Pumpkin English muffins are a delicious and seasonal twist on the classic breakfast treat. They are naturally leavened and gut healthy, plus light and airy. Perfect for an autumn brunch, you have to give them a try!
❤️ Why You’ll Love Pumpkin English Muffins
Pumpkin English muffins are a delicious treat that offers a unique twist on the classic breakfast favorite. Baking from scratch will always be better in my opinion, because you can be creative. There will be no other place you can enjoy your own pumpkin English muffins besides in your own kitchen! Plus, you can control the ingredients while avoiding preservatives and artificial additives found in many store-bought products.
🍲 Ingredients
Sourdough Starter – This recipe takes quite a bit of sourdough starter, so it is best to feed your starter a larger amount. (example: 50 grams starter + 200grams flour + 200 grams water). The starter is one of the leavening agents in the English muffins, and also what gives it the special sourdough flavor.
Honey – For a sweetness that compliments the pumpkin well.
Water – Filtered water is best.
Flour – I use Kirkland’s organic, unbleached all-purpose flour for my recipes, but you can use whatever you have on hand! While organic isn’t always necessary, I will always recommend using unbleached flour.
Salt – We use pink Himalayan salt for all of our recipes but use what you have.
Cornmeal – This is for dusting the muffins, and prevents the muffins to stick while cooking.
👩🍳 How to Make Pumpkin English Muffins
- In the morning, feed your sourdough starter.
- In the afternoon, when your starter has doubled and is at its peak – assemble your dough.
- Whisk together the starter, honey, pumpkin puree, and water until the starter and pumpkin has fully dissolved and turns into an orange milky liquid. Add the flour and salt and mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
- This is a bit of a stiffer dough, so you may need to work with your hands to ensure everything comes together and there are no dry bits of flour left in the bowl.
- Cover with a damp bowl cover or tea towel and leave it on the counter to rest for one hour.
- After one hour, stretch and fold your dough by lifting one side of the dough up and folding it over and in towards the middle. Roate the bowl and repeat this until a semi – smooth dough forms. Cover and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, preform one more set of stretch and folds, creating a smooth dough on top. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or bowl cover and let the dough rest on the counter overnight for 12 – 14 hours.
The next day
- In the morning, turn your dough over onto a lightly floured work surface and separate the dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Lightly shape each piece into a ball.
- Place the muffins on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover them lightly with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 1 – 2 hours.
- Preheat a skillet or griddle over low to medium heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter and sprinkle a light dusting of corn meal all over the skillet.
- Cook the muffins in batches, about 7-10 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Be patient and don’t rush this process, as cooking at too high a heat can burn the outside while leaving the inside undercooked.
- If your muffins still seem undercooked in the middle, pop in a 350-degree oven on a baking sheet for 5 – 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
- Serve with butter, honey, pumpkin butter, or cream cheese!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Try to not skip the stretch and folds, this develops the gluten and makes a light and airy English muffin.
- Cooking Method: Cooking at a lower temperature is key to ensuring they cook all the way through. Use a lid over the skillet if needed to help the muffins cook evenly.
- Second Rise: Allow for a good second rise to ensure your muffins are fluffy. A warm area in your kitchen is ideal.
- Quality Ingredients: Use fresh pumpkin puree for best flavor. Canned options are great but ensure you’re using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
🗒 Variations
Consider adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or cranberries for added flavor and texture.
🗒 Substitutions
These muffins can be enjoyed in various ways! Spread with butter, cream cheese, or even your favorite nut butter, they make a perfect breakfast, snack, or lunch option. You can also top them with honey or jam for an extra sweet treat.
You can easily modify the recipe to suit your taste. Add-ins like chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or nuts can elevate the muffins further and cater to your preferences.
🗒 Best served with
- Autumn brunch spread.
- Fall breakfast sandwich.
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or freeze them for longer storage. They freeze well and can be toasted directly from the freezer.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes! the English muffin dough can stay in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Pumpkin English Muffins
Equipment
- bowl cover/ tea towel
- cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 200 grams bubbly, active starter
- 380 grams filtered water
- 150 grams pumpkin puree
- 25 grams honey
- 550 grams all-purpose flour
- 10 grams salt
- 3-4 tbs cornmeal for dusting
- 2 -3 tbs butter for melting in the pan
Instructions
- In the morning, feed your sourdough starter.
- In the afternoon, when your starter has doubled and is at its peak – assemble your dough.
- Whisk together the starter, honey, pumpkin puree, and water until the starter and pumpkin has fully dissolved and turns into an orange milky liquid. Add the flour and salt and mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
- This is a bit of a stiffer dough, so you may need to work with your hands to ensure everything comes together and there are no dry bits of flour left in the bowl.
- Cover with a damp bowl cover or tea towel and leave it on the counter to rest for one hour.
- After one hour, stretch and fold your dough by lifting one side of the dough up and folding it over and in towards the middle. Roate the bowl and repeat this until a semi – smooth dough forms. Cover and let rest for one hour.
- After resting, preform one more set of stretch and folds, creating a smooth dough on top. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or bowl cover and let the dough rest on the counter overnight for 12 – 14 hours.
The next day
- In the morning, turn your dough over onto a lightly floured work surface and separate the dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Lightly shape each piece into a ball.
- Place the muffins on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover them lightly with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 1 – 2 hours.
- Preheat a skillet or griddle over low to medium heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter and sprinkle a light dusting of corn meal all over the skillet.
- Cook the muffins in batches, about 7-10 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Be patient and don't rush this process, as cooking at too high a heat can burn the outside while leaving the inside undercooked.
- If your muffins still seem undercooked in the middle, pop in a 350-degree oven on a baking sheet for 5 – 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
- Serve with butter, honey, pumpkin butter, or cream cheese!
Notes
- Quality Ingredients: Use fresh pumpkin puree for best flavor. Canned options are great but ensure you’re using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Try to not skip the stretch and folds, this develops the gluten and makes a light and airy English muffin.
- Cooking Method: Cooking at a lower temperature is key to ensuring they cook all the way through. Use a lid over the skillet if needed to help the muffins cook evenly.
- Second Rise: Allow for a good second rise to ensure your muffins are fluffy. A warm area in your kitchen is ideal.
Hi Courtney! I was wondering if anyone had any problems with very wet dough? I followed the recipe as written but got suuuuper wet dough 🙁 Thanks for any help!
Hi! Usually when I encounter wet and sticky dough, it means it is over proofed. How long did the dough ferment?
Excited to try this! My dough is super wet as well, like the other commenter. Hopefully it works out in the end though!
My dough turned out really wet and sticky, any suggestions?
My dough is very sticky as well
Dough was so wet and almost unmanageable from start to finish. It seems that the dough is too hydrated. There is a lot of water in the recipe so I’d add less water if I tried this recipe again.
Same. Incredible sticky and impossible to work with. I added some more flour and then put in the fridge for a bit. That helped. Cooking now so I hope they turn out yummy!