Gelatin Free Classic English Muffins

Total time2 hr 10 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time20 min

4.8

(15)

Those golden, cornmeal-dusted rounds cooked low and slow on a cast iron skillet are the kind of breakfast staple that makes weekend mornings feel genuinely special. The dough comes together from pantry basics — milk, butter, flour, yeast, and a little sugar — with absolutely no gelatin or stabilizers in sight, which is more than you can say for many store-bought versions that sneak in unexpected additives. The real magic here is in the technique: patting the dough by hand rather than rolling it preserves all those gas bubbles that become the legendary nooks and crannies once you fork-split the finished muffin. That fork-splitting step isn't just charming — it tears along the natural crumb structure so every craggy surface is ready to catch butter or jam in the best possible way. The stovetop cooking method gives each muffin a deeply browned, almost caramelized crust on both flat faces while keeping the interior soft and chewy. These are the kind of English muffins that ruin the packaged kind for you permanently.

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fine salt
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
¼ cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¼ cup fine cornmeal, for dusting

Instructions

1
Combine the milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture reaches about 110°F (43°C) — warm to the touch but not hot. Remove from heat.
2
Stir the yeast into the warm water in a large mixing bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.

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