-stick pan work as well
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 15 grams psyllium husk If using psyllium powder, use 13 grams. For more details read my psyllium husk for baking post.
- 75 grams (⅓ cup) plant-based milk or regular milk
- 175 grams water room temperature
- 2 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup/honey
- 2 tablespoon oil any vegetable or seed oil
- ½ cup gluten-free sourdough starter If you are using starter discard, add 7g of instant/active dry yeast or 20g of fresh yeast
- 286 grams (2 cups) gluten-free flour I am using my homemade blend with brown rice flour which for this recipe would be: 73g brown rice flour, 70g white rice flour, 143g starch of choice (cornstarch/tapioca/arrowroot/potato)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder check the package to make sure it is gluten-free
- 10 grams salt
- cornmeal for coating optional
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl combine psyllium husk, water, milk, oil, and sugar. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Once psyllium gel has formed, add sourdough starter to the bowl and mix to incorporate. If you are using starter discard, add 7g of instant/active dry yeast or 20g of fresh yeast.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix using your hands. Leave the dough to rise anywhere from 1 to 3.5 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. If you are using starter discard with additional yeast, let the dough rise for 1 hour only.
- Start preheating the frying pan over medium-low heat. I strongly recommend using a cast iron pan as it does a better job of heating the muffins all the way through, unlike a non-stick pan. Once the dough has risen a bit (it doesn't have to double), transfer it to the working kitchen surface and separate the dough into 8 parts.
- Grease your hands with oil (important) and shape each part into a ball. Then, press the ball into a disc. Dip both sides in cornmeal and repeat the process with the remaining muffins.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and place four muffins in it. Turn the heat to the lowest and fry the muffins for about 4-5 minutes on one side. Keep checking that the muffins are not burning. Once they become dark brown, flip them onto the other side and turn the heat to medium-low. Fry until the internal temperature of the muffins reaches 210F/100C or until dark brown on the other side.
- If the muffins are browned before cooking through, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and bake the muffins until their internal temperature reaches 210F/100C (a few minutes). Depending on a pan and the stove, your muffins might get really brown really soon. To avoid burning them, you must continue cooking them in the oven! Let the English muffins cool for about 20 minutes before cutting into them as the crumb is still setting during the cooling time.
Sheryl says
Looks good! I wonder if I can also put sausage or ham in it?
Natashashome says
Absolutely!
Kelsey says
Is the water supposed to be mixed in with the wet ingredients? It’s listed as an ingredient but isn’t mentioned in the steps!
Natasha Levai says
Thank you so much for your comment! I just fixed the instructions. Yes, add the water to the wet ingredients!
Sarah Mazzulla says
You mention gluten-free flour - should that be bread flour? All Purpose flour? Or doesn't it matter?
Natasha Levai says
You can use either flour! I am always using my homemade blends but I don't want to limit people to only those blends. You can use any type of GF flour blend, just keep an eye on the texture of the dough. If it is so wet that it is not workable even if you grease your hands, then add a little bit more flour as your blend might be a bit less absorbent than mine 🙂