Barley Free English Muffins (Stovetop)

Total time2 hr 20 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time30 min

4.7

(5)

Homemade English muffins feel like a weekend luxury, but this stovetop version brings them well within reach of any weeknight cook. The dough comes together with pantry staples — all-purpose flour, milk, yeast, and a little butter — and the entire process happens on your skillet, no oven required. That low-and-slow griddle method is what builds the deep golden crust and the soft, airy interior that makes these so satisfying to pull apart. Speaking of pulling apart: using a fork to split them around the equator is the move that unlocks all those signature nooks and crannies, perfect for catching melted butter or jam. Store-bought English muffins can be a minefield when you're avoiding barley, since malt flavoring and barley flour show up in ingredient lists more often than you'd expect — this recipe keeps things clean and straightforward with zero ambiguity. The cornmeal dusting adds a subtle crunch to the exterior and a classic look that makes these taste like they came straight from a bakery counter. Once you've made a batch, it's genuinely hard to go back to the packaged kind.

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 cup whole milk
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tbsp fine cornmeal, for dusting

Instructions

1
Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it reaches 105–110°F (40–43°C) — it should feel warm but not hot on your wrist. Remove from heat, sprinkle in the yeast and sugar, stir briefly, and let stand for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2
Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and the melted butter, then stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms — it will be softer than bread dough and will not fully pull away from the bowl.

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