Although toast may be the most well known quick breakfast bread for toppings like jelly and butter; crispy, toasted gluten free English muffins have to be a close second.
And these English muffins are by far the very best! This recipe makes an amazing gluten free English muffin - so light, so airy and with the perfect texture. And that taste....
Wow!
Matter of fact, they are heavenly - that's the only way to describe them!
The tops and bottoms are light, golden brown and get their characteristic crispness from a quick sear in a skillet. And then with a few minutes in the oven... they are ready to eat!
Here are some tips for the very best gluten free English muffins…
Complete rise time
The rise time is super important for English muffins. Where some bread can get away with shaving a minute or two off the rise time, these gluten free English muffins need every minute to fully develop the bubbles that give them that amazing texture.
It’s what makes an English muffin, an English muffin!
Measuring ingredients
Just like in this dinner roll recipe, weighing the dry ingredients is really important for accuracy. Not only does it ensure you have the correct amount, but it is a true way of accounting for differences in flours and starches. Not all brands are created equal (in measuring cups that is!).
Buckwheat flour tip: I use the Bouchard Farms brand of light Buckwheat flour in this recipe. It is lighter, less grainy and should not have a grey tint to it.
Portioning out the batter into the ring
If you’ve never used English muffin rings before, you’re really going to love them. Not only are they good for making these English muffins, but they form a perfect size egg for breakfast sandwiches.
A tip for buttering the rings: Use a stick of butter and open one end. Holding the unopened end, coat the inside of the rings using the buttery end.
Flipping the English muffins
Flipping these tasty breads is more about having the right tools. Before portioning the batter into the ring, make sure you have the following items handy:
- Prepared (greased) cookie sheet
- Flat, metal spatula
- Flat bottom pan
So you’ve poured the batter into the rings – now just set the time for 5 minutes. Then, using your metal spatula, carefully slide it underneath the muffin and do one quick flip to the other side.
The muffins will be firm enough that they will hold their shape.
Let the other side cook for 5 minutes and then slide the spatula underneath again and slide it onto the prepared pan.
A quick bake in the oven and these gluten free English muffins are ready to be enjoyed.
And now for the recipe for these delicious gluten free English muffins...
Oh, and if you enjoy this recipe, will you give it a rating?
The Best Gluten Free English Muffins
Ingredients
- 234 grams tapioca starch about 2 cups
- 150 grams light buckwheat flour about 1 cup + 1 tsp.
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup milk
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
- 1 tsp. white sugar
- ⅓ cup water warmed to room temperature
- 2 large egg whites
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the tapioca starch, buckwheat flour and salt. Stir until combined.
- In a small saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Once the mixture is boiling, immediately pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix on medium until blended. Allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, in a 1 cup measuring cup, combine the water and sugar and mix. Add the yeast. Let the mixture proof for 15 minutes.
- Add the yeast mixture to the cooled dough and blended until combined.
- Scrape the dough down in the bowl and cover it with a cloth. Allow it to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare the baking sheet and 8 English muffins rings by greasing them well with butter. Set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, add the egg whites to the dough and mix again until the mixture is smooth.
- Preheat a flat bottom skillet and position 3 English muffin rings in the pan.
- Portion ⅓ cup of batter into each ring and smooth the top slightly. Let cook for 5 minutes. Using a flat spatula, flip the entire muffin and ring over and cook another 5 minutes.
- Place each cooked muffin on the prepared baking sheet and carefully remove the ring.
- Once all English muffins are cooked and on the baking sheet, place them in the oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
- Cooking these English muffins is along like flipping pancakes, only with a ring around them. Carefully slide the spatula under the muffin, ring and all, and flip it all over.
- The cooking time will vary depending on your heat - cook them till the bottom is nice and brown.
- A quick bake in the oven for a few minutes and they'll be ready to eat!
Nutrition
And make sure to check out these other amazing gluten free recipes:
- Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich
- Gluten Free Rice Flour White Bread for the Bread Machine
- Gluten Free French Bread Loaf
- Gluten Free Dairy Free Rolls
And these gluten free baking tips will help you in the kitchen:
Phill Wallsmith
I want to try this recipe. Can I use non-dairy milk and earth balance?
Christine
Hi Phill,
Thanks for asking!
For a dairy free version, try using a non dairy milk and then coconut oil. That will be the closest solution.
Hope that helps!
Christine
De
I can’t have buckwheat, would sorghum or tigernut flour work?
Christine
Hi De,
Yes, sorghum should work!
Hope that helps!
Christine
Maria
Hi Christine,
This looks good! Sadly, for some reason, I can’t digest buckwheat. Can I substitute a different flour for the light buckwheat flour?
Thanks!
Maria
Christine
Hi Maria,
Sorghum would be a close second. Not exact, but close.
Hope that helps!
Christine
Lynn David
I can not tell you how very happy I am with this recipe. Thank you so very much!! I have had so many failures with English Muffins. This is a marvelous success. I got regular Buckwheat and not light so they are an interesting purple color but they taste great and the texture is perfect!! I have no problem with the darker color. Thank you again//!! Now I'm off to find a good bread and/or bagel recipe on your site.
Christine
Thanks Lynn!
So happy to hear it!
Christine
Lynn David
Excellent every time!!
Jing
Thank you for your sharing! I am wondering that are there any substitutes for butter and milk in your recipe as my girl is also allergic to diary, eggs and nuts.
Christine
Hi Jing,
Thanks for asking! Yes, try coconut oil for the butter and then for the milk, just use maybe almond milk.
That should work beautifully.
Hope that helps!
Christine
Kathie
Thank you for this recipe. Is the skillet on high or medium heat? I have a gas stove so just not wanting to burn them.
Christine
Hi Kathie,
Thanks for asking - use medium. Even low-medium if they seem to get a little too brown.
Hoe that helps!
~Christine
Chana
Can’t have eggs ..can I use chia or flax instead ?
Christine
Hi Chana,
I haven't tested it using an egg replacer, so I can't say for sure how the results will be.
But if you try it, let me know how they turn out!
~Christine
Chris Shineldecker
I recently found out I am allergic to chicken eggs, but duck eggs were not an allergen to me ... go figure ... that might be worth checking into.
Chris Shineldecker
Excellent recipe and excellent instructions! Love the english muffins. It helps to let them cool a bit before cutting them apart, but hard to wait because they smell so good!
We had to bake a bit longer than 10-12 minutes, more like 12-14 minutes so play with time depending on your oven temperature.
This recipe also works well for making a GF hamburger bun using a shallow silicone baking mold.
I intend to try this as a dinner roll recipe as well (cooked in a muffin tin), but am interested in how to get the tops to brown for aesthetics?
Christine
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the great feedback!
For browning them as dinner rolls, try putting them under the broiler for a few minutes. Interested to hear how they turn out!
~Christine
Kristen
Would other flours work in place of thre buckwheat? Cassava? Almond? Coconut?
Christine
Hi Kristen,
Possibly - I do have this handy chart to be able to match up a flour substitute. https://zestforbaking.com/guide-to-gluten-free-flour-substitutes I don't have cassava on there, but something like teff or amaranth or even sorghum should work. Let me know how they turn out if you decide to sub a flour!
~Christine
Judy
Will this work in a loaf pan? If so, what oven temp and length of baking time would you recommend?
Christine
Hi Judy,
So I haven't tested it in a loaf pan so I am not sure what to recommend. They are browned in a skillet before baking, so I'm not sure how to recommend browning them... If you're looking for more of a loaf bread, the category 'yeast bread' or 'sandwich bread' has some good options.
Let me know if I can help with anything else!
~Christine
Danielle
I don't have ring molds, do you have any other suggestions?
thanks, looking forward to trying this recipe.
Christine
Hi Danielle,
The batter is thick enough that you can try just portioning it out and smoothing it to stay in a circle. Let me know if you try it and how it works.
Hope that helps!
~Christine
melanie
No ring molds...would tuna tins with both ends taken off be about the right size?
Christine
Hi Melanie,
Yes, that would work perfectly!
Christine
Kimberly
I've been unable to source my favorite gf brand of English muffins (Glutino) since before quarantine in the US began. After scouring the Internet for recipes, reading reviews, I settled on this one. Sourced rings & buckwheat flour online (I had tapioca starch already).
These are amazing!! I fork split them & everything. Gorgeous texture, delicious flavor, nooks & crannies.
Cannot sing the praises of this recipe enough! I wish I could post pictures of how lovely they turned out.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Christine
Hi Kimberly,
Aw, thank you so much for the feedback!
Really glad you enjoyed them 🙂
~Christine
Maria
Can these be frozen? Would it be best to freeze after cooking on skillet and before baking in the oven?
Christine
Hi Maria,
You can freeze them after baking - just let them cool completely and freeze in a plastic freezer bag. You might slice them before freezing to make toasting them easier.
~Christine
Mary Munch
We were blown away by the taste of these english muffins. I made a half batch to try it out and we are impressed. Both the taste and the texture are excellent.
Christine
Thank you Mary! So glad you enjoy them 🙂
~Christine
Marie
Am wondering about the lack of xantham or guar gum in the recipe. Is it because there are two egg whites?
Christine
Hi Marie,
Thanks for asking - gums aren't always necessary - in things like muffins, pancakes and even some quick breads... just not needed. These English muffins use a lot of starch so that (plus the egg whites!) makes the gum not needed.
Hope that helps!
~Christine
Marie Earl
Thanks for confirming, Christine! Am testing out the recipe now... so fun to see how new recipes work! Best!
Andreia
Hi, Cristine, I have not baked those English muffins yet, but I need to know, please, if it is possible to keep them in the freezer after baked and for how long. Thank you so much and congratulations, your website is great!
Christine
Hi Andreia,
Thanks so much for the kind words and yes! These English muffins freeze really well. I would recommend slicing them ahead of time and placing pieces of wax paper between each side and then freezing them (so that when you take them out to toast, they are already sliced!). Hope that helps!
~Christine
Lisa
I loved these but when I put them in the pan to brown, they stuck really bad. The dough was a lot stickier than I expected. For the second round I switched pans and put olive oil in first. It still stuck. I'm not using rounds as I don't have them. And I did use a spatula like I would flip pancakes. The dough didn't burn, it just stuck like glue. Any suggestions on how to fix that?
Also my dough, prior to the egg whites was not creamy, but dry chunks. Was that right?
Thank you!
Christine
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for asking! So I do suggest using a non stick pan. It will prevent the English muffins from sticking to the pan. I would also suggest non stick cooking spray on the pan.
And as for the appearance of the dough - it shouldn't be dry. It will be a bit thicker, then thin out a tad after adding the egg white, but it won't be dry. Did you measure the flour and starch by weight?
~Christine
Maureen Jaeckel
Recipe is missing the step when to put egg whites in
Christine
Hi Maureen,
Sorry I missed your question! So put the egg white in step 8 in the directions.
Hope that helps!
~Christine
Jessica
can I substitute the dry yeast for something else?
Christine
Hi Jessica,
So unfortunately the active dry yeast can't be substituted. They just don't turn out the same without yeast.
~Christine
Susan
I cannot believe how great these muffins are! My whole family loved them. They came out nice and crunchy (depends on how long you griddle them) and have a very nice flavor and texture. I am about to make a double batch now that I ordered muffin rings...I was using a 3" cookie cutter doing one at a time! I was skeptical going into this but I have to give it 2 thumbs up!
Christine
Hi Susan,
Oh I am so glad you enjoy them - that makes my day 🙂
Double batches are a great idea!
~Christine
K
Wonderful recipe!
Christine
Thank you so much - gad you enjoyed it!
Christine
Angela
Have you/anyone tried subbing an all-purpose gf flour in place of the tapioca and buckwheat? Any success?
Christine
Hi Angela,
We can see if anyone has tested that combination - I personally have not, but I'd be curious to see what the results are like.
~Christine
Andy (they/them)
Absolutely amazing! I just had some with butter and jam on one of the malformed ones (my fault, I followed my heart instead of the recipe) and it was so good! This recipe will definitely become a part of my weekly make-ahead meals.
Christine
Hi Andy!
Oh yay, so glad you enjoyed them. And yep, they store really well too!
Thanks so much for the feedback.
Christine
Pamela
Hello Christine,
I have made these English muffins 4 times with great results. The 5th time I made them, following the recipe exactly, they came out so gummy I could barely cut them.
Any ideas what I did wrong for the English muffins to turn out gummy?
Love your website!
Pamela
Christine
Hi Pamela,
Thank you - so glad you enjoy them! Thank you for the kind words. So let's see, I am not certain what the problem could be but did you use the same brand of flours and starches you've been using? Did you weigh them? What about baking time - is the oven the correct temp?
Those are some things to start with. Let me know!
Christine
Olivea
Another amazing recipe - your recipes have improved my life with Celiac disease. They are cheaper and WAY better tasting than anything I can buy in the store. I really am in awe of how you create so many good recipes. Thanks so much!!!
Christine
Hi Olivea,
Thank you so much for the kind words! Really glad you are enjoying my recipes 🙂
Let me know if you ever have any questions!
Christine
Pamela
Love them. After adding the milk and butter I had little hope this was going to work. You are amazing. Thank you
Christine
So glad you enjoy them Pamela. That makes my day 🙂
Christine
Sherry
This really are fabulous
Christine
Thank you Sherry, gad you enjoy them!
Christine
Frances Henicksen
The recipe calls for tapioca starch, what if I have tapioca flour. Can I substitute that or is there another starch I can substitute with such as potato starch.
Christine
Hi Frances,
Sure, so you're in good shape - tapioca starch and tapioca flour are the same things!
Go ahead and use it.
Let me know if you come across any other questions!
Christine
Karen
Hello! Would regular buckwheat flour work? my bag does not say "light" buckwheat. It's Anthony's Organic Buckwheat Flour. Thanks for your help.
Christine
Hi Karen,
That will work! Just make sure to measure by weight.
Christine
Lee
Christine, I love reading about and making many of your recipes since you make adaptions pretty easy. I am allergic to tapioca/cassava (sadly it's very hard to find any gluten free items without it. Can't use bean flours either since I have G6PDD). Will pure arrowroot or cornstarch, a mix of the two, or something else work instead?
Thank you
Lee
Christine
Hi Lee,
Thank you for the kind words! So cornstarch is a substitute for tapioca in these English muffins, it'll work perfectly.
Hope that helps!
Christine
Renee'
Hi! Love your website and English muffins recipe! Am wondering if it's the yeast along with the egg whites which makes the beautiful pockets (or should I say 'crumb')? Or does the heated milk and butter activate the yeast more? Why are the air pockets so large? It's wonderful! Great job!
Christine
Hi Renee,
Thank you for the kind words!
I'd say it's a combination of the steps. This is a recipe I had worked on for a year before publishing it! Glad you enjoy it 🙂
Christine