If you love English muffins, wait until you try this homemade gluten free English muffins recipe. Slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside with lots of nooks and crannies.
This recipe has been in the works for months and I finally nailed it. I am happy to say these English muffins are also dairy-free and egg-free, making them vegan too!
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After many, many attempts over the past few months, I have finally perfected my homemade gluten free English muffins recipe! It was a wonderful celebration with everyone adding butter to their hot English muffins and then devouring them!
If you have missed English muffins since going gluten free, you are in for a treat with this simple gluten free breakfast recipe. All you need is four ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! For more breakfast ideas, check out all of my gluten free breakfast recipes.
Why this recipe is great:
It is so much cheaper to make your own gluten free English muffins from scratch! Store-bought muffins are expensive! One thing you will love about this recipe is how allergy-friendly they are.
These are not only gluten free, but they are egg-free and dairy-free too, making them completely vegan! You can also use a sourdough starter if you like.
This recipe has so few ingredients, you probably already have everything you need to make these! Serve these with my Garden Vegetable Shakshuka and dip them in!
What you need to make this recipe:
- Gluten free flour blend - I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend, and Nameste. Note with Nameste you will need a lot of extra water since that blend is starchy.
- Note if your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, you will need to add that too.
- Baking soda, sugar, and salt
- Water - purified is best because the chlorine in tap water really can mess with yeast and rising.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: In a glass bowl, add the sugar and yeast to warm water. Allow the yeast to sit and ferment for 10 minutes. Make sure the water is about 120º F.
Tip: Use purified water if you can. The chlorine in tap water may affect your yeast and hinder its growth.
Step 2 
Step 3
Step 2: In a large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to blend.
Step 3: Pour the yeast mixture (or sourdough starter) in, then add the additional water. Mix well and allow to rise. I let my dough rise overnight, which seems to really help the English muffins be lighter.
Step 4 Step 5
Step 4: I am so sorry for the horrible photos in steps 4 and 5. I was making these early morning and it was dark and my kitchen lights weren't great. Anyway, for step 4, this photo gives you an idea of the batter consistency. You will note the batter is like very thick pancake batter
I have made tried making gluten free English muffins multiple times with multiple fails. I first tried using batter you could shape with your hands but the dough was way too dense and I didn't get the nooks and crannies that English muffins are famous for.
Step 5: Time to cook your English muffins. I used mason jar lids (without the middle part) and I made some without. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Place your mason jar lids in and then fill with batter.
Optional, sprinkle the slightest bit of cornmeal in each lid before adding the batter.
Cover the pan and cook 7-8 minutes then flip over to cook the other side. If you are not using mason jar rings, just put the dough on the pan, try to make it in a circle shape. Press the dough down to about 1 ½ inches tall. Covering your pan will create steam, which makes your nooks and crannie bubbles form better.
Step 6: Have you ever wondered how to get those nooks and crannies in your English muffin? These nooks and crannies are from air bubbles while the English muffins are cooking.
Use a fork to poke holes in a row all around the English muffin. This helps you split the English muffin in half without cutting through the nooks and crannies. From here if your muffins are still warm, enjoy. You can also toast them for added crispness. These nooks and crannies fill with melted butter and taste amazing!
This stack of vegan English muffins is ready to be eaten for breakfast! The top English muffin was cooked freestyle without using a mason jar lid and the bottom two were cooked in a mason jar lid.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
English muffins are typically made with wheat flour so unless the English muffins specifically say gluten free, they wouldn't be.
These should keep 2 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer. To reheat, you will need to toast them to get the crispness back.
The best way to enhance the nooks and crannies while cooking is to cover your pan while they are cooking. The steam will help make the nooks and crannies.
If you don't have time to make your own, there are a few delicious gluten free English muffins you can buy in stores including:
More delicious breakfast recipes to try:
- Gluten free bagels
- Light & fluffy gluten free pancakes
- Gluten free Cheese Danish
- Gluten free peanut butter glazed cinnamon rolls
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free English Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend *see note
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cups water 120º F
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast or 1 packet
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Allow to sit and proof for 10 minutes until it is bubbly and frothy.
- Add your gluten free flour blend, salt, and baking soda to a bowl and whisk to blend.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix well. Your mixture should have the consistency of very thick pancake batter. Add more water as needed to get the consistency to match my photo above. (Every gluten free flour blend is different and higher starch blends need more water than others.)
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least 2 hours. I let mine rise overnight so I could make them when we woke up.
To cook:
- You can cook your English muffins in two ways. First, you can use rings like mason jar lids without the middles, or drop style. Both work well.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Drop in the mason jar lid rings and fill each with English muffin batter. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes and then flip to cook the other side for 7 minutes. Covering your pan allows steam for form. The steam helps make better nooks and crannies!
- Keep an eye on the pan temperature. You may need to adjust your heat lower if the muffins cook too fast. Remove from the heat when finished cooking.
- To cook drop style, drop the dough onto the pan and shape in circles. Try to use your spoon to flatten the top. Cover and cook the same as if you had the mason jar lids as described above.
- To get those nooks and crannies, use a fork and make a horizontal line of fork holes all the way around each muffin. Pull open.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Nameste in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. *Note Nameste is starchier and will need more liquid.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Pay attention to the rise times so your muffins turn out fluffy with lots of nooks and crannies.
- These muffins will keep up to 2 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer. Once you store them, you will need to toast them to crisp them up again.
Nutrition
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Joan
Is there a simple way to get the muffins out of the mason jar ring?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Joan, did you spray your lid before filling with the dough? I use a light canola spray.
Sandi
Can these be made without yeast...maybe using the sour dough starter?
Sandi Gaertner
Yes, I have used my sourdough starter to make this recipe. I found, at least in my case, I needed a MUCH longer rise time using the sourdough starter. I let it rise overnight, then another 1-2 hour rise in the bowl before making them.
Linda
If I use my brown rice sourdough starter, how much do I use in your recipe and do I subtract that amount from your GF flour recipe? Looking forward to these muffins for breakfast! Haven't had one in 16ys.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Linda, I recommend using 1/3 cup of starter. I find when I make these with sourdough starter, it needs a longer rise time. Try to add enough flour so your batter is similar to the consistency of what I show in the step by step photos. I hope this helps.
Kevin
These would be a great breakfast option! Love that they are homemade!
Sandi Gaertner
Enjoy Kevin 🙂
Kevin
Homemade english muffins are the best! Love them for breakfast!
Sandi Gaertner
I am really glad you are going to give them a try.