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Fresh homemade cinnamon raisin English muffins cooling on a baking tray with one muffin split open to show the soft interior and raisins

Easy Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Soft homemade cinnamon raisin English muffins with classic nooks and crannies, lightly sweet flavor, and a chewy texture perfect for toasting. These are cooked on a griddle instead of baked, giving them that authentic English muffin texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 10 -12 muffins

Equipment

  • bread maker optional
  • Stand Mixer optional

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ cups milk warmed to about 110°F
  • 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup raisins
  • Cornmeal for dusting

Instructions
 

Stand Mixer Method

  • Warm milk to about 110°F. Stir in sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine:
    Flour
    Salt
    Cinnamon
  • Add:
    Yeast mixture and Softened butter
  • Mix on low speed using a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
  • Increase speed slightly and knead for about 6–8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
  • Add raisins during the final minute of mixing.
  • Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

By Hand Method

  • Warm milk to about 110°F and mix with sugar and yeast. Let sit until foamy.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Add softened butter and yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
  • Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  • Knead raisins into dough until evenly distributed.
  • Place dough into a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.

Bread Machine Method

  • Add ingredients to bread machine in this order:
    Warm milk
    yeast
    Sugar
    Butter
    Flour
    Cinnamon
    Salt
  • Set machine to the dough cycle.
  • Add raisins when machine signals for mix-ins. *if you machine doesn't have a mix-ins setting, fold the raisins in when the dough is done.
  • Once dough cycle is complete, continue with shaping instructions below.

Shaping & Cooking

  • Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.
  • Roll dough to about 1-inch thick.
  • Use a 3-inch round cutter (or cup/jar lid) to cut out muffins.
  • Place muffins on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet or surface.
  • Dust tops lightly with more cornmeal.
  • Cover loosely and let rise again for 20–30 minutes.
  • Preheat a dry skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
  • Do not add butter or oil.
  • Cook muffins for about 5–7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Keep the heat low enough that the centers cook fully before the outside gets too dark.
  • Cool slightly before splitting open with a fork and toasting.

Notes

NOTES & TIPS
  • Cooking low and slow is the secret to fully cooked English muffins with soft centers.
  • Splitting with a fork instead of a knife creates better nooks and crannies.
  • If the dough feels sticky, lightly flour your hands and work surface.
  • These freeze beautifully and toast up perfectly straight from frozen.
Keyword muffin