Gluten free english muffins

Are you looking for a recipe for gluten free English muffins? Then check out this recipe for gluten free and egg free english muffins. These english muffins are light and fluffy with lots of nooks and crannies throughout and they can be made without any special equipment or muffin rings.

Different gluten free flour mixes are made with different ingredients and therefore behave differently. For best results, we recommend using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking mix. This is the gluten free flour blend we use when we make these gluten free english muffins 

wo gluten free english muffins. The gluten free english muffins have butter and strawberry jam on them. There is a stack of gluten free english muffins in the background.

What is in gluten free english muffins

What is in these gluten free English muffins? Here are all of the ingredients in these gluten free english muffins.

  • Gluten free all purpose flour. Gluten free all purpose flour is the main ingredient in this recipe for gluten free english muffins. You should use a blend of all purpose flour rather than an individual gluten free flour such as almond flour, coconut flour, or rice flour. We use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Mix and we recommend using this flour mix for best results.
  • Yeast. Yeast is the main leavening agent that is used in this recipe for gluten free english muffins. 
  • Water. Water is the main liquid that is used in this recipe for gluten free english muffins. You should use water that is warm, but not hot. You should be able to put your finger in the water for 10 seconds without feeling any discomfort. 
  • Heavy cream. In addition to the water, some heavy cream is added to this english muffin recipe. The heavy cream adds some fat as well as some protein to the english muffins.
  • Buttermilk powder. A few scoops of buttermilk powder are added to make this english muffin dough. The buttermilk powder adds some extra protein to the english muffin dough and contributes to the flavor as well. Buttermilk powder is also slightly acidic, which means that it helps the dough rise a little faster.
  • Sugar. Sugar serves multiple purposes in this recipe for gluten free english muffins. The sugar activates the yeast and gives it fuel to produce the air bubbles that raise the dough. It also helps the english muffins develop a nice brown color when they are fully cooked. Finally, the sugar contributes to the flavor of the muffins.
  • Salt. Finally, some salt is added to the english muffin dough. The salt adds some more flavor to the dough. 

How to make gluten free english muffins

How do you make gluten free english muffins? Here is how to make gluten free english muffins

  • Proof the yeast. The first step in making these gluten free english muffins is combining the yeast, sugar, and some of the warm water in a large mixing bowl. The water should be warm, but not so hot that it is uncomfortable to hold your finger in the water for 10 seconds. Mix the mixture a few times then wait 5 – 10 minutes until the mixture begins to foam. This demonstrates that the yeast are alive and active. 
  • Mix the dough. After the mixture begins to foam, add the rest of the ingredients for the dough. Mix the ingredients well then cover the bowl the dough is in with a sheet of saran wrap. 
  • Let the dough rise. After the dough is covered, leave the dough to rise for around an hour in a warm area. If the dough is not left in a warm area, it might need to rise for more than an hour. The dough should double in size.
  • Shape the muffins. After the dough has been left to rise, it is time to shape the muffins. The muffins should be shaped on individual squares of parchment paper that have been dusted with cornmeal. Shaping the muffins is the most difficult part of making these english muffins because the dough will be loose and wet. Keep reading for tips on how to shape the gluten free english muffins.
  • Second dough rise. After the muffins have been shaped, it is time to let the shaped muffins rise a second time. The muffins should be covered with a sheet of saran wrap and left in a warm area until they double in size again. 
  • Cook the muffins. Finally, it is time to cook the muffins. The muffins should be cooked on a nonstick griddle or skillet. It is absolutely essential that the english muffins be cooked on a non-stick surface because the dough will be very wet and sticky. 

Shaped gluten free english muffins on a sheet of parchment paper. The gluten free english muffins are not yet cooked, but the dough has bene shaped into flat disks.

Tips for shaping gluten free English muffins

English muffin dough is generally much looser than other kinds of dough. Oftentimes, it is more similar to a batter than a proper dough. As such, it is more difficult to handle than other types of dough. Here are some tips for shaping english muffins. 

  • Shape the dough on individual sheets of parchment paper. These english muffins should be shaped on a nonstick surface such as parchment paper. Ideally, the english muffins should be shaped on individual squares of parchment paper. If the muffins are not shaped on individual sheets of parchment paper, the parchment paper can also be cut into individual pieces after the muffins are shaped.
  • Dust the parchment paper with cornmeal. English muffin dough is wet enough that it will even stick to parchment paper. For these reasons, we recommend dusting the parchment paper you shape the muffins on with fine or medium grain cornmeal before shaping the muffins. This will reduce sticking. 
  • Scoop balls of dough on the parchment paper. After you have dusted your parchment paper with cornmeal, you should scoop the english muffin dough onto the parchment paper. We recommend scooping each ball of English muffin dough onto the paper before shaping any of the muffins. 
  • Flour your hands before shaping the English muffins. After you have scooped your balls of gluten free dough onto the parchment paper, it is time to shape the english muffins. You should lightly coat your hands with flour before you shape the muffins. Leave the dough on the parchment paper and press down on the dough to flatten the muffins. 

Three gluten free english muffins cooking in a large black pan. The gluten free english muffins still have parchment paper on the side that is not being cooked.

How to store gluten free english muffins

How do you store gluten free english muffins? You have a few options when it comes to storing gluten free english muffins.

  • In the refrigerator for a few days. If you plan to eat your english muffins within a few days, you can keep the English muffins in the refrigerator. You should store them in an airtight container such as a food storage container or a gallon freezer bag. 
  • In the freezer for a few months. If you want to store the gluten free english muffins for a longer period of time, you should store them in the freezer. The english muffins will last for up to a few months in the freezer. You just have to be sure that the english muffins are in an airtight container so that they do not get freezer burn. 

A stack of gluten free english muffins. The gluten free english muffins are on a gray plate.

How to reheat gluten free english muffins

How do you reheat gluten free english muffins? Here are some tips for reheating gluten free english muffins.

  • From the refrigerator. If you store your muffins in the refrigerator then all you need to do is cut them open and throw them in the toaster before eating them. We recommend breaking the english muffins open with a fork rather than a knife if you want your muffins to have lots of nooks and crannies. 
  • From the freezer. If you store your muffins in the freezer, you will need to microwave the muffins for a short period of time before you can toast them. This will allow the muffins to thaw and make it easier to cut the muffins open. 30 – 45 seconds on full power should be enough time to thaw the muffins enough so that they can be cut open and popped in the toaster. 

wo gluten free english muffins. The gluten free english muffins have butter and strawberry jam on them. There is a stack of gluten free english muffins in the background.

Gluten free english muffins

This recipe for gluten free english muffins is perfect for anyone who is looking for a tasty gluten free breakfast recipe. In addition to being gluten free, these english muffins are egg free and vegetarian friendly. These muffins freeze well, so it is easy to make a large batch and save the leftovers for later.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Resting time2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time2 hours 45 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Keyword: egg free, gluten free, vegetarian
Servings: 8 english muffins

Ingredients

  • gluten free all purpose flour (for dusting hands)
  • cornmeal (for dusting parchment paper)

Gluten free english muffin dough

  • 3 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp buttermilk powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 packet yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Combine the yeast, sugar, and about half of the water in a large mixing bowl. Mix the mixture then wait for 5 - 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy on the surface.
    The water should be warm, but not hot. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to hold your finger in the water for 10 seconds without feeling discomfort.
  • After the mixture becomes frothy, add the rest of the ingredients for the gluten free english muffin dough to the mixing bowl and combine well.
  • Cover the english muffin dough with a sheet of saran wrap and leave the dough to rise in a warm area for about an hour.
    The dough will take longer to rise if it is not left in a warm area. You should wait until the dough about doubles in size.
  • Cut the parchment paper into individual squares that are around 6 inches long on each side. Dust the sheets of parchment paper with a thin layer of cornmeal.
  • Scoop an individual ball of dough for each english muffin onto the parchment paper. Wait to shape the muffins until you have scooped all of the dough onto the squares of parchment paper.
  • Lightly dust your hands with flour and shape balls of dough into flat, round muffins.
    You should not have to lift the muffins off of the parchment paper. Just press down lightly on the balls of dough with floured hands.
  • Cover the muffins with a sheet of saran wrap and leave them in a warm area to rise for another 30 - 60 minutes. The shaped muffins should about double in size.
  • Heat a flat nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat then cook the english muffins for about 4-6 minutes per side. When the muffins are done, the side of the muffin that is touching the griddle should be medium brown.
    It is difficult to remove the english muffins from the parchment paper, so we recommend keeping the parchment paper on the muffins and flipping them onto the griddle so that the side without the parchment paper is on the bottom. After the first side is done cooking, you can remove the parchment paper and flip the muffins. It is okay if some dough comes off on the parchment paper.

Notes

Xanthan gum. If your gluten free all purpose flour blend does not contain xanthan gum or a similar replacement for gluten then you should add around 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour.
Tips for measuring flour. We recommend measuring flour by spooning the flour into a measuring cup then leveling off the flour with a butter knife. This is the most consistent way to measure flour. If you dip your measuring cup into the bag of flour, it will compress the flour and you will end up with extra flour. 
English muffin dough consistency. English muffin dough should be much wetter than other kinds of dough. In fact, it may feel more like a batter than a proper dough. The dough should still be firm enough that you can shape the muffins into flat disks. If the dough is too runny to shape into disks, you should add more flour 1 tbsp at a time until the dough becomes workable.
Number of english muffins. This recipe for gluten free english muffins will make about 8 large english muffins or 10 smaller english muffins. 

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