Fresh Milled Sourdough English Muffins

A quick and easy overnight english muffin recipe that will fit perfectly in your sourdough rotation. Made with fresh-milled flour, and packed with flavor. Let’s make a batch!

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Waking up to warm English muffins has a way of making the whole morning feel cozy. And the way butter and homemade strawberry jam melts into all those little nooks? That’s more than breakfast… it’s a moment.

Why we love these English muffins

• Unmatched flavor: Fresh-milled flour adds a deeper, nuttier taste that makes each bite more rich and complex.
• Better nutrition: Milling flour right before baking preserves more vitamins, minerals, and healthy oils.
• Delightful texture: Tender on the inside with a perfectly crisp exterior and signature sourdough tang.
• Naturally leavened: Long fermentation supports easier digestion and improved nutrient absorption.
• No unnecessary additives: Just simple, wholesome ingredients. Nothing extra needed.
• Versatile: Ideal for breakfast sandwiches, toast with jam, or a savory snack.
• Freezer friendly: Make a batch, freeze, and enjoy artisan-quality flavor anytime.

Equipment needed

• Grain mill (I use the Nutrimill Harvest) code “acresandaprons” will save you at checkout.
• Mixing bowl
• Parchment paper or a silicone liner
• Stand mixer (Here’s my favorite Bosch stand mixer from Nutrimill)
• Baking sheets
• Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• 100g (½ cup) active sourdough starter
• 20g (1 tablespoon) honey (or substitute sugar or maple syrup) shop Azure for all of your staple ingredients
• 240g (1 cup) milk, or water
• 330g (3 cups) fresh-milled hard white wheat berries shop Azure for all of your staple ingredients
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 40g (¼ cup) cornmeal (for sprinkling)

Instructions

Mill your flour

• Mill your wheat berries on your finest setting to create 330g flour. Freshly milled flour is best used right away while it’s still warm and full of nutrients.

Make your dough

• In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine 100g sourdough starter, 20g of honey, 240g of milk (or water, if using) 330g of fresh-milled flour, and 1 tsp of fine sea salt. Use your hands or a spoon to mix until everything comes together into a rough dough. Or mix on low speed in your stand mixer, if using. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30–60 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate (this is called an autolyse).

Knead your dough

• After resting, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively you can also knead with a stand mixer and dough hook on low for 5 minutes) Place the dough back into the bowl, cover, and let it ferment at room temperature (65–70°F) for 8–12 hours, or until it has doubled in size and looks puffy.

Shape the english muffins

• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly flour the top. Gently press it out with your fingertips until it’s about ½ inch thick. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with a little cornmeal. Sprinkle a little more cornmeal on top of each muffin, cover with a tea towel, and let them rise for 1 hour at room temperature. They won’t grow much in height but this rest period is crucial for light and airy muffins.

Cook the muffins

• Preheat a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the cast iron with the remaining cornmeal, and gently transfer 4 muffins into the skillet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Cover and cook for 4 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes on the second side. The key here is cooking over a low heat so the bottoms don’t burn. Covering the muffins when cooking them will result in a taller, fluffier muffin. The muffins are done when the center reaches about 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Let them cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Yields 10-12 muffins.

Serving English muffins

• Warm with butter & jam — A classic you can’t beat.
• Mini Sandwich Sliders — Fill with eggs & cheese, chicken salad, or fixings you like.
• Sourdough Eggs Benedict — Swap for traditional English muffin in a classic Benedict.
• Charcuterie Base — Serve toasted halves as bases for meats and cheeses.
• Breakfast Burgers — Use as a bun for sausage or smash burgers with fried egg.

However you decide to serve your fresh milled sourdough English muffins, we feel confident you’ll love them just as much as we do! This is a great recipe to share with a friend, too! It’s a simple introduction to fresh milled flour with all of its extraordinary flavor and exceptional nutrition. Want to learn more about fresh milled flour and get my favorite recipes delivered to your inbox? Check out my Guide to Fresh Milled Grains here!

Other recipes you might like

• Fresh milled Belgian Liège waffles
• Fresh milled Dutch baby pancake
• Raw milk yogurt
• Homemade chocolate syrup
• Raw milk Panna Cotta

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