Soft and chewy with a crusty exterior, these vegan English muffins are loaded with nooks and crannies to soak up your favorite spreads! This easy no-knead recipe is beginner-friendly and freezable, making it perfect for meal prep.
We love using them to make breakfast sandwiches with vegan sausage patties and cheese. You can also enjoy it toasted with spreads like butter, jam, or even cookie dough hummus.
I first discovered English muffins at McDonald's, and I have been hooked ever since. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to locate vegan baked goods in Malaysia; Hence, I set out to make my own! After multiple batches, I finally perfected these dairy-free English muffins that are wonderfully chewy and filled with nooks and crannies.
It can be enjoyed in many ways, and I especially love slathering it with tofu ricotta or making an open-faced egg sandwich with my silken tofu scramble and vegan bologna.
💚Why you will love vegan English muffins
- Soft yet chewy, with big pockets of air to soak up spreads
- A versatile bread that goes well with a variety of sweet and savory toppings
- Beginner-friendly and is a great weekend baking project
- Naturally vegan, dairy-free, and made without eggs
- Taste so much fresher than packed English muffins
🌾What you will need
- Flour - Both bread and all-purpose flour will work; bread flour will yield chewier muffins. For whole wheat muffins, substitute up to ½ of the flour with whole wheat flour.
- Instant yeast - Can be replaced with active dry yeast, but bloom it first: warm the milk, stir in sugar and yeast, and let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy before adding butter.
- Milk - Any non-dairy milk will work, but unsweetened ones are preferred.
- Butter - Opt for a vegan butter alternative (like Miyoko's butter).
- Sugar - Any types of sugar can be used.
- Cornmeal or semolina - Ideal for dusting muffins or hands to prevent sticking. Their coarse texture won't be absorbed by the dough, keeping the surface dry and making it easier to handle.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔪How to make vegan English muffins
Step 1: Combine water, milk, and butter in a bowl. Heat the mixture until warm, around 100°F (38°C). Set aside.
Step 2: Add flour, sugar, and salt into a stand mixer, and pour in the milk and butter mixture.
Step 3: Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until a homogeneous dough forms. Stop to scrape the sides if necessary. The dough will be sticky. Add more flour if your dough is excessively wet.
Step 4: Cover the dough with a napkin or cling wrap, and allow to rise in a warm spot for around an hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
💡Proofing time
The rising time of your dough depends on the air temperature. The warmer your kitchen is, the faster your dough will rise. In a cooler kitchen, it could take longer.
Step 5: Flour your hands with cornmeal and divide the mixture into 8 portions. Shape them into a disk 3 inches in diameter and allow to proof for another 30 minutes.
Step 6: Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over low heat and cook the muffins for 5-6 minutes on each side. Allow your vegan English muffins to cool slightly before digging in!
✅Helpful tips
- Make it without a stand mixer - Simply combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Proofing dough in a colder climate - Proof dough in the oven with the oven lights on, and you will need to proof the dough for a longer period.
- Refrigerating to bake later - After the dough has doubled in size, cover it with cling wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before shaping and baking.
- Splitting muffins - Cut open your muffins using either a serrated knife or the fork splitting method to preserve their nooks and crannies.
- Toast before serving - Split muffins, then toast them in a toaster or oven for a few minutes to reheat and crisp up before serving.
🥜Serving suggestions
Jams and spreads - Vegan butter and jam is the classic combo. Other spreads, such as paprika hummus, nut butters (like my coconut almond butter), and Thai basil pesto, are other amazing options.
Breakfast sandwich - Load your English muffins with seitan bacon, tofu scramble, or tofu omelette and vegan cheese to make a hearty breakfast!
Make mini pizzas - Split vegan English muffins in half. Spread on some vegan tomato sauce, then added slices of Italian seitan sausages and vegan shredded cheese. Broil them in the oven until the cheese has melted.
Plant-based fry-up - Serve toasted muffins with baked beans, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, and vegan andouille sausages!
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❄️Storing suggestions
Storing - English muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge for an hour on the countertop before reheating.
Reheating - Split the English muffins in half and reheat them in a toaster or oven preheated to 180 °C (350°F) for 2-3 minutes.
❔Commonly asked questions
Traditional English muffins are often not vegan as they contain butter, milk, and sometimes eggs. That said, some store-bought English muffins are accidentally vegan. Always check the ingredient list before purchasing to ensure there is no animal products.
The dough of English muffins has higher hydration compared to regular bread dough, which gives them their signature nooks and crannies. However, if you find it to be excessively sticky and impossible to shape, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
Traditional English muffins are often coated with cornmeal to prevent sticking and give them a crustier exterior, but you can replace it with semolina or coarse whole wheat flour. In a pinch, use more flour to coat your working surface and hands while shaping to prevent them from sticking excessively.
English muffins can be reheated in the microwave. Cover them with a damp paper towel and reheat for 10-20 seconds.
Keep in mind that this method makes the exterior soft rather than crispy. If you prefer it to be crispy, reheat it in the toaster or oven instead.
If your English muffins are doughy in the middle, they are likely undercooked. To fix them, bake in the oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes.
When shaping your English muffins, it is also essential to ensure that they are not too thick, as this makes them harder to cook. Keeping the dough around 1-1.5 inches thick is ideal.
🍽️More vegan breakfasts
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📖 Recipe
Vegan English Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup almond milk or another milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 ½ cups bread flour or all purpose flour*
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast (see notes)**
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cornmeal or semolina
Instructions
Making dough
- Combine water, milk, and butter in a bowl. Heat the mixture until warm, around 100°F(38°C). Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt into the stand mixer. Gently pour in the milk and butter mixture.
- Mix it on low until a smooth batter forms, scraping the sides if necessary. The dough will be quite wet, but not overly sticky. Add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, if needed. (To make it without a stand mixer, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or silicon spatula.)
- Cover muffin dough with a napkin or cling wrap. Place it in a warm spot, and allow it to sit for around an hour or until the dough doubles in size.
Shaping dough
- Flour the working surface and hands with cornmeal. Grab a small handful of dough (around 70g/2.5 oz) and roll it into a ball, then flatten it to a disk around 3 inches wide.
- Place it on a baking sheet/plate floured with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
- Repeat for the remaining dough, then sprinkle more cornmeal on the tops of the shaped disks. Cover, and let it proof for another 30 minutes.
Cooking muffins
- Heat a lightly greased non-stick pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Carefully place in uncooked muffins, making sure they are not touching.
- Allow it to cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, covered. They should be nicely browned on both sides. To ensure they are fully cooked, take a muffin and split it in half. If the middle is doughy, you will need to bake them.
- Baking English muffins (optional): Bake in the oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 8- 10 minutes.
- Allow vegan English muffins to cool down slightly before enjoying them!
Notes
- Proofing dough in a colder climate - Proof dough in the oven with the oven lights on, and you will need to proof the dough for a longer period.
- Splitting muffins - Cut open your muffins using either a serrated knife or the fork splitting method to preserve their nooks and crannies.
- Toast before serving - Split muffins, then toast them in a toaster or oven for a few minutes to reheat and crisp up before serving.
- Refrigerating to bake later - After the dough has doubled in size, cover it with cling wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before shaping and baking.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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