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.
Once I bought a loaf of English Muffin bread a long time ago and could never find any that tasted the same. I've lived all over the country and never had the same taste again. It was wonderful I am anxious to try this. I will let you know but I have a feeling even if it's not like my bread I'll be very happy with it. *L* It looks like the kind of bread I love.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For everyone with gluten intolerance, Williams Sonoma now has a "flour mix" called C4C which stands for "cup for cup". You can use it in ANY recipe cup for cup in place of regular or whole wheat flour. I've used it many times for many things (my daughter can't have gluten) and it's worked out great each time. Each pkg. is $20 and has 13 cups of flour – enough for dozens of loaves, cookies, etc. Just FYI
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I came across your recipe on Pinterest–Bread is rising as we speak–I made 1/3 of the recipe–and used 3 mini bread pans–can hardly wait to taste the "yummy-ness"!!! Thanks for the super simple & visual directions!!! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Quick question….is the temperature you use to bake (350 degrees) for your dark pans or is it for regular or glass pans? Just trying to figure out if I should adjust the temperature up for my silicone pans. Thanks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I accidentally used cool water…will my bread still rise? Mine wasn't sticky either so I added alil more water which was warm. I also halved the recipe…waiting for it to rise now.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just made this! Turned out perfect and delicious! Thanks for sharing your mom's yummy goodness! I love your blog…check it daily. Going to get supplies for the DIY laundry detergent this afternoon!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If I am using Rapid Rise, about how long will it take to rise? (I am trying to figure out my cooking schedule tomorrow :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just made this and its really good! I halved the recipe and it turned out great! Only problem the center is flat, not sure why? BUT it tates YUMMY!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds wonderful as is, but I need to closely watch hubby's sodium intake. Anybody have a guess as to how many mg this would be per serving?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you Laura! I ended up using the unbleached flour. Turned out good (I think) I had a slice before it was cooled. I will have to try another now that it is cooled. I will say that mine did not turn out pretty!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used stone ground whole wheat flour…had to add about 1 1/2 cups more water, but it turned out great! I found this info about bleached vs. unbleached flour…Flour that is bleached naturally as it ages is labeled "unbleached," while chemically treated flour is labeled "bleached." Bleached flour has less protein than unbleached. Bleached is best for pie crusts, cookies, quick breads, pancakes and waffles. Use unbleached flour for yeast breads, Danish pastry, puff pastry, strudel, Yorkshire pudding, éclairs, cream puffs and popovers.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you use unbleached flour? I couldn't find bread flour at the store and I would have swore that you said your Mom used Unbleached flour, nope you said all purpose. Crap! LOL! So do you think it will work with unbleached?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.THANK YOU so much for posting this recipe! My great aunt used to make this and it was amazing. So thankful to have the recipe now!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.ok — i need to run to the store. and, please, i don't mean to beat-this-into-the-ground but i will be buying RAPID RISE YEAST…..i mix until dry is mixed well without over-mixing & THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN OVER INTO GREASED PANS TO RISE ONCE TO THE TOP OF THE PAN. correct? i have read every comment and will use whole wheat flour with an additional 1 1/2 cups water as 'anony 3/3/' noted (since someone else said that theirs using ww flour was extremely dry).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i am sorry to keep asking but your recipe says to rise in bowl then rise in pans — but up by yeast it says to rise just once in pans if using rapid rise…..now i'm confusing myself —- can someone HELP me? thanks
ok — i need to run to the store. and, please, i don't mean to beat-this-into-the-ground but i will be buying RAPID RISE YEAST…..i mix until dry is mixed well without over-mixing & THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN OVER INTO GREASED PANS TO RISE ONCE TO THE TOP OF THE PAN. correct? i have read every comment and will use whole wheat flour with an additional 1 1/2 cups water as 'anony 3/3/' noted (since someone else said that theirs using ww flour was extremely dry).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i am sorry to keep asking but your recipe says to rise in bowl then rise in pans — but up by yeast it says to rise just once in pans if using rapid rise…..now i'm confusing myself —- can someone HELP me? thanks
ok — i need to run to the store. and, please, i don't mean to beat-this-into-the-ground but i will be buying RAPID RISE YEAST…..i mix until dry is mixed well without over-mixing & THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN OVER INTO GREASED PANS TO RISE ONCE TO THE TOP OF THE PAN. correct? i have read every comment and will use whole wheat flour with an additional 1 1/2 cups water as 'anony 3/3/' noted (since someone else said that theirs using ww flour was extremely dry).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i am sorry to keep asking but your recipe says to rise in bowl then rise in pans — but up by yeast it says to rise just once in pans if using rapid rise…..now i'm confusing myself —- can someone HELP me? thanks
ok — i need to run to the store. and, please, i don't mean to beat-this-into-the-ground but i will be buying RAPID RISE YEAST…..i mix until dry is mixed well without over-mixing & THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN OVER INTO GREASED PANS TO RISE ONCE TO THE TOP OF THE PAN. correct? i have read every comment and will use whole wheat flour with an additional 1 1/2 cups water as 'anony 3/3/' noted (since someone else said that theirs using ww flour was extremely dry).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i am sorry to keep asking but your recipe says to rise in bowl then rise in pans — but up by yeast it says to rise just once in pans if using rapid rise…..now i'm confusing myself —- can someone HELP me? thanks
ok — i need to run to the store. and, please, i don't mean to beat-this-into-the-ground but i will be buying RAPID RISE YEAST…..i mix until dry is mixed well without over-mixing & THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN OVER INTO GREASED PANS TO RISE ONCE TO THE TOP OF THE PAN. correct? i have read every comment and will use whole wheat flour with an additional 1 1/2 cups water as 'anony 3/3/' noted (since someone else said that theirs using ww flour was extremely dry).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i am sorry to keep asking but your recipe says to rise in bowl then rise in pans — but up by yeast it says to rise just once in pans if using rapid rise…..now i'm confusing myself —- can someone HELP me? thanks