1. This recipe can be mixed by hand or a stand mixer (be careful not to overwork the dough in a stand mixer).

   If using active dry yeast:Warm the 120 grams of water to about 90–95°F (warm to the touch, not hot). Add the active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar, stir, and let it sit for 5–10 minutes. It should become creamy, bubbly, and foamy.Tip: Liquids hotter than 95°F can damage the yeast, so keep it just warm.

   If using instant yeast:Instant yeast can go straight into the bowl with the flour and other dry ingredients…no need to activate it first. Just make sure the milk and water are still warm (not hot) so the dough rises well.

2. Next add the sourdough discard, milk, honey (or sugar), and oil or melted butter.
3. Add the flour and salt (instant yeast can be tossed in at this point).. .mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very sticky and loose at this stage, that’s completely normal.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-30 minutes.

Build strength in the dough

1. Instead of traditional kneading, we gently strengthen the dough.

2. You can either:

   Use a scoop-and-slap method right in the bowl, quite literally slapping the dough against the bowl (see video above) or perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 15–20 minutes apart.

3. The dough will still be sticky after this, this is what makes them light and airy.
4. After this is complete, cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until puffy and nearly doubled, about 60–90 minutes.

Shape the sourdough discard English muffins

1. Tip: For easier shaping, chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight for the best handling and flavor.
2. When ready to shape the muffins, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with cornmeal.
3. You can simply cut or rip off pieces of dough (because it is sticky!), about 85 grams each (I ended up with 10 muffins). Gently shape each piece into a rough ball no need for perfection. Cornmeal or rice flour works wonders when shaping this sticky dough.
4. Gently coat both sides in cornmeal, then lightly flatten each piece into a round. No need for perfection here (see shaping video above if needed).

5. Cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap or a dampened towel and let them rest until almost doubled in size (about an hour).

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

Bake the sourdough discard English muffins

1. Once the sourdough discard English muffins are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over low heat and add a tablespoon of butter.
2. 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.
3. Once the muffins are griddled, transfer them back to the parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until fully cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 200–205°F (93–96°C) to ensure doneness.
4. Allow the sourdough discard 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.
5. Sourdough discard English muffins toast beautifully and are the perfect match for fresh jam or butter.

Storage Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.