Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins

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Whole wheat sourdough English muffins are a simple and wholesome way to start the morning. You’ll love the classic flavor and perfect open crumb. They are even better made with freshly milled flour!

At the time I was working on this whole wheat English muffin recipe, my girls collected bags of Brandywine crabapples from my under my parents’ tree.

We used them for a large batch of crabapple butter in the pressure cooker. Oh my, the combo of fresh apple butter with a wholegrain English muffin from scratch is heavenly!

Whole wheat English muffins make delicious egg sandwiches (or even lunch sandwiches) too.

This recipe is a variation on my white flour Sourdough English Muffins. Both versions are so simple to make.

The muffins come out with the “nooks” and “crannies” you would expect, and I have a helpful method for preventing undercooked centers.

Are Sourdough English Muffins Healthy?

Bread that is naturally leavened with sourdough starter is more easily digested and lower in gluten than yeasted breads.

The long fermentation times result in bread that is lower glycemic index than yeasted bread.

But you can take the health benefits of white flour sourdough bread a step further: bake breads with whole wheat flour for added fiber and nutrition!

These whole wheat sourdough English muffins will keep you full and satisfied.

Flour and Starter Notes

Arguably the tastiest whole wheat flour you can use for baking is flour that you mill yourself at home.

More of the sweet, grassy flavors come through the grain instead of the bitter notes that are sometimes associated with whole wheat.

I finely milled hard white wheat berries for the English muffins pictured. A hard red wheat would work as well without making adjustments to the recipe.

Tip: Weigh your wheat berries prior to milling to make the exact amount of flour you need for this recipe! Then mill a little extra for rolling/cutting the English muffins.

Of course, you can purchase whole wheat flour to bake with if you don’t have a mill.

As far as the starter goes, a whole wheat starter or a white flour starter will work. You could also feed a portion of a white flour starter with whole wheat flour to use for this recipe.

Just make sure your starter is ripe (at its peak) when you use it for the best results.

Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins Baking Schedule

*The strength of your starter, the temperature in your home, and other factors will affect how long each step in the recipe will take. This timeline is assuming a final dough temp of 80°F with an ambient temp of 68°F.

Approximate timing:

• Mix: 5 minutes
• Bulk fermentation: 6 hours
• Cut and proof: 30 minutes
• Brown in skillet and bake: 20 minutes

Feed your starter several hours prior to baking the recipe and allow it to peak.

Tips for Making Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins

• Bulk ferment the dough until it has doubled in size. Using a healthy starter and not over-fermenting the dough will prevent your English muffins from coming out with a sour flavor.
• As much as possible, avoid re-rolling the dough as you are cutting your muffins. The more you work the dough, the more it will want to spring back. Cut the muffins as closely as possible to avoid leaving scraps.
• If you’re short on time, roll the dough into a rectangular shape 1/2-inch thick. Cut into squares with a floured bench scraper and proceed as normal. You’ll have no scraps this way.
• After proofing, cut the parchment paper with kitchen shears and invert the proofed english muffins into the hot skillet if the muffins are too delicate to transfer with your hands.

Recommended Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale
• Large mixing bowl
• Dough whisk or spoon
• Flexible dough scraper
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin
• 3-inch biscuit cutter (or a larger size round cutter)
• Half-sheet pan
• Instant read thermometer (important for testing doneness)
• Cooling rack

How to Make Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins – Step-by-Step

Step 1 – Mix the Whole Wheat English Muffin Dough

Once your starter is at its peak, whisk together the starter, water, salt, honey, and melted butter in a bowl.

Then stir in your flour until no dry flour remains. The dough will be fairly loose and shaggy in the bowl.

Cover the dough, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 2 – Bulk Ferment with Stretch-and-Folds

Now you’ll perform three sets of stretch-and-folds on the dough at 30-minute intervals, covering the dough in between sets.

Pull the dough gently upwards as high as you can without the dough tearing, then fold it back down over itself.

Rotate the bowl to continue stretching and folding your way around the bowl once. This is the first set.

If your dough seems quite strong after two sets of stretch-and-folds (is resisting being stretched), you can skip the third set.

After the stretch-and-folds are complete, allow the dough to rest at warm room temperature, covered, for the remainder of bulk fermentation.

You’ll know you’re ready to move on to the next step when the dough has doubled in volume.

Step 3 – Cutting and Proofing Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins

It’s pretty quick to cut out the English muffins.

Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and sprinkle the pan lightly with semolina or cornmeal. Semolina will add texture to the muffins and prevent sticking.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and lightly flour the top of the dough.

Use a dampened bench scraper to flip the mass of dough over, if necessary, so the smoothest side is facing up.

Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to a half-inch thickness without degassing it. Those air pockets in the dough will give us the open crumb that we’re after.

Flour a 3-inch or larger round cutter so you can cut the muffins without the cutter sticking. (If you’re in a pinch, use the mouth of a glass jar or drinking glass as a cutter.)

Arrange the muffins evenly on the prepared pan and sprinkle the tops with a little additional semolina. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and set them in a warm place to rest (proof) for 20 minutes.

Don’t expect them to rise much during this rest time.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack set in the center. Also preheat a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat (or use an electric griddle set to 300°F).

Step 3 – Browning in the Skillet and Finishing in the Oven

After the muffins have rested, transfer them to the preheated skillet to brown to your liking. Flip to brown the tops as well. (*See tips section above if the muffins are too delicate to transfer by hand.)

Finally, place them back on the baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until the centers of the muffins register 200°F on an instant read thermometer.

(If you prefer to finish your muffins on the stove, use a skillet set to low or medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook until the proper internal temperature is reached, but keep the skillet low enough to prevent over-browning.)

Allow them to cool before you split them.

How to Open an English Muffin

To properly expose the wonderfully craggy centers of the muffins, you’ll want to split them in halves with a fork instead of cutting them with a bread knife.

English muffins are the best eaten toasted!

How to Store Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins

These will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. Just insure they’ve cooled completely before you store them.

For longer storage, I’d recommend the freezer (not the refrigerator). Split them ahead of time, if you like. A zipper freezer bag works well for storage, and you can pull them out for easy breakfasts later on.

If you make this recipe and love it, I would be so grateful if you would come back to leave a star rating and a comment. Your feedback is very appreciated!

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