English Muffin Bread is everything you what in an English muffin except that you make it in a loaf pan. The nooks and crannies in this bread are what dreams are made of!
English muffin bread toasts up perfectly for your morning breakfast or for a tasty sandwich at lunch.
Jump to:
- The ingredient list:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- How this recipe came to be:
- Do I need a stand mixer to make this bread?
- Can English muffin bread be frozen after baking?
- How long can I freeze homemade English muffin bread?
- Should English muffin bread be stored in the refrigerator?
- What does the cornmeal do for this English muffin bread?
- What if I only want to make one loaf of bread?
- Homemade English muffin bread makes a wonderful gift, too!
- Additional bread recipes:
- The easy instructions:
- Printable Recipe Card
The ingredient list:
- Active Dry Yeast
- Warm Water
- Sugar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Milk
- Olive Oil
- Cornmeal
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- large mixing bowl or stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- measuring cups and spoons
- wooden spoon
- 2 standard loaf pans
- baking spray
- plastic wrap
How this recipe came to be:
If you're an English muffin lover like me, you're going to love this recipe I found in the cookbook called "Beard On Bread" written by James Beard.
While I have adapted the recipe ever so slightly over the years (I first made this recipe in 2010), the bones of this homemade English muffin bread recipe remains intact.
After all, who in their right mind thinks they can improve on a James Beard recipe?!! LOL
Do I need a stand mixer to make this bread?
Nope! Not at all. A large bowl and a wooden spoon will work just fine.
That said, at some point, you'll have to do some hand-kneading so be prepared to exert a little elbow grease.
I've made this bread both ways, and they've both worked well, but I probably got a little more height out of these loaves the times when I've made them in the stand mixer. Probably because they were kneaded a little bit longer.
Can English muffin bread be frozen after baking?
YES!!
Since this recipe makes two loaves, why not slice and eat one now and then wrap the other one well and freeze it for another time?
How long can I freeze homemade English muffin bread?
If wrapped well (with plastic wrap and inside a zip-top bag), this bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, slice, and eat.
Should English muffin bread be stored in the refrigerator?
Only if you don't plan on eating an entire loaf the same day that it is made.
To store this bread in the refrigerator, wrap it loosely in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
What does the cornmeal do for this English muffin bread?
Since the loaf pans are dusted with cornmeal, it prevents the bread from sticking to the pan, much like flouring a pan for a cake.
The cornmeal also gives the English muffin bread a nice crunch and texture to the outside of the loaf. It's not a necessity to use the cornmeal, but I certainly do recommend it for the best outcome!
What if I only want to make one loaf of bread?
That's easy! Just divide the recipe in half and carry on from there.
However, I don't know why you would want only one loaf. Especially when baking two is just as easy.
Homemade English muffin bread makes a wonderful gift, too!
Why not think about giving a loaf of English muffin bread as a gift? Tuck a loaf inside a pretty basket along with some flavored jams and breakfast tea blends.
Additional bread recipes:
No-Rise Whole Wheat French Bread (pictured below)
This quick whole-wheat French bread recipe has a light and delicate crumb and a wonderful French bread flavor. It’s one of the fastest French bread recipes I’ve ever made because the oven does all the work to eliminate the rise times.
Homemade Soda Bread with Fresh Herbs
Foolproof Italian Herb Parmesan Quick Bread (pictured below)
Italian Herb Parmesan Savory Quick Bread comes together in a snap with only one bowl, one spoon, and no kneading required. Make some today!
Oatmeal Honey Bread with Sunflower Seeds (pictured below)
If you’re looking for homemade bread with a lot of body and a touch of sweetness, then this Oatmeal Honey Bread with Sunflower Seeds is just the ticket!
The easy instructions:
- Dissolve the yeast in warm (to the touch) water.
- Add sugar to the yeast and water mixture, and allow it to sit until it gets foamy (approximately 5 minutes).
- Heat milk to warm and set aside for a moment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Add the warm milk to the flour and salt mixture and stir vigorously to combine. *Note - if using a stand mixer, use the dough hook on medium/low speed.
- Add the foamy yeast mixture to the bowl, and stir (or knead with the dough hook) well to bring the dough into a sticky ball.
- Continue kneading with the dough hook for approximately 3-4 minutes. OR, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (if doing by hand), and knead until the dough becomes slightly less sticky. *Note - the dough will still be moderately sticky.
- *Note - if needed add additional flour if the dough is too wet. It should be sticky but not soupy.
- Return the dough back to the bowl (if doing by hand), and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rise until doubled in volume in a warm, draft-free place for approximately 60 minutes.
- Once the dough has risen, mix together the baking soda and warm water.
- Add the dough back to the mixer and use the dough hook on medium speed to incorporate the baking soda and water thoroughly throughout the dough.
- OR, if doing by hand, stir the baking soda and water mixture vigorously and completely throughout the dough.
- Brush 2 standard loaf pans with olive oil.
- Sprinkle and shake the cornmeal to cover the bottom of the pans.
- Divide the dough in half and place each half into a loaf pan.
- Oil fingertips and press the dough evenly in the pan.
- Top each loaf with an even sprinkling of cornmeal (optional).
- Allow the bread to rise again in a warm, draft-free place for an additional 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Bake the English muffin bread in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans.
- Turn the bread out of the pans and allow to cool completely before slicing.
When you make this recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did. Google appreciates ratings on recipes and, in turn, will show my recipes to more people. Thank you!!
Printable Recipe Card
English Muffin Bread
Ingredients
- 4½ teaspoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm not hot water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 - 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 2¼ cups warm not hot milk
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup warm water.
- Add the sugar and stir.
- Set aside until the mixture gets foamy (approximately 5 minutes).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Add the warm milk to the flour and salt mixture and stir vigorously to combine. *Note - if using a stand mixer, use the dough hook on medium/low speed.
- Add the foamy yeast mixture to the bowl, and stir (or knead with the dough hook) well to bring the dough into a sticky ball.
- Continue kneading with the dough hook for approximately 3-4 minutes. OR, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (if doing by hand), and knead until the dough becomes slightly less sticky. *Note - the dough will still be moderately sticky.
- Return the dough back to the bowl (if doing by hand), and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rise until doubled in volume in a warm, draft-free place for approximately 60 minutes.
- Once the dough has risen, mix together the baking soda and warm water.
- Add the dough back to the mixer and use the dough hook on medium speed to incorporate the baking soda and water thoroughly throughout the dough.
- OR, if doing by hand, stir the baking soda and water mixture vigorously and completely throughout the dough.
- Brush 2 standard loaf pans with olive oil.
- Sprinkle and shake the cornmeal to cover the bottom of the pans.
- Divide the dough in half and place each half into a loaf pan.
- Oil fingertips and press the dough evenly in the pan.
- Top each loaf with an even sprinkling of cornmeal (optional).
- Allow the bread to rise again in a warm, draft-free place for an additional 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Bake the English muffin bread in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool the bread on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Turn the bread out of the pans and cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's easy yeast bread recipe as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
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Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Kim says
Any tweaks to make this at a higher altitude?
Renée says
Hi, Kim!
Sorry for the delay in answering your question.
I'm not an expert in high altitude baking, but here are a few suggestions for you to try:
-Reduce the baking temperature by 15-20 degrees.
-Reduce the baking time by 15 minutes and check for doneness. You want an internal temperature of 190 degrees.
-Add 1-2 tablespoons of additional flour to the recipe for added stability.
-I also suggest reducing the amount of dry yeast to 1 package (2¼ teaspoons) and not the 4½ teaspoons called for.
-Increase the amount of warm milk to 2½ cups.
-Reduce the proofing time as needed.
Due to lower air pressure baking at high altitudes will cause yeast bread to rise more rapidly and lose moisture quickly.
I hope this information is helpful, Kim.
Please let me know how it works for you.
Take good care, and happy high-altitude baking!
Renee
Jack says
I used tongues work in a full bakery and we had a mix for this bread. I had told my wife about it and when I found this recipe, I couldn't believe how easy it is to make. We just love it
Thanx for putting it out there
Renée says
My pleasure. So happy that you like it!
Renee
Deborah says
I have never successfully made bread, sweet breads come out perfect but simple sandwich breads always fail so seeing this recipe which is different than any bread recipe I’ve tried gives me hope. Wish me luck.
Renée says
Best of luck, Deborah.
I do hope you'll return to give me an update on how it went.
I'm positive you'll have been successful.
Take care,
Renee
Ellen says
This bread is so good! I’ll be making several loaves for Christmas presents along with some of our homemade jam!
Renée says
Those will be the perfect gifts for some lucky people!
Thanks so much for the lovely comment and review, Ellen!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Please visit me again,
Fondly,
Renee
Kimberly says
I finally tried this recipe and it came out great. Haven't tried the taste yet but everything came out great!
Renée says
I'm so glad your Englis muffin bread was a success.
I have absolutely no doubt you'll love the taste as well.
Thanks for letting me know and also for the 5-star rating.
I hope you'll visit again and try more of my recipes.
Have a great day!
Renee
Larraine says
I am so excited to see this recipe. Ever since Blake's Bakery closed in West Seattle many years ago I have been hunting both for a recipe or a bakery for English Muffin Bread the measures up to their great standard. I can hardly wait to try it!
Renée says
Hi, Larraine!
I certainly hope this recipe measures up. I feel as though it will but I'd love to know for sure.
Please let me know.
Take good care,
Renee
Carrey says
I once had a recipe similar to this called House Bread, it was a recipe of Vincent Price and I made it frequently and loved it.... my recipe box was lost in a move and I never found the recipe again.... so glad to see this one and I'm going to try it out.
Renée says
Hi, Carrey!
I hope this English muffin bread recipe stands up against Vincent Price's. I've seen some of his cookbooks before, but sadly don't own any.
I've heard they are good recipes. Anyway, I love this particular recipe and I hope you do too.
Take good care and let me know what you think.
Renee
henrietta m powell says
There are several of the original "Poofy" cover, gold Vincent Price cookbook available on eBay and Amazon. A really good condition goes for $399.00 but I bought a lesser condition for $26. I'm looking forward to making his version of this muffin bread as Renee's is delicious.
Renée says
I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe, Henrietta. I've seen some of the Vincent Price's cookbooks and wish I could afford them.
I'm curious about your $26 one and will have to look again at Amazon and see if I can snag one for that kind of price (Vincent, LOL).
Thanks for writing me, and for the 5 star rating! I appreciate it SO much!
Enjoy your day, Henrietta!
Renee
Jen says
Made it last week for camp and everyone raved on it! Question as I’m still fairly new to baking?! Would it be possible to swap all-purpose for wheat flour??
Renée says
Hi, Jen!
So glad to hear that the bread was a hit. You can definitely sub whole wheat flour for the AP flour. Be aware that the texture of the completed bread may be a bit heavier with the wheat flour. That said, you can also substitute only a portion of the AP with the whole wheat flour (and make up the difference with the AP flour), and then the heavier texture of the baked bread won't be nearly as noticeable. I hope this makes sense, and I hope this helps.
Take good care and great question. Also, thanks for the 5-star rating!
Renee
Dena says
Can you make this in a bread machine?
Renée says
Hi, Dena.
Because the dough is so wet and doesn't need kneading, I suggest not making it in a bread machine.
Thank you.
Renee
Ceely K says
My very first attempt at making bread .... and it was a huge success... thank you
Zeta says
Hi Renee,
I was wondering if you oiled your fingers before you split the dough in half. I just split mine and had a bit if sticky dough on my hands. Also you don’t say to cover the bread pans. Am I just being silly not to cover them?
Renée says
Hi, Zeta!
I did not oil my fingers, but it's a great idea to keep things cleaner.
Also, I did not cover my bread pans, but you can certainly do so if you like.
I hope you enjoy the bread. It's one of my favorite recipes.
Take good care, Zeta!
Renee