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.
Pinned this recipe this morning while hanging out on Pinterest. Immediately went to the store for supplies. I made the 4 loafs. We used one loaf for the Tuna Melts we had for dinner. Let me tell you they were absolutely the best Tuna Melts this family has ever had. Can’t see the other three loafs sticking around for very long!! Thank You and your Mom so very much for this wonderful bread!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this today for the first time and it was friggin’ AMAZING!! I halved the recipe and we almost have one loaf gone just a couple hours after it coming out of the oven. We love it!! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe I will definitely be making it time and time again!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wonderful. I halved the recipe and used 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour + 4 cups AP flour. I used a good bread knife to slice a piece off after pulling it from the oven. I added a little butter and sprinkled sharp cheddar cheese. I melted the cheese a bit and ate it with a fork. The hubs liked it so much he asked for seconds with ham on it, too.
Thanks for sharing your family’s recipe!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee
Thanks for sharing an A-MAY-ZING recipe! It’s my new Saturday morning standby.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your recipe is now being enjoyed in beautiful, sunny Cape Town:)
Hello! Made two loaves of this last night and it was AH-MAZING! I had to halve the recipe as I only have two loaf pans…and I did add one tablespoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar and I’m glad I did as the bread was just the right amount of everything delicious! I thought it might be a bit sweet but instead it’s like this amazing sourdoughy flavor. I toasted slices and added butter and jam and it was HEAVEN! This morning after taking the children to school, I stopped and got ww flour as the hubs wonders if we can make it healthier…so I’m humoring him as I think bread should just be enjoyed…with yummy butter and jam. :) Anyhow – I’m praying the ww version is just as delish. Thank you for posting this GREAT recipe!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.you added extra sugar and salt? or cut it down to that amount? love sourdough, so just checking to make sure!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Could some one tell the the exact ingredients you used when halving this recipe? I am a novice bread maker and what to make sure it get the ingredients right; there is only my husband and I now at home so I don’t need 4 loaves. I of course could eat the whole recipe since I love bread but my waist line doesn’t need that much. Thanks for the original post, I can’t wait to make this!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi, Becky! I just made this last night and halved the recipe. Here’s what I did:
2 and 3/4 cups warm water
1 and 1/2 packets rapid-rise yeast
1 T salt
2 T sugar
5 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
I followed the instructions from there. I noticed my dough wasn’t super sticky so I added about an 1/8 of a cup of warm water and that seemed to moisten it the right amount. I divided the dough into my two loaf pans and baked as stated and it was HEAVEN! A sourdough-like bread and texture that was great toasted with butter and jam. Haha – as I type this I’m tempted to go toast another slice and enjoy.
Good luck! :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Second time I have made this recipe. Cannot buy good toasting bread and this is the best ever. Thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much for sharing this recipe; it is so good! Like some of the other commenters I didn’t have enough loaf pans so I just used 2 regular sized muffin tins that had 12 in each pan. They cooked for about the same time and cooled much faster than the loaf did. My favorite is with butter and honey!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Saw this recipe this morning on Pinterest and couldn’t wait. Its baking now. I live the middle of english muffins so I think this will be a win win! Based on the reviews, I guess I don’t have to worry about finding homes for 4 loaves. My house smells amazing right now. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OK, this bread is awesome! We’ve polished off almost a whole loaf already. So glad I was in a baking mood today! Thank you for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just made this….made 3 regular bread pan sizes plus 2 small ones…..mixed it all, let it rise to top (covered with plastic wrap) be sure to oil the wrap my top started sticking to wrap. Put them in, all on top rack, and cook just like she said and they are gorgeous!! Can’t wait to try.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ok… Update….we have eaten a whole small loaf already…..wonderful…..ans Sooooooooo easy
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Holy cow! This was fantastic bread…I halved the recipe and now I wish I hadn’t. Easy and quick enough to make every week. Thank you so very much for this recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this and it was wonderful, very easy and the texture was perfect. I usually never try anything with yeast, but this was so easy, I will make this many more times. Thank you for sharing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I wonder if this can be made with cinnamon and raisins? My family loves the cinn/raisin english muffins and I really want to try this…any idea?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since I haven’t ever tried that I might not be much help…maybe try Googling recipes for cinnamon raisin bread to figure out how much to add?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Made this today. Bread tastes great but would never make in my Kitchen Aid again. What a mess!! Too much dough at one time. Next time I would either cut the recipe in half or mix in a HUGE bowl by hand.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow!!!!! I’m upset I only made half the recipe, which only turned out one loaf, but I did use one less cup of flour and added a 1/4 more of water to get it to the “sticky barely mixed” condition. I could have added more flour but was afraid to work the bread to much and it get too chewy. This is by far the best plain old bread I’ve ever had! And I donake very successful bread often. I better with a steak haha. Which brings me to my next point- it reminds me of super yummy steak house bread! But softer! :) I just made grilled cheese with it and it is seriously the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had, thankstthe bread. Crunchy on the,outside but practically melts in your mouth on the inside! To anyone considering only making half this recipe,as well, my advice, if you have enough flour then make all 4 loaves! you’ll regret it if you don’t!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve had your recipe for a long time,but made 4 loaves christmas eve, then 4 more christmas day. We have one half of a loaf left. Everyone who came took it home. Easy, delicious bread. Didn’t use the rapid rise and had wonderful results. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you! Have a mob coming down after Christmas, and this is perfect!xxx
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have looked for this recipe for years…..a local bakery used to make this bread….awesome! Going to make some tomorrow! Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This bread is as delicious as you advertised. Thanks for posting it….
I have this bread rising right now – can’t wait for the finished product! Will be gifting with my home made Cara Cara Orange Marmalade – perfect combination! Thank you for posted!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.are the loaf pans the regular sized pans or the throw-away alum. oil pans which are smaller, I think?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used the alum pans and it worked out fine.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just made this english muffin bread and it was beyond amazing!!!! I will be switching to making this instead of my standard white bread!!! Thanks!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Made this today, as I am thinking to give as gifts with Cinnamon Honey Butter……it is easy and fantastic! I followed recipe exactly – used 2 regular loaf pans and 4 mini loaf pans (the kind that are all 4 in the same pan) greased with butter and it worked beautifully! The minis were done about 10 min before the others, and all were golden and beautiful. Awesome, inexpensive gifts! Thank you so much – for this and all the great ideas on your blog. Merry Christmas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hey, thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I just reviewed it on my new blog at http://hippievision.com/english-muffin-bread/.
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