High Altitude Sourdough English Muffins

Enjoy high altitude sourdough English muffins that are perfectly chewy with a tender interior and that signature golden, lightly crisp crust. The subtle tang from sourdough gives them incredible depth of flavor.

These homemade English muffins are perfect slathered with butter, drizzled with honey, or made into the ultimate breakfast sandwich.

Try these other HIGH ALTITUDE SOURDOUGH recipes…easy HIGH ALTITUDE SOURDOUGH BREAD, soft & fluffy SOURDOUGH DINNER ROLLS, exceptionally delicious SOURDOUGH CINNAMON ROLLS, and perfectly soft SOURDOUGH SANDWICH BREAD.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

1. PERFECTLY CHEWY WITH SOFT INTERIOR – these high altitude sourdough English muffins have that classic chewy bite on the outside with a tender, airy interior full of nooks and crannies—perfect for catching melted butter and jam
2. WORKS AT ANY ALTITUDE – this recipe was designed specifically for high altitude baking but works at any elevation
3. VERSATILE IN BAKING – bake these English muffins in the oven or in a skillet
4. PERFECT FOR ANY MEAL – toast them for breakfast, use them for breakfast sandwiches, or serve them alongside soups and stews. They’re just as delicious sweet as they are savory.
5. NATURALLY LEAVNED FLAVOR – the sourdough starter gives these English muffins a subtle tang and rich depth of flavor you simply can’t get from commercial yeast alone
6. FREEZER & MAKE-AHEAD FRIENDLY – make a batch ahead of time and freeze them. Just pop one in the toaster for a quick, homemade breakfast any day of the week

Recommended Tools:

• LARGE BOWL OR ELECTRIC STAND MIXER – a large bowl can be used if you want to knead the dough yourself. Or use a stand mixer with a dough hook and let it do all the work for you
• DIGITAL SCALE – this provides the most accurate measurements
• PLASTIC WRAP – to cover the bowl while proofing
• LARGE PAN – a pan large enough to hold 18 dough balls to allow them to proof
• ENGLISH MUFFIN PAN OR CAST IRON SKILLET – you choose whether you want to open bake in a skillet or conveniently in the oven
• WIRE RACK – allow the English muffins to cool

Ingredients:

• ACTIVE STARTER – An active sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that’s alive with wild yeast and bacteria, bubbling with activity and ready to leaven bread. Feed the starter 12 hours in advanced a 1:5:5 ratio.
• BREAD FLOUR – Bread flour is often the best choice for sourdough bread because it has a higher protein content (at least 12%) than all-purpose flour. The extra protein develops into more gluten, which gives the dough better structure and elasticity
• WARM MILK – Whole Milk is best to use. Warm the milk slightly (about 100–110°F) so it supports fermentation without harming the starter.
• HONEY – Adds a subtle sweetness that balances the tang of the sourdough. It also helps with browning, giving the muffins their golden exterior when cooked on the stovetop.
• KOSHER SALT – salt strengthens gluten structure and enhances flavor. Use kosher salt for its clean taste and even distribution throughout the dough.
• CORNMEAL – Cornmeal is sprinkled on the large pan and skillet to prevent sticking. It also gives English muffins their signature lightly crisp, slightly gritty exterior texture that makes them so classic.

How To Make High Altitude English Muffins:

• FEED STARTER 12 HOURS IN ADVANCE – feed the started 1:5:5 or 20 grams starter:100 grams Bread Flour : 100 grams water.
• MIX ACTIVE STARTER & MILK– mix in a large bowl until the mixture is creamy without chunks.
• ADD FLOUR, HONEY, & SALT– initially the dough will be dry just keep mixing. The flour will eventually become incorporated.
• KNEAD – continue to knead for 5 minutes.
• COVER & REST – cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set at room temperature for 10-12 hours.
• PREPARE LARGE PAN – prepare a large flat pan by sprinkling cornmeal lightly over the pan.
• WEIGH OUT DOUGH BALLS – weight out the dough into 18 equal dough balls at 72 grams each. Place each dough ball on the baking pan with cornmeal. Lightly cover the pan & dough balls with plastic wrap.
• SECOND PROOF – allow the covered dough balls sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours.
• BAKE – you choose which method works best for you:
  • SKILLET:
    • PREHEAT – preheat a cast iron skillet at medium to low heat. Do NOT grease the skillet. Keep a close eye on the temperature as you will probably have to adjust the heat frequently.
    • PLACE MUFFINS IN SKILLET – place the unbaked muffins onto the ungreased skillet, allow enough space between the muffins to flip them. Depending on how large your skillet is, the muffins may have to be cooked in batches.
    • COVER SKILLET – it is difficult to fully cook the middle of the muffin at high altitudes. To help speed up the cooking process to ensure the middle cooks before the outside burns cover the English muffins with a pan or cover.
    • COOK FIRST SIDE – cook the muffins for 8-10 minutes on the first side. The muffins will start to puff up while cooking and the bottom turn a dark golden brown. Keep a close eye on the cooking temperature and the bottom of the muffin. The cooking temperature needs to be hot enough to cook the muffin but low enough that the outside doesn’t burn before the middle is fully cooked.
    • FLIP THE MUFFINS – Flip the muffin to cook the other side for another 8-10 minutes. Again keep an eye on the bottom of the muffin incase the temperature needs to adjusted.
  • ENGLISH MUFFIN PAN:
    • PREHEAT OVEN – preheat the oven to 400° F
    • PLACE 6 MUFFINS INTO PAN – lightly sprinkle cornmeal into each well of the English muffin pan. Place 1 dough ball into each well. Sprinkle cornmeal over the tops of the dough ball. You may have to slightly press the dough down to prevent the lid from catching it.
    • COOK FOR 10 MINUTES – Cover the pan and place the pan into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
    • FLIP & COOK FOR 10 MINUTES – flip the pan (make sure to use an oven mitt) and continue to bake for 10 minutes.
• CHECK FOR DONENESS – There are 2 ways to check if the middle is fully cooked:
  • 1: sacrifice a muffin and split it open and check the middle to ensure it is fully cooked through
  • 2: check the internal temperature of the muffin, which should be 195-200° F. At 8,000 ft of elevation the muffins are fully cooked at 196° F, higher elevations will be 195° F and lower altitudes will be 198-200° F.
• COOL THE MUFFINS – allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack.
• SPLIT THE MUFFINS – for the classic English muffin look, split the muffins by using a fork. Poke the fork into the side of the muffin and repeat as you go around the edge and then pull apart.

Sourdough English Muffin Timeline:

Suggested timeline for this High Altitude Sourdough English Muffin recipe:

• 8 AM – feed the starter 1 : 5 : 5 = 20g Starter : 100g Water : 100g Bread Flour
• 8 PM – mix all ingredients and knead for 5 minutes. Cover and rest for 10-12 hours
• 6-8 AM – weigh out dough balls, cover and rest 4-6 hours
• 4-6 HOURS LATER – bake

FAQs:

Do English muffins require an active starter?

Yes. Your starter should be bubbly and recently fed for best results. An inactive or sluggish starter can lead to dense, flat muffins.

Why are my English muffins dense?

Dense muffins usually mean the dough was underproofed, your starter wasn’t active enough, or too much flour was added. At elevation, it’s easy to accidentally over-flour the dough. Keep it slightly tacky rather than stiff.

Can I freeze sourdough English muffins?

Absolutely. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Toast straight from frozen—no need to thaw.

Other High Altitude Recipes:

If you make this delicious High Altitude Sourdough English Muffins recipe please rate this recipe and leave a comment below about how it turned out. If you have any questions, post them below and I would love to help you out.

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High Altitude Sourdough English Muffins

Wild Flour Recipes | Baking at 8,000 ft

www.wildflourrecipes.com

Enjoy high altitude sourdough English muffins that are perfectly chewy with a tender interior and that signature golden, lightly crisp crust

Prep Time1 day d 4 hours hrs

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time1 day d 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Breads, Breakfast

Keyword: english muffins, sourdough

Yield: 18 muffins

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Rebekah S.

Equipment

• LARGE BOWL OR ELECTRIC STAND MIXER
• Digital Scale
• Plastic wrap
• LARGE PAN
• ENGLISH MUFFIN PAN OR CAST IRON SKILLET
• Wire rack

Ingredients

• 200 grams Active Sourdough Starter
• 360 grams Whole Milk warmed
• 675 grams Bread Flour
• 63 grams Honey
• 12 grams Kosher Salt
• Cornmeal to sprinkle on surfaces

Instructions

• FEED STARTER 12 HOURS IN ADVANCE – feed the started 1:5:5 or 20 grams starter:100 grams Bread Flour : 100 grams water.
• MIX ACTIVE STARTER & MILK– mix in a large bowl until the mixture is creamy without chunks.
• ADD FLOUR, HONEY, & SALT– initially the dough will be dry just keep mixing. The flour will eventually become incorporated.
• KNEAD – continue to knead for 5 minutes.
• COVER & REST – cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set at room temperature for 10-12 hours.
• PREPARE LARGE PAN – prepare a large flat pan by sprinkling cornmeal lightly over the pan.
• WEIGH OUT DOUGH BALLS – weight out the dough into 18 equal dough balls at 72 grams each. Place each dough ball on the baking pan with cornmeal. Lightly cover the pan & dough balls with plastic wrap.
• SECOND PROOF – allow the covered dough balls sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours.
• BAKE – you choose which method works best for you:

1. Cast Iron Skillet

• PREHEAT – preheat a cast iron skillet at medium to low heat. Do NOT grease the skillet. Keep a close eye on the temperature as you will probably have to adjust the heat frequently.
• PLACE MUFFINS IN SKILLET – place the unbaked muffins onto the ungreased skillet, allow enough space between the muffins to flip them. Depending on how large your skillet is, the muffins may have to be cooked in batches.
• COVER SKILLET – it is difficult to fully cook the middle of the muffin at high altitudes. To help speed up the cooking process to ensure the middle cooks before the outside burns cover the English muffins with a pan or cover.
• COOK FIRST SIDE – cook the muffins for 8-10 minutes on the first side. The muffins will start to puff up while cooking and the bottom turn a dark golden brown. Keep a close eye on the cooking temperature and the bottom of the muffin. The cooking temperature needs to be hot enough to cook the muffin but low enough that the outside doesn’t burn before the middle is fully cooked.
• FLIP THE MUFFINS – Flip the muffin to cook the other side for another 8-10 minutes. Again keep an eye on the bottom of the muffin incase the temperature needs to adjusted.

2. ENGLISH MUFFIN PAN

• PREHEAT OVEN – preheat the oven to 400° F
• PLACE 6 MUFFINS INTO PAN – lightly sprinkle cornmeal into each well of the English muffin pan. Place 1 dough ball into each well. Sprinkle cornmeal over the tops of the dough ball. You may have to slightly press the dough down to prevent the lid from catching it.
• COOK FOR 10 MINUTES – Cover the pan and place the pan into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
• FLIP & COOK FOR 10 MINUTES – flip the pan (make sure to use an oven mitt) and continue to bake for 10 minutes.

Check for Doneness –  There are 2 ways to check if the middle is fully cooked

• 1. sacrifice a muffin and split it open and check the middle to ensure it is fully cooked through

  2: check the internal temperature of the muffin, which should be 195-200° F. At 8,000 ft of elevation the muffins are fully cooked at 196° F, higher elevations will be 195° F and lower altitudes will be 198-200° F.
• COOL THE MUFFINS – allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack.
• SPLIT THE MUFFINS – for the classic English muffin look, split the muffins by using a fork. Poke the fork into the side of the muffin and repeat as you go around the edge and then pull apart.

Notes

Suggested Sourdough English Muffin Timeline:

• 8 AM – feed the starter 1 : 5 : 5 = 20g Starter : 100g Water : 100g Bread Flour
• 8 PM – mix all ingredients and knead for 5 minutes. Cover and rest for 10-12 hours
• 6-8 AM – weigh out dough balls, cover and rest 4-6 hours
• 4-6 HOURS LATER – bake

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.7g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 1.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.47g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1.17g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1.56mg