Check another too-good-to-be true gluten-free bread off the list. These homemade, yet incredibly easy, gluten-free english muffins are made with all purpose gluten-free flour and simple cooking technique, guaranteeing a golden exterior with soft, airy crumb. Let me show you how even a novice can pull off this recipe with surprising success!

Gluten-Free English Muffin topped with preserves.
Enjoy gluten-free english muffins again, complete with all the nooks and crannies! This simple recipe uses an unique technique to get a toasty shell with pillowy soft crumb.

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Better-Than-Thomas Gluten English Muffins

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Achieving easy gluten-free bread recipes with on-point texture and taste doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, I’ve found yeasted breads, like homemade gluten-free english muffins, are actually a lot simpler than traditional versions.

How can that be? First, wheat breads typically require a double rise. Not the case with GF breads. Making everything from english muffins, soft doughy gluten-free burger buns, rolls, and pizza crusts have one quick rise, so many recipes can be made in less than a hour.

Also, no kneading. The dough is mixed together using a stand mixer, and done-zo. Just pour, mix, shape, and cook. And let’s talk about cooking – another thing that is more streamlined when making english muffins gluten-free versus “regular.”

Instead of cooking the muffins on the stove top, start to finish, this recipe uses a more streamlined technique. It starts off on the stove to get that nice, crusty exterior. Then, they are moved to a baking sheet and popped in the oven to finish. This technique lengthens the cooking time, making sure the moisture is throughly absorbed, and you aren’t left with gummy, dense hockey pucks.

This is some serious good stuff. See for yourself, split one open, toast to golden perfection, and serve along side your favorite gluten-free breakfast ideas. Check another GF success off the list!

 I haven’t had an English muffin that tastes like an English muffin in 6 years. I made these this morning for my family’s Sunday brunch, and WOW. Followed exactly, it was so easy and amazingly delicious. I’ve made just about every recipe you have on here but for some reason was intimidated by the English muffins. But it turns out, they turned out! Thank you!! I could cry. I really missed English muffins.

—Megan

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Mixy-mix up the dough.

Place the dry ingredients in a stand mixer – GF flour, a little sugar, instant dry yeast, baking powder, and psyllium husk. The psyllium helps bind the dough and make it pliable to shape. The added baking powder helps aerate the crumb.

Add the warmed milk / water mixture, eggs, melted butter, and vinegar. Mix on low speed to come together, then mix for 5 minutes. The dough will be stiff.

English muffing ingredients in a mixer.

Divide and shape.

Lightly spray a silicone mat or parchment with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Using lightly greased hands, divide the dough into 10 pieces. If you want to be precise, use a food scale and they should be about 4 ounces each.

Dough balls on a baking mat.

Smooth, smoosh, and rest.

Shape each into a smooth ball (tips on that below 👇). Sprinkle cornmeal on two baking sheets and divide between the two. Flatten the balls so they are about ¾-inch tall.

Sprinkle more cornmeal over the tops and lay on a piece of plastic wrap. Let rise for 30-40 minutes. They should be now be about 1 ¼-½-inches tall (see 2nd pic below). In the last 15 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Overhead shot of flattened dough on baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal.
Dough balls flattened and spaced evenly on a baking sheet.

Time to cook – streamlined style.

Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Wipe the excess oil away with a paper towel, leaving just a thin film left. Place 3-4 muffins in the pan and cook until the bottoms are set and start to turn golden brown.

Flip and cook on the second side, until golden. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with oil and cooking, until they are all fried in the skillet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 210°F. I like to use this instant read thermometer to take internal temps of bread. Takes the guesswork out.

Cool slightly before splitting, toasting, and enjoying some epic from-scratch english muffins. Let the goodness and accomplishment wash over you! 😎

Muffins frying in a pan.
Overhead shot of browned muffins frying in a pan.

Dividing and Shaping Gluten-Free Dough

When shaping GF bread dough it’s best to get the balls as smooth as possible. It doesn’t have the same forgivable elasticity, so what you can do to smooth it before baking, prevents cracks as they cook.

This is just an aesthetic thing, and doesn’t affect taste and texture. If you don’t care what it looks like, than save yourself some time. If you do want some perfect, bakery-worthy english muffins, here’s my tips.

  1. Use a greased silicone baking mat or parchment to rest the dough on as you work. Also, lightly spray your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking. A little olive oil works too.
  2. Pinch together cracks and seams in the dough as you roll into balls.
  3. For stubborn cracks or dimples, lightly wet fingers and smooth.
Close up of sliced open english muffin topped with preserves.
Say hello again to epic breakfast sandwiches or a simple, cozy breakfast of toast and jam.

Tell Me About This Cooking Technique

Not only is cooking english muffins in a skillet the entire time tedious, but I didn’t like the consistency of the results. It’s hard to regulate the temp, risking the outsides getting overly browned before the inside cooks adequately.

Therefore, this doubled up “frying” and baking gets the job done better. The skillet sets the outer crusts for that signature crispiness. They are finished in the oven because gluten-free breads have a harder time releasing moisture from the starches, which is where a gummy crumb can come from.

I like the more gentle, extended baking time for the moisture to evaporate so you are left with a perfectly soft and tender interior. 🙌

Multiple muffins on a plate with the top muffin showing the golden brown outside.
If you’ve been disappointed by english muffin recipes, then this is your win. The crumb is light, open and airy. Just split and toast!

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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa

Gluten-Free English Muffin topped with preserves.
5 stars (12 ratings)

Easy & Perfected Gluten-Free English Muffins

Melissa Erdelac of MamaGourmand headshot in patterned dress.Melissa Erdelac
Yield: 10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Check another too-good-to-be true gluten-free bread off the list. These homemade, yet incredibly easy, gluten-free english muffins are made with all purpose GF flour and simple cooking technique, guaranteeing a golden exterior with soft, airy crumb. Let me show you how even a novice can pull off this recipe with surprising success!
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Ingredients
 

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over 2 baking sheets, about 2 tablespoons each. Set aside.
  • Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment mix on low speed to combine. In microwave-proof liquid measuring cup add the milk and water together. Heat for about 1 minute, or until the temperature is very slightly warm, about 110°F.
    3½ cups all purpose gluten free flour , 3 tablespoons psyllium husk powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar , 2¼ teaspoon instant rapid rise yeast, 1¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk
  • Add the milk / water combination, eggs, melted butter, and vinegar to the dry ingredients. With paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 1 minute to come together, then mix for 5 minutes longer on medium low speed. The dough will be stiff.
    2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons butter , 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • On your work surface lightly spray a silicone mat or parchment with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Using lightly greased hands, divide the dough in half. Divide each half into 5 balls, so you 10 total. Alternatively, use a food scale topped with a sprayed piece of plastic wrap to measure each section into 4 ounces each.
  • Once the dough has been divided evenly, shape each into a smooth ball. Place 5, evenly spaced apart, on each baking sheet. Flatten the balls so they are about ¾-inch tall.
  • Sprinkle more cornmeal over the tops and lay a piece of plastic wrap over the tops. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 30-40 minutes. The should be now be about 1 ¼-½ inches tall. In the last 15 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Now it's time to prep the muffins for frying and baking. If you don't have a 3rd baking sheet, gently transfer all the english muffins to one sheet using a spatula. Clean off the empty sheet and line with parchment. Otherwise, take out a 3rd baking sheet and line with parchment to transfer the cooked muffins to.
  • Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Use a dry paper towel to carefully wipe away the excess oil, leaving a thin oil film left. Place 3-4 muffins in the pan and cook until the bottoms are set and start to turn golden brown, about 1- 1 ½ minutes. If they puff up while they are cooking. press down the tops with a spatula to flatten slightly.
  • Flip and cook on the second side, about 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet lined with parchment. Carefully use a dry paper towel to wipe out the cornmeal left in pan and repeat with oil and cooking. Place all the english muffins on one baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through. The internal temperature should reach 210°F. Cool for 20 minutes before splitting and toasting.

Notes

Storing and Freezing
Gluten-free baked goods lose moisture quickly, so I recommend serving the day they are made. To make ahead of time, cool the muffins completely then wrap in plastic wrap and transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months.
When ready to serve, make sure they are at room temperature and not chilled. If they are cold they will not be as soft. They can be warmed for a few seconds in the microwave to make sure all the “chill” is off or split and toast.
 
Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 393mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 164IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 88mg, Iron: 2mg
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