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.
Oh my Goodness Jill. I just made bread!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mixer would never hold all this so I just mixed all the dry ingredients in a BIG bowl and added warm…125 degrees…water. It was easy to mix with a wooden spoon…and my hands. I am so happy. This is my first bread success. I am definitely not a bread maker, but this turned out exactly like you said it would. YUMMMMMMG French toast for Sunday morning breakfast.
What would the substitution for regular rapid rise yeast out of the jar be instead of 3 packages?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There are about 2.25 teaspoons of yeast per packet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.per the jar it says 1 packet=2 1/4 teaspoon so for a halved recipe it would be 3 3/8tsp(teaspoon), for a full recipe it would be 6 3/4tsp(teaspoon). haha I wondered the same thing until I turned the jar around & read :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love love love this bread! I have made it about 4 times in the last 3 weeks. We eat it as breakfast toast, or toasted in the oven as garlic bread. I like to dust my bread pans with cornmeal to give it a nice English muffin-y crunch. I also half the recipe since I only have two loaf pans. Comes out great each time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am really happy that I found this recipe. I couldn’t wait for it to cool completely, I have to admit – I barely made it twenty minutes after I took it out of the oven, but it was delicious! The dough was hard to work with – I used a large bowl and a whisk then a spoon to mix it. It was stickier than any other bread dough that I’ve worked with, but it was worth it. Next time I think I’ll use my stand mixer instead of mixing by hand.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Found this recipe on Pinterest. It’s in the oven now, and it smells fantastic! I’m not sure I’ll be able to wait for it to cool before taking a chunk. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would love to make this but have no clue where to get yeast. I live in upstate New York (Rochester). My family loves english muffins but haven’t had the bread… would this make muffins?? I don’t have any loaf pans.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can find yeast on the baking aisle of any grocery store. I’ve never tried making muffins with this recipe…it might work but I can’t guarantee anything.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this bread yesterday and it is fantastic! I have been trying to bake bread for years and it never turns out. I believe that it’s because I could never get the hang of kneading it for long enough. Anyway, the dough is indeed very sticky after mixing and I let it rise right in the kitchen aid bowl and then again in the bread pans. It turned out amazing and makes the BEST toast as promised.. I have found a new family favorite recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mine is rising now, super easy to put together. I halved the recipe and it wasn’t nearly as sticky as the picture so I hope it turns out right!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this today and can’t wait to try it. It made my house smell so good.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow…… I love English Muffin bread… and came across this on Pinterest. Decided to try it today (made 2 loaves) and it truly lives up to its name as Wonderful English Muffin Bread. I am a new blogger & can’t guarantee anyone sees my site, but I did blog about the awesome recipe and directed them to you for the recipe. Thanks again for sharing!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just made this recipe; super supr easy and so delicious! Made the full recipe. With just me and my hubs at home now, I’d like to freeze some of the loaves. Anyone tried that? Recommendations?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It freezes just great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.looks great! Does this bread freeze well?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this today (half a recipe) and it’s a hit! My husband is from England and was a little wary-they eat crumpets, not English Muffins. This passed the test. The kids loved it, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks so much for sharing this. It will be come a regular in our house.
I bake mine in old coffee cans. Then you have round slices, like traditional english muffins. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What is the quantity of yeast, as i am not using the packet of rapid rise?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It’s about a tablespoon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have this in the oven right now…smells great, but it doesn’t look quite right. I let it rise for about an hour, it had risen pretty good….does an hour for “rise” time sound about right? I am thinking I might have needed to let it rise more….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The time it takes to rise can differ based on how warm your kitchen is, but no matter how long it takes you want the bread to be about at the top of the pan.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just made this and let it bake while working in the garage. I put it in a round flat bottom metal bowl (bought at the dollar store as a dog dish and washed VERY VERY WELL) and it came out like schlotzskys bread. My husband asked me to make a second loaf (I cut the recipe down to make only one loaf because I didn’t have enough flour to make the full batch). I think I’m going to make this and serve it with agave nectar next time we have a party. YUM!!! Thanks so much for the recipe, and thanks to your mom as well for sharing it with us…
Kari
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This bread was wonderful! Very easy to make and since it makes four loaves so you share with friends and family :). I will be making this again…..soon. Thank you for sharing this great family recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I think I am going to hate you for this recipe ;-) I have always loved homemade bread but this looks like it is so much easier. Will try it and if I LOVE it, I will then HATE you for giving out this recipe.
Above is just joking – I can feel the pounds packing on – love warm bread from the oven with just butter.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So the bread is done, and this is the best and easiest bread I have ever made! This is exactly the type of bread I like! I finished baking it and pulled it out of the oven with the family standing around waiting for it LOL We couldn’t wait for it too cool…so we ate one whole loaf (5 of us) before it had cooled all the way…but I had smaller loaf pans so I got 5 out of it :) I am so happy with this, I think I will make this every week :) Thanks again Jillee! And tell your Mom thank you too!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So I have my loaves rising right now :) I am hoping they rise anyway…its so cold in my house, but I turned my oven on so that should help :) I had to mix it up in my spaghetti pot LOL but I am very excited about this, if it turns out I may never buy bread again! Thanks Jillee for sharing the recipe!! :)
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