Sourdough English Muffins (overnight recipe!)

These sourdough English muffins have been a true labor of love—tested, tweaked, and perfected over nearly four months until they checked every box. I wanted a muffin that was light and airy on the inside, golden and crisp on the outside, and packed with rich, balanced flavor.

What makes this version extra special is the use of a sweet honey levain, which makes for for maximum flavor and ease. The result? A dreamy English muffin that’s as practical as it is delicious—soft, tender, and perfect for toasting, sandwiching, or slathering with butter and jam.

What is an English Muffin?

An English muffin is a small, round, flat bread typically cooked on a griddle or skillet rather than baked. It’s known for its soft, chewy interior and signature golden-browned top and bottom, often dusted with cornmeal. When split open—ideally by hand or fork—it reveals a nooks-and-crannies texture that’s perfect for catching melted butter, jam, or eggs. Despite the name, they’re a staple breakfast bread in the U.S. and loved for their versatility.

My journey to the perfect sourdough English muffin

I started this journey because, frankly, I was disappointed with the sourdough English muffin recipes out there. So many of them yielded dense, under-cooked centers, fussy shaping, and a process that felt more frustrating than fulfilling.

The perfect English muffin is certainly subjective, but I was on a mission to create one that felt light and airy, had no overwhelming sour tang, and came together in a way that felt seamless and flexible. I wanted a method that worked with my schedule, not against it, and produced consistent, bakery-worthy results.

After nearly four months of testing and refining, this sweet levain-based, overnight option is the one I kept coming back to—it finally checks all the boxes.

Why I love this recipe

• Trusted recipe: these sourdough English muffins are adapted from my dear friend Rebekah (@thatsourdoughgal) and I’s collaborative recipe Soft Sourdough Breadsticks (olive garden dupe).

Find her recipe using this magical dough on her blog Overnight Sourdough Hot Dog Buns.

• Light, airy texture with just the right amount of chew—perfect for toasting or sandwiching

• Made with a sweet honey levain, giving the muffins a gentle flavor and subtle complexity without any sourness

• Reliable results every time—no guesswork, no dense centers, just beautifully golden English muffins that split like a dream.

Troubleshooting: FAQ’s

Why is the center of my English muffin dense?

A dense middle usually means the dough was under-proofed. These muffins need to be light, puffy, and airy before they ever hit the skillet—if they still feel heavy or tight, let them rise longer.

Another culprit? Too much heat on the pan. If the outside cooks too quickly, the center won’t have time to fully set. Cook low and slow for even doneness.

My dough feels very sticky—what should I do?

This recipe is 73% hydration, so a slightly sticky dough is totally normal at first. After a few minutes of kneading or a couple stretch-and-folds, it will smooth out and become easier to work with. You can lightly flour your hands or the surface, but avoid adding too much flour—it’s meant to be a soft dough for that airy crumb.

Why didn’t my muffins puff up?

Make sure your levain is active and bubbly before mixing the dough. Also double check that you let them proof fully—if they haven’t visibly risen and feel light when handled, they’re not ready. A cold kitchen can slow things down, so be patient.

Why are my muffins flat?

If the muffins spread too much during the final proof, the dough may have been over-proofed or too warm. Try chilling them briefly before cooking to help hold their shape.

How to make sourdough English muffins: step-by-step

Baker’s schedule: Make the sweet levain in the morning, mix the dough in the evening and allow it to rest overnight (8-10 hours). Shape the English muffins the following morning, allow to rest (3-5 hours) and bake.

Need more time? After the first rise, the sourdough English muffin dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours for added flexibility and flavor development.

Ingredients

For the sweet levain (optional)

• 15 grams active sourdough starter
• 15 grams honey or sugar
• 40 grams water (decrease to 30 grams if using honey)
• 40 grams flour (all-purpose or bread flour)

Do I have to use a sweet levain? No. A regular 100% hydration sourdough starter works perfectly. Just make sure it’s active, bubbly, and at its peak when you mix the dough. Keep in mind, it may produce a slightly more tangy flavor.

For the dough:

• 80 grams of sweet levain (from above)
• 290 grams milk
• 35 grams honey or sugar
• 55 grams avocado oil (melted unsalted butter can be used as well)
• 420 grams bread flour
• 9 grams salt
• 1/4 cup of cornmeal for dusting the English muffins
• 1-2 tablespoons of butter for frying the English muffins

Equipment

• Food scale
• Mixing bowl
• Bench/dough scraper
• Large baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Instructions

Make the sweet levain

• In the morning mix together the sourdough starter, sugar (or honey if using), and water in a small jar until mostly dissolved. Then add the flour and mix until combined. Cover the jar loosely, and let it rest until doubled in size (6-8 hours).

Mix the dough

**The dough can be mixed by hand or a stand mixer

• In the evening, (once the levain has doubled in size), combine the levain, honey (or sugar if using), milk, and avocado oil (or melted butter if used). Stir to combine. Using cold milk is perfectly fine—it helps slow fermentation, making it ideal for a long overnight rise without the risk of overproofing.

• Next, add the flour and salt until a shaggy dough is formed. It will be sticky- this is normal.

• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes, then knead by hand or mixer for 5 to 8 minutes until mostly smooth. Use flour to assist with stickiness, but try not exceed more than 1/4 cup.

Pro tip: The dough will feel sticky—and may become stickier as you knead. To avoid overworking it or adding too much flour, let the dough rest for 10–15 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, making it much easier to finish kneading afterward.

• Once the dough has come together, is smoother, and slightly tacky cover it in a buttered bowl and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.

• Perform 1 stretch and fold to the dough after it has rested, cover it, and let it rest overnight (8-10 hours)

Shape the sourdough English muffins

• By morning, the dough should look domed, puffy, and well-risen.

• The next morning, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and generously sprinkle it with cornmeal. Also, prepare a separate plate with cornmeal for coating the dough rounds.

• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces (about 85–90 grams each).

• Gently shape each piece into a smooth ball by tucking the seams underneath and pulling the dough toward you to create surface tension. It is normal for the dough to be a little sticky use flour to assist with this.

• Dip both sides in cornmeal and set the muffins on the parchment paper lined pan space slightly apart.

• Cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap or a dampened towel and let them rest until doubled in size (3-5 hours) depending on the temperature in your home.

I love using these proofing bags for covering my large baking trays!

Pro tip: Place the tray in the oven with the light turned on for gentle warmth.

Bake the sourdough English muffins

• The sourdough English muffins are ready to be baked once they are doubled in size, airy, and puffy. They should be very light and delicate to the touch.

• Once the sourdough English muffins have finished their second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over low heat and add a tablespoon of butter.

• Working in batches of 3 or 4, gently transfer the muffins to the skillet (lightly oil a spatula for easy transferring) and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly golden and set on the surface.

• Once the muffins are griddled, transfer them back to the parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fully cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 200–205°F (93–96°C) to ensure doneness.

• Allow the sourdough English muffins to cool completely before splitting open with a fork to reveal the light, airy crumb. If you slice the English muffins while they’re still warm, the crumb may appear dense and gummy.

• Sourdough English muffins toast beautifully and are the perfect match for fresh jam or butter.

Storage Instructions

• Allow English muffins to cool completely before storing. For short-term storage, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

• For the best long-term freshness, freeze the muffins in a zip-top bag or airtight container. To reheat, simply toast them straight from frozen—this preserves their texture and flavor beautifully, just like they were freshly made.

More sourdough recipes

• Homemade Sourdough Bagels (made easy!)
• Easy Sourdough Donuts
• Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls (soft & sweet!)
• Ham Cheese & Chive Sourdough Scones