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.
Hello. I just wanted to share that made a half batch of this today using my cast iron pan instead of 2 loaf pans, and it turned out fantastic!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi I was wondering if you could add things to this bread rasins etc or cheese ,onions etc to make it savory or sweet ?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.HOLY HANNAH is this good! JUST got it cooled enough to slice and throw in the toaster…munched the heel while waiting for the toast and that was totally yummy…and the toast is divine! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this supremely easy recipe! I will NEVER again search a grocery store/bakery for English Muffin bread again!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Any idea if I can make this with gluten free flour? I am on seriously craving an english muffin, but being gluten sensitive, and new to the world of gluten free cooking, I’m still trying recipies.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have 4 loaves rising. I’m so anxious to taste this bread! I also have ham and beans cooking. What a great supper this will be.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does anyone know of a good english muffin bread recipe for those of us who can’t tolerate gluten??
Thank you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you check the beginning comments on page one I’ve seen several discussions & alternatives that they said have worked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.4 loaves, 5 kids and in only two days I am baking a second batch. So delicious one child exclaimed “never make regular bread again!”
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve made this bread 3 times now and it is to die for!! SO easy and SO delicious!! I now use it for pretty much everything! Hamburgers, sloppy joes, French toast. Cinnamon toast, sandwiches, you name it…EVERYTHING is better when made with this bread!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Saw this recipe months ago and pinned it to my “recipes to try board”. Made it today, gave it 5 stars and moved it to my “Recipes to make again” board. It is so easy and so delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My fav thing to make in my mixer is cake!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just made this and it looks wonderfully dense and delicious. Haven’t gotten to try any yet because it’s still cooling. Absolutely easiest recipe for bread ever, and I almost felt bad dirtying my Kitchenaid for how quickly it came together.
Two helpful hints:
1. When you’re dividing the dough, spray your hands with Pam first and the dough won’t stick to your fingers. This makes dividing the dough out MUCH easier.
2. If you prefer gorgeous muffin-esque sliceable rolls, I divided a loaf’s worth of dough in 6, placed them in a greased LARGE Pyrex baking dish, and let them rise as long as my loaf was rising. I smushed them out a little flat after they’d risen, and they turned out fantastic. Sliced lengthwise they will fit in the toaster and make giant english muffins. Also for fans of the heels of bread as it’s like having two heels every time!
Happy baking!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillie, thanks ever so much for sharing your mother’s recipe. When I spied the picture with the original recipe lying on the table I knew that it had to be tried and true. My mom has many of those same typed out and copied recipes in her files. All of which were worth their saving. Your version is spot on and I have given many a loaf away for the holidays…along with a jar of my homemade fig preserves. The best version for me is the regular double rise… There doesn’t seem to be as many nooks and crannies with the fast rise method. I am watching a bowl of dough rise now and am anxiously waiting to smell it baking!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i have made this wonderful bread. but i was wondering if i could cut them out into muffin shapes? how would i have to change the recipe for them to be rolled out? thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jill, can I cut this recipe in half?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.yes you can the halved recipe measurements is
2 3/4Cups Warm Water
3 3/8tsp(teaspoon–I have the jar) or 1 1/2 packets of Yeast(Rapid Rise or Normal Active Dry)
1Tbsp(tablespoon) Salt
1 1/2Tbsp(tablespoon) Sugar
5 1/2Cups Flour
Hope this helps :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you, thank you! I grew up eating English Muffin Toast at my Grandmothers. In my adult life I looked for it everywhere I went for years. Then one day my grocery bakery actually made it for awhile and I froze extra. Then after moving I lost it again. Until last week I found your Mothers recipie on Pinterest. I made it for our Easter breakfast. I cannot tell you how excited I was this morning to finally have some English Muffin Bread…And I made it from scratch…Wow, what a delight.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks again,
Pamella
Easter 2013
I tried making this today, and my bread fell when I put it in the oven… HELP….What did I do wrong?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have made this bread in the past and just halved it. Put it in 2 regular loaf pans. Well today I decided to do the whole recipe and use some of the disposable pans I had. Let me tell you that 4 of those pans is NOT big enough! I was very close to doing 5 pans instead. LOL I wish I could post a picture of what my bread looks like. It spilled over the edge of the pans and is quite comical. I’m sure it will taste the same just not very pretty. I haven’t pulled it out of the oven yet. Oh and I used active yeast because that’s all i have. Let it rise twice. Note to self get more loaf pans….
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