Description

These Honey Whole Wheat English Muffins are homemade delights made using a bread machine dough cycle, featuring a combination of white whole wheat and all-purpose flours sweetened with honey. They are cooked on a skillet for a golden crust and finished in the oven for perfect texture. The result is fluffy muffins with characteristic nooks and crannies to hold butter or jam, ideal for breakfast or snacks.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1⅓ cups milk (11 ounces)
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, chopped

Dry Ingredients

1¼ teaspoons sea or table salt
1 cup white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat flour)
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (organic if possible)
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Instructions

Add Ingredients to Bread Machine Pan: Add the milk, honey, salt, chopped butter, white whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and instant yeast to the bread machine pan in the order listed. Select the DOUGH cycle and press START to begin kneading and rising.
Check Dough Early: Open the lid within the first minute of mixing to ensure ingredients are combining properly. The dough should clump together but remain somewhat sticky.
Adjust Moisture Level if Needed: If the dough is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water in one tablespoon increments. Allow the machine to complete kneading and the first rise fully for ideal dough texture. Stickier dough can produce muffins with better holes and crevices.
Shape and Rest the Dough: Remove dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently press into a ball, cover it, and let rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
Shape Into Balls: Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball by pulling dough edges under and pinching the top. Wet hands help manage stickiness.
Flatten and Prepare for Rise: Place the dough balls on a parchment- or silicone-lined tray sprinkled with cornmeal. Flip each one to coat both sides with cornmeal. Gently flatten to about ¾-inch thick. Cover with greased plastic wrap and lay another tray or similar weight on top without pressing down. Let them rise until nearly doubled in size.
Brown the Muffins: Preheat a skillet or griddle to medium heat. Cook the muffins 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop a golden brown crust, adjusting heat or position to ensure even browning.
Bake to Finish: Return the browned muffins to the tray and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205–210°F. Cool on a wire rack. Use a fork to split muffins open before toasting for serving.

Notes

Using a bread machine for kneading and the first rise simplifies the process and ensures consistent dough development.
Adjust flour or water during mixing to achieve a slightly sticky dough for better muffin texture.
Coating the muffin surfaces with cornmeal prevents sticking and gives an authentic English muffin texture.
Finishing the cooking in the oven ensures the muffins bake through without burning the outside.
Splitting the muffins with a fork rather than cutting preserves the nooks and crannies to hold butter and jam better.

Prep Time: 20 minutes (includes resting and shaping time)
Cook Time: 15 minutes (skillet browning plus oven baking)
Category: Breakfast
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Honey whole wheat English muffins, bread machine English muffins, homemade English muffins, breakfast bread, stovetop bread