Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

In an unexpected plot twist, the muffin man is actually a woman who lives on Braeburn Road. She’s 27, loves hiking, baking, sustainable agriculture, and can be most often found with a braid in her hair and a bar of chocolate in her hand. Who knew? (Also: yes, my street is actually named after a type of apple. Please don’t find my house and come kill me, murderous blog readers. Thanks in advance.)

I have a serious love for all things muffins (proof here, here, here, here, and here), and as breakfast breads go, English Muffins are my favorite. Their crusty exterior, plush insides, and endless options for additions (peanut butter! honey! banana! eggs! veggie burgers! English muffin pizzas!) make them the most versatile, satisfying bread to keep in the house at all times. I even showed up to my Dad’s house the night before Thanksgiving with two batches of this dough in my car; one was plain, one was cinnamon-raisin. We slathered them in peanut butter, sandwiched them with eggs and cheese, and were in homemade English muffin bliss. 

I based this recipe off my Whole Wheat English Muffins, and with a few simple tweaks, turned them into the cinnamon-raisin English muffins of my dreams. Think warm, fluffy, freshly baked homemade bread with a crunchy cornmeal exterior and soft, sweet cinnamon raisin interior.

Also: I was low on raisins last time I made these, and decided to add a big handful of walnuts to the batter as well. You can’t really tell in the pictures, but they’re in there somewhere. I included walnuts as optional in the recipe because they’re a great addition, but can totally be skipped if walnuts aren’t your thing. 

You don’t need me to say more, right? If you’re not already scouring your pantry for raisins right now, you might need to readjust your life’s priorities. Stir up a batch of this simple, no-knead dough tonight and you can be eating English muffins for breakfast this weekend. Better yet, double the recipe and your family can be eating them all week long. 

If you’re intimidated by baking with yeast, give this recipe a try! I promise, all roads lead to English muffins; it’s really, really hard to mess this one up. If you end up making these, let me know how they turn out! Leave a comment here, or take a picture and tag me on Facebook or Instagram. Happy baking, friends! 

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Chelsea Colbath

A no-knead, whole wheat english muffin recipe studded with raisins and swirled with cinnamon. This dough requires an overnight rest in the fridge, so plan ahead for breakfast!

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Ingredients

  

• 2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour*
• 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon room temperature coconut oil**
• 2 Tablespoona honey***
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm tap water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts optional
• 1 Tablespoon cornmeal for coating pan

Instructions

 

• 1.Choose a container to mix the dough in. I like to use a container that's wide enough to mix in, but also has a lid to go in the fridge overnight. A large plastic storage container or lidded glass bowl is my first choice. You could also just cover a bowl with plastic wrap, if you don't have a container with a lid.
• 2. Add all ingredients except raisins and walnuts (and cornmeal-that's for tomorrow) to your chosen container, and stir to combine.
• 3. The dough will be very wet and sticky. Use a strong wooden spoon to vigorously stir the dough- it's too wet to knead, but needs to be worked a bit. I like to count 50 turns of the spoon, and stop. You could also set a 1 minute timer and just stir it for a full minute.
• 4. Cover the bowl/container and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has puffed up and appears to be about double it's original size. Add in raisins and walnuts, and stir the dough once more, about 10 turns of the spoon. Cover container and put in the fridge overnight to rest. At least 8 hours is best, but up to 5 days works.
• 3. In the morning, or whenever you're ready to bake: Line a sheet pan with parchment, and sprinkle cornmeal in 6-8 mounds on the sheet.
• 4. Remove the dough from the fridge and dump onto a floured countertop. Sprinkle more flour on top of dough, and score with a knife to make 6-8 even pieces. Use your hands to form the dough into 6-8 balls, and transfer them to the cornmeal-lined pan. Sprinkle extra cornmeal on top, and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• 5. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Minimally grease the hot skillet (I rubbed mine with a paper towel dipped in oil) just so it's coated. Wet your fingers and carefully pick up the balls of dough and transfer to the skillet, trying not to smoosh/compress them at all. Cook 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook another 3-4 on the other side. Place back on sheet pan when done. Repeat to cook all the dough balls.
• 6. When all your English muffins have been cooked on the pan, transfer the sheet pan to the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes to ensure the insides of the muffins are done.
• 7. Eat immediately, or let cool and store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Leftovers also freeze well.

Notes

This recipe yields 8 grocery store sized english muffins. Since I like mine a bit larger (better for making sandwiches!), I divide the dough into 6 pieces. The directions are the same regardless of how many you choose to make.
*White whole wheat flour has the same nutritional profile as regular whole wheat, but a milder flavor. Regular whole wheat or a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose may be used here instead, depending on your preferences.
**Softened butter or another oil of choice may be used in place of the coconut oil.
***Maple syrup, Agave, or any granulated sugar can all replace the honey.

Adapted from my Whole Wheat English Muffins