If you are looking for the easiest, softest, and quickest homemade English muffin bread recipe, you are at the right place! This recipe calls for a handful of simple ingredients and baking them, and your homemade hygienic bread is ready!
The dough for this English breakfast bread is somewhat unique in that it benefits from being minimally worked. So rather than making it in a stand mixer, I always reach for my Danish dough whisk, which makes it easy to combine the ingredients without over-mixing.
There’s so much to love about homemade English muffin bread — it’s quick and easy to make, the ingredients are inexpensive, and it’s delicious to boot! The recipe makes 4 loaves of English muffin bread, so you’ll have plenty to share (or not… your secret will be safe with me!)
Table Of Contents
English Muffin Bread Ingredients
- Warm water: Warm water is added to combine and dissolve all the ingredients of the bread, including sugar, salt, and yeast, and form a dough. It helps hydrate the yeast, activates fermentation, and adds moisture to the dough.
- Instant yeast: Sometimes called “rapid rise” or “quick rise” yeast, instant yeast makes the dough rise and gives this bread its signature air pockets. (If you want to use active yeast instead, you’ll need to let the dough rise twice — once in the bowl until doubled in size, and again in the loaf pans until the dough reaches the lip of the pan.)
- Sugar: Sugar serves as a food source for the yeast and gives the bread a slightly sweet flavor.
- Salt: Salt is a crucial ingredient in bread, lending flavor and improving its structure.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of this dough, yielding loaves with a tender, chewy crumb reminiscent of English muffins.
How To Make English Muffin Bread
Ingredients:
- 5 1/2 cups warm water
- 3 envelopes (3/4 oz) instant yeast
- 3 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 11 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Add the water, yeast, salt, sugar, and flour to a large bowl and stir just until combined.
As I mentioned, a Danish dough whisk is an ideal tool for this task, because it incorporates the ingredients more effectively than other utensils using fewer strokes. (Other types of bread need to be kneaded thoroughly, but too much mixing makes English muffin bread tough rather than tender and chewy.)
Divide the dough evenly between 4 well-greased loaf pans, then let it rise until it’s just above the top edge of the pans.
Bake the loaves at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes, or until the tops are light golden brown.
Right after you take the bread out of the oven, turn the loaves out of the pans and place them on a cooling rack. Use a pastry brush to brush softened or melted butter over the top of each loaf, then leave them to cool completely before slicing.
“I love this bread! It has become a favorite in my house and I make it at least once a month. It is great with just butter or honey, and makes for a wonderful toast for breakfast sandwiches. […] Thank you for sharing this recipe!”
– OGT Reader Robin
How to Enjoy Leftovers
To store leftover English muffin bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or seal it in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days (or a few days longer in your fridge).
You can also tightly wrap English muffin bread in plastic wrap or seal into an airtight freezer bag and freeze it for up to 1 month.
To enjoy refrigerated or frozen English muffin bread, let it come to room temperature on your countertop or reheat individual slices in your microwave or toaster oven.
More Ideas You'll Love
Serving Suggestions
You can have English muffin bread for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with tea, coffee, or creamy hot chocolate. As a big fan of late-night toast, I can confirm that it also makes a great late-night snack! Try it with these toppings:
- Butter
- Jam
- Honey
- Honey butter
- Peanut butter
- Chocolate spread
- Cinnamon sugar
- Fresh fruit and whipped cream
This English toasting bread makes a wonderful gift too! Pair it with homemade butter for a gift the recipient won’t soon forget.
Further Reading
For more delicious bread recipes and the like, check out:
- Impress yourself and your loved ones with a loaf of No-Fail Easy Overnight Bread —no kneading required!
- Make a delicious batch of Instant Pot Strawberry Jam to enjoy with your English muffin bread.
- Take a look at my favorite bread maker and learn why you might want one for yourself.
Get The Best Whisk For English Muffin Bread
There’s no substitute for using the right tool for the job, including when you’re making English muffin bread. A Danish dough whisk is the best tool for the job, hands down!
Take it from Patty, a fellow OGT reader:
“How did I go my first 53 years of life without Jillee’s Danish Whisk? This piece is amazing. I cannot believe I waited so long to buy it. It glides smoothly through the dough and doesn’t need to be shaken or tapped against the side of the bowl when mixing eggs as a traditional whisk requires. I call it my wonder whisk!”
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make Gluten-Free English Muffin Bread?
While many baking and bread recipes are fairly easy to make gluten-free, English muffin bread isn’t one of them. Unfortunately, all my attempts to make gluten-free English muffin bread have yielded disappointing results. (I recommend trying my favorite gluten-free bread recipe instead!)
How Long Does English Muffin Bread Last?
At room temperature, English muffin bread stays fresh for about 2-3 days, or 5-7 days if you wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge. Frozen English muffin bread can last for 1-2 months.
How Can I Keep English Muffin Bread Fresh?
After baking English muffin bread, it’s important to let it cool completely before storing it. It’s also important to protect it from drying out, which you can do by wrapping it in plastic wrap or storing it in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Doing these two things will help keep your bread fresh!
More Ideas You'll Love
Conclusion
This English muffin bread recipe makes a versatile anytime snack you can pair with sweet or savory toppings. It’s also an easy way to enjoy the delights of freshly baked bread without spending all day in the kitchen!
What would you put on a slice of English muffin bread?
English Muffin Bread Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 4 loaf pans
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups warm water
- 3 envelopes instant yeast
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 11 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Add the water, yeast, salt, sugar, and flour to a mixing bowl and stir until just combined.
- Divide the dough between four greased loaf pans.
- Let the dough rise until it reaches the top edge of the pans.
- Bake the loaves at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the finished loaves from the pans, place them on a cooling rack, and brush the top of each loaf with melted butter.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
Absolutely the easiest and best bread ever! I mixed all the ingredients with a wooden spoon til just blended in a big bowl and it turned out just perfect. My recipe made three loaves instead of four; possibly my pans were a little larger. So, so easy to make and absolutely the best toasted! Love, love it! I’ve tried it with butter, Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray, butter and jelly, and peanut butter and love them all. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I haven’t used SAF instant yeast yet, but I just got some, and I’m thinking that one rise should be sufficient. Has anybody tried this? I bought it from King Arthur Flour. A really good resource for bread baking advice, tips, and supplies.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Liz, I use SAF for all my bread making. It is wonderful! Hope you are enjoying it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is my 2nd time making this delicious bread. I found your site on Pinterest. It was so good the last time I made it, and cost efficient, I’m making it for my daughters’ preschool teachers for the end of the year present. I’m wrapping it with some local Honey I got at the farm stand so total give is like $5.00 each! The only problem is she has 4 teachers, so I won’t have a loaf for myself!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great gift idea Missy! Thanks for sharing. Ooooo…I just LOVE honey on that bread!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the idea for this recipe. However, I really think you need to add the fact that a bread-hook attachment is necessary to make the dough the right consistency and that greasing the bread pan is critical.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this. My Mother made homemade sourdough bread for years. It made the best toast ever. She’s gone now so no sourdough bread. I will try this recipe and think of her. Thanks for sharing and happy toasting.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is DE-lish! I like it w/ a simple smathering of butter myself. …with my tea & a handful of plump blackberries this morning.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.‘One Good Thing’ has been my Go-to source for SO much in recent wks; thank you! ♥
Oooo….that DOES sound DE-lish De! ;-) You are most welcome. So glad you liked!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I found your picture of this fabulous bread on Pinterest this morning! and couldn’t wait to make it today ~ it came out perfect, I have now gotten over my fear of bread baking! Thank you! nettie
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make my english muffin bread in metal coffee cans… i grease the pans and sprinkle them with corn meal!! When the bread is sliced, it’s round like an english muffing… and no worries about not having enough pans :-)…. just fill the coffee cans half way and it will rise ….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You bake in coffee cans??? really? Do you put the cans directly on the oven rack or on a cookie sheet? What temps and how long to do you do this???
thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kim
Brilliant! I use unconventional baking containers also, lol. All you have to do is fill about half way, let rise and bake til done. I imagine it does take a bit of experience in a kitchen to know when something is done but really, not that much. After watching the first batch cook and then writing down the time it took for what container then the next time is a breeze. I use a cookie sheet to put all my containers on. It just makes it more convenient when I pull them out of the oven, I can get them out all at once. When making this bread, I would use the same temp for a one pound coffee can. Most home made bread loaves that I make are around one pound in weight.
I made this today, Jillee. L-0-v-e. I can’t stop thinking about the loaves sitting in the kitchen. I want to eat them all. Thank you so very much for sharing this special recipe with everyone. I blogged about it just now and as I said in my post, this is an instant family favorite. Thank you! mwah!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.http://cozycakescottage.com/2012/06/03/delicious-homemade-english-muffin-bread/
Your bread turned out BEAUTIFUL! Now I think I need to go make some! Ahhhh….the power of suggestion! :-) Thanks for sharing my post…and thanks for sharing YOURS. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can’t wait to try this! Will it work in a bread machine?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My family goes through a lot of english muffins, so I was excited to find this recipe. I just made it & served it toasted w/ honey to my family and we all thought it was fantastic! I love the airy texture. I am at high altitude, so I wasn’t sure if I would need to adjust the recipe, but it worked well as is. I will be trying it with white whole wheat flour next. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Made this bread yesterday and 1 1/2 loaves are gone already. My husband is so happy that he does not have to makes english muffins anymore. He said from now on we are just making this bread. We tried it as a grilled ham and swiss cheese sandwhich and it was wonderful. Thanks for the great reciepe. This one is a keeper.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This looks amazing! I am getting ready to make it but was wondering-can I use whole wheat flour? and could I make them into muffin shapes for a more traditional English Muffin? Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One good thing… I don’t know… looks like THE. BEST. THING. EVER. I can’t wait to try it. Love your blog… it won’t be the first suggestion I’ve taken from you. Thanks for the great stuff!! :)
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