Breakfast · intermediate

Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins

Name: Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 8 muffins
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 160g brown rice flour; 100g sorghum flour; 140g tapioca starch; 22g psyllium husk powder; 10g sugar; 8g fine sea salt; 90g active gluten-free starter; 300g warm milk or plant milk; 120g warm water; 20g oil; as needed cornmeal or rice flour, for dusting

Key takeaway

Fork-split gluten-free English muffins after a griddle cook; a knife destroys the nooks.

Griddled, then briefly oven-finished. Fork-split for nooks that hold butter the way an English muffin should.

By Andrew KittridgeMarch 1, 2026105% batter; 5.5% powder; griddle then oven

english muffins breakfast griddle sourdough gluten free

Prep

25m

Batter rest

20–80m

Bake

20m

Servings

Difficulty

intermediate

The short answer

English muffins are a griddle bread. The dough is a thick batter (400g flour, 22g powder, 420g liquid—105%—90g starter, 8g salt, 10g sugar, 20g oil). Rest, then scoop into English muffin rings on a preheated griddle at 325F. Cook until the bottoms set and bubbles puncture the top, flip, finish, then 5 minutes in a 350F oven if the centers are shy. Cool, then fork-split—never knife-split if you want nooks. Cornmeal on the ring prevents sticking. These are the breakfast we make when the starter is peaking and the oven is busy with a loaf.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

High hydration plus a dry-hot griddle sets an open-ish crumb.
Fork-splitting follows weak planes instead of compressing them.

Ingredients

160gbrown rice flour
100gsorghum flour
140gtapioca starch
22gpsyllium husk powder
10gsugar
8gfine sea salt
90gactive gluten-free starter
300gwarm milk or plant milk
120gwarm water
20goil
as neededcornmeal or rice flour, for dusting

Equipment

Griddle or cast-iron skillet
English muffin rings
Spatula

Instructions

1
Mix everything except cornmeal. Rest 20 minutes. The batter should be scoopable.
2
Optional 60-minute ferment at 75F for more tang.
3
Heat a griddle to 325F. Grease rings. Dust with cornmeal.
4
Scoop batter into rings, 2/3 full. Cook 8–10 minutes until the edges set and bubbles show.
5
Flip, rings and all, and cook 8 minutes more.
6
If centers feel squishy, bake 5 minutes at 350F on a sheet.
7
Cool 20 minutes. Fork-split around the equator.
8
Toast until the nooks brown. Butter should melt into craters, not sit on a knife-sliced plane.

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Nutrition facts per serving
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	175 kcal
Protein	3 g
Carbs	33 g
Fat	4 g
Fiber	3 g
Sodium	240 mg

Substitutions

Rings: Clean tuna cans with both ends removed, or freeform blobs (less pretty)
Cornmeal: Rice flour

Storage

Split and freeze. Toast from frozen.

Notes

Low-and-slow griddle heat is the whole game. 400F scorches before the center sets.

FAQ

Can I make English muffins dairy-free?

Yes. Use unsweetened plant milk and oil or vegan butter. Enriched gluten-free doughs do not rely on dairy proteins for structure—psyllium and starch do that work.

Why didn't these rise like wheat rolls?

Gluten-free enriched dough proofs until puffy and jiggly, not until doubled. Overproofing collapses the gel. Bake when a wet fingertip springs back slowly.

Do I still need psyllium if I use a 1:1 blend with xanthan?

Use a lighter psyllium dose (about 4% of flour) and do not add extra xanthan. Two full gums stacked make a bouncy, gummy crumb.

How do I keep sandwich bread from drying out?

Cool fully, then bag once the crust is dry to the touch. Freeze slices by day two. Toast from frozen.

Can I use discard instead of active starter?

Not for these yeasted-style enriched breads. Unfed discard belongs in pancakes and crackers. You need a peaked starter for lift.

Technique

Keep the method close

Psyllium, fermentation temperature, and a celiac-safe starter matter as much as the formula.

Sourdough guide Starter guide

About Andrew Kittridge

Home baker in Indianapolis documenting gluten-free sourdough: psyllium structure, whole-grain blends, and loaves that actually taste like bread.

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