If you love homemade bread as much as we do, next time check out these other Restless Chipotle no knead bread recipes!
Tons of crags and craters plus the crusty bits make this English muffin bread the best!Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love it
Reader Review: (5 stars) Made this tonight, and I was a little nervous as I’ve never attempted bread before. Easy recipe to follow and turned out absolutely delicious!!! Was going to share my second loaf with a neighbor but I changed my mind after the first bite! ~Rachel
- Big, holey texture that butter and honey can pool into like real English muffins.
- Takes less than an hour!
- No kneading required.
Let's start with the fact that it's a perfectly toastable, no fail loaf. No kneading, waiting for hours for it to rise, you don't even need to pull out the mixer!
Stir the ingredients together, scoop in to a loaf pan, let dough rise for about 20 minutes and then bake! Yeast bread just doesn't get easier than this!
Homemade English muffin bread is delicious spread with melty butter and honey or jam... but try it for French toast sometime. It's unbelievable!
You might even love it better than regular English muffins.
Here's an easy no knead sandwich batter bread that you'll love, too!!
📋 Ingredients
You'll just need basic ingredients for this recipe - most are probably in your pantry.
Simple ingredients for quick and easy English muffin toasting bread.🔪 Instructions
This is an easy, no-knead yeast loaf. You don't need a mixer or a breadmaker - just a big wooden spoon!
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
- Butter two 9x5-inch bread pans.
- Dust with cornmeal.
- Add the sugar to the water in small bowl.
- Stir in the yeast.
- Set aside until foamy.
- Blend the dry ingredients.
- Add the yeast mixture to a large
mixing bowl . - Add the milk.
- Add ENOUGH FLOUR TO GIVE YOU A SOFT GOOPY DOUGH.
- Spoon the dough from the large bowl into each prepared loaf pan. Try to keep the amount of batter in each one equal. Set aside in a warm place to double. Dust the tops of the dough with cornmeal and bake until the top of the loaves are golden brown.
- Cool loaves.
- Slice.
🎥 Video
Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.
🥫 Storage
This simple English muffin bread will stay fresh for a day or two if it's sealed in an airtight food storage container and kept at room temperature. From scratch recipes don't last as long as commercial loaves.
For longer storage wrap it securely in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil (or put it in a freezer container) and freeze for up to 3 months.
I like to slice it up, place parchment squares between the slices, and freeze it that way. When I need a slice or two it's easy to get out without thawing the whole loaf.
You may think I am crazy but this is the BEST bread to spoon leftover Angel Chicken over for a comforting, quick meal.
💭 Things to know
This is an easy bread recipe to stir together by hand. I DO NOT recommend making it with an electric mixer because it will get over beaten, even on low speed, and your perfect texture will be lost.
Expert Tip: You can let the dough for this English muffin loaf rise overnight in the refrigerator if you want to save time in the morning or if you prefer to develop the flavor more. Spray plastic wrap with no stick spray and cover the batter so it won't dry out.
- You can use instant yeast - just add it in with the dry ingredients and skip the first step.
- You can make two large loaves of English muffin bread with this recipe or you can double it and make four. I'd double it if I were you — it tends to disappear quickly and you can freeze it.
- Use coarsely ground cornmeal to dust the pans. It will give you that flavor and craggy texture that the conventional English muffins have. If you don't have any cornmeal you can just dust the pan with flour instead. Not a big deal but not as good either.
- Make sure your water temperature isn't too hot nor too cold. This is important! Use a thermometer if you're not an experienced baker.
- Just use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- The batter should be very loose and gloopy. If you add too much flour you won't have those lovely nooks & craters, crags and crannies! See the video or step by step images for a visual of gloopy.
- Your rise time may vary. In a cool kitchen you may need a bit longer and in a warm kitchen it may be a bit shorter.
- Don't cave to the temptation to slice it and eat it while it's warm. Cool and then be sure to slice and toast it. It makes perfect toast!
- You don't need glass bread pans - any kind you have will be fine. I prefer glass but that's a personal preference not a requirement.
I've seen a lot of images for similar recipes (sometimes called toasting bread) on Pinterest. It bothers me that so many of the slices look almost exactly like a slice of regular bread.
As far as I am concerned it's not right unless it has that coarse, bumpy texture (to hold the butter and honey, of course) and distinct flavor. It shouldn't taste like bread at all! It's got to taste like a...
(say it with me...)... ENLISH MUFFIN!!!
Accept no substitutes!
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Yes you can but I don't recommend it. The bread machine over mixes the dough and you don't get the great texture. I had one reader say that it broke her machine. This ONLY requires stirring and it's so easy. Making it by hand is best. If you must - I've given instructions in the body of the post.
Not really. It does help give the English muffin bread that traditional flavor and texture, though.
There are a couple of ways. Using an insta-read thermometer is easiest. Just poke it down in the center of the loaf and it's done when it's 190F -200F. You can tap it and it will sound hollow. Once you get some experience you'll just know!
It sounds like it rose too long. Check out this troubleshooting guide for yeast doughs.
Yes, that should be fine!
2 packets will work just fine.
🔍 What Is Gloopy?
I've had so many people ask what a gloopy dough is so I grabbed one of the images from the video. This is the perfect texture!
It's a very wet dough. Usually if you can't get the bumpy texture like in my pictures you've added too much flour because you're afraid of the sticky dough.
📚 Related recipes
More homemade bread recipes
This cinnamon raisin bread is made right in a
📞 The last word
Make this easy egg bites recipe to go alongside! Add this rhubarb pineapple jam from my friend Deb at Bowl Me Over and omigosh...heaven.
Y'all, I've been making this SO many years and it never gets boring! So delicious and it works every. single. time.
Be sure to watch the video so you can see the texture that the dough should have. As long as you match that texture you'll be fine.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
English Muffin Bread Recipe
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 4 ½ cups flour, you may need less or a little more
- 2 tablespoons yeast, or 2 packets
- 1 tablespoon honey, or sugar
- ¼ cup warm water, 110F
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ¼ cups warm milk, 110F
- Butter and cornmeal for greasing and dusting the pans
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, honey, and water. Set aside.
- Stir the salt, baking soda, and flour together.
- Add the milk and one cup of the flour to the yeast mixture.
- Blend well.
- Add the remaining flour, OR ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU A SOFT GOOPY DOUGH and beat.
- You should have a very soft, goopy dough. Yes. I said goopy. See the video for a visual.
- Spoon the dough into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and dusted with the cornmeal.
- Set aside in a warm place until the batter has doubled and is at the top of the pans, or a little above. This may take 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425F
- Dust the tops of the loaves with cornmeal and bake for 15 minutes or so. Loaf will sound hollow when tapped.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes if you want a crisper, more golden crust.
- Cool and slice.
Notes
- The pans I use are 9x5-inch.
- ANY kind of loaf pan is fine - I prefer glass but you can use aluminum, cast iron, or whatever.
- You can make two large loaves of with this recipe or you can double it and make four. I'd double it if I were you — it tends to disappear quickly and you can freeze it if you need to.
- Use coarsely ground cornmeal to dust the pans. It will give you that flavor and slight texture that the conventional English muffins have. If you don't have any cornmeal you can just dust the pan with flour instead. Not a big deal but not as good either.
- Just use all-purpose flour in this recipe. No need for bread flour.
- The batter should be very loose and gloopy. If you add too much flour you won't have those lovely nooks and crannies.
- Don't cave to the temptation to slice it and eat it hot. Cool at least part way and then be sure to slice and toast it. It will be better that way.
- You can make this with whole wheat flour, half whole wheat and half white.
- Feel free to add raisins, dried cranberries, dates, etc. About ½ cup is right.
- You don't need glass bread pans - any kind you have will be fine. I prefer glass but that's a personal preference not a requirement.
- Cut the ingredient measurements in half.
- Place all of the ingredients in the bucket of your bread machine, or as instructed by the manufacturer.
- Program for basic white bread with a light crust.
- Remove when done baking.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Originally published August 2011. Last updated January 13, 2023 for editorial improvements.
Helen Marshall says
If you are going to make this bread, don't use metal pans. Mine stuck so bad that I destroyed the loaf getting it out. It was so disappointing, but I don't own any glass loaf pans. The temperature is a bit too high to line them with parchment. I will be enjoying the bread anyway, but it isn't a pretty sight.
Marye says
The metal pans shouldn't have made it stick if they were greased and dusted with cornmeal as directed. I've baked this in metal and glass - I just prefer glass.
Jackie Perkins says
Love this, I can't wait to make it, I just watched the video.
Thank you!
Me too says
So easy to make & delicious also!
Geri says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Cal Abriola says
This bread is worth the dough! (Ha) I would give it 10 stars. Toast it with a little butter or honey and you're in heaven. I have made it several times for friends and they love it too.
Excellent recipe.
Jenn says
I have made this many times, and it's always gone in no time. I even gave 2 loaves as gifts recently, and they're in love with it. Thank you so much for such an easy to follow recipe and easy to manage steps.
Ashlee says
I love this recipe! Although I am not a great baker the last few times I have made it, shorty after putting in the oven it drops! What am I doing wrong?
Linda says
Thank you for sharing this bread recipe! Mine is rising now and I can't wait to see how is turns out!
Hazel says
If using the instant yeast do you still need to warm the water?
Marye says
Yes - liquids should always be around 105-110F when working with yeast doughs unless the instructions tell you otherwise.
Fredric Lawrence Prager says
We can't get regular yeast here in Thailand so can we use instant or rapid rise yeast? Can't wait to try the recipe!
Marye says
yes, either is fine. Just skip the proofing step.
Mandy says
This is really good and so easy! I halved the recipe and used semolina flour in place of the cornmeal. Out of habit, covered with plastic wrap for the rise, which was a bad idea because I didn’t grease it and the dough stuck to the plastic wrap horribly, so it deflated a bit, BUT it still turned out fine.
Janice House says
My bread had a big hole the full length of the loaf, almost the whole width of the loaf and about 1/2 inch tall. What would cause this.
Marye says
Generally this is caused by the top developing a crust during rising or it being left to rise too long.
CB says
Is there a step missing between 10 and 11? Green recipe cards says the below- are you supposed to turn the oven down after 15 minutes?
9 .Preheat the oven to 425F
10. Dust the tops of the loaves with cornmeal and bake for 15 minutes or so. Loaf will sound hollow when tapped.
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes if you want a crisper, more golden crust.
Marye says
No. It bakes in about 15 minutes but if you want a crisper crust let it go 20-25.
Kristy says
I have not tried this yet, but I was curious as to why you wouldn't use a bread machine? Thank you!
Marye says
The bread machine over-kneads the dough and the nooks and crannies don't form properly.
K Grote says
Hi, and thanks for this recipe! Family really enjoyed it. To be honest, I thought it was pretty darned perfect except the AP flour effect of not chewy. I think half the goodness of english muffins is the chewiness. So your recipe gives the craters, and the lovely crisp to the exterior. Why not go half bread flour and get chewy too? I'm just asking. Would the incorporation of some higher protein screw up the end product? Hope you have time to answer. All the best.
Julie says
Do you have a sour dough /discard variation recipie by chance?
Marye says
No, I don't.
Stan says
Love sourdough. I would sub a 1/4 cup of the milk for 60 grams of discard or 1/4 cup. Mix the discard, honey, and water. Set aside. Etc...
Marla says
I love this recipe, made it as is and it was phenomenal. Question, do you think this could be made in a 9x13 to make breakfast squares,
carol says
I have made this bread twice I don't put the whole amount of of flour in and it still does not stay Goopy, I even add more water than what it calls for
I
Marye says
Make sure you are scooping the flour lightly into the measuring cups.
Mary Ruth Harden says
Love this bread! Texture, flavor ease of making!
Stan says
Not sure if you will read or see this. I love sourdough, and have year old starter now. I would sub a 1/4 of the milk for 60 grams or a 1/4 cup of discard. Obviously, leave out the yeast. Mix the mix discard, honey, and water. Set aside.
Make the bread as per instructions.
Yvonne says
I made this today and it is very good. I think I need to let it rise more, because it was not as high as.the picture. Not a fan of the course cornmeal, I’ll use fine next time. This is an easy recipe, thank you. I wish I could attach a picture.
Linda Austin says
I have made this 6 or more times already. I love it!!! It's so easy to make and delicious! I am trying it today with raisins.