Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups lukewarm milk
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 4 ½ cups bread flour
• cornmeal, for sprinkling the griddle/skillet

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the milk. Sprinkle in the yeast and mix on low for a few seconds to combine. Add in the butter, salt, sugar, egg and flour. Start with the mixer on low (so the flour doesn’t go everywhere) and then increase the speed to medium. Continue to beat on medium for about 5 minutes - the dough with be smooth and satiny but still pretty soft (this dough is different from a lot of other yeasted breads, so be sure to use the paddle attachment the entire time).
2. Using greased hands, form the dough into a rough ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Turn once to coat and then cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
3. Spray a griddle (or large skillet) with nonstick cooking spray then sprinkle very generously with cornmeal (I used both so I could cook all the english muffins at the same time).
4. Gently deflate the dough then divide it into 16 to 17 equal sized pieces (using a kitchen scale mine were about 2 to 2 ¼ ounces each). Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the prepared cold griddle and then use your fingers to flatten each until they are about 3 to 3 ½ inches in diameter (they can be fairly close together on the griddle). *If you don’t have enough space on the griddle/skillet, you’ll need to cook in batches. Place the other balls (and then flatten them) on a baking sheet prepared the same way (so they can be transferred easily to the griddle later). Sprinkle the tops of all the english muffins with additional cornmeal. Cover the muffins with a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper and let them rest for 20 minutes.
5. Turn the griddle or burner on low heat. Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. When they are done, the inside of the muffins should be about 200 degrees using an instant-read thermometer. If the muffins start to brown too quickly (and are not cooked through), carefully transfer them to a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until done (another 5 to 10 minutes).
6. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining muffins (if you are doing this in batches).

Notes